Staff Profile

Melissa A. Lewis, Ph.D. – Research Fellow

Melissa A. Lewis, Ph.D., is faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Dr. Lewis received her doctorate in Health and Social Psychology from North Dakota State University in 2005 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington’s Center for the Study of Health and Risk Behaviors. Dr. Lewis has been a member of the faculty at the University of Washington since 2007.

Dr. Lewis’ substantive research interests lie in examining social psychological principles in broadly defined health-related behaviors. She studies social and motivational mechanisms involved in etiology and prevention of addictive and high-risk behaviors (e.g., drinking, risky sexual behavior). She has particular expertise in personalized feedback interventions aimed at correcting normative misperceptions for risky behaviors among college students. Mechanisms in which she is interested include normative perceptions, protective behavioral strategies, and self-determination. Dr. Lewis also explores who might be more prone to take part in high-risk health behaviors, such as those who are more sensitive to social pressures.