Shoko Watanabe

Institution: University of Birmingham

Position: Research Fellow

About

Dr. Shoko Watanabe received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to specializing in social psychology, Dr. Watanabe received her M.S. in educational psychology from Oklahoma State University and her B.A. in theological-historical studies from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the University of Birmingham, Dr. Watanabe conducts empirical research investigating hesitancies that theologians might have about engaging with psychology. In addition, she has two other streams of research. First, Dr. Watanabe's religious cognition research examines theodicy (how people perceive God amidst suffering), teleological reasoning (inferring purpose for natural entities and events), and longitudinal patterns of stability or change in religious doubt and engagement. Second, Dr. Watanabe's moral-social perception research addresses when and why uninvolved third parties perceive moral transgressors as deserving of forgiveness and conditions under which hypocrites are punished. Dr. Watanabe explores these topics in laboratory and online experiments using social cognitive and behavioral approaches, and through secondary data analyses using structural equation modeling.

Dr. Watanabe’s works have been published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Social Psychological and Personality Science, Social Psychology, Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, and more. More information on Dr. Watanabe's educational journey and personal background can be found in an interview piece by the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology.

Join Our Newsletter

Join our innovative exploration at the nexus of psychology and theology. Our project aims to enrich theological research with the latest psychological insights, offering a unique opportunity for scholars to deepen their understanding of human nature and ethics.

    Navigation

    Contact

    Department of Theology and Religion
    ERI Building
    University of Birmingham
    Edgbaston
    Birmingham B15 2TT
    United Kingdom
    © 2024 Cross Training Psychology and Theology – All Rights Reserved
    linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram