Joshua Isen, Ph.D.

Joshua Isen, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology

Education

  • Ph.D. University of Southern California, Los Angeles; 2010-Psychology

  • M.A. University of Southern California, Los Angeles; 2007-Psychology

  • B.A.  University of California, Berkeley; 2003-Psychology 


 

 


Research Interests

  • Normal adolescent development and rule-breaking behavior
  • Behavioral genetics
  • Individual differences in social attitudes and pubertal growth

My research focuses on the relationship between normal adolescent development and rule-breaking behavior. To this end, I examine how individual differences in social attitudes and pubertal growth translate into risk for aggressive/delinquent behaviors. I view the adolescent increase in sensation-seeking and social nonconformity as a kind of double-edged sword, as it promotes the emerging adult’s independence but also contributes to substance abuse and other negative outcomes. I am a behavioral geneticist by training, and seek to understand the genetic and environmental bases of these associations 


Publications

  • Jackson, N., Isen, J., Khoddam, R., Irons, D., Tuvblad, C., Iacono, W., McGue, M., Raine, A., & Baker, L. (2016). The impact of adolescent marijuana use on intelligence: Results from two longitudinal twin studies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 
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