Dr. Cheng is the Interim Associate Dean of Faculty Professional Development for the College of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Director of the Undergraduate Psychology program and a Professor of Psychology at Carlow. She teaches courses in statistics and social psychology in flipped and online formats, and serves as the faculty advisor for the Carlow University chapter of the Psi Chi International Honor Society, which she helped establish in 2013. In 2020, Dr. Cheng was the recipient of the Sisters of Mercy Award for Excellence in Advising. In addition, Dr. Cheng and her mini labradoodle, Mochi, are a certified therapy team and provide pet therapy visits regularly both off and on campus.

A Canadian citizen, Dr. Cheng earned her Hon BSc (2000) in Psychology from the University of Toronto and her MA (2002) and PhD (2006) in Social Psychology with minors in Quantitative Psychology and Cognitive Psychology from The Ohio State University, where she also received the university-wide Graduate Associate Teaching Award and the General Psychology 100 Teaching Excellence Award. In addition, Dr. Cheng earned a certificate in American Sign Language from the Community College of Allegheny County and an Online Teaching Program certificate with a special focus in accessibility from the Online Learning Consortium. She was a contributing author to the American Psychological Association’s guide to college teaching and has regularly given presentations on racism and implicit bias to the Carlow community. Currently, Dr. Cheng serves as the Vice President for Resources for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.

Education

  • MA, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (2022)
  • PhD Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (2006)
  • Hon BSc, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (2000)

Professional Memberships

  • Society for the Teaching of Psychology

Research

Interests: Social Cognition; Stereotyping and Prejudice; Implicit Bias

Publications

  • American Psychological Association. (2020). The APA guide to college teaching: Essential tools and techniques based on psychological science. [Contributing Author]
  • Cheng, C. M. (2017). #FeedTheDeed: An action teaching project for the psychology of prosocial behavior. In W. Altman, L. Stein, & J. E., Waterfall (Eds.), Essays from Excellence in Teaching (Vol. 16, pp. 22-25). [Invited Essay]
  • Phillips, R. E., III, & Cheng, C. M. (2015). Who uses Buddhist Coping? Convergent and discriminant validity for the BCOPE. Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 26, 1-20.
  • Phillips, R. E., III, Cheng, C. M., & Oemig-Dworsky, C. (2014). Initial evidence for a brief measure of Buddhist coping in the United States. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 24, 215-227.
  • Sava, F. A., Maricutoiu, L. P., Rusu, S., Macsinga, I., Vîrgă, D., Cheng, C. M., & Payne, B. K. (2012). An inkblot for the implicit assessment of personality: The Semantic Misattribution Procedure. European Journal of Personality, 26, 613-628.
  • Cheng, C. M., Govorun, O., & Chartrand, T. L. (2012). Effect of self-awareness on negative affect among individuals with discrepant low self-esteem. Self and Identity, 11, 304-316.
  • Phillips, R. E., III, Cheng, C. M., Oemig, C., Hietbrink, L., Vonnegut, E. (2012). Validation of a Buddhist coping measure among primarily non-Asian Buddhists in the United States. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 51, 156-172.
  • Lo, C., Helwig, C. C., Chen, S. X., Ohashi, M. M., & Cheng, C. M. (2011). A needs-based perspective on cultural differences in identity formation. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 11, 211-230.
  • Lo, C., Helwig, C. C., Chen, S. X., Ohashi, M. M., & Cheng, C. M. (2011). The psychology of strengths and weaknesses: Assessing self-enhancing and self-critical tendencies in Eastern and Western cultures. Self and Identity, 10, 203-212.
  • Chartrand, T. L., Cheng, C. M., Dalton, A. N., & Tesser, A. (2010). Nonconscious goal pursuit: Isolated incidents or adaptive self-regulatory tool? Social Cognition, 28, 569-588.
  • Koole, S. L., Govorun, O., Cheng, C. M., & Gallucci, M. (2009). Pulling your self together: Meditation promotes congruence of implicit and explicit self-esteem. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45, 1220-1226.
  • Phillips, R. E., III, Cheng, C. M., Pargament, K. I., Oemig, C., Colvin, S. D., Abarr, A. N.,…Reed, A. S. (2009). Spiritual coping in American Buddhists: An exploratory study. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 19, 231-243.
  • Chartrand, T. L., Dalton, A., & Cheng, C. M. (2007). Consequences of nonconscious goal activation. In J. Shah & W. Gardner (Eds.), Handbook of Motivation Science (pp. 342-355). New York, NY: Guilford.
  • Payne, B. K., Cheng, C. M., Govorun, O., & Stewart, B. D. (2005). An inkblot for attitudes: Affect misattribution as implicit measurement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 89, 277-293.
  • Aarts, H., Chartrand, T. L., Custers, R., Danner, U., Dik, G., Jefferis, V. E., & Cheng, C. M. (2005). Social stereotypes and automatic goal adoption. Social Cognition, 23, 465-490.
  • von Hippel, W., von Hippel, F. A., Chan, N., & Cheng, C. (2005). Exploring the use of Viagra in place of animal and plant potency products in traditional Chinese medicine. Environmental Conservation, 32, 235-238.
  • Cheng, C. M., & Chartrand, T. L. (2003). Self-monitoring without awareness: Using mimicry as a nonconscious affiliation strategy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 11701179.
  • Lakin, J. L., Jefferis, V. E., Cheng, C. M., & Chartrand, T. L. (2003). The Chameleon Effect as social glue: Evidence for the evolutionary significance of nonconscious mimicry. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 27, 145-162. Selected as one of the ten most important articles featured in celebration of the journal’s 40th anniversary. Reprinted in: Knapp, M. L., & J. A. Daly (Eds.). (2010). Interpersonal Communication (Vol. 2), London, England: SAGE Publications.
  • Chartrand, T. L., & Cheng, C. M. (2002). The role of nonconscious goal pursuit in hope. Psychological Inquiry, 13, 290-294. [Invited Commentary]
  • Chartrand, T. L., Cheng, C. M., & Jefferis, V. E. (2002). You’re just a chameleon: The automatic nature and social significance of mimicry. In M. Jarymowicz & R. K. Ohme (Eds.) Natura automatyzmow (Nature of Automaticity) (pp. 19-24), Warszawa, Poland: IPPAN & SWPS.
  • Chartrand, T. L., Jefferis, V. E., & Cheng, C. M. (2002). The activation, pursuit, and consequences of nonconscious goals. In M. Jarymowicz & R. K. Ohme (Eds.) Natura automatyzmow (Nature of Automaticity) (pp. 75-80), Warszawa, Poland: IPPAN & SWPS.

Awards & Recognition

  • The Sisters of Mercy Award for Excellence in Advising (2020)
  • Center for Digital Learning and Innovation Fellowship (2017)
  • Psi Chi International Honor Society (2013)
  • Graduate Associate Teaching Award (2006)
  • General Psychology 100 Teaching Excellence Award (2006)
  • Council of Graduate Students Ray Travel Award for Scholarship and Service (2006, 2005, 2004)
  • Baumgartner Travel Award (2005)
  • Graduate Associate Teaching Award Nominee (2004)
  • Society for Personality and Social Psychology Diversity Fund Award (2003)
  • Society for Personality and Social Psychology Diversity Fund Award, Honorable Mention (2001)
  • Dr. John A. and Connie P. Dickson Scholarship for Math and Sciences (1999)
© Copyright 2024 Carlow University. All rights reserved.
Carlow University prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator, Jackie smith at jmsmith@carlow.edu or 412-578-6050.