Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2003 Assistant Professor Member, Clinical Psychology Program parrott@gsu.edu 404-413-6287 1104 Urban Life

My research program examines determinants of violent behavior and is primarily focused on two related areas:  1) The interface between substance use, particularly alcohol, and aggression, and 2) Risk factors for antigay aggression.

Over the past three years, one area of my research program has examined the effects of personality variables (e.g., impulsivity), emotional dysregulation (e.g., temperament), and substance abuse/dependence (e.g., heavy drinking, alcohol dependence, prior drug use) on the alcohol-aggression relation.  In short, this research suggests that individuals who possess pre-existing deficits in emotional and behavioral regulation (i.e., while sober) are most likely to become aggressive while intoxicated.  We are currently attempting to identify a parsimonious set of personality dimensions that best identify individuals at risk for intoxicated aggression.  In the upcoming year, we will also conduct a test of alcohol myopia theory as an explanation for intoxicated aggression.   

In addition, my research program has examined the interactive effects of gender role beliefs, sexual prejudice, and gender role stress and antigay anger and aggression.  For example, recent studies demonstrated that exposure to overt homosexuality elicits heightened negative affect and anger among sexually prejudiced men.  These increases in negative affect were found to mediate the relationship between sexual prejudice and activation of anger-related cognitive networks (Parrott, Zeichner, & Hoover, 2006) and may serve as a catalyst for sexually-prejudiced physical aggression toward a gay, but not a heterosexual, man (Parrott & Zeichner, 2005).  These studies have provided the foundation for more comprehensive future projects that aim to 1) elucidate further the mechanism(s) underlying the perpetration of antigay violence, and 2) examine the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on antigay violence.  To this end, our laboratory is in the third year of a five-year, NIAAA funded investigation examining the joint effects of alcohol intoxication, sexual prejudice, gender role adherence, and gender role stress on anger and aggression toward gay men and lesbians.  

To compliment these laboratory-based studies, we have recently begun work that will ultimately extend this line of research to national samples.  Initial studies showed that 1) anger fully mediated the relation between sexual prejudice and antigay aggression, partially mediated the effect of peer dynamics on antigay aggression, and did not account of the relation between thrill seeking and antigay aggression (Parrott & Peterson, 2008), and 2) male gender role norms, particularly the antifemininity norm, are strongly associated with anger in response to gay men and that sexual prejudice and masculine gender role stress are important mediators of these associations (Parrott, Peterson, Vincent, & Bakeman, 2008).  These studies laid the foundation for an NIAAA funded survey-based investigation of determinants of alcohol-related antigay aggression in a community sample of men.  This project will be completed by 2009. 

Clinical Interests

My clinical interests involve the assessment and treatment of adults with substance use and anger-related difficulties.  I conceptualize addictive and violent behaviors from a social learning perspective, while also recognizing the myriad of other factors that may influence these maladaptive behaviors (e.g., neuropsychological, genetic, etc.).  I emphasize a cognitive-behavioral and motivational approach to therapy and am committed to applying the most current empirical findings to treatment protocols. 

Representative Publications
(Names with asterisks (**) denote mentored graduate students

Parrott, D.J., & Zeichner, A. (In press). Determinants of anger and physical aggression based on sexual orientation: An experimental examination of hypermasculinity and exposure to male gender role violations. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 

Parrott, D.J., & ** Miller, C.A. (In press). Alcohol-related antigay aggression: Theoretical considerations for individual- and societal-level interventions. Substance Use and Misuse.

 Parrott, D.J., & ** Gallagher, K.E. (2008). What accounts for heterosexual women’s negative emotional responses to lesbians?: Examination of traditional gender role beliefs and sexual prejudice. Sex Roles, 59, 229-239.      

 Parrott, D.J., Peterson, J.L., ** Vincent, W., & Bakeman, R. (2008). Correlates of anger in response to gay men: Effects of male gender role beliefs, sexual prejudice and masculine gender role stress. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 9, 167-178. 

 Parrott, D.J. (2008). A theoretical framework for antigay aggression: Review of established and hypothesized effects within the context of the general aggression model. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 933-951.

 Parrott, D.J., & Peterson, J.L. (2008). What motivates hate crimes based on sexual orientation? Mediating effects of anger on antigay aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 34, 306-318.

Giancola, P.R., & Parrott, D.J. (2008). Further evidence for the validity of the Taylor Aggression Paradigm.  Aggressive Behavior, 34, 214-229.

Parrott, D.J., & Giancola, P.R. (2007). Addressing the ‘criterion problem’ in the assessment of aggressive behavior: Development of a new taxonomic system. Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal, 12, 280-299.

 Parrott, D.J., & Giancola, P.R. (2006). Alcohol dependence and physical aggression: The mediating effect of dispositional impulsivity. In E.Y. Brozner (Ed.), New Research on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (pp. 155-172). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Giancola, P.R., Parrott, D.J., & Roth, R.M. (2006). The influence of difficult temperament on alcohol-related aggression: Better accounted for by executive functioning? Addictive Behaviors, 31, 2169-2187.

Parrott, D.J., & Giancola, P.R. (2006). The effect of past year heavy drinking on alcohol-related aggression.  Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 67, 122-130.

Parrott, D.J., Zeichner, A., & Hoover, R. (2006). Sexual prejudice and anger network activation: The mediating role of negative affect. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 7-16.

Giancola, P.R., & Parrott, D.J. (2005). Differential effects of past-year stimulant and sedative drug use on alcohol-related aggression. Addictive Behaviors, 30, 1535-1554.

Parrott, D.J., & Zeichner, A. (2005). Effects of sexual prejudice and anger on physical aggression toward gay and heterosexual men. Psychology of Men and Masculinity, 6, 3-17.

Parrott, D.J., & Giancola, P. (2004). A further examination of the relation between trait anger and alcohol-related aggression: The role of anger control. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28, 855-864.

Parrott, D.J., Zeichner, A., & Stephens, D. (2003). Effects of alcohol, personality, and provocation on the expression of anger in men: A facial coding analysis. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 27, 937-945. 

Parrott, D.J. & Zeichner, A. (2002). Effects of alcohol and trait anger on physical aggression in men. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 196-204.