Psychology Professor Authors Book Chapter on Behavior

Dr. Jamie McMinn, assistant professor of psychology at Westminster College, recently co-authored "The Many Faces of Childhood: Costume as Ritualized Behavior," a chapter on childhood behavior which appears in Rituals and Patterns in Children's Lives. 

"Alan Pickell and I examined costuming rituals and the psychological functions they serve for children," McMinn said.  "We then examined how these rituals are described in such popular children's series as the Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and the Oz books.  Our goal was to offer a way to understand the importance of children's costuming through the neoFredian theory of Carl Jung, as well as social psychological theories that explain why people, including children, misbehave when their identity is concealed by costumes."

Rituals and Patterns in Children's Lives is edited by Kathy Merlock and published by Popular Press.

McMinn, who has been with Westminster College since 2003, earned his under graduate degree from Emory & Henry College, and master's and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Contact McMinn at (724) 946-7121 or e-mail mcminnjg@westminster.edu for more information.

Dr. Jamie McMinn