Dr. Parmley’s research interests include how we interpret others’ social cues. She has examined how gender stereotypes and the ambiguity of an emotion might influence the perception of an emotional message. She has also examined how culture, intimacy, and hormonal changes can impact the perception of emotional facial expressions. Currently, Dr. Parmley is investigating how dispositional serenity and mindfulness can promote well-being and reduce stress in unique ways. Dr. Parmley is a social psychologist.
Education Background
B.A., University of Massachusetts Amherst
M.A., Ph.D., Brandeis University
Undergraduate Courses Taught
General Psychology
Interpersonal Communication*
Research Methods
Research Seminar*
Social Psychology*
Statistics*
Stereotypes & Prejudice
Women’s Images
*courses that are taught regularly
Publications
Soysa, C. K., Zhang, F., Parmley, M., & Lahikainen, K. (2020). Dispositional mindfulness and serenity: Their unique relations with stress and mental well‑being. Journal of Happiness Studies. http://dx.doi.org.lib.assumption.edu/10.1007/s10902-020-00282-0.
Parmley, M., Zhang, F., *Colburn, K. L., & *Georges, N. (2015). Fluctuations in female attention to male facial expressions of emotions across the menstrual cycle. In A. Freitas-Magalhaes (Ed.), Emotional expression: The brain and the face. (Vol. 7). Porto, Portugal: Edições Universidade Fernando Pessoa (pp. 147-179).
Zhang, F., & Parmley, M. (2015). Emotion attention and recognition of facial expressions among close friends and casual acquaintances. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 32, 633-649.
Zhang, F., Parmley, M., Wan, X. A., & Cavanagh, S. (2015). In-group advantage for recognition of emotional facial expressions varies by intensity, emotion, and cultural background of the decoder. Motivation and Emotion, 39,¬ 309-319.
Parmley, M., & Zhang, F. (2015). Your face says it all: Closeness and the perception of emotional expressions. Journal of Social Psychology, 155, 127-142.
Parmley, M., & Cunningham, J. G. (2014). She looks sad, but he looks mad: The effects of age, gender, and ambiguity on emotion perception. Journal of Social Psychology, 154, 323-338.
Zhang, F., & Parmley, M. (2011). What your best friend sees that I don’t see: Comparing female close friends and casual acquaintances on the perception of emotional facial expressions of varying intensities. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37, 28-39.
Parmley, M., & Cunningham, J. G. (2008). Children’s gender-emotion stereotypes in the relationship of anger to sadness and fear. Sex Roles, 58, 358-370.
Presentations
Zhang, F., Parmley, M., & Bohm, K. (2025, May). The construct of serenity: Differentiating from gratitude, forgiveness, spiritual transcendence, or self-transcendence. Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science Conference, New York, NY.
*MacGilvray, A., & Parmley, M. (2025, March). Improving well-being and reducing stress through gratitude and serenity journaling. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference, New York, NY.
Soysa, C. K., Zhang, F., Parmley, M., (2023, March). Emotion Regulation Mediates the Dispositional Mindfulness/Serenity Stress/ Wellbeing Relationships during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Poster presented at the Annual International Convention for Psychological Science.
*Otto, P., & Parmley, M. (2023, March). The Effect of Gratitude and Compassion on Persuasion Processing. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Boston, MA.
Soysa, C. K., Zhang, F., Parmley, M., Morin, B., Marsh, R., Stewart, S., Guertin, E., & Fernandes, W. (2022, May). Dispositional Mindfulness Mediates the Dispositional Serenity – Stress/Well-Being Relationships. Poster presented at the 33rd Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention.
Parmley, M., Zhang, F., & *Martin, B. (2022, February). Perceiving Masked Facial Expressions in a Pandemic World. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA (Virtual).
Zhang, F., Soysa, C. K., Parmley, M., *Martin, B. (2022, February). Dispositional serenity: A mindset of positive coping and mental well‑being. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA (Virtual).
Parmley, M., & Zhang, F., & *Costello, J., Babcock, M. (2020, May). Persuasion Processing: A Shift Associated with Serenity. Poster presented at the 31st Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, (Virtual).
Zhang, F., Parmley, M., & *Costello, J. (2020, May). Serenity, personality, cognitive style. Poster presented at the 31st Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, (Virtual).
Parmley, M., & *Dunn, J. (2019, May). The impact of community service in the classroom setting. Poster presented at the 30th Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Washington, DC.
Parmley, M., Zhang, F., *Kelley, M. (2019, February). Inducing Serenity: Exploring a New Method. Poster presented at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
Parmley, M., Zhang, F., *Spillman, C., & *Folan, K. (2018, March). Serenity and Stereotypic Thinking. Poster presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.