Elise Allen

Contact Information

Education

• Ph.D. Educational Studies - Educational Psychology, The Ohio State University
• Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Quantitative Research Methods, The Ohio State University
• Graduate Certificate in English Adolescence Education, State University of New York – University at Buffalo
• M.A. English; State University of New York – University at Buffalo
• B.A. Psychology & English; The Ohio State University

Professional/Academic Experience

Dr. Allen completed her Ph.D. in Educational Studies – Educational Psychology at The Ohio State University. During her time in graduate school, she also completed an invited research stay at the University of Zürich in Psychology. She was also awarded a dissertation fellowship during her final year of graduate study for her work on motivational costs and how they relate to teacher-student relationships in high school.

Dr. Allen began working as an Assistant Professor at University of Northern Colorado in fall of 2024. She teaches courses in the undergraduate psychology program, the online applied M.A. for teachers in educational psychology, and graduate courses in the master’s/doctoral program in educational psychology.

Research/Areas of Interest

Dr. Allen’s research focuses on motivation in secondary and post-secondary settings. Her recent work primarily focuses on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory and, specifically, on students’ perceptions of motivational costs, or the negative aspects of task engagement. Much of her ongoing work uses longitudinal methodologies, in which students’ perceptions are measured numerous (four or more) times throughout the course of a study. Her recent publications and works-in-progress include identifying antecedents of students’ cost perceptions, how costs relate to teacher-student relationships over time, and how individuals’ motivational beliefs may differ from class averages.

Dr. Allen’s broader research interests and expertise also include work on self-regulated learning, achievement goal theory, and implicit beliefs such as theories of willpower and mindsets.

Publications/Creative Works