Sarah A. Schnitker, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Psychology & Neuroscience
Education
Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 2010
B.S., Grove City College, 2002
Biography
Dr. Sarah Schnitker is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University. She holds a Ph.D. and an MA in Personality and Social Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and a BA in Psychology from Grove City College.
Academic Interests and Research
Dr. Sarah Schnitker studies virtue and character development in adolescents and emerging adults, with a focus on the role of spirituality and religion in virtue formation. She specializes in the study of patience, self-control, gratitude, generosity, and thrift. Schnitker has published more than 75 peer-review articles and edited chapters, and she has procured more than $10 million in funding as a principal investigator on multiple research grants. Schnitker is an Associate Editor for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Research in Personality, and a co-editor of the forthcoming Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. She is a dedicated mentor, having served as dissertation advisor for more than 20 doctoral students, whom she helps to cultivate intellectual virtues alongside scientific competencies. She is the recipient of the Virginia Sexton American Psychological Association’s Division 36 Mentoring Award and the Student International Positive Psychology Association Mentor Award.
More information about her research please visit the Science of Virtues website.
Representative Publications
Ratchford, J. L., Ming, M. S., & Schnitker, S. A. (2022). Personality profiles differentially predict well-being at the facet level: A latent profile analysis of the five factor model facets. Personality and Individual Differences, 196, 222700. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111700
Schnitker, S. A., Currier, J. M., Abernethy, A. D., Witvliet, C. V. O., Foster, J. D., Root Luna, L. M., VanHarn, K., & Carter, J. (2021). Gratitude and patience moderate meaning struggles and suicidal risk in a cross-sectional study of inpatients at a Christian psychiatric hospital. Journal of Personality, 89, 1191-1205. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12644
Schnitker, S. A., Shubert, J., Ratchford, J. L., Lumpkin, M., & Houltberg, B. J. (2021). Mixed results on the efficacy of the CharacterMe smartphone app to improve self-control, patience, and emotional regulation competencies in adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 586713. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.586713
Schnitker, S. A., Medenwaldt, J. M., & Williams, E. G. (2021). Religiosity in adolescence. Current Opinion in Psychology, 40, 155-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.09.012
Shubert, J., *Ratchford, J. L., Houltberg, B. J., & Schnitker, S. A. (2022). Disentangling character strengths from developmental competencies: Patience and self-regulatory competencies. Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(2), 203-209. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.2016904
Complete list of published works at my CV or google scholar profile.
Grants Funded- Found on CV
Awards
International Positive Psychology Association SIPPA Mentor Award, 2021
Virginia Sexton APA Division 36 Mentoring Award, 2018
Graduate Student Recruitment
Dr. Schnitker is currently accepting applications for Ph.D. students.
Current Post-docs and Research Scientists
Michael Prinzing Ph.D.
Current Ph.D. Students
Elizabeth Bounds
Karim Kerasha
Allison Alford
Baylor Courses Taught
- PSY 3310: Social Psychology
- PSY 3350: Developmental Psychology
- PSY 5330: Advanced Personality Psychology (graduate seminar)