Mitzi M. Schumacher, Ph.D.

(Ohio State University, 1986)

129 Medical Behavioral Science Building
Phone: (859) 323-6075
e-mail: mtzjhns@uky.edu

Research Description

As a psychologist trained in social cognition, Dr. Johnson’s primary research interest is cognitive aging. Specifically, she studies older adult’s decision-making performance and preferences in medical settings.  She is also interested in broader psychosocial issues relevant to health and aging, such as those that confront Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. Finally, her involvement in medical education and background in research method and design has led to other interests in a variety of research settings and program evaluations.

2008 Accomplishments

As chair of the President’s Commission on Women for the past year and a half, many of Dr. Schumacher’s professional activities in 2008 involved those administrative responsibilities.  Appointed as the state coordinator, she has been instrumental in establishing a state network for women under the auspices of the American Council of Education’s Office of Women in Higher Education.  Her interests in women’s issues have been incorporated into her research so that she has become the first author on manuscripts from the young women and girls in science intervention and principal investigator on a NIH grant application examining the career paths of women in biomedical and behavioral sciences and engineering.  She maintains her longstanding research interest in older adults’ decision making by contributing a book chapter based on her basic research and extending the work to examine how cancer patients make treatment decisions.  Combining her research interests with her commitment to promoting the careers of women faculty, she mentors two junior faculty members.  In addition to producing jointly authored publications, these efforts have lead to funding from the American Cancer Society to a junior faculty to examine the treatment decision making of lung cancer patients.

Representative Publications  (formerly as Johnson)

Johnson, M.M.S., & Drungle, S.C. (2000). Purchasing over-the-counter medications: The impact of age differences in information processing. Experimental Aging Research, 26, 245-261.

Wackerbarth, S.B., & Johnson, M.M.S. (1999). Predictors of driving cessation, independent living, and power of attorney decisions by dementia patients and caregivers. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 14, 1-6.

Johnson, M.M.S., & Drungle, S.C. (2000).  Purchasing over-the-couonter medications:  The impact of age differences in information processing.  Experimental Aging Research, 26, 245-261.

Stephens, E. & Johnson, M.M.S. (2000).  Dr. Mom and Other Influences on Age Differences in OTC Medication Purchases.  Journal of Applied Gerontology, 19, 441-459.

Berg, C.A., Johnson, M.M.S., Meegan, S.P., Strough, J. (2003).  Collaborative problem-solving interactions in young and old married couples.  Discourse Processes, 35(1), 33-58.

Johnson, M., & Ryan, M. (2002).  Influence of the method of OTC information presentation on older adult decision-making.  Journal of Pharmaceutical Marketing, 15(4).