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Kelly Clemens

Assistant Professor
Office
DEG Degarmo Hall 430
  • About
  • Education
  • Selected Research

Biography

Committed to improving physical/mental health and well-being by conducting experimental research aimed at understanding mechanisms, evaluating and implementing interventions, and informing policy. Originally from Michigan. Love dogs, nature, and games. Avid reader and writer.

Current Courses

PSY 390.015 Advanced Research Apprenticeship

PSY 223.002 Social Psychology

PSY 290.015 Special Projects: Research Apprenticeship

PSY 291.015 Special Projects:Undergraduate Teaching

PSY 431.001 Theory & Research In Social Psychology

Teaching Interests & Areas

Health psychology, social psychology, emotion, research methods, quantitative methods, measurement

Research Interests & Areas

My research sits at the intersection of social and health psychology, and focuses on how psychological processes influence health behaviors and outcomes.

PhD Psychology

University of Toledo
Toledo, OH

MA Psychology

University of Toledo
Toledo, OH

MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Oakland University
Rochester, MI

BS Education

Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI

Grants and Contracts

University Research Grant
John Matkovic, Kelly Clemens.
Illinois State University - CAST. July 1 2024 - June 30 2025

Journal Article

Psychosocial influences on pain in transgender individuals
Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic, Abby Odelson, Audrey Strain, Eric Wesselmann.
(2025)
The effect of attribute framing on beliefs and attitudes toward branded and generic medications
Emily K Spotts, Kelly S Clemens, Kate Faasse, Andrew L Geers.
(2025)
Cultural normative beliefs in the U.S. as a determinant of negative dental experiences and dental anxiety: A Preliminary Investigation
Andrew L Geers, Laura D Seligman, Kenan Pituch, Kelly S Clemens, Sarah Francis, Lauren Kramer, Emily K Spotts, Michael Vang.
(2024)
Study protocol of an investigation of attention and prediction error as mechanisms of action for latent inhibition of dental fear in humans
Laura D Seligman, Andrew L Geers, Lauren Kramer, Kelly S Clemens, Kenan Pituch, Ben Colagiuri, Hillary A Marusak, Christine A Rabinak, Natalie Turner, Michael Nedley.
(2023)
Development and cross‐national investigation of a model explaining participation in WHO‐recommended and placebo behaviours to prevent COVID‐19 infection
P Babel, K Jensen, J Klosowska, A Bajcar, K Mattarozi, K Joshanloo, A Bagnis, H Bieniek, J Braaczyk, M Ponten, M Lalouni, J Park, Kelly S Clemens, H Choi, Andrew L Geers.
(2022)
Do side effects to the primary covid-19 vaccine reduce intentions for a COVID-19 vaccine booster?
Andrew L Geers, Kelly S Clemens, Emily K Jason, Kate Faasse, Ben Colagiuri, Luana Colloca.
(2022)
Psychosocial factors predict COVID-19 vaccine side effects
Andrew L Geers, Kelly S Clemens, Kate Faasse, Ben Colagiuri, Rebecca K Webster, Lene Vase, Mette Sieg, Emily K Jason, Luana Colloca.
(2022)
Social communication pathways to COVID-19 vaccine side-effect expectations and experience
Kelly S Clemens, Emily K Jason, Kate Faasse, Ben Colagiuri, Luana Colloca.
(2022)
The influence of message framing instructions on nocebo headaches in an experimental paradigm
Suzanne G Helfer, Ben Colagiuri, Kate Faasse, Kelly S Clemens, Fawn C Caplandies, Andrew L Geers.
(2022)
Treatment-relevant factors among adults receiving court-mandated substance use treatment: The role of emotion dysregulation
Kelly E Moore, Kelly S Clemens, Kim L Gratz, Matthew T Tull.
(2022)
Handwashing message type predicts behavioral intentions in the United States at the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic
John Matkovic, Kelly S Clemens, Kate Faasse, Andrew L Geers.
(2021)
Affect and emotions in placebo and nocebo effects: What do we know so far?
Andrew L Geers, Kate Faasse, Darwin A Guevarra, Kelly S Clemens, Suzanne G Helfer, Ben Colagiuri.
(2020)
Determinants of safety-focused product purchasing in the United States at the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic
Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic, Kate Faasse, Andrew L Geers.
(2020)
Examination of the relationship between affect, values, and physical activity among cancer survivors
Kelly S Clemens, Matthew T Tull, Ashley B Murray, Deborah Boardley, Jan Tipton, Andrew L Geers.
(2020)
Identifying and addressing stress, anxiety, and depression in the allergist’s office
Matthew T Tull, Kelly Clemens.
(2020)
The role of attitudes, affect, and income in predicting COVID-19 behavioral intentions
Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic, Kate Faasse, Andrew L Geers.
(2020)
Nocebo belief and attitudes towards side effect disclosure: A general population‐based online survey in Europe and North America
Mette Sieg, Kelly S Clemens, Luana Colloca, Andrew L Geers, Lena Vase.
European Journal of Pain, 10.1002/ejp.2305

Presentations

Inclusive Lectures Improve Social Fit and Self-Efficacy for Black College Students
Emma Walis, Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, February, 2026
Positive Affective Expectations and Perceived Discrimination as Predictors of Positive Health Behavior in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals
Audrey Curry, Kelly Clemens, John Matkovic.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, February 26, 2026
Psychological Expectancies as Contributors to Health Disparities in Transgender Adults.
AJ Ralston, Kelly Clemens, John Matkovic.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, February 26, 2026
Belonging and mental health in U.S. College students: Associations with depression, anxiety, stress, and academic outcomes
John Matkovic, Kelly Clemens.
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting 2025, Washington DC, November 4, 2025
Untangling the relationship between desire and response expectancy: An initial study
Kelly Clemens, John Matkovic, AJ Ralston, O Koku, J Anderson, Andrew Geers.
5th International Conference for the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, Krakow, Poland, June, 2025
Intuitive and magnitude dimensions of response expectancy are modulable via affect induction
J Anderson, Kelly Clemens, AJ Ralston, John Matkovic, Andrew Geers.
5th International Conference of the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, Krakow, Poland, June, 2025
Nocebo belief and attitudes towards side effect disclosure in Japan: A general population-based online survey
Takeshi Watanabe, Mette Sieg, Kelly S Clemens, Luana Colloca, Andrew L Geers, Lene Vase.
International Conference of the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, Kraków, Poland, June, 2025
Testing pre-exposure as an intervention strategy for disrupting learned dental fear using a novel virtual reality paradigm
Laura D Seligman, Ben Colagiuri, Kenan Pituch, Kelly S Clemens, Lauren Kramer, Samantha R Meyer, Emily K Spotts, Michael Vang, Hillary A Marusak, Christine A Rabinak, Natalie Turner, Michael Nedley, Andrew L Geers.
International Conference of the Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies, Kraków, Poland, June, 2025
Health promotion programs and work outcomes: explained through psychological constructs
Peyton Anderson, Kelly S Clemens.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, June, 2025
College Students’ Sense of Belonging on campus Predicts GPA.
Divine Nlombo, Kelly Clemens, John Matkovic.
Illinois State University Graduate Research Symposium, Normal, IL, April 11, 2025
The influence of structural and attitudinal barriers on college students’ 2024 influenza and COVID-19 vaccination intentions and uptake
Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic, Jillian Neal, Calvin Putterlik, Ashley Roberts.
Health Preconference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, February, 2025
Belonging and mental health in U.S. College students: Associations with depression, anxiety, stress, and academic outcomes
Peyton Anderson, Kelly S Clemens.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, February, 2025
Psychological factors contributing to pain during vaginal intercourse: The role of response expectancy
Kelly S Clemens, John Matkovic, Camila Fontes.
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, October, 2024
A need for sexual health education? queer women experience more pain during sex and expectations for dyspareunia
John Matkovic, Camila Fontes, Kelly Clemens.
American Public Health Association (APHA), Minneapolis, MN, October 27, 2024
Understanding the role of response expectancy in pelvic pain during sex
Camila Fontes, Joy Jeronimus, Kelly S Clemens.
Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychology Association, Chicago, IL, April, 2024
An elaboration likelihood manipulation to modulate expectancy dimensions
Kelly S Clemens, Andrew L Geers.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February, 2024
Expectations and anxiety: Exploring the effects of expectations on somatic and cognitive anxiety experiences
Joy Jeronimus, Kelly S Clemens.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, February, 2024
Unraveling and measuring the facets of treatment expectancy: The development of the Treatment Response Expectancy Scale
Kelly S Clemens, Andrew L Geers.
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, October, 2023
Examining ideal affect and physical activity in the US, Australia, and China
Michael Vang, Kelly S Clemens, Ashley Murray, Yopina Pertiwi, Andrew L Geers.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, February, 2023
The treatment response expectancy scale (TRES): A multidimensional measure of treatment expectancy
Kelly Clemens, Loren Taylor, Andrew L Geers.
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, February, 2023
Simple exchange messages improve COVID-19 handwashing intentions through changes in positive affect.
John Matkovic, Kelly Clemens, Kate Faasse, Andrew Geers.
American Public Health Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO, November, 2021