Reuven Sussman

Program affiliation: Individualized programs

Supervisors: Dr. Robert Gifford

Research interests

My research interests are in Environmental Psychology, focusing primarily on pro-environmental behaviour. Throughout my M.Sc. and now in my Ph.D., I have conducted several studies on commons dilemmas (working together to share resources), modeling (seeing others composting encourages the behaviour), and visual prompts (using signs to promote sustainable behaviour). I have a strong preference for employing observational measures of actual behaviour in my research, and my future research will continue to focus on encouraging pro-environmental behaviour using social psychological principles. If each of us starts behaving more sustainably, we can make an important impact on the future of our planet.

Note: Prior to starting my graduate studies at UVic, I also conducted research on fetal toxicology.

Awards

Canadian Graduate Student Doctoral Scholarship. 2010. Social Science and Humanities Research Council. 3 Years.
Quality Move Award. 2009. Graduate Admissions and Awards Committee. 8 Months.
R. B. May Graduate Award. 2008. Graduate Admissions and Awards Committee. 8 Months.
MITACS BC Industrial Internship Program. 2008. MITACS. 6 Months.
Exceptional Merit Award. 2008. Graduate Admissions and Awards Committee. 4 Months.
Composting in Victoria: The Effectiveness of Modelling and Prompting on Behaviour Change. 2008. Sarah Spencer Foundation. 1 Year.

Representative publications and presentations

In preparation: Lavallee, L., Sussman, R., Hine, D.W., Iglesias, F., & Gifford, R. (2011) Sustainable resource use in commons dilemmas: The impact of the collective over the individual.

In preparation: Sussman, R., Gifford, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., & Chan, E. (2011). Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma: Hometown and Cultural Background.

Gifford, R. & Sussman, R. (in press). Urban Psychology: The Psychological Needs of City Dwellers. In F. Zeman (Ed.). Handbook of metropolitan sustainability. New York: Woodhead Publishing Ltd.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (in press). Be the Change You Want to See: Modeling Food Composting in Public Places. Environment & Behavior.

Gifford, R. & Sussman, R. (in press). Environmental Attitudes. In S. Clayton (Ed.). Handbook of Environmental and Conservation Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Sussman, R., Greeno, M., Gifford, R., & Scannell, L. (in press). The Effectiveness of Models and Prompts on Waste Diversion: A Field Experiment on Composting by Cafeteria Patrons. Journal of Applied Social Psychology.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2012). Please turn off the lights: The effectiveness of visual prompts. Applied Ergonomics, 43, 596-603.

Sussman, R. (2009). Analysis of the Current State of the Housing and Construction Sector in BC. Report prepared for: Building and Safety Policy Branch, Government of British Columbia. Victoria, BC.

Staroselsky, A., Fantus, E., Sussman R., Sandor, P., Koren, G., & Nulman, I. (2009). Predictors of Behavioural Phenotype in Children with Psychiatric Disorders Exposed in Utero to Alcohol. Pediatric Drugs, 11, 22-25.

Nulman, I., Tcharnaia, L., Lubetsky, A., Sussman, R., & Nava-Ocampo, A.A. (2007) Neurodevelopment of Children Exposed to Antidepressant Medications During Gestation: A Critical Overview and Preliminary Meta-Analysis. The International Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology Proceedings. Kyoto, Japan. [NOTE: This is a full-text article]

Nulman, I., Sussman, R., Farber, N., Chitayat, D., & Koren, G. (2007). Fetal Malformations Associated with Drugs & Chemicals: Visualization by Sonography/fetal MRI. In G. Koren (Ed.), Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. (pp. 39-74). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006, August 21). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions: Critical Review of Animal Studies and Applications to Clinical Research. JFAS Int, 4, Article e13. Retrieved September, 2007, from http://www.motherisk.org/JFAS_documents/

Koren, G., Nava-Ocampo, A.A., Moretti, M.E., Sussman, R., & Nulman I. (2006) Major malformations with valproic acid. Canadian Family Physician, 52, 441-447.

Conference presentations

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2011). Please Turn Off the Lights: The Effectiveness of Visual Prompts. Canadian Psychological Association Annual Convention.June 2-4, Toronto, ON. Canadian Psychology, 52:2a.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2010). The Effectiveness of Prompts and Models on Food Composting by Restaurant Patrons. International Congress of Applied Psychology, July 11-17, Melbourne, Australia.

Lavallee, L., Sussman, R., Iglesias, F., & Gifford, R. (2010). The logic of conservation and the role of social influence in undermining conservation. The Canadian Psychological Association's 71st Annual Convention, June 3-5. Winnipeg, MB.

Lavallee, L., Sussman, R., Iglesias, F., & Gifford, R. (2009). Environmental Attitudes and Cooperative Norms as Predictors of Conservation. 8th Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology, September 7 – 9. Zurich, Switzerland.

Sussman, R., Greeno, M., Scannell, L., Gifford, R. (2009). The Effectiveness of Signs and Models in Increasing Food-Waste Composting. Canadian Psychological Association Annual Convention. June 12, Montreal, QC. Canadian Psychology, 50:2a.

Sussman, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., Chan, E., & Gifford, R. (2008). Childhood Residential Zone, Individualism-Collectivism, and Sustainability Choices in a Commons Dilemma Microworld. XVI International Conference of the Society for Human Ecology. September 10 - 13. Bellingham, Washington State, USA.

Sussman, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., Chan, E., & Gifford, R. (2008). Cultural Background, Community Size and Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma. Canadian Psychological Association. June 12, Halifax, NS. Canadian Psychology, 49:2a.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise Round Table. Sept 9, Moncton, NB.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Study Group (FACE satellite), RSA Conference. June 13, Boston, MA.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Drugs and Alcohol in Pregnancy - Inaugural Ivey Symposium; June 6, London, ON.

Posters and abstracts

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2010). Modeling Pro-Environmental Behavior: Food Composting. American Psychological Association. August 12-15, San Diego, California.

Lum, B., Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2008). Cultural Background, Community Size and Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma Microworld. Psychology Students of Vancouver Island Poster Session. April 11, Victoria, BC.

Nulman, I., Knittel-Keren, D., Valo, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., & Koren, G. (2007). Child Neurodevelopment Following Exposure to Venlafaxine in Utero, Unexposed Siblings as Comparison Groups: Preliminary Results. European Journal of Psychiatry, 22 (Suppl 1), Abtract #071, S242.

Grupp, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., Koren, G., & Nulman, I. (2006). Long Term Development of Children Exposed to Maternal Cancer in Utero: A Pilot Study. Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Scientific Retreat. December 8, Toronto, ON.

Nulman, I., Knittel-Keren, D., Valo, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., & Koren, G. (2006). Child Neurodevelopment Following Exposure to Venlafaxine in Utero, Unexposed Siblings as Comparison Groups: Preliminary Results. Birth Defects Research Part A. 76(5), Abtract #15, 321.

Nava-Ocampo, A.A., Koren, G., Moretti, M.E., Sussman, R., & Nulman, I. (2006). Valproic Acid is a major human teratogen: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Society for Clinical Pharmacology. May 10, Baltimore, MD.

E-mail: mailto:reuvens@uvic.ca
Phone: 250-721-8644