Profile

Anthony Ahrens

Associate Professor
Psychology

  • Anthony Ahrens did his undergraduate work at Northwestern University and received his doctorate in psychology from Stanford University. His research interests fall at the interface of social and clinical psychology. His current interests emphasize gratitude, mindfulness, and fear of emotion.

  • Degrees

    PhD, Psychology, Stanford University
    BA, Psychology, Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences, Northwestern University
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  • OFFICE

  • CAS - Psychology
  • Asbury - 317A
  • T 12:45-1:30 pm, 6:45-7:30 pm -- W 5-6 pm -- Th 6:45-7:00 pm -- F 12:45-2:00 pm

  • CONTACT INFO

  • (202) 885-1714 (Office)
  • Send email Profile UserID

  • MEDIA RELATIONS

  • To request an interview
    please call AU Media Relations
    at 202-885-5950 or
    submit an interview request form.

Teaching

  • Fall 2009

    • HNRS-302 Honors Collqm in Social Sc: The Psychology of Happiness
    • Description

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

Dr. Ahrens’ current research focuses on gratitude, mindfulness, and fear of emotion. He has particular interest in depression and anxiety.

Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

American University, University Faculty Award for Outstanding Service to the University Community, 2007

Professional Presentations

  • Breetz, A. A., Ahrens, A. H., Tull, M., & Gratz, K. The moderating role of nonjudgmentalacceptance in the relationship between implicit theories of emotion and fear of emotion. Presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies convention, Orlando, FL, November 2008.
  • McIntosh, E., Ahrens, A. H., Friedman-Wheeler, D. G., & Haaga, D. A. Impact of manipulating regulatory focus on memory for approach and avoidance strategies in smokers. Presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies convention, Philadelphia, PA, November 2007.
  • McIntosh, E., & Ahrens, A. H. Empathy moderates the effects of gratitude inductions. Presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology convention, Memphis, TN, January 2007.
  • Gurel, O., & Ahrens, A. H. Gratitude and interdependence of self-construal. Presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology convention, Memphis, TN, January 2007.
  • Kyrimis, M., Ahrens, A. H., & Baldassari, J. An examination of the relationships among mindfulness, emotional acceptance, self-compassion, forgiveness, and self-judgment. Presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies convention, Chicago, IL, November 2006.
  • Gurel, O. & Ahrens, A. H. Fear of emotion and perception of emotions in sad, angry, and happy faces. Presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy convention, Washington, DC, November 2005.
  • Ahrens, A. H., Kyrimis, M., & Gunthert, K. C. Fear of emotion and affective reactivity to daily stress. Presented at the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy convention, New Orleans, LA, November 2004
  • Gurel, O., & Ahrens, A. H. The role of relational-interdependent self-construal in the link between motivational goals and affect. Presented at the Second European Conference on Positive Psychology, Verbania, Italy, July 2004
  • DeBoard, R. & Ahrens, A. H. Can body-scan mindfulness meditation decrease the enhancement effect associated with thought suppression? Presented at the Eastern Psychological Association convention, Washington, DC, April 2004
  • Ahrens, A. H., McIntosh, E., & Joseph, N. Gratitude blends, gratitude levels, and narcissism. Presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology convention, Los Angeles, CA, February 2003.

Selected Publications

  • Friedman-Wheeler, D. G., Ahrens, A. H., Haaga, D. A. F., McIntosh, E., & Thorndike, F. P. (2007). Depressive symptoms, depression proneness, and outcome expectancies for cigarette smoking. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 31, 547-557
  • Berg, C. Z., Shapiro, N., Chambless, D. L., & Ahrens, A. H. (1998). Are emotions frightening? II: An analogue study of fear of emotion, interpersonal conflict, and panic onset. Behavior Research and Therapy, 36, 3-15.
  • Williams, K. E., Chambless, D. L., & Ahrens, A. H. (1997). Are emotions frightening? An extension of the fear of fear construct. Behavior Research and Therapy, 35, 239-248. Minarik, M. L., & Ahrens, A. H. (1996). Relations of eating behavior, depressive symptoms, and anxiety to the dimensions of perfectionism. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 20, 157-171.
  • Haaga, D. A. F., Ahrens, A. H., Schulman, P., Seligman, M. E. P., DeRubeis, R. J., & Minarik, M. (1995). Metatraits and cognitive assessment: Application to attributional style and depressive symptoms. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19, 121-142.
  • Edelman, R. E., Ahrens, A. H., & Haaga, D. A. F. (1994). Inferences about the self, attributions, and overgeneralization as predictors of recovery from dysphoria. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 18, 551-566
  • Ahrens, A. H., & Abramson, L. Y. (1991). Changes in personal standards and dysphoria: A longitudinal approach. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 15, 47-68.
  • Ahrens, A. H., Zeiss, A. M., & Kanfer, R. (1988). Depressive deficits in interpersonal standards, self-efficacy, and social comparison. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 12, 53-67.
  • Alloy, L. B., & Ahrens, A. H. (1987). Depression and pessimism for the future: Biased use of statistically relevant information in predictions for self versus others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 366-378.

 

Grants and Sponsored Research

  • R21 National Cancer Institute, “Applying Self-Regulatory Focus Theory to Cigarette Smoking Cessation,” Co-Investigator (David Haaga, PI) 2002-2004, total costs=$275,233
  •  R03 National Institute of Mental Health, "Mood, Recall, and Changes in Attributional Style." 1992-1995, total costs=$132,982
  • National Institutes of Health Individual Research Service Award, 1986-1987
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Stanford University, 1982-1985

AU Expert

Area of Expertise: Gratitude, depression, fear of emotion, mindfulness, and self-evaluation

Additional Information: Anthony Ahearns focuses on gratitude and, separately, fear of emotion. Work in his lab on gratitude has focused on two main topics. First, most work on gratitude has defined it as reaction to benefits received from others. Ahrens believes that in addition to this personal gratitude, some report gratitude for benefits for which there is no clear origin. For instance, some people report being grateful for being at the beach on a sunny day, though they might not report being grateful to anyone. He has initial data using a trait measure of this sort of gratitude predicting gratitude in response to specific subsequent daily events. Also, he is interested in the relation of gratitude to the sense of being interconnected.

He is continuing his line of work on fear of emotions by working on two manuscripts concerning this topic. The first reports data indicating that those higher in fear of emotion see more negative emotion in the faces of others, after controlling for such factors as negative affect. The other suggests that those higher in fear of emotion have affect that is more reactive to daily stressors and to their perception that they can cope with their emotions in reaction to those stressors.

He has a longstanding program of research on self-evaluation and depression. This mostly involves social comparison and goal setting, though recent work has extended to self-worth contingency and other self-concordance.

Finally, he is interested in mindfulness. Several researchers have found that mindfulness techniques assist in preventing relapse into depression (Segal, Teasdale, and Williams) and in the treatment for depression (Janakaramaiah). He is interested in examining the mechanisms by which mindfulness exerts its effects.

Media Relations
To request an interview please call AU Media Relations at 202-885-5950 or submit an interview request form.

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