My name is Dr. Matt C. Howard, and I am currently an Associate Professor of Marketing and Quantitative Methods in the Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama.  I received my Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

My current research program can be summarized in a single sentence: I perform (1) statistically- and methodologically-sound research on (2) health and well-being, (3) personality and individual differences, as well as (4) technology-enhanced and development.

1 – Statistics and Methodology:  I strongly believe that no researcher can excel without a strong knowledge of statistics and research methodologies. For this reason, I have made ample efforts to develop in this area. In addition to applying novel methods within my articles, I have published or ongoing papers which discuss the statistics and methods themselves. Relevant topics include measurement, training creation methods, person-specific analyses, and many others.

2 – Health and Well-Being:  Like most academics, I want my research to make a real-world difference, and I can think of no better way of making a difference than identifying approaches to improve the health and well-being of others. In this topic area, I typically study “extreme” influences or outcomes of health and well-being, including ostracism and even COVID-19.

3 – Personality and Individual Differences:  I have not always been interested in the study of personality, or, at least, I have not always known that I was interested in the study of individual differences.  However, after publishing many studies and reviewing my CV, I realized that I often integrate individual differences into my research models, and I have several studies exploring the nature of individual differences.  Many of these studies involve the measurement of specific individual differences (e.g. individual entrepreneurial orientation), but I have also conducted meta-analyses and systematic literature reviews on specific individual differences.  These meta-analyses include self-assessed intelligence and honesty-humility.

4 – Technology-Enhanced Training and Development:  In any review of the changing nature of work, developments in technology are almost always cited as a primary determinant of future organizational success.  Likewise, discussions of future business research trends almost always include the emergence and subsequent study of new technologies. For this reason, I have published many studies on computer-based training programs, with a particular focus on head-mounted displays.

If you have any questions about my research interests, please contact me at MHoward@SouthAlabama.edu.