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Washington State University
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology

Lee William Daffin Jr.

Associate Professor, Career Track

Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies
Director, Online Psychology Degree Program

Ph.D. Washington State University, 2012

Contact Information

Email: ldaffin@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 207
Phone: (509) 335-2802

Classes Taught

  • Psychology 105: Introductory Psychology
  • Psychology 201: Degrees and Careers
  • Psychology 210: Psychology as a Science
  • Psychology 301: Seminar in Psychology
  • Psychology 328: Self Control
  • Psychology 401: Historical Development of Psychology
  • Psychology 470: Motivation
  • Psychology 491: Principles of Learning
  • Psychology 510: Introduction to Online Education

Research Interests

As the director of the online psychology degree, I split my time between teaching and administrative duties for the Department of Psychology. At the undergraduate level I teach on average one course in the classroom and 2-3 courses online each semester. At the graduate level, I teach a course focused on best practices for teaching online and all instructors new to teaching online are asked to take this course, including both graduate students and adjuncts. I assist the department chair with administrative tasks related to the online psychology degree program, including the curriculum taught in each class, program assessment, and the development of new courses. Our online program includes several professional experiences for online students to help them be more attractive to graduate programs and future employers. These experiences include: Grading TA (PSYCH 497-01), Instructional TA (PSYCH 497-02), Psychology Tutor (PSYCH 497-03), Research Assistant (PSYCH 498), and Independent Study in the form of hypothesis testing, literature review, and team problem solving options (PSYCH 499). I am also engaged in a line of educational psychology research looking at student performance on proctored vs. non-proctored exams in online courses and the utility and perception of Open Education Resources (OER).

Selected Publications

2021 (in press) Invited book chapter, co-authored with Jennifer Coleman of Western New Mexico University, on how to conduct undergraduate research in the behavioral sciences and with online students. In Undergraduate Research in Online, Virtual and Hybrid Courses:  Proactive practices for distant students. Book is expected to be published in 2021 but has been accepted by the publisher.

McRaney, K., Bridley, A., & Daffin, L.W. (2021). The Psychology of Gender, 2nd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. Frist published 2020.

Daffin, L.W. (2021). Principles of Learning and Behavior, 2nd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. First published 2019.

Daffin, L.W. & Lane, C. (2021). Essentials of Social Psychology, 2nd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. First published 2019.

Daffin, L.W. (2021). Motivation, 2nd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. First published 2018.

Daffin, L.W. (2020). Principles of Behavior Analysis and Modification, 3rd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. First published 2018.

Bridley, A. & Daffin, L.W. (2020). Abnormal Psychology, 2nd edition. OER; Published under WSU and Pressbooks. Subject to peer review. First published 2018.

Daffin, L.W. & Jones, A. (2018). Comparing Student Performance on Proctored and Non-Proctored Exams: Determining if a Culture of Cheating Exists in Online Classes. Online Learning (ISSN: ISSN 2472-5730). https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/about.

Swindell, S., Daffin, L.W., & Fournier, L.R. (2014). Training tomorrow’s teachers: Graduate training in university instruction in the department of psychology at Washington State University. In J. Busler, B. Beins, & W. Buskist (Eds.), Preparing the new psychology professoriate: Helping graduate students become competent teachers (pp. 76-81).

Daffin Jr., L.W. (2013). Fundamentals of psychology: Exploring behavior and cognitive processes. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Devan, B.D., Pistell, P.J., Daffin, L.W., Nelson, C.M., Duffy, K.B., Bowker, J.L., Bharati, I.S., Sierra-Mercado, D., Spangler, E.L., & Ingram, D.K. (2007). Sildenafil citrate attenuates a complex maze impairment induced by intracerebroventricular infusion of the NOS inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. European Journal of Psychopharmacology, 563(1-3), 134-140.

Pistell, P.J., Daffin, L.W., Nelson, C.M., Duffy, K.A., Bowker, J.L., Spangler, E.L., Ingram, D.K., & Devan, B.D. (2007). Combined administration of sub-threshold doses of the nitric oxide inhibitor, nitro-L-arginine, and muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine, impairs complex maze learning in rats. Behavioural Pharmacology, 18(8), 801-805.

Costa PT, Jr., Samuels J, Bagby M, Daffin L & Norton H. (2005).     The Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): A Review. In: Maj M, Akiskal H, (Eds): Evidence and Experience in Psychiatry, Wiley & Sons, West Sussex, UK, Chapter 6.

Devan, B.D., Duffy, K.B., Bowker, J.L., Bharati, I.S., , Nelson, C.M., Daffin Jr., L.W., Spangler, E.L., & Ingram, D.K.     (2005). Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibition and cognitive enhancement. Drugs of the Future, 30(7), 725-736.