About
Dr. Beggan is a professor of sociology. He was born in Buffalo, New York. He attended the State University of New York at Buffalo for his undergraduate work and earned a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Over the years, he has taught courses on a wide range of topics including consumer behavior, industrial psychology, gender, human sexuality, quantitative research methods, statistics, and the self and society.
He has published research on the psychology of ownership and the sexual self-concept, including how people overestimate their abilities to resist temptation. His current research interests include the representation of gender in mass media and the social construction of pornography. In these areas, he has published articles on Playboy, feminist-oriented pornography, and women's magazines. He has recently published an article on the way women subvert the inherent sexism in social dancing. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Psychology.
He has performed open mic stand-up comedy. He enjoys various types of ballroom dances, especially foxtrot and cha cha. He especially enjoys vintage swing dancing, such as Lindy Hop, and often teaches classes on Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing.
Research Areas
Gender and Sexuality
Understanding verbal and non-verbal communication in the context of social dances
The stigma associated with being sexually attractive
Body ornamentation as presented in mass media
Teaching Areas
SOC 202 Social Problems
SOC 203 Introduction to Social Psychology
SOC 301 Introduction to Social Statistics
SOC 323 Diversity and Inequality
SOC 325 Sociology of Human Sexuality