Azra Jahanitabesh

Dr. Azra Jahanitabesh, smiling and wearing a professional outfit.

Lecturer

she/her/hers
269 Young Hall

 

 

 

Dr. Azra Jahanitabesh is an instructor and researcher specializing in social cognition, clinical psychology, and cognitive science. She is passionate about social processing, mental health, and advancing education through innovative research. In addition to her academic appointment, Dr. Jahanitabesh serves on the editorial board of Personality and Social Psychology Review and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health. She is also a reviewer for several scientific journals, including Translational Issues in Psychological Science and the International Joint Laboratory of Behavior & Cognitive Science.

Prior to joining UC Davis, she held an assistant professor faculty position at the University of Tehran from 2017 to 2020. Additionally, she served as a post-doctoral fellow at the Iran Institute of Cognitive Sciences from 2015 to 2017. Dr. Jahanitabesh also gained clinical experience as a board member and clinical psychologist in the Child and Adolescent Department at Tehran University of Medical Sciences from 2006 to 2010.

Education and Degree(s)
  • PhD, Psychology (Social Cognition), University of Otago, New Zealand
  • MA, Clinical Psychology, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran
  • BA, Clinical Psychology, Shiraz University, Iran
Honors and Awards
  • The Academic Federation Travel Grants, University of California, Davis (2021-2024)
  • Poster Award Winner: the 8th Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference, Davis, USA (2023)
  • Research Grant, International Joint Laboratory of Behavior & Cognitive Science, China (2022)
  • Accelerate Fellows Grant with Focus on Equity and Inclusion, University of California, Davis (2020)
  • Open Society Foundations (OSF) Research Grant, USA (2020)
  • Outstanding Leading Teacher Faculty Honor, Iranian Ministry of Science & Technology (2019)
  • Dr. Kardan National Scientific Award, Iranian Psychological Association (2019)
  • National Elite Foundation Travel Grant, Iran (2016)
  • Ahwazi Brain & Cognition Award, Iran (2015)
  • National Elite Foundation Postdoctoral Grant, Iran (2015-2017)
  • Postgraduate Publishing Scholarship, University of Otago, New Zealand (2014)
  • Division of Sciences Travel Grant, University of Otago, New Zealand (2013)
  • Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust Research Grant, New Zealand (2013)
  • Travel Grant, American Psychological Association Postgraduate Student (2013)
  • KiwiCAM Best Poster Presentation Award, New Zealand (2013)
  • University of Otago Prestigious Postgraduate Scholarship, New Zealand (2010-2013)
  • Top Student Award, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran (2006)
  • Exceptional Thesis Award, University of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran (2006)
Courses
  • PSC152 Social Cognition
  • PSC154 Psychology of Emotion
  • PSC151 Social Psychology
  • PSC161 Psychology of the Self
  • PSC100 Cognitive Psychology
  • CMN12Y / POL12Y / PSC12Y / SOC12Y Data Visualization in Social Sciences
  • PSC151 (V) Social Psychology
  • PSC100 (Y) Cognitive Psychology
Research Interests & Expertise
  • Emotion perception and its interaction with depression and rumination
  • Social cognition, judgment, and decision making
  • Psychological reactions to disasters and trauma
Publications
  • Malaie, S., Karimi, H., Jahanitabesh, A., Bargh, J. A., & Spivey, M. J. (2023). Concepts in Space: Enhancing Lexical Search With a Spatial Diversity Prime. Cognitive Science, 47(8), e13327.
  • Amiri, H., & Jahanitabesh, A. (2022). Psychological Reactions after Disasters. In Natural Hazards-New Insights. IntechOpen.
  • Sojoudi, S., Jahanitabesh, A., Hatami, J., & Christensen, J. F. (2022). Forty-eight classical moral dilemmas in Persian language: A validation and cultural adaptation study. Journal of Cognition and Culture, 22(3-4), 352-382.
  • Panahinejad, H., Safavimanesh, F., Purmohammad, M., Jahanitabesh, A., & Hajimoladarvish, N. (2022). The Role of Conceptual Metaphors in Economics Phenomena from Behavioral Economics Aspect. Language Related Research, 12(6), 299-337.
  • Jahanitabesh, A., Alogna, V., & Halberstadt, J. (2021). The role of depressive symptoms and rumination on subjective confidence in recognition of others’ emotions: an exploratory study. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(4), 586-600.
  • Rafiei, M., Jahanitabesh, A., & Ebrahimpour, R. (2021). Optimal Temporal Gap between Two Different Visual Stimuli for Optimal Perception in Perceptual Decision-Making. The Neuroscience Journal of Shefaye Khatam, 41-50.
  • Azizi, Z., Zabbah, S., Jahanitabesh, A., & Ebrahimpour, R. (2021). Improvement of association between confidence and accuracy after integration of discrete evidence over time. bioRxiv.
  • Naghikhani, M., Hatami, J., Jahanitabesh, A., & Kiani, K. (2021). Effect of description-experience learning on cognitive shifting process and decision-making outcome in stock market. Advances in Cognitive Science.
  • Azizi, Z., Zabbah, S., Jahanitabesh, A., & Ebrahimpour, R. (2021). An Extra Short Duration Cue Improves Both Accuracy and Decision Metacognition Beyond Expectations. Advances in Cognitive Science. 23(2), 103-118.
  • Rabiei, M., Hatami, J., Jahanitabesh, A., Sadeghi, M. (2021). The relationship between socioeconomic status and tendency towards competition for resources in middle-aged men. Journal of Advances in Cognitive Sciences, 23 (1).26-34.
  • Firoozalizadeh, M., Ashayeri, H., Modarresi, Y., Kamali, M., & Jahanitabesh, A. (2020). From embodiment to metaphor: A study on social cognitive development and conceptual metaphor in Persian-speaking children. International Journal of Society, Culture & Language, 8(1), 25-43.
  • Malaei, F., Sohrabi, A., & Jahanitabesh, A. (2020). “Reading the mind of the eye” is associated with top-down visual attention. Activitas Nervosa Superior, 1-11.
  • Firoozalizadeh, M., Ashayeri, H., Modarresi, Y., Kamali, M., & Jahanitabesh, A. (2020). From Piagetian theories of cognitive development to conceptual metaphor: A study on Persian children. International Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 14(2), 72-78.
  • Jahanitabesh, A., Cardwell, B., Halberstadt, J., (2019). Sadness and ruminative thinking independently depress people’s moods. International Journal of Psychology.
  • Shafiei, H., Hatami, J., & Jahanitabesh, A. (2019). Cognitive biases in different medical specialties among hospital physicians in Mazandaran Province. Medical Journal of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Vol. 62, Special Issue1 P: 37-61.
  • Shahrivar, Z., Mahdavi, H., Tehrani-Doost, M., Fatolahi, Y., Jahanitabesh, A., Shakiba, A., (2017). Behavioral profile of executive dysfunction in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.
  • Jahanitabesh, A., (2017). Social Cognition. In Kharazi, K. (Ed.), Introduction to cognitive science and technology and its applications. University of Tehran, Tehran. [In Persian].
  • Jahanitabesh, A., Halberstadt, J. (2014). Do you see what I see? Rumination, construal, and emotion perception in depression. In Nasato, S. (Ed.), Advances in Social Cognition Research. Nova Science, New York.
  • Shahrivar. Z., Rabiee, A. Jahanitabesh, A., Kiani, A., Aleghemand, A., (2013). Didactic tips for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. Tehran: Ghatreh. [In Persian].
  • Mohammadkhani, P., Jokar, M., Jahanitabesh, A., & Tamanaeefar, Sh., (2010). Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV-TR, Axis I & II Disorder- Clinician Version. Tehran: Danjeh. [In Persian].
  • Mohammadkhani, P., Jahanitabesh, A., & Tamanaeefar, Sh., (2005). Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV, Axis I & II Disorder- Clinical Version. Tehran: Faradid publication. [In Persian].
  • Mohammadkhani, P., Tamanaeefar, Sh., & Jahanitabesh, A., (2005). Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. Tehran: Faradid. [In Persian].