Robert Else

Degree Program: PhD

Bio

I recently received my Master's Degree from Colorado State University, where I worked with Dr. Snodgrass focusing on psychological anthropology and religion. My thesis research explored the interaction between traditional religious values and the internet among university age students in Udaipur, India. I found that for those students who consider the internet to be a threat to traditional religious values, they also report higher levels of psychological stress. For my PhD research, I plan to continue doing research in India investigating the relationship between religious ritual and health outcomes among Muslims in Jaipur, India, using stress biomarkers as outcomes. There is a gap in the literature regarding the specific mechanisms by which religious ritual contributes to well-being, which I hope to be able to address. My other research interests include online gaming, social network analysis, religion in general, and mental health.