Associate Professor, Sociology & Criminology

Office phone: (716) 375-2265
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Plassmann Hall 329

• SOC 101. Introductory Sociology
• SOC 102. Social Problems
• SOC 111. Honors Introductory Sociology
• SOC 207. Quantitative Research Methods
• SOC 208. Contemporary Social Theories
• SOC 321. Social Media & Society
• SOC 323. Media & Public Opinion
• SOC 325. Crime in a Digital Society
• SOC 412. Senior Seminar
• SOC 413. Minorities in the United States 

• Ph.D., Sociology, Michigan State University, 2010
• BBA, Economics, Eastern Michigan University, 1996

Manuscripts Published

• Gross, Benjamin. (2013). “Color Coding Politics: Creating meaning around ‘Red States’ and ‘Blue States’ in US newspapers between 2003 and 2007” in Sage Open Sociology Journal, Volume 3, Number 1; pages 1-10. Published online on 2/4/13: http://sgo.sagepub.com/content/3/1/2158244013476053.full 
• Gross, Benjamin. (2015). What Makes Someone a Cyber Balkan? Finding the Linkages between Social Psychology and Self-Selectivity in US Politics Online. Atlantic Journal of Communication 23(4), pp. 225-236. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2015.1047288
• Gross, Benjamin & Emily LoBello. (2015). Color-Coding US Politics: Media Frames found in US Newspaper Articles from 2004 – 2012, Studies in Media and Communication 3(2), pp. 84-93. Published online on 10/7/15: http://redfame.com/journal/index.php/smc/article/view/1048/1077
• Gross, Benjamin, Mike Hoffman, Maddalena Marinari, Kimberly DeSimone, & Peggy Burke. (2015). Flipped @ SBU: Student Satisfaction and the College Classroom. Educational Research Quarterly 39(2), pp. 36-52 https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3869203581/flipped-sbu-student-satisfaction-and-the-college
• Gross, Benjamin. (2018). More choice, less uncertainty: The paradoxical relationship of Political identity and news exposure in the American Public Sphere, CrossCurrents 67(4), pp. 705-725. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cros.12292
• Fradkin-Hayslip, Ann & Benjamin Gross. (2019). The Impact of School Culture and Leadership in Relation to Job Satisfaction and Teacher Autonomy. The English Record 69(2) spring/summer issue, pp. 15-35. Published online by the New York State English Council on 5/1/19. The-English-Record-Spring-Summer-2019 (5)
•  Zawicki, Kathy & Benjamin Gross. (2020). Status Quo or Silver Lining? Environmental Changes in a Pandemic. Published online by Jandoli Institute on 6/30/20: https://jandoli.net/2020/06/30/status-quo-or-silver-lining-environmental-changes-in-a-pandemic/
• Gross, Benjamin. (2020). Identity over Information: A sociological explanation to why President Trump can get away with saying anything. Published online by Jandoli Institute on August 2, 2020: https://jandoli.net/2020/08/04/identity-over-information/

Manuscripts in Progress

• “Identifying various forms of meaning construction of #AbolishthePolice” (with Dr. Samantha Gavin)
• “Similarities and Differences in How Social Media Users Discuss #DefundPolice and #AbolishPolice”  (with Dr. Samantha Gavin)
• “Political or Personal? Antipathy Towards Liberals Found Among Active Conservative Prosumer of Media”
• “It’s all Their Fault:” Blame and the Active Conservative Prosumer of Media”

Research Presentations

• “TV News Media Effects and Audience Attitudes Regarding Poverty,” presented at the Michigan Sociological Association (MSA) Annual Conference. Mt. Pleasant, MI. October 3, 2006.
• “What Makes Someone a Cyber Balkan? Finding the Linkages between Social Psychology and Self-Selectivity in US Politics Online” presented at the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) Annual Conference. Boston, MA. March 23, 2013.
• “What Makes Someone a Cyber Balkan? Finding the Linkages between Social Psychology and Self-Selectivity in U.S. Politics Online” presented at the New York State Communication Association (NYSCA) Annual Conference. Ellenville, NY. October 19, 2013.
• “Flipped @ SBU: Student Satisfaction and the College Classroom” (Presented with Dr. Mike Hoffmann, Dr. Maddalena Marinari, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone, & Dr. Peggy Burke) Presented at Friday Forum. St. Bonaventure, NY. March 27, 2015.
• “Google and online privacy regulation in the USA” (Presented with Nick Taylor). The 2015 Arts & Sciences Annual Exposition. St. Bonaventure, NY. April 23, 2015.
• “How did the Media & Political Scientists Get it Wrong? Understanding Donald Trump’s Victory & What it Means for SBU, the Country, the World” (Presented with Dr. Mary Rose Kubal, Dr. Rich Lee, Dr. Danette Brickman & JW Cook). St. Bonaventure, NY. November 16, 2016
• “Understanding Poverty in America as Structural Inequality.” St. Bonaventure, NY. November 21, 2016
• “A Cultural Sociological View of the Super Bowl” (Presented with Dr. Rich Lee & Kimberly DeSimone). St. Bonaventure, NY. February 1, 2017 
• “Aversive Racism & White Flight: Exploring Sociological Patterns at Spanish Lake.” @ St. Bonaventure, NY. February, 21, 2017
• “Google: Innovation and Regulatory Challenges on an Internet Giant” (Bradford, PA). University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. March 6, 2017
• “The Legacy of the 1968 Counterculture Movement- 50 Years Later” (Presented with Dr. Barry Gan & Dr. Rich Lee). St. Bonaventure, NY. November 29, 2018.
• “Teaching Online for the Arts & Sciences” (Presented with Dr. Heather McDivitt. Presented Online @ St. Bonaventure University. July 30, 2020.

My core belief is that students should be able to apply what they have learned to everyday situations, and develop the ability to see sociological principles at work within their everyday lives. I want students to develop a more complex and sophisticated way of understanding the social world in which they live, having an ability to think sociologically well after they have graduated from our University.

Classroom environments should be encouraging, engaging, and participatory. Students need to identify not only with the material, but to feel confident that their instructor cares about their intellectual advancement and is always approachable. The climate of the classroom should always foster student feedback and exploration, where students feel comfortable and open.

• Political Polarization & American Media
• Self, Identity & Social Media
• Social Networking Sites & Well-Being
• Racial Inequality

• Chess, baseball, politics, SBU Chess Club, Institutional Review Board (IRB)