Theresa A. Thorkildsen, PhD
Professor of Education and Psychology
Educational Psychology and Psychology
Pronouns: she/her
Contact
Building & Room:
3549 ETMSW
Address:
1040 W. Harrison St. (MC 147), Chicago, IL 60607
Office Phone:
Email:
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About
Dr. Theresa (Terri) Thorkildsen is a professor of Education and Psychology. Thorkildsen’s current research focuses on moral motivation, highlighting how individuals learn to participate in society. Guided by Intentional Systems Theory, Thorkildsen explores how children and adults participate in civil discourse, and how this type of engagement differs from personal and civic engagement. Thorkildsen's programmatic attempts to study moral motivation illustrate why some individuals become highly committed to education and others avoid such commitments. The interdisciplinary nature of this work has led Thorkildsen to publish in a wide range of outlets. She has authored or edited five books as well as a range of journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews. A fellow of the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, American Educational Research Association, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Thorkildsen is also an active citizen in a number of professional organizations as well as in the UIC community. She is also Associate Editor of Heroism Science: An Interdisciplinary Journal and serves as a consulting editor for the Journal of Educational Psychology.
Selected Publications
Thorkildsen, T. A. (2026). Revisiting is to ought: How Clara Sabbagh’s Socializing Justice contextualizes social justice research. Social Justice Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-026-00470-y
Jiang, X., Thorkildsen, T. A., & Keller, H. (2025). Autonomy support in families from a southwestern Chinese village facing rural–urban migration. Journal of Family Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001391
Thorkildsen, T. A. (2025). Paradoxical forms of scientific heroism when responsibly conducting research. Heroism Science: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 10 (1), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.26736/hs.2025.01.06
Thorkildsen, T. A. (2024). Conceptions of heroic leadership in civil society. Heroism Science: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 9(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.26736/hs.2024.01.02
Thorkildsen, T. A. (2024). Heroic intentions. In S. T., Allison, J. K. Beggan, & G. R. Goethals (Eds.), Encyclopedia of heroism studies. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_531-1
Thorkildsen, T. A. (2024). Moral maturity and heroism. In S. T., Allison, J. K. Beggan, & G. R. Goethals (Eds.), Encyclopedia of heroism studies. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_341-1
Bembenutty, H. with T. A. Thorkildsen (2022). An interview with Theresa A. Thorkildsen: A leading force for research on how children and adolescents synchronize personal and social expectations through civil engagement. In H. Bembenutty’s Contemporary pioneers in learning and development (pp. 197-232). Information Age Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-64802-855-720251010
Publication Aggregators
Notable Honors
2024-Present, Fellow, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
2019-Present, Fellow, Association for Psychological Science
2008-Present, Inaugural Fellow, American Educational Research Association
2003-Present, Fellow, American Psychological Association (Divisions 7, 9, and 15)
2019-Present, Member, Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Honors Society
2015-2016, UIC's Award for Excellence in Teaching, UIC Campus
2011-2012, UIC's Silver Circle Award for Excellence in Teaching, UIC's Graduating Seniors
2009, UIC's Teaching Recognition Award Program, UIC Campus
Education
1988 - PhD, Purdue University, Humanities, Social Science, and Education
(Specialization: social development, educational psychology, research methods)
1985 - Master's of Science, Purdue University, Humanities, Social Science, and Education
(Specialization: educational psychology)
1982 - Bachelor of Science, University of Washington, Department of Psychology
Professional Memberships
American Association for the Advancement of Science; American Educational Research Association; American Psychological Association; Association for Psychological Science; Social Psychology Network; Society for Research in Child Development; Society for Research on Adolescence; Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues; Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Honors Society