Hard to clear clutter? MSU psychologist breaks down spring cleaning, hoarding on podcast
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University psychologist Mary E. Dozier recently joined Amy Juravich on All Sides, a public radio program produced by WOSU Public Media, where Dozier discussed the psychology of clutter, spring cleaning and hoarding disorder.
The episode titled “What are the best methods for handling spring cleaning” highlights research-based strategies for managing clutter and explores how aging and decision-making patterns influence individuals’ tendencies to accumulate possessions. Dozier also shared insight into evidence-based treatment approaches for hoarding disorder and related conditions.
“We talked about treatment for hoarding disorder and how the aging process affects our tendencies to build up clutter through decreases in decision-making capabilities and increased reinforcement of keeping items,” Dozier said.
An associate professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology, Dozier said the podcast focused on how cognitive and emotional factors contribute to disorganization throughout one’s life.
Her appearance on the Ohio-based program followed growing national attention to her research, including a recent interview with Vox that stemmed from her published work on hoarding and disorganization.
An MSU faculty member since 2019, Dozier’s research centers on evidence-based assessment and treatment of psychopathology, with a particular focus on hoarding disorder in older adults. Her work challenges long-held assumptions that hoarding is primarily fear-based and instead examines the complex range of factors that contribute to the development and persistence of the disorder.
Dozier’s expertise has led to national recognition. She recently was invited to serve as a keynote presenter for the Institute for Challenging Disorganization’s annual conference, where she addressed the clinical factors underlying disorganization and strategies for helping affected individuals.
Dozier earned her doctorate in 2019 and her master’s degree in 2015 from the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. She received her bachelor’s degree from Rice University in 2011. In 2021, she was recognized for distinguished scientific merit for a paper published in Clinical Gerontologist.
For more details about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences or the Department of Psychology, visit www.cas.msstate.edu or www.psychology.msstate.edu.
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