Anna McAlister
Profile
Anna McAlister joined the School of Business in Fall 2015. She teaches marketing courses and especially enjoys the challenge of introducing students to research methods and data analysis. Dr. McAlister’s research focuses on advertising to children. She is interested in how brand marketing influences children’s food choices. Dr. McAlister is the faculty advisor for Charity Craft Club and Mortar Board. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her cats.
Education
University of Queensland, Australia
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
2006
University of Queensland, Australia
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
2005
University of Queensland, Australia
Bachelor of Psychology Science (Hons I)
2002
Awards and Accomplishments
• AT&T Faculty-Staff Instructional Technology Award, Michigan State University (2019).
• Woman of Impact Award, Endicott College (2018).
• Outstanding Paper Award, Young Consumers (2017).
• Top Poster Award, DC Health Communication Conference (2017).
• Outstanding Reviewer, Appetite (2016).
• Best Article of the Year Award, Mass Communication & Society (2015).
• Best Article Award, Journal of Interactive Advertising (2015).
• Teacher-Scholar Award at Michigan State University (2015).
• Best Academic Paper, International Social Marketing Conference (2014).
• Award of Excellence, Wisconsin Obesity Prevention Research Symposium (2010).
• Best Conference Paper, American Academy of Advertising Conference (2009).
• Best Early Career Presentation, Australasian Society for Behavioural Health and Medicine Conference (2009).
• Best Conference Paper, Society for Consumer Psychology Conference (2008).
• Best Early Career Conference Paper, Faculty of Business, Economics & Law Research Conference, University of Queensland (2008).
• Australasian Human Development Association Scholarship to attend the 15th Biennial Conference of the Australasian Human Development Association (2007).
• Australasian Human Development Association Scholarship to attend the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development Conference (2006).
• University of Queensland Postgraduate Research Scholarship for PhD studies (2004–06).
Research
Children and Marketing:
• How children learn about food via marketing communications
• Marketing messages on social networks (e.g., alcohol promotions, anti-bullying)
• Consumer socialization and child development (social, cognitive, and language development)
Public Policy:
• Food branding as it relates to taste preferences and eating habits
• Children’s financial literacy and nutrition literacy
• Child-parent conflict versus compliance in dietary choices
• Unit pricing and its role in consumers’ perceptions of food (value and health)
Selected Publications
Kononova, A., McAlister, A.R., Oh, H.J. (2018). Screen overload: Pleasant multitasking with screen devices leads to the choice of healthful over less healthful snacks when compared with unpleasant multitasking. Computers in Human Behavior, 80, 1-11.
Hartmann, M., Cash, S.B., Yeh, C.-H., Landwehr, S.C., & McAlister, A.R. (2017). Children’s purchase behavior in the snack market: Can branding or lower prices motivate healthier choices? Appetite, 117, 247-54.
McAlister, A.R., & Bargh, D.M. (2016). Dissuasion: The Elaboration Likelihood Model and young children. Young Consumers, 17(3) 210-25.
Courses
Marketing
Consumer Behavior
Business Analysis and Research
Contemporary Topics in Marketing
Semester Internship
Senior Thesis I