Biography

I am currently an associate professor in the APA Accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at Bowling Green State University.

My research (and the research of the SPARTA lab) is primarily concerned with the scientific study of addiction, personality, and morality (particularly as it relates to addiction and personality).

The largest portion of my current research program is concerned with addiction. I am particularly interested in topics related to behavioral addictions or compulsive behavior patterns. My specific interests in these domains are related to the social construction of addiction. I’m also interested in the social and structural factors that shape self-perceptions of potentially addictive behaviors. Ultimately, I want to understand how self-reported beliefs about addiction influence presentation of symptoms, which, in turn, influence diagnosis, classification, and treatment of addictive behaviors. I have past and ongoing projects related to pornography use, compulsive sexual behavior more broadly, and excessive gambling behaviors.

With regards to personality, I am particularly interested in the role that specific personality traits play in influencing the experience and expression of psychopathology. In this vein, I generally study narcissistic traits such as entitlement, grandiosity, and antagonism, and their domain specific manifestations such as Moral Grandstanding.

In addition to these domains, I am also interested promoting replicability, reproducibility, and transparency in the scientific process. I strive to conduct my research in accordance with current standards of transparency and openness, and I encourage my students to do the same. You can find more information about my current projects at my Open Science Framework page (link available below profile picture) and a complete list of my publications at my Google Scholar page (link available below profile picture).

The SPARTA lab (Sexuality, Personality, and Addiction Research Throughout Adulthood) at Bowling Green State University is comprised of myself, my current graduate students, and a number of undergraduate students. At this point in time, our research group has several lines of research in various stages of development. Current projects include studies of sexual values, morality and pornography use, self-determination theory and religion, sexuality and spiritual functioning, and social determinants of beliefs about addiction. Current graduate student members of our lab include Jenny Grant, Joel Engelman, Shanti James, Brinna Lee, Camille Hoagland, and Chris Floyd.

We are hoping to add one additional graduate student lab member for the Fall of 2022. If you are interested in applying to work with us in the SPARTA Lab, information on applying to BGSU’s clinical psychology PhD program is available here: https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/psychology/graduate-program/prospective-students.html

Please note, the deadline for application is December 1st, 2021.

The SPARTA lab has a number of ongoing projects, many of which have been supported by external funding mechanisms. In addition, we have a number of new funding applications in preparation or under review. Below, you can see summaries of those projects.

The students in the SPARTA lab have a number of research projects going on involving sexuality, behavioral addictions (such as gambling or compulsive sexuality), religious and spiritual struggles, religious disaffiliation, and internet pornography use habits. Please click on any student below to learn more about their research and the research of the SPARTA lab.

Brinna Lee

4th year clinical psychology PhD student.

Camille Hoagland

3rd year clinical psychology PhD student.

Christopher Floyd

1st year clinical psychology PhD student.

Jenny Grant

5th year clinical psychology PhD student.

Joel Engelman

5th year clinical psychology PhD student.

Shanti James

4th year clinical psychology PhD student.

Over the years I have written a number of popular media summaries relevant to my research, my experiences as a clinical psychological scientist, and my experiences as a professor. Below, you can find links to these various posts.

Grubbs, J. B. (2021). If you think you’ve got a porn addiction, you probably haven’t; from: https://psyche.co/ideas/if-you-think-youve-got-a-porn-addiction-you-probably-havent

Grubbs, J. B. (2021). ‘Sex addiction’ isn’t a justification for killing, or really an addiction – it reflects a person’s own moral misgivings about sex; from: https://theconversation.com/sex-addiction-isnt-a-justification-for-killing-or-really-an-addiction-it-reflects-a-persons-own-moral-misgivings-about-sex-157543

Grubbs, J. B. (2021). Atlanta-area spa killings were not about sexual addiction; from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/03/23/sexual-addiction-spa-murders-atlanta-column/4771686001/

Grubbs, J. B. (2020). Porn use is up, thanks to the pandemic; from https://theconversation.com/porn-use-is-up-thanks-to-the-pandemic-134972

Grubbs, J. B. (2020). Think twice before shouting your virtues online – moral grandstanding is toxic; from https://theconversation.com/think-twice-before-shouting-your-virtues-online-moral-grandstanding-is-toxic-128493

Grubbs, J. B. (2019). Politics, Pornography, and Public Health; from https://medium.com/@joshuagrubbsphd/politics-pornography-and-public-health-88c703e4e278

Grubbs, J. B. (2018). Why I Won’t Bring My Gun Into My Classroom: Educating can’t happen if the educators are armed. Here’s why; from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-23/a-professor-s-plea-teachers-can-t-teach-with-guns

Grubbs, J. B.(2018). Educators should not be armed in their classrooms (opinion) | Inside Higher Ed; from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2018/02/26/educators-should-not-be-armed-their-classrooms-opinion

Grubbs, J. B. (2017). Why Returning a Diploma Matters; from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-returning-a-diploma-matters_b_59a1a5aae4b0d0ef9f1c145f

• GrubbsJ@BGSU.edu
• 1-419-372-2045
• Office 246, Psychology Building, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43443
• Email for appointment