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Expertise
Positive Youth Development
Religious and Spiritual Development
Moral, Character, and Virtue Development
Applied Developmental Psychology
Contemplative Psychology
Exemplar Methods
Cultural Psychology
Integration of Psychology and Theology
Thriving Theory (Telos)
About Dr. King
Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King joined Fuller Theological Seminary as Assistant Professor of Marital and Family Studies in 2008, after serving at the School of Psychology for eight years as an adjunct and research professor. In 2014, she was named Peter L. Benson Associate Professor of Applied Developmental Science. Dr. King is the head faculty member at the Thrive Center for Human Development.
Dr. King’s primary academic interests are applied research at the intersection of human thriving and spiritual development. Her work combines psychology, theology, and community engagement to further understand what contexts and personal strengths enable people to thrive in different settings. She is particularly interested in the role of spirituality in that process. To this end she has led in building an empirical field of study of religious and spiritual development within developmental psychology. She is recognized in ecumenical settings for facilitating dialogue, scholarship, and empirical research that bridges diverse perspectives of transcendence and psychological process that leads to human transformation and thriving. Her work on telos is noted to provide an interdisciplinary framework for human thriving and flourishing from different philosophical, theological, and cultural perspectives and to provide a structure for understanding practical concepts like purpose, vocation, and joy.
Dr. King is coauthor of The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective, coeditor of The Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, and coauthor of inaugural chapters on research on religious and spiritual development in the seventh edition of the Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science, the Handbook of Adolescent Psychology, and the Handbook of Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. She has co-edited special issues on religious and spiritual development in Applied Developmental Science, the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, and Journal of Research on Adolescence. She has served on the editorial boards of Developmental Psychology, Journal of Positive Psychology, and Applied Developmental Science. Her work is widely published in peer-reviewed journals in the subdisciplines of developmental psychology, psychology of religion and spirituality, positive psychology, and integration of psychology and Christian theology. Dr. King is a member of the Society for Research on Adolescents, Society for Research on Child Development, and Division 36 of the American Psychological Association.
Download Dr. King's curriculum vitae to learn more about her research and publications.
Recent Posts
Bouncing Back or Bouncing Beyond? Shifting from Structures to Systems
Dr. Pam King discusses the importance of creating transformative systems that will enable human thriving.
> Read MoreWhile We Wait
As Americans await the results of the 2020 elections, Dr. Pam King reflects on the importance of holding onto hope.
> Read MoreFinding Agility through the 5 A’s
Part of our journey towards thriving involves agility. Dr. Pam King explains how we can be agile through this 5-step process.
> Read MoreAll Bets are Off: Rethinking the Basics Amid COVID-19
How can we carry out our basic needs and still thrive during COVID-19? Dr. Pam King shares 8 ways we can do this.
> Read MoreThriving over the Long Haul this Fall
Dr. Pam King reviews the elements of thriving and provides tips on how we can pursue a thriving mindset as we approach fall 2020.
> Read MoreLament and Hope in Times of Injustice and Racism
Dr. Pam King reflects on injustice and racism, the importance of attuning to our emotions, and coming together as a community.
> Read MoreA Quarantine Mother’s Day: Finding Purpose in the Middle of Crisis
As we celebrate Mother’s Day in quarantine, Dr. Pam King invites all mothers to focus on their purpose in order to live a fulfilling life at home.
> Read MoreStaying Grounded, Connected, and Directed through Disruption
Dr. Pam discusses how spirituality can help us stay grounded, connected, and directed throughout challenges.
> Read MoreLight in Darkness: Not a Wholly Unprecedented Holy Week
Dr. Pam King explores how our beliefs can bring hope and light to our lives during dark times like COVID-19.
> Read MoreCambiar nuestro enfoque de “sobrevivir” a prosperar durante COVID-19
Dra. Pam King reflexiona sobre la importancia de las prácticas contemplativas para ayudarnos a prosperar durante el coronavirus.
> Read MoreChanging Our Focus from Surviving to Thriving During COVID-19
Dr. Pam King reflects on the importance of contemplative practices to help us thrive during the coronavirus.
> Read MoreThriving on the Road to Joy
How can caring adults equip youth for a journey of long-lasting joy? Dr. Pam King highlights the 3 essentials needed.
> Read MoreOrienting Ourselves through the Holi-daze
Are we thriving during the pre-holiday craze? Dr. Pam King reminds us about the importance of being mindful and orieinting our lives to what matters.
> Read More