Keith Shafritz

Keith Shafritz is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Hofstra University. Dr. Shafritz earned a B.A. in psychology from Haverford College and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Yale University. Following a one-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the Psychiatry Department at Yale University School of Medicine, he served as a research associate in the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center at Duke University. He then went on to become a visiting assistant professor at Drew University and joined the Hofstra faculty in 2006.

Dr. Shafritz’s research interests focus on the brain basis of attention and executive functions, which are the mental processes that allow for flexible behavior in changing conditions. His research projects fall under two major themes: 1) the role of different brain structures in guiding flexible behavior and how emotional information interacts with the functioning of these brain structures; and 2) the relevance of these brain structures to childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. His research uses functional magnetic resonance imaging to visualize brain activity while people engage in a variety of mental activities.

Dr. Shafritz’s professional affiliations include the Society for Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a member of Sigma Xi and has consulted for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In addition, he is an active reviewer for a number of neuroscience and psychiatry journals. His biography has been included in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World. Dr. Shafritz is a core faculty member in Hofstra’s B.A. in Psychology program. His regular teaching roster includes Introduction to Psychology, Statistics, and Biopsychology.

Hofstra Horizons Articles

• Fall 2009: How the Brain Helps Control Our Behavior