About
Roy F. Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published over 700 scientific works, including over 40 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow award, in recognition of his lifetime achievements. As of 2023, He holds affiliations with Harvard University (USA), Constructor University Bremen (Germany), Florida State University (USA), BetterUp, Inc. (USA), and the University of Bamberg (Germany). Additionally, Baumeister serves as the president-elect of the International Positive Psychology Association. Although Roy made his name with laboratory research, his recognition extends beyond the narrow confines of academia. His 2011 book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller. He has appeared on television shows such as Dateline NBC and ABC’s 20/20, as well as on PBS, National Public Radio, and countless local news shows. His work has been covered or quoted in the The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Economist, Newsweek, TIME, Psychology Today, Self, Men’s Health, Businessweek, and many other outlets. Dr. Baumeister is president of the International Positive Psychology Association, as well as professor of psychology (emeritus) at the University of Queensland, with ongoing connections to Florida State University and Constructor University Bremen (Germany). He received his PhD in experimental social psychology from Princeton University in 1978 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in sociology at the University of California at Berkeley. He has over 700 publications, and his 45 books include Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty, The Cultural Animal, Meanings of Life, and the New York Times bestseller Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. As of February 2024, Google Scholar tallies that his works have been cited over 280,000 times in the scientific literature, with annual tallies routinely approaching 20,000 and an H-index of 206. His research interests include self and identity, belongingness and interpersonal rejection, finding meaning in life, sexuality, aggression, self-control and self-esteem, uncertainty, addiction, decision-making, and thinking about the future. His expertise and interviews have appeared on NBC Dateline, ABC 20/20, Discover, PBS, National Public Radio, and countless local news shows.
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Experience
Education
Publication
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January, 2025
Motivation needs cognition but is not just about cognition
Murayama and Jach offer valuable suggestions for how to integrate computational processes into motivation theory, but these processes cannot do away with motivation altogether. Rewards are o...
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January, 2025
Bless her heart: Gossip phrased with concern provides advantages in female intrasexual competition
Journal : Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 1096-0465
Although many women report being victimized by gossip, fewer report spreading negative gossip. Female gossipers might be unaware they are gossiping if they disclose such statements out of co...
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December, 2024
A meta-analysis on the relationship between the use of electronic media and psychological well-being
Journal : Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health 2667-1182
The effect of digital media use on psychological well-being has been debated among scholars and the public for a long time. This study investigates the relationship between various types of ...
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December, 2024
Those who (enjoy to) hurt: The influence of dark personality traits on animal- and human directed sadistic pleasure
Journal : Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 1873-7943
Background and objectives Sadistic pleasure – gratuitous enjoyment from inflicting pain on others – has devastating interpersonal and societal consequences. The current knowledge on non...
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December, 2024
Self-control and limited willpower: Current status of ego depletion theory and research
Journal : Current Opinion in Psychology
Ego depletion theory proposes that self-regulation depends on a limited energy resource (willpower). The simple initial theory has been refined to emphasize conservation rather than resource...
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November, 2024
Differences among a satisfied, a meaningful, and a psychologically rich working life
Journal : The Journal of Positive Psychology 1743-9779
This investigation elucidates what makes a good working life. A sample of 678 employees from diverse jobs rated their job satisfaction, work meaningfulness, and work psychological richness, ...
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October, 2024
Learning to Love Uncertainty
Journal : Current Directions in Psychological Science 0963-7214
Uncertainty has a negative reputation. Not knowing what has happened or is going to happen is typically depicted as undesirable, and people often seek to minimize and avoid it. Research has ...
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October, 2024
Cognitive effort increases the intensity of rewards
An important body of literature suggests that exerting intense cognitive effort causes mental fatigue and can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as indulging in high-calorie food and taking dr...
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September, 2024
An agent in a world of possibilities: Introductory overview of the special issue
Journal : Possibility Studies & Society
Possibilities are deeply engrained in psychology’s attempts to understand human behavior. This special issue offers diverse and novel insights into the role of possibilities. Two articles ...
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September, 2024
Tribal hostility in political conflict
Journal : The Tribal Mind and the Psychology of Collectivism 9781003395836
Hostile political conflict is one of the paramount stories of modern society, with the left and right coalescing into opposing tribes more concerned with defeating each other than advancing ...
Role in Research Journals
Projects
Moral Virtue and Self-Control,
Funded by John Templeton Foundation
Self-control and stress: A limited resource model,
Funded by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1RL1AA017541
Conference/Seminar/STTP/FDP/Symposium/Workshop
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Sep 2024
Whose Norm Is It? The Thin Line Between Harm and Choice
Missouri State University ,
Springfield, Missouri, United StatesHonours & Awards

Distinguished Scientist Award
Society for Experimental Social Psychology
Year: 2023Scholar9 Profile ID
S9-032025-1110133

Publication
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Citations
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