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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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Skills

Experience

Mercator Fellow

Constructor University (CU)

Mar-2021 to Present
Eppes Eminent Professor

Florida State University (FSU)

Mar-2003 to Mar-2025
Professor

The University of Queensland (UQ)

Mar-2016 to Mar-2021
Distinguished Adjunct Professor

KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY

Mar-2014 to Mar-2015
Special Professor

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)

Mar-2010 to Mar-2015
Research Fellow

Russell Sage Foundation (RSF), New York

Mar-2013 to Mar-2014
E.B.Smith Professor

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)

Mar-1992 to Mar-2003
Professor

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)

Mar-1989 to Mar-2003
Visiting Professor

University of Virginia (UVA)

Mar-1993 to Mar-1994
Professor

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)

Mar-1979 to Mar-1989
Visiting Associate Professor

The University of Texas at Austin (Cockrell)

Mar-1986 to Mar-1987

Education

University of California-Berkeley

Postdoctoral fellow in Psychology

Passout Year: 1979
Princeton University

Ph.D. in Psychology

Passout Year: 1978
Duke University (DU)

M.A. in Psychology

Passout Year: 1976
Princeton University

A.B. in Psychology

Passout Year: 1974

Publication

  • dott image 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...

  • dott image 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...

  • dott image 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 ...

  • dott image 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...

  • dott image 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...

  • dott image 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, ...

  • dott image 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 ...

  • dott image 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...

  • dott image 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 ...

  • dott image 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

Jun-2015 to Jun-2017

Moral Virtue and Self-Control,

$280,000

Funded by John Templeton Foundation

Jun-2007 to Dec-2013

Self-control and stress: A limited resource model,

$1,064,690

Funded by National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 1RL1AA017541

Conference/Seminar/STTP/FDP/Symposium/Workshop

Conference
  • dott image Sep 2024

Whose Norm Is It? The Thin Line Between Harm and Choice

Hosted By:

Missouri State University ,

Springfield, Missouri, United States
https://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/2024/presenter-bio.aspx?PresenterID=2023

Honours & Awards

dott image
Distinguished Scientist Award
Awarded by:

Society for Experimental Social Psychology

Year: 2023