About
Cody and Jenny pause to look at the view while climbing Black Butte. Photo copyright by Grant Kenagy
I've spent more than four decades exploring a question that has shaped both my career and my life:
Why does our preoccupation with self-worth so often keep us from the relationships, purpose, and contribution we value most?
That question has guided my research as a social psychologist for more than four decades. Over time, I came to realize that understanding these ideas intellectually wasn't enough. The harder challenge was learning to live them.
As I began applying these ideas in my own life, they changed not only how I lived, but also the questions I asked as a scientist. My research and my lived experience began to inform one another.
Today I bring those two strands together, sharing what decades of research have taught me and what I've learned trying to put those ideas into practice in my own life.
My Work
I received my Ph.D. in psychology and social relations from Harvard University and have served on the faculty at Northwestern University, the University at Buffalo, The University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University. Throughout my career, my research has focused on self-esteem, motivation, close relationships, and the conditions that help people flourish.
My work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. I've published more than 200 scientific articles, served as president of four professional societies, and received awards for both research and mentoring.
For a complete list of my publications, invited addresses, awards, and professional activities, see my CV (PDF).
After decades of writing primarily for academic audiences, I now write and speak for a broader audience. My goal is not only to share what the science tells us, but also to explore what it takes to put those ideas into practice.