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http://www.johnvpetrospeaks.com/ John Petrocelli Keynote Speaker Better Information, Better Decisions BOOK JOHN SIGNALS NEWSLETTER Pohl Consulting and Training, Inc Keynote Speaker TOPICS AND KEYNOTES Decentselling Author John’s books feature insights from social science and practical applications for improving your work and life. SEE BOOKS Featured Articles article , video Persuasive Bullsh*tters Short of lying, bullshitting involves communicating something with little to no regard for the truth, established knowledge, or genuine evidence. Although most people believe bullshit is relatively harmless... Read More article Artificial Intelligence Many of us will soon find ourselves embracing generative artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. Those who resist will be akin to those who clung to those outdated library card catalogs... Read More article , video Evidence-Based Leadership with A/B Testing From intuition and common-sense (i.e., conventional management strategies) to maturity and sound A/B testing, better information often lends to better decisions... Read More article Business Leadership BS The wonderful thing about the marketplace of business ideas and the leadership development advice industry is that they're full of ideas. The problem with the marketplace of business ideas and the leadership development... Read More Connect with Johnvpetrocelli

About John Social Psychologist Dr. John V. Petrocelli has the goal of helping organizational leaders better position themselves and their organizations to reach their fullest potential. With strategies rooted in scientific research, that’s exactly what he does, empowering organizational leaders with proven tools for improving communication, strengthening influence, and establishing a foundation of evidence-based management. A provocative and convincing speaker, Dr. Petrocelli offers practical and immediately actionable strategies that actually enhance the chances of successfully meeting professional and organizational goals. By emphasizing social science and the things that successful organizations do consistently and effectively, he shows organizations and their employees a clear path to accomplishing their goals. Dr. Petrocelli offers keynotes and seminars on a variety of leadership, communication, and evidence-based management topics that are critical to high-performance in business management, market intelligence, technology, behavioral design, finance, education, and health care. John V. Petrocelli is represented by Les Tuerk of BrightSight Speakers , 609-924-3060 or les@brightsightgroup.com [see Dr. Petrocelli’s Speaker page at BrightSight Speakers ]. Be first in line for new content and actionable ideas by joining John’s popular email newsletter. Each week, he shares educational (and entertaining) videos, articles, and podcasts that will help you and your team to use better information to make better decisions. Over 40,000 leaders just like you have subscribed. Enter your email now and join us. Enter Your Best Email below Subscribe Thanks for subscribing! Connect with John

Teaching PSY 260 Social Psychology PSY 311 Research Methods in Psychology I PSY 355 Research in Social Psychology PSY 374 Research in Judgment and Decision Making PSY 392 Contemporary Issues in Psychology - Mental Simulation PSY 392 Contemporary Issues in Psychology - Implicit Social Cog PSY 392 Contemporary Issues in Psychology - Misinformation, BSing, and Calling BS PSY 752 Seminar in Social Psychology Connect with John

Connect with John

Research As an experimental social psychologist, my research involves experimental social cognition and judgment and decision making. My specific research interests include bullshitting behavior, bullshit detection and disposal, attitude strength and persuasion, counterfactual thinking and metacognition. Bullshitting Behavior and Bullshit Detection/Disposal. Bullshitting is a pervasive social behavior involving intentionally or unintentionally communicating with little to no regard or concern for truth, genuine evidence, and/or established semantic, logical, systemic, or empirical knowledge. Bullshitting is often characterized by, but not limited to, using rhetorical strategies designed to disregard truth, evidence and/or established knowledge, such as exaggerating or embellishing one’s knowledge, competence, or skills in a particular area or talking about things of which one knows nothing about in order to impress, fit in with, influence, or persuade others. Bullshitting is different from lying in that the liar is actually concerned with the truth – the liar tries to divert us from the truth. The bullshitter doesn’t really care what the truth is, he/she isn’t even trying – the bullshitter may be correct in his/her claim but wouldn’t know it. What are the antecedents, consequences, and utilities of this seemingly pervasive and inevitable behavior? Under what social conditions and/or mental states is bullshitting attenuated or augmented? Under what conditions are people receptive and/or sensitive to bullshit? How can people better detect and dispose of bullshit? Attitude Strength and Persuasion. How do various components of attitude strength (e.g., attitude certainty, attitudinal ambivalence, and attitude accessibility) affect attitude change and resistance to persuasive attempts? How do sub-components of such attitude attributes influence the attitude-behavior link, attitude stability, persistence, and resistance to persuasive attempts? Counterfactual Thinking. Counterfactual thinking involves mentally simulating alternatives to reality and playing out the consequences of those alternatives (i.e., “could have,” “would have,” “should have,” or “if only” thinking). What role does counterfactual thinking play in reactions to general and specific cases? How does it affect memory for previous events? What role does it play in learning and performance on tasks? How does counterfactual thinking affect a physician’s diagnostic and treatment selection decisions? Metacognition. Metacognition involves thinking about one’s thoughts and thought processes. How do metacognitive components of attitude strength affect attitude change? How does a metacognitive aspect of counterfactual thinking (i.e., counterfactual potency) influence affect, judgments of social targets, and decisions? Connect with John

Authenticity in Leadership THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023 | COMMEN T So many of the gurus of the leadership development advice industry preach about authenticity. Authentic leaders do this, authentic leaders do that… Some have positioned authenticity as the “gold standard of leadership”. But, what might the readily available evidence concerning authenticity and its link to effective leadership lead us to believe? Authenticity is often valued and considered an important characteristic of effective leadership. Yet, authenticity may not always be the most important or sufficient on its own. There are several reasons for this perspective: Contextual Variability: What is considered authentic can vary depending on the cultural, organizational, or situational context. Authenticity in one context may not translate well to another. Great leaders often need to adapt to different situations and environments, which may require them to behave differently to meet the needs and expectations of those they are leading. Balancing Authenticity and Adaptability: Effective leaders must strike a balance between being authentic and adapting to the needs of their team or organization. While being true to oneself is important, rigidly adhering to one’s authentic self can be detrimental if it hinders the leader’s ability to connect with and motivate others. Ethical Considerations: Authenticity is not a blanket justification for any behavior or action. Some leaders might claim authenticity to justify harmful or unethical behavior. Great leadership includes a strong ethical foundation that goes beyond simply being true to oneself. Communication and Influence: Effective leadership often requires the ability to communicate, influence, and inspire others. This may involve framing messages and actions in ways that resonate with the audience. Authenticity alone may not be sufficient for effective communication and influence, as it doesn’t guarantee that the message will be well-received or understood. Developing Leadership Skills: Leadership skills can be learned and developed over time. Leaders may need to acquire new skills and behaviors that are not necessarily part of their authentic selves. This process of growth and development can be crucial for success as a leader. Team and Organizational Goals: Leaders must prioritize the goals and needs of their team or organization. Sometimes, this might require them to set aside their personal preferences and act in a way that is in the best interest of the collective. Authenticity alone might not always align with these broader goals. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence, which involves recognizing and understanding the emotions of oneself and others, is a critical component of effective leadership. Great leaders use their emotional intelligence to navigate interpersonal relationships, make sound decisions, and motivate their teams. While authenticity is important, emotional intelligence goes beyond mere authenticity to encompass empathy, self-awareness, and effective interpersonal skills—and helps to avoid breaking the no asshole rules of finer leadership. In conclusion, it is quite clear from the available empirical evidence on authenticity as a characteristic of effective leaders that authenticity is a valuable quality in leadership, but it must be considered in conjunction with other leadership traits and skills. Effective leadership often requires a blend of authenticity, adaptability, ethical behavior, strong communication skills, and a focus on organizational goals. The importance of each of these characteristics may vary depending on the specific leadership situation and the needs of the team or organization being led. Still, many would concur that authenticity holds significant value. We often prefer to associate with, or be led by, individuals who are genuine rather than those who feign their true selves. Embracing behaviors that resonate with truth, transparency, and a genuine connection to one’s core identity is crucial and constitutes an admirable trait in leadership. Nevertheless, there’s a caveat to this authenticity principle: when your true self exhibits negative qualities, being unfiltered can lead to issues. In practice, we’ve noticed that some executives have used the pursuit of authenticity as a justification for undesirable conduct. It’s vital to recognize that authenticity encompasses not only the positive aspects, such as your values, aspirations, and cherished qualities. For many, their unfiltered selves can also manifest unpleasant traits. When your authenticity manifests as excessive criticism, poor communication, coarseness, judgmental attitudes, or inflexibility, you might be displaying your most genuine self, but you’re not necessarily displaying your best self . Often, these most authentic aspects of a leader require the most management. When urging executives to become their best selves, we often encounter resistance. People resist changing behaviors that feel most natural, even when everyone agrees that change would be beneficial. For instance, we had a recent client, a national magazine head, who insisted on using her preferred process, which felt most natural to her, to produce each issue. When asked to consider changing her process to make life easier for the team, she responded with, “This is just how I work.” She was being authentic, staying true to herself, but this authenticity was obstructing her team from reaching a happier and more productive state. Her excuse, “this is just how I work,” can be conveniently justified by the recent emphasis on authenticity, cautioning leaders not to pretend to be someone they’re not. However, hiding behind the authenticity excuse serves as a convenient way to evade the truth about our true selves, our actual behaviors, and their reasons. Instead, consider following these steps: 1. Gain insight into how others perceive you. Ask a trusted colleague what challenges they encounter when working with you. Listen without offering explanations or justifications, and write down their feedback in their own words. 2. Reflect on the feedback. In private, respond in writing to your colleague’s criticisms. Consider your thoughts and justifications for your actions. List them all, using your crankiest, most defiant, yet authentic voice. Read it aloud to acknowledge that this voice is a part of you. 3. Seek an alternative approach. The next time you feel compelled to engage in the behavior that makes you challenging, determine a different course of action. 4. Make amends. Reconnect with the colleague and apologize for your challenging behavior. Commit to a plan to rectify the situation. If you repeat the same behavior, despite your intentions, plan how you will address the consequences. 5. Impose consequences. Pledge to face consequences for misbehavior. If you engage in the problematic behavior again, what will it cost you? Perhaps you’ll offer coffee or lunch to the affected individual, or compose an apology poem. The consequence should be constructive but carry a personal cost. While your authentic self should serve as the foundation of your leadership style, it’s prudent to examine your true self critically before presenting and defending everything that comes naturally. Admiring leaders like Jack Welch (CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001, and author of Winning) is one thing, but don’t delude yourself into believing that unleashing your authentic self entirely is the key to effective leadership. Watch Leave a reply/comment: Name Email (will not be published) Website Subject Your message Send Thanks for submitting! Connect with John

featured news articles article Persuasive Bullsh*tters Short of lying, bullshitting involves communicating something with little to no regard for the truth, established knowledge, or genuine evidence. Although most people believe bullshit is relatively harmless... Read More article , video Evidence-Based Leadership with A/B Testing From intuition and common-sense (i.e., conventional management strategies) to maturity and sound A/B testing, better information often lends to better decisions... Read More article Artificial Intelligence Many of us will soon find ourselves embracing generative artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. Those who resist will be akin to those who clung to those outdated library card catalogs... Read More article Business Leadership BS The wonderful thing about the marketplace of business ideas and the leadership development advice industry is that they're full of ideas. The problem with the marketplace of business ideas and the leadership development... Read More article Authenticity in Leadership Some have positioned authenticity as the “gold standard of leadership”. But, what might the readily available evidence concerning authenticity and its link to effective leadership lead us to believe?... Read More article Introversion in the Workplace Because introverts tend to be more reserved, primarily due to their inclination to listen and reflect rather than speak, they may experience lower visibility in the workplace, potentially resulting in missed opportunities... Read More article My 3 Favorite Reads in 2023 I was among the 1,000 authors and super readers asked by Shepherd.com for their 3 favorite reads of the year. Here they are... Read More video Persuasive Bullshitters and the Insidious Bullshit Hypothesis Why are many beliefs based on bullshit rather than facts, data, evidence, or established knowledge? ... See More podcasts and videos video Science of Sports Betting 2-6-2025 WFU professor delves into the statistical principles and mathematical models that drive modern sports betting, explaining how odds are calculated, probabilities are determined, and risk is evaluated. In an interview with Fox 8's Michael Hennessey, viewers gain insight into the science behind betting predictions and outcomes... Read More audio Puffery, Bullshit and Lies 10-16-2024 Robots and AI are being portrayed in overly optimistic videos, television shows and advertisements. Tesla’s Optimus robot is a prime example. In this episode Dwain Allan and Christoph Bartneck interview John Petrocelli and Nick Lee on how this puffery, bullshit and lies affect consumers and vulnerable people... Read More video John V. Petrocelli Psychology Prof. and Juliet Jeske of Decoding Fox News 4-28-2024 John V. Petrocelli is an experimental social psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Wake Forest University and author of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit breaks down propaganda on Fox News with Decoding Fox News founder, Juliet Jeske... Read More audio Ep 289: The Art of Detecting Teen B.S. 5-13-2024 John Petrocelli, author of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit, explains how parents can identify when their teens are bullshitting and how to raise teens who critically evaluate the information they encounter... Read More audio Interview with John V. Petrocelli author of The Life-Changing Science of Detecting BS 12-26-2023 John V. Petrocelli is an experimental social psychologist and professor of psychology... Read More audio How to detect bullshit with professor John Petrocelli 12-6-2023 Do you know when someone is bullshitting? What is the difference between lying and bullshitting? To help us answer these questions and many more we have invited Professor John Petrocelli... Read More audio The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit with John Petrocelli 12-13-2022 Did you know the world “bullshit” might just be an Australian invention? During World War I, Australian troops found themselves arriving at the front and suddenly under the command of British officers... Read More audio Dissecting Decision-Making Process through Science with John Petrocelli 11-15-2022 Do you know the consequences of relying on your personal experience rather than evidence? Most people tend to make their decisions just based on their personal experience which can create negative outcomes. You can change this... Read More audio How to Stop Obsessing Over “What If…?” 11-2-2022 Have you ever messed up — or just thought you messed up! — and then obsessed over what you could have done better? This episode is about what’s happening in your brain, why you’re doing it, and how to finally let it go... Read More audio The Science of Bullshit Detection 10-11 -2022 Is bullshitting simply human nature? And how do we tell the difference between bullshit and straight up lies? ... Read More audio Cut the Bull$hit with Dr. John Petrocelli 8-30-2022 Bryan is joined by Wake Forest University's Professor of Psychology Dr. John Petrocelli to talk about bull$hIT. Dr. Petrocelli is a social psychologist who specializes in the concept of BS as a social behavior. BS does not just exist in politics and sales, it is everywhere... Read More video THE OPEN MIND: Detecting Malarkey 5-16-2022 Wake Forest University psychologist John Petrocelli discusses the importance of fact- and nonsense-checking... See More video #591 John Petrocelli - The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit 2-24-2022 A conversation with Ricardo Lopes, The Dissenter... See More audio #018 Bullshitting with Dr. John Petrocelli 12-19-2021 In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Ryan Moyer speaks with social psychologist Dr. John Petrocelli about the difference between BS and lying, the various kinds of BS and why people engage in them, the danger... Read More audio 648 How to Spot Bullsh*t When You Hear It & How to Diffuse and Resolve Any Conflict 10-28-2021 Since we don’t swear on this podcast, we won’t use the word that BS stands for – but we all know what it is. As you are aware, a lot of people fling BS around to try to make themselves look good or try to sell you something. So, how do you tell what is true, what is a lie and what is BS?... Read More audio John Petrocelli | The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit 10-11-2021 John Petrocelli reveals the science behind detecting BS, which has become so pervasive in today's world. What is the difference between lying and bullshitting? What makes BS more dangerous than lying? How do we develop the critical thinking habits... Read More audio X57: The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit with John Petrocelli 10-1-2021 Nowadays, it’s so difficult to decipher what’s truth, and what’s just a load of crap spewed to make a profit. Unfortunately most people don’t have time to research and wade through the mountains of available information and so they trust what they’re told and hope for the best... Read More audio EP 140: Bullshit, Lying, and the Truth with John V. Petrocelli 9-30-2021 In this episode, Kimberly and John discuss his newest book “The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit” which explains the differences between bullshitting, lying, and deciphering the truth. John explains many different facets of how humans are susceptible to bullshit... Read More audio The LawBusiness Insider with Steve Murphy: Interview with John V. Petrocelli 9-23-2021 Bullshitting is a pervasive social behavior involving communication with little to no concern for evidence and/or established semantic, logical, systemic, or empirical knowledge. Bullshitting is different from lying in that the liar is actually concerned with the truth... Read More audio The Truth or Make Believe with Ed Fulbright on Mastering Your Money Radio 9-13-2021 Would your life change if you can detect someone is telling you a BSer? I know mine would. Part of this is determining who is telling you truth or the whole truth... Read More audio Primal Blueprint Podcast, Featuring John V. Petrocelli #519 9-8-2021 Elle Russ chats with John V. Petrocelli – an experimental social psychologist who researches, writes, and speaks about the science of communication and decision making... Read More video EPISODE #207 John Petrocelli — The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit 9-7-2021 Bullshit is the foundation of contaminated thinking and bad decisions that leads to health consequences, financial losses, legal consequences, broken relationships, and wasted time and resources... See More audio #168 John Petrocelli on The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit 9-1-2021 Experimental social psychologist John Petrocelli chats with Trey Elling about The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit . What is bullshit? Why do people bullshit? Who is most likely to peddle bullshit? And how can one properly snuff out bullshit... Read More audio How to Detect Bullshit with John Petrocelli 8-30-2021 Bullshit can be found all around us. But how do you know when it’s actually harmful and dangerous? John Petrocelli, social psychologist and author of the new book The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit joins Modern Mentor for a conversation to... Read More audio The Science of Detecting Bullshit with John Petrocelli 8-27-2021 What's the difference between BS and lying? Is there a reason why it's so important that we learn to detect BS? And what's my beef with Oprah? We discuss this and much more... Read More audio 696: How to Separate Truth from Bullsh*t for Smarter Decisions with John V. Petrocelli 8 - 23-2021 What's the difference between BS and lying? Is there a reason why it's so important that we learn to detect BS? And what's my beef with Oprah? We discuss this and much more... Read More audio Stimulus and Equities, Working in Government, Detecting Bullshit 8-8-2021 This week’s topics include stimulus inequities, working in government, and detecting bullshit... Read More audio The Science of Bullshit with John Petrocelli 7-27-2021 With a little dose of skepticism, a commitment to truth seeking and John Petrocelli’s critical thinking defensive tactics, we can all become bullshit detectives... Read More audio The Science Bullshit with Dr. John Petrocelli 7-27-2021 We are joined by Dr. Petrocelli (@JohnVPetro) to talk about his new book "The Life-Changing Science of How to Detect Bullshit ". Tune in if you want to learn why people likely bullshit more often than you think, what types of bullshit are the worst... Read More audio 333 - John V. Petrocelli (The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit ) 7-25-2021 I interview John V. Petrocelli, Professor of Psychology at Wake Forest University, about his new book The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit. What exactly is bullshit, and how does it differ from a lie? Why do people bullshit?... Read More audio Inside the Mind of the Bullshitter: Science Weekly Podcast 10-25-2029 In 1986, philosopher Harry G Frankfurt wrote: “One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit.” This was the opening line of his seminal essay (later a book), On Bullshit, in which Frankfurt put forward his theory on the subject. Three decades later... Read More video Why BS is more dangerous than a lie | John Petrocelli | TEDx University of Nevada 2 -28 -2019 BS'ing (communicating with little to no regard for truth, established knowledge, or evidence) is a major problem polluting our communicative climate. Based on empirical research, John Petrocelli discusses the consequences of BS and how understanding its causes... See More in the news FactCzech | Prerequisites and Consequences of Cowarding | 5/22/2018 WXII News 12 | Is Cheap In and Posh Out? Explicit vs. Implicit Attitudes | 5/30/2009 Scientific American | See Why Everyone Gets the Monty Hall Puzzle Wrong | 7/16/2024 Skept ical Inquirer | Evidence-Based Optimism at CSICon 2022 | 3/1/2023 Entrepreneur | How to Overcome Anything: Stop Obsessing Over 'What If?' | 1/1/2023 Cornelius Today | You might say Dr. Petrocelli has more than a BS in BS | 9/1/2022 Lake Norman Currents | Detecting BS: Social psychology professor shares need for critical thinking habits in book | 8/1/2022 Forbes | Why Do We Trust the Wrong People? | 4/14/2022 Shepherd.com | The Best Books on Thinking About and Detecting Bullshit, Misinformation, and Fake News | 3/21/2022 Next Big Idea Club | The Life-Changing Science of Detecting Bullshit | 9/8/2021 Next Big Idea Club | 5 Books About How People Lie, Bluff, and Con Their Way to Success | 9/8/2021 The Wall Street Journal | Your B.S. Detector Is Rusty: It’s Time to Sharpen It | 7/14/2021 Center for Inquiry, Skeptical Inquirer Presents | Persuasive Bullshitters and the Insidious Bullshit Hypothesis | 11/5/2020 Psychology Today | The Psychology of Bullshit | 7/2/2020 The Guardian | No Word of a Lie: Scientists Rate the World’s Biggest Peddlers of Bull | 3/31/2019 Money Magazine | How Financial Fraudsters Like Melissa Caddick Can Fool Anyone | 8/4/2021 NEVADAToday | Community Support for TEDxUniversityofNevada Larger than Ever | 2/26/2019 Nevada Sagebrush | 2019 TEDxUNR Captivates Crowd with Thoughtful Array of Speakers | 2/25/2019 Winston-Salem Journal | Higher Education Notebook | 2/22/2019 Science Trends | Communicative Climate Change: Cloudy With a Chance of Bullshit | 12/17/2018 Government Executive | Men Have Trouble Speaking Up At Work, Too | 10/9/2018 Leader Says What | A Leadership Guide to Bullshitting: 5 Ways to Become a Human Bullshit Detector | 7/9/2018 Psychology Today | A Recipe for BS | 7/1/2018 Psychology Today | What a Bunch of Bull: The Art and Science of BS | 6/30/2018 Paul Taylor | The Rise Of Business Bullshit – And How We Can Fight It | 6/19/2018 DiscoverMagazine.com | What Makes Us Okay With Bullshitting? | 6/4/2018 Big Think | The Results are in From the First Study of What Encourages and Deters People From Bullshitting | 6/1/2018 Quartz at Work | Are You Inadvertently Encouraging Your Colleagues to Bullshit You? | 5/30/2018 Ladders | New Study Explains How to Deter BS in the Workplace | 5/29/2018 The British Psychological Society: Research Digest | The Results are in From the First Study of What Encourages and Deters People From Bullshitting | 5/22/2018 Skepchick | The Scientific Study of Bull**** | 5/17/2018 NiemanLab | You See It, You Buy It: Just Being Exposed to Fake News Makes You More Likely to Believe It | 5/11/2018 Smithsonian.com | Study Looks at Why We All Spew So Much BS | 5/11/2018 Poynter | This Study is All About What Makes People Bullshitters | 5/7/2018 PsychCentral | The psychology of bullshitting: 7 revelations | 4/25/2018 The Wall Street Journal | It’s Time to Tune Up Your B.S. Detector | 3/20/2018 Popular Science | Head Trip: When Should You Change Your Mind? | Spring 2018 iBloomBerg Reports | 9/22/2015 The Wall Street Journal | Conflict Resolution | 9/21/2015 Wake Forest News | Let the Games Take Over | 5/30/2009 Connect with John

Contact Wake Forest University Department of Psychology P.O. Box 7778 Winston-Salem, NC 27109 petrocjv@wfu.edu (336)-758-4171 Name Address Email Phone Subject Message Submit Thanks for submitting! Connect with John

Bulls#!t Studies Lab PSYCHOLOGY EXPERIMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ~ SONA RESEARCH ASSISTANT SCHEDULE CITI TRAINING BULLS#!T STUDIES LAB - Greene Hall 122 The BULLS#!T STUDIES LAB in Attitudes, Social Cognition and Bulls#!tting is in the Department of Psychology at Wake Forest University and is directed by Dr. John V. Petrocelli. Our research focuses on factors associated with how people process and interpret social information, as well as how people are influenced by information in their social environment. We explore these general interests in a number of contexts including persuasion, judgment and decision-making. RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS How to get involved in research as a student: Students can get involved in many aspects of my research including running experiments, coding and entering data, collaborating on research designs, and helping to formalize presentations and publications. Although some students volunteer, it is possible to earn credit for this work by registering for PSY 280 Directed Study. Undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in collaborating with me on research should contact me early in their academic careers so that they can gain experience over more than one semester. The first semester as a research assistant usually involves helping to run an ongoing experiment. However, as the semester progresses, and in subsequent semesters, students may have the opportunity to develop their own ideas and/or collaborate with me on the design of new studies. COMPLETE AN APPLICATION – Download and e-mail to petrocjv@wfu.edu Frequently asked questions: What is Social Cognition? Often regarded as an approach to studying the social world rather than a domain or content area, social cognition is the study of the processes that operate when people encode, store, and retrieve information about the social world. Researchers in social cognition study the procedures, strategies, and problems that people exhibit when they perceive and judge themselves and others. A main theme of social cognition is the biases that may color people’s perceptions and judgments of others. Social cognition is also concerned with the mental shortcuts (or heuristics) that people use to conserve cognitive resources, form judgments, and make decisions. Thus, behavior is often explained by how we use information, what events we pay attention to, how we interpret information, and how we store information in memory. Automatic and controlled processing is also of interest to social cognition. This distinction helps explain the flexibility of the social thinker. The effects of motivation and cognitive load figure prominently on one’s ability to be an accurate social perceiver. How many students work in the lab? Typically, 1-2 graduate students and 3-6 undergraduates work as directed study students or as volunteers. What basic tasks are involved? Lab tasks include formalizing Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications for new studies, development of experimental protocols and stimuli (using in MediaLab, Inquisit, or HTML), data collection with participation pool students, operating SONA (e.g., assigning credit to participation pool students), data entry (a rare task), and writing up the Methods section of a research report. What are the basic time requirements for lab assistants? Lab assistants typically work in the lab about 5 hours each week (see the current lab assistant schedule below). Additional time is often spent outside of the lab in individual meetings to discuss the progress of a project or to conduct library work. What type of experimental software would I learn? We typically use MediaLab, but wealso use Inquisit for studies that require reaction time measures. Would I be involved in any ongoing projects or new studies? In any one semester, we usually have about 3-6 research projects being conducted; all typically at different stages. All students working in the lab are assigned to work on a project that we both agree is suitable given student interests and lab needs. Individual projects will enable the lab to be productive even when data are not being collected. It is hoped that our work together results in publishable contribution (but this is never a guarantee). What specific types of projects are going on in the lab currently? Currently, graduate students and lab assistants are conducting studies on various topics, which include: counterfactual thinking and mental simulation, attitude change and resistance to persuasion, attitudinal ambivalence, forced agreement scaling, and the anchoring and adjustment heuristic. Connect with John

Artificial Intelligence THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 | COMMENT Many of us will soon find ourselves embracing generative artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. Those who resist will be akin to those who clung to those outdated library card catalogs. Prominent examples of this technology include ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, Anthropic’s Claude, and Inflection’s Pi. Productivity-enhancing AI tends to boost our output, altering how we work without necessarily reducing our overall work hours. Recently, major U.S. tech companies have revealed their intentions to deeply integrate generative AI into the everyday tools we rely on, making avoidance nearly impossible. In the past two weeks alone, Microsoft announced the comprehensive integration of generative AI tools into Windows 11, Google updated its Bard AI to draw from all your documents, emails, and calendar data, Amazon showcased enhanced generative AI capabilities for its Alexa smart assistant, and Meta introduced chat-based assistants and celebrity-driven chatbots across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Even Apple, in the process of developing its own text-based generative AI, introduced a new accessibility feature for iPhones using a different form of generative AI to replicate a user’s voice. While the accessibility and prevalence of generative AI tools do not guarantee their widespread use, early adopters are already benefiting from their utility, suggesting broader adoption on the horizon. However, one potential challenge with using AI in this manner is its proclivity to generate incorrect information (i.e., BS), an inherent aspect of its functioning that may be difficult to eliminate. This limitation somewhat reduces its value, requiring human oversight for all AI-generated work. Nevertheless, AI excels at handling routine tasks, such as generating standard code or text, transforming its users into editors rather than content creators. AI has become an essential tool, and not embracing it means missing out on its potential benefits. Ultimately, AI is all about trying to achieve better results with less effort. Watch Leave a reply/comment: Name Email (will not be published) Website Subject Your message Send Thanks for submitting! Connect with John

Business Leadership BS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 | COMMENT If today’s leaders aim to transform the world amidst the abundance of leadership failures, frequent career setbacks, and workplaces poisoned by disengaged and mistrusting employees, they’ll need to start considering the cold, hard facts of reality and transcend the dangerous half-truths and self-serving narratives that dominate the leadership mythos. Many of the commonly espoused conventional ideas about leadership are founded more on optimism than empirical evidence, on desires rather than factual information, and on convictions rather than scientific rigor. It is not only impera- tive to challenge much of this conventional wisdom but also to conduct a scientific inquiry into the functioning of leadership—both its strengths and shortcomings—and provide leaders, both current and future, with evidence-based guidelines. People frequently embrace the feel-good narratives surrounding leadership without critical examination, which hinders their grasp of reality and their ability to effect positive change. The counsel that leaders/managers receive from the extensive and ever-expanding pool of business leadership literature, articles, experts, and consultants is remarkably inconsistent. Consider the following contradictory recommendations extracted directly from popular business books: Select a charismatic CEO / Opt for a humble CEO. Embrace complexity theory / Aim for simplicity. Transition into a strategy-focused organization / Minimize the time invested in strategic planning due to its limited value. In fact, the more one digs into this, the more perplexing and confounding it all becomes. For instance, Simon Sinek’s most promoted claims, such as his “Golden Circle” concept, which centers around the idea of “Starting with Why,” have been popular in the realm of leadership and motivational speaking. However, the extent of empirical evidence supporting his claims can vary, and it’s essential to consider that his work is more conceptual and based on observations rather than empirical scientific research. While Sinek’s ideas have resonated with many people and organizations and have been applied in practical settings, they are not necessarily grounded in rigorous scientific research. His concepts are more anecdotal and provide a framework for thinking about leadership, motivation, and communication. It’s important to acknowledge that the field of leadership and motivation is vast, with various theories and models, and there isn’t one universally accepted approach. Therefore, the value of Sinek’s claims depends on how well they resonate with your personal or organizational values and goals. But, if you’re looking for empirical evidence in the field of leadership and motivation, you may want to explore academic research, studies, and theories that have been subject to more rigorous scientific scrutiny. While Sinek’s ideas can be inspiring and thought-provoking, they may not always have the same level of empirical support as theories developed through formal research. Marketplace of Business Ideas The wonderful thing about the marketplace of business ideas is that it’s full of ideas. The problem with the marketplace of business ideas is that it’s full of ideas based on very shaky evidence, if any evidence at all. How do business leaders know how to evaluate these ideas, how to know which are correct and which will work for them, and how to know which ones to really invest in? Seriously, whom should we believe with so many clashing ideas that are all pitched as the only management solutions we’ll ever need? Here are just a few of the ever-increasing number of books on business leadership development: What They Teach You at Harvard Business School: My Two Years Inside the Cauldron of Capitalism vs. What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School: Notes from a Street-smart Executive Grow Global: Using International Protocol to Expand Your Business vs. Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less Never Ever, Ever Give Up: An Inspiring True Story about Leadership, Commitment, Resiliency, Happiness and Making Your Dreams Come True vs. Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away Charisma: Seven Keys to Developing the Magnetism That Leads to Success vs. Leading Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing Leading the Revolution: How to Thrive in Turbulent Times by Making Innovation a Way of Life vs. Managing for the Short Term: The New Rules for Running a Business in a Day-to-Day World Love Is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends vs. Business Is Combat: A Fighter Pilot’s Guide to Winning in Modern Business Warfare The Peaceable Kingdom: Building a Company Without Factionalism, Fiefdoms, Fear and Other Staples of Modern Business vs. Capitalizing on Conflict: Strategies and Practices for Turning Conflict to Synergy in Organizations Managing by Measuring: How to Improve Your Organization’s Performance Through Effective Benchmarking vs. Managing with Passion: Making the Most of Your Job and Your Life The Quest for Authentic Power: Getting Past Manipulation, Control, and Self-Limiting Beliefs vs. What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies vs. Corporate Failure by Design: Why Organizations Are Built to Fail In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies vs. The Myth of Excellence: Why Great Companies Never Try to Be the Best at Everything Out of the Box: Strategies for Achieving Profits Today and Growth Tomorrow through Web Services vs. Thinking Inside the Box: The 12 Timeless Rules for Managing a Successful Business Seriously—there is a business leadership book with the title “Thinking Inside the Box”? What might our 3rd grade art teacher think about this? What's even more troubling is that, due to the challenge of distinguishing sound advice from poor counsel, managers are consistently lured into adopting flawed business methodologies. This is exacerbated by the fact that consultants and other purveyors of ideas and techniques are primarily incentivized to secure business, occasionally acknowledged for delivering quality services, and rarely assessed on whether their advice genuinely improves performance. The incentive structure can even be more counterproductive, as a consulting firm may benefit from only partially resolving a client company's issues, which paves the way for additional engagements. Despite the extensive literature, online content, blogging and public speaking on leadership, as well as the billions of dollars in financial investments poured into the leadership development advice industry every year, it is quite evident that these efforts have yielded minimal success in transforming workplaces or enhancing individuals’ career achievements. On one side, we witness an ever-expanding leadership industry encompassing a vast array of resources such as books, articles, speeches, workshops, blogs, conferences, training programs, and corporate leadership development initiatives. These resources have been in existence for many years, fostering a fairly consistent set of research-backed suggestions for enhancing group and organizational performance. These recommendations include, among others, the importance of leaders inspiring trust, exhibiting authenticity, practicing honesty, prioritizing service to others, especially their colleagues, displaying humility and self-effacement, demonstrating empathetic understanding and emotional intelligence, and other similarly sensible guidelines. However, on the flip side, there is a wealth of compelling evidence pointing to workplaces filled with disengaged and dissatisfied employees who lack trust in their leaders. Their most commonly expressed desire is to seek alternative employment opportunities. The consequence of this dichotomy is twofold: dysfunctional workplaces are prevalent, and leaders themselves face challenges, including shorter job tenures and an increasing likelihood of experiencing career setbacks and terminations. The leadership development advice industry has failed. Despite having good intentions, there is scant proof that any of the suggestions and recommendations of the loudest voices have yielded favorable outcomes. And, I’m not the only one to see this. Barbara Kellerman, a professor specializing in leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School and the creator of the Center for Public Leadership, concurs. She has recently stated that the field of leadership studies “has failed over its roughly forty-year history to in any major, meaningful, measurable way improve the human condition” and that “the rise of leadership as an object of our collective fascination has coincided precisely with the decline of leadership in our collective estimation.” A significant issue arises from the fact that a substantial portion of leadership training and development has transformed into a kind of casual sermonizing. It involves narrating inspiring tales of remarkable leaders and exceptional organizations, which, in turn, momentarily boost the spirits of the audience without causing substantial alterations in the typical workplace dynamics. Empirical studies show that relying on inspiration as the primary basis for effecting substantial change is highly ineffective. This also sheds light on why and how the leadership anecdotes we encounter, which frequently lack substantial validity, tend to exacerbate situations, potentially to a significant degree. In fact, there is evidence indicating that, on occasion, it is reasonable for leaders aiming to progress in their careers to consider taking an opposing approach to conventional prescriptions. No Obstacles to Entering the Leadership Development Advice Industry A major issue that contributes to the limited progress in workplaces and career development is the complete absence of any barriers to entry in the leadership sector. No formal qualifications, rigorous research, comprehension of pertinent scientific data, or any other prerequisites are necessary to establish one’s credibility as a leadership authority. It's open to all – anyone can author a book, engage as a leadership speaker or blogger, provide consulting and guidance, or establish a leadership development or consulting company. On certain occasions, it appears that almost everyone ventures into this field. Celebrity status and fame can also catapult one’s attempt to gain a share on the leadership development advice industry. From what I can gather, there appears to be little correlation between possessing substantial knowledge about leadership and achieving success as a leadership expert. To illustrate this point with just one of the many instances that come to mind, a group in search of a leadership speaker for a conference informed me that they selected a particular speaker because, as per an insider from the selection committee, she was charismatic and visually appealing. Such common anecdotes align with the perspective that a significant portion of leadership education, whether in academic settings or within corporate environments and at the numerous conferences and conventions, prioritizes delivering entertainment, or “edutainment”, rather than truly aiding leaders or addressing workplace issues. 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