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Psychology Speakers

 

If you think the conscious and unconscious mind is well-mapped, then think again. Our psychology speakers explore the great mysteries of the human mind — our intelligence, our emotions, our personality and desires — and help us redefine how we think, feel, and know.

 

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Psychology
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Dr. Kristin Neff

Author Of Self-Compassion: The Proven Power Of Being Kind To Yourself | Co-Founder Of The Center For Mindful Self-Compassion

Our society teaches us that self-compassion is the enemy of productivity; that to be kind to ourselves is to invite complacency. But in fact, the opposite is true, says Dr. Kristen Neff. A pioneer in the field of inner strength training and self-compassion, Neff is the first person to empirically study the concepts and create a simple, actionable guide proven to increase motivation, boost resilience, and improve mental health. As we emerge from the pandemic, when burnout is threatening the happiness, success, and productivity of us all, she shows us why we need self-compassion more than ever.
 
Lori Gottlieb

Psychotherapist | Bestselling Author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Stories are the way we make sense of our lives—but we’re not always telling the right ones. Thankfully, Lori Gottlieb—therapist, New York Times bestselling author, and Atlantic columnist—is a masterful guide to editing and rewriting the narratives that keep us stuck. Through her massively popular book Maybe You Should Talk to Someone—now being adapted for television by Eva Longoria—and her viral new TED talk, Gottlieb shows us that vulnerability isn’t a weakness, but a compelling leadership tool; that our external circumstances don’t have to dictate our lives; and that we can consciously create meaning anywhere—at work, at home, and in relationships.
Jay Van Bavel

Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU | Author of The Power of Us

One of our amazing qualities as human beings is our ability to work together—yet that doesn’t mean it always comes easily to us. Jay Van Bavel is an NYU Professor who studies the psychology and neuroscience behind group identity, team performance, and cooperation. What happens when we work together? And how can we do so more effectively? By helping us understand the science, Van Bavel helps us put cooperation into practice, in life and in work.
Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

Bestselling author of Future Tense | Clinical psychologist | Digital health entrepreneur

With stress and burnout spiking, many of us believe that our lives would be better if only we were less anxious. But Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary says our anxiety is actually good for us, even though it feels bad. Anxiety helps us focus, create, and plan. As a clinical psychologist and author of Future Tense, Tracy provides a radical new framework for managing this misunderstood emotion and using it to our advantage. “When we stop rejecting anxiety,” she says, “we will be better able to channel it, manage it, and use it to prioritize what matters to us in life.”
Jessica Nordell

Author of The End of Bias | Award-Winning Science and Culture Journalist

One of the biggest dilemmas of our time? Eradicating unconscious bias—the persistent, unintentional, prejudiced behavior that clashes with our consciously held beliefs. Thankfully, science journalist Jessica Nordell is up for the challenge: in her debut book The End of Bias, she offers us a nuanced, compassionate perspective for how we can change biased behavior and radically remake our world. Those in need of hope or motivation as they embark on the necessary work of building more equitable organizations will benefit greatly from her science-driven talks.

 

Jonathan Metzl

Physician | Director, Department of Medicine, Health, and Society at Vanderbilt University | Author of Dying of Whiteness

Can racial resentment have an impact on public health? In his explosive book Dying of Whiteness, psychiatrist, sociologist, and award-winning author Jonathan Metzl revealed how right-wing policies, rooted in white supremacy, have had destructive, often fatal consequences on our well-being. As the lopsided effects of the pandemic once again illuminate our inequities, he steers us toward a path of empathy, cooperation, and better health for all. Insightful and provocative, Metzl’s talks are a sorely needed intervention for a society confronting its biases and rebuilding anew. 
 
Heather Berlin

Cognitive Neuroscientist | Host of Startalk All-Stars with Neil DeGrasse Tyson

A cognitive neuroscientist and host of StarTalk All-Stars with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Dr. Heather Berlin shows that by understanding the inner workings of our brains—what they’re good (and bad) at—we can discover solutions to some of our most common professional, creative, and social challenges, making us more productive, innovative, and in-control.  
Jonathan Fader

Performance Psychologist | Former Director of Mental Conditioning for the New York Giants | Author of Life as Sport

When C-Suite executives, celebrity athletes, and emergency first responders want to improve their performance in high-stakes situations, they turn to DR. Jonathan Fader. A performance psychologist to the nation’s top business leaders, and the former Director of Mental Conditioning for the New York Football Giants and the New York Mets, Fader applies proven psychological techniques from high-pressure, high-reward scenarios to everyday work and life situations.

 

Lera Boroditsky

Cognitive Scientist | Expert in the Fields of Language and Cognition

“Do the languages that we speak shape the way that we think?” Lera Boroditsky’s TED Talk—on how people view the world differently, based on their linguistic backgrounds—has been viewed an astonishing 37 million times. Boroditsky is a celebrated cognitive scientist and one of the “25 Visionaries Changing the World” (Utne). 
Jamil Zaki

Director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab

Most people think empathy is a trait—you have it or you don’t. But it’s a skill that anyone can get better at, says Jamil Zaki, a Stanford psychologist and one of America’s pre-eminent speakers on empathy. Drawing from his new acclaimed book The War for Kindness, Zaki offers an exciting new take on empathy—and how to enhance it.
 
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

New York Times bestselling author of Everybody Lies & Don't Trust Your Gut | New York Times Op-Ed Writer | Former Google Data Scientist

In Everybody Lies—a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller—Seth Stephens-Davidowitz explores how Google searches open an unprecedented window into human behavior, choice, and decision-making. In talks, this former Google data scientist draws on his research to reveal what we really think.

 

Maria Konnikova

Contributing Writer for The New Yorker | New York Times Bestselling Author

A New Yorker science writer who rocketed to poker stardom, Maria Konnikova is a brilliant decoder of why we make decisions—and how we can make better ones. Author of the NYT-bestselling books The Confidence Game and Mastermind, Konnikova’s talks offer a fascinating lesson in how our performance at work can be improved by a deeper understanding of logical choices.  
 
Angela Duckworth

Author of Grit, the #1 New York Times Bestseller | Pioneering Researcher on Grit, Perseverance, and the Science of Success

In her landmark research, psychologist Angela Duckworth reveals the importance of character to success in life. Her pioneering work on grit and self-control—showcased in her instant New York Times bestseller and viral TED Talk—is in high demand among educators, athletes, and business leaders alike—anyone interested in learning what makes a top performer and what any of us can do to cultivate character in ourselves and those around us.
Eric Klinenberg

Author of Palaces for the People and Going Solo

Eric Klinenberg is a social scientist who sheds light on massive demographic, social, and environmental transformations. In Heat Wave, he takes a look at the future of cities in the age of climate change. In Going Solo, he charts the societal impact of people who live alone. 
 
Steven Pinker

One of the World's Top Public Intellectuals | Author of Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters | Harvard Professor

Steven Pinker asks the big questions about human progress—and sets out, in public, to answer them. In optimistic keynotes, full of sharp wit, common sense, and dazzling argumentation, science speaker Pinker makes the case for reason, science, and humanism. These Enlightenment ideals, in the face of tribalism, authoritarianism, and other modern dangers to democracy, are worth celebrating—and protecting. 
Susan Pinker

Psychologist and Author of The Village Effect and The Sexual Paradox

Psychologist and award-winning author Susan Pinker is a seasoned observer of modern communication and social contact. Whether writing on gender differences, as in The Sexual Paradox, or on why face-to-face contact should be a priority, as in The Village Effect, Pinker’s evidence-based insights help us improve the ways we work, play, and relate to each other.
Daniel Lerner

Positive Psychologist | Instructor of NYU’S “The Science of Happiness”

Can success and happiness coexist? According to positive psychologist Daniel Lerner, we can all accomplish our career goals and live well. Lerner’s talks teach us to achieve greatness through rediscovering our core strengths and finding meaning in our work.
 
Chia-Jung Tsay

Expert in the Psychology of Negotiations | Associate Professor, UCL School of Management | Associate Fellow at Oxford's Saïd Business School

Are we ever really aware of why we choose the things we do? For example, do certain visual cues sway us? Do we prefer natural talents to hard work when it comes to job applicants? Psychologist Chia-Jung Tsay studies judgment biases: the non-conscious beliefs influencing our decisions.
Eyal Press

Author of Dirty Work: Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America

A thoughtful young writer on issues of morality and politics, Eyal Press is the author of Beautiful Souls, a revelatory study of moral courage. On stage, he looks at the surprising factors that cause ordinary people to behave ethically—to stick to their conscience, to defy the sway of authority and convention—even when thrust into compromising situations.   
Dr. Alex Russell

Author of Drop the Worry Ball

Dr. Alex Russell is a clinical psychologist who helps children develop resilience and their own personal relationship with school and achievement. At the heart of his message—and his book, Drop the Worry Ball—is that children learn by experiencing non-catastrophic, painful failure, and it is through the process of these failures that they mature into resilient, resourceful and emotionally balanced individuals.  
Ethan Kross

Leading Expert on the Conscious Mind | Author of Chatter

Overthinking can fuel our anxieties and impair our ability to make decisions—but we can learn to harness our inner voice and turn it into our own personal motivational coach, becoming healthier, wiser, and more resilient in the process. Award-winning psychologist and author of the instant national bestseller Chatter, Ethan Kross shows how the conversations we have with ourselves can improve our lives in surprising ways: from our health and our job performance to our relationships and decision-making.