About David DeSteno
Dr. DeSteno’s research centers on the impact affective states have on decision making and behavior. His lab takes a multilevel and multiprocess approach to examining the psychological functions, phenomenologies, and sequelae that are associated with distinct emotional states. Current projects focus on the effects of emotions on several types of social judgment (e.g., moral decision making, risk assessment, attitude change, trust) as well as on behaviors fundamental to social living (e.g., trust and cooperation, prosocial action, organizational behavior, altruism, aggression).
Institutes, Labs & Research Centers
Social Emotions Lab
Psychology
Dr. DeSteno’s research focuses on the role of emotion in social cognition and behavior.
Faculty
David DeSteno in the news
November 22, 2024
Are UFOs spawning a new religious movement?
As stigma around the topic of UFOs lessens, more people are attempting to make extraterrestrial contact to fulfill a yearning for spiritual transcendence, Northeastern expert says.
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April 9, 2024
Science and religion can get along, says former director of the National Institutes of Health
Science and religion are typically thought to be at odds with one another, but Francis Collins doesn’t see it that way. The former director of both the National Institutes of Health and National Human Genome Research Institute, Collins is also a man of devout faith. Looking at the distrust and increasingly fractious divide between scientific […]
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May 3, 2023
Psychology professor explores how science can learn from religion
The work of DeSteno, a psychology professor at Northeastern University, focuses on understanding the science behind religious practices and how they can benefit our wellbeing.
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October 25, 2020
The Sum Total: A Collection of COVID-19 Stories Across COS
When COVID-19 emerged as global threat, it demanded action. The Northeastern College of Science heard the call. Read the stories of the COS community doing their part to fight the pandemic.
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May 18, 2020
The Person Walking Past You Isn’t Wearing a Mask. What Should You Say?
It’s best to avoid hostility and communicate with empathy when it comes to helping people understand why covering their faces can slow the spread of the virus, say Northeastern researchers.
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April 6, 2020
Here’s How to Combat the Fear Caused by a Barrage of Covid-19 News
David DeSteno, a Professor of Psychology does a Q&A with News@Northeastern about his research, the contagiousness of fear and offered some tips for breaking out of the constant cycle of fear and anxiety.
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September 5, 2017
What makes a good robot teacher?
Read psychology professor David DeSteno's op-ed from The New York Times.
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December 20, 2016
Why it pays off to be thankful around the holidays
Cultivating a sense of gratitude has been found to alleviate stress, says psychology professor David DeSteno. It could also save you some hard-earned money as you shop for last-minute gifts.
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November 15, 2016
Psychology professor talks about what makes one successful
We're terrible at self-control, psychology professor David DeSteno will tell you. But, he adds, it's what controls your success.
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August 22, 2016
Psychology professor pens article about pride and persistence for Harvard Business Review
Psychology professor David DeSteno wrote an article titled, "The Connection Between Pride and Persistence" for the Harvard Business Review. In it he evaluates the connection between an employee receiving praise and their work ethic moving forward.
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May 18, 2015
Why does Patriots Nation trust Tom Brady when no one else does?
"It’s an established fact that our sense of whether a person’s actions are morally correct doesn’t solely depend on the objective facts. It also depends on our links to the person in question." Psychology professor David DeSteno takes a look at the trust Patriots Nation has in Tom Brady.
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October 3, 2014
Dealing with impulses
Psychology professor David DeSteno writes the cover story for Pacific Standard, "A Feeling of Control: How America Can Finally Learn to Deal With Its Impulses."
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July 14, 2014
A little gratitude can go a long way
Psychology professor David DeSteno was recently featured in an article about gratitude and financial patience.
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March 31, 2014
Can Gratitude Reduce Costly Impatience?
In a potentially landmark study forthcoming in the journal Psychological Science, a team of researchers from Northeastern University, the University of California, Riverside, and Harvard Kennedy School demonstrate that feelings of gratitude automatically reduce financial impatience.
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January 27, 2014
Bold ideas take flight at TEDxNortheasternU
Commercial space flight. Empowering foster children. Human emotion and social resilience. These were among the many topics and initiatives speakers explored Saturday at TEDxNortheasternU, attended by 100 Northeastern students and designed to share bold ideas in the community.
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April 1, 2013
Can Meditation Make You a More Compassionate Person?
Scientists have mostly focused on the benefits of meditation for the brain and the body, but a recent study by Northeastern University’s David DeSteno, published in Psychological Science, takes a look at what impacts meditation has on interpersonal harmony and compassion. Several religious traditions have suggested that mediation does just that, but there has been no scientific proof—until now.
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