// publications
Scientific publications
My academic background includes 60+ peer-reviewed articles cited 22,000+ times. That research continues to shape how I approach technology, evidence, and real-world harm today. Full index available on Google Scholar.
// select highlights
Social technology use is not associated with greater subsequent life satisfaction: A five-wave panel study of US adults.
Kushlev, K., Moon, K., Motyl, M., Iver, R., Fast, N. J., & Schroeder, J.
Nature Human Behaviour
From social media to empathic artificial intelligence: Applying past lessons to future technologies.
Rodriguez, M., Motyl, M., & Schroeder, J.
Empathy and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Advances, and Ethical Considerations.
The future of connectedness and wellbeing in psychological science.
Ugurlu, O., Van Bavel, J. J., Gray, K., Guilbeault, D., Harari, G. M., Matz, S., Motyl, M., & Schroeder, J.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Age differences in free will and control perceptions across the lifespan and around the world
Chopik, W. J., Confer, J. A., & Motyl, M.
Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 4
7 cit.
On the varieties of diversity: Ideological variations in attitudes toward, and understandings of diversity
Howard, K. A., Cervone, D., & Motyl, M.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 48, 1039-1053
23 cit.
Could your candidate shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not lose votes? Identifying lines in the sand in ingroup candidate transgressions
Howard, K. A., Cervone, D., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 10, 272-287
7 cit.
Person memory mechanism underlying approach and avoidance judgments of social targets
Sklenar, A. M., McCurdy, M. P., Frankenstein, A. N., Motyl, M., & Leshikar, E. D.
Social Cognition, 39, 747-772
19 cit.
Investigating the links between cultural values and belief in conspiracy theories: The key roles of collectivism and masculinity
Adam-Troian, J., Wagner-Egger, P., Motyl, M., Arciszewski, T., Imhoff, R., Zimmer, F., ... & van Prooijen, J. W.
Political Psychology, 42(4), 597-618
120 cit.
Using trait and moral theories to understand belief in pure evil and belief in pure good
Webster, R. J., Morrone, N., Motyl, M., & Iyer, R.
Personality and Individual Differences, 173
18 cit.
Subjective status and perceived legitimacy across countries
Brandt, M. J., Kuppens, T., Spears, R., Andrighetto, L., ... Motyl, M.... & Zimmerman, J. L.
European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(5), 921-942
80 cit.
How ambient cues facilitate political segregation
Motyl, M., Prims, JP., & Iyer, R.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46, 723-737
33 cit.
Religion: More essential (and existential) nutrient than opiate for the masses
Adam-Troïan, J. & Motyl, M.
The Science of Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism, 405-420
5 cit.
(Ideo)Logical reasoning: Ideology impairs sound reasoning
Gampa, A., Wojcik, S. P., Motyl, M., Nosek, B. A., & Ditto, P. H.
Social Psychological and Personality Science, 10, 1075-1083
115 cit.
Extremists on the left and right use angry, negative language
Frimer, J. A., Brandt, M. J., Melton, Z., & Motyl, M.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45, 1216-1231
82 cit.
Ideological consistency, political orientation, and variability across moral foundations
Pyszczynski, T., Kesebir, P., Motyl, M., Yetzer, A., & Anson, J. M.
PsyArxive
43 cit.
Why Do Some Psychology Researchers Resist Adopting Proposed Reforms to Research Practices?
Washburn, A. N., Hanson, B. E., Motyl, M., Skitka, L. J., Yantis, C., Wong, K. M., ... & Carsel, T. S.
Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science
92 cit.
Segregation and belief polarization as boundary conditions for when fusion leads to self-sacrifice
Melton, Z. & Motyl, M.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 41
5 cit.
Strong scientific theorizing is needed to improve replicability in psychological science
Carsel, T., Demos, A. P., & Motyl, M.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 41
10 cit.
The state of social and personality science: Rotten to the core, not so bad, getting better, or getting worse?
Motyl, M., Demos, A. P., Carsel, T. S., Hanson, B. E., Melton, Z. J., Mueller, A. B., Prims, J. P., Sun, J., Washburn, A. N., Wong, K. M., Yantis, C. A., & Skitka, L. J.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113, 34-59
250 cit.
Liberals and conservatives are similarly motivated to avoid exposure to one another's opinions
Frimer, J., Skitka, L. J., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 72, 1-12
529 cit.
Social and Economic Ideologies Differentially Predict Prejudice across the Political Spectrum
Crawford, J. T., Brandt, M. J., Inbar, Y., Chambers, J. R., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112, 383-412
257 cit.
On the advantages of moral pluralism over moral monism
Graham, J., Haidt, J., Motyl, M., Meindl, P., Iskiwitch, C., & Mooijman, M.
In K. Gray & J. Graham (Eds.), The Atlas of Moral Psychology
241 cit.
Using Twitter to understand moral differences underlying political preferences in the 2016 election
Prims, J., Melton, Z. J., & Motyl, M.
In M. Fitzduff (Ed.), Irrational Politics: The Allure of Donald Trump. Praeger
5 cit.
Is Virginia for Lovers? Geographic variation in adult attachment orientation
Chopik, W., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Research in Personality, 66, 38-45
30 cit.
Sacralizing liberals and fair-minded conservatives: Ideological symmetry in the moral motives in the culture war
Frimer, J., Motyl, M., & Tell, C.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
94 cit.
Ideological fit enhances interpersonal orientations
Chopik, W., & Motyl, M.
Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7, 759-768
82 cit.
Liberals and conservatives are geographically dividing
Motyl, M.
In P. Valdesolo & J. Graham (Eds.), Bridging Ideological Divides. Sage Press
96 cit.
Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science
Open Science Collaboration.
Science, 349, 943-953
11,078 cit.
Diverse crowds using diverse methods improves the scientific dialectic
Motyl, M., & Iyer, R.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
3 cit.
Conservatives report, but liberals display, greater happiness
Wojcik, S. P., Hovasapian, A., Graham, J., Motyl, M., & Ditto, P. H.
Science, 347, 1243-1246
350 cit.
Defining the happiness gap — Response
Wojcik, S. P., Hovasapian, A., Graham, J., Motyl, M., & Ditto, P. H.
Science, 348, 1216-1217
5 cit.
Moral concerns and policy attitudes: Investigating the influence of elite rhetoric
Clifford, S., Jerit, J., Rainey, C., & Motyl, M.
Political Communication, 32, 229-248
123 cit.
How ideological migration geographically segregates groups
Motyl, M., Iyer, R., Oishi, S., Trawalter, S., & Nosek, B. A.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 51, 1-14
479 cit.
"If he wins, I'm moving to Canada": Ideological migration threats following the 2012 U.S. Presidential election
Motyl, M.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 14, 123-136
94 cit.
Will the real fundamental difference underlying ideology please stand up?
Motyl, M., & Iyer, R.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 37, 322-323
5 cit.
Bleeding-heart liberals and hard-hearted conservatives: Subtle political dehumanization through differential attributions of human nature and human uniqueness traits
Crawford, J. T., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Social and Political Psychology
130 cit.
Moral Foundations Theory: The Pragmatic Validity of Moral Pluralism
Graham, J., Haidt, J., Koleva, S., Motyl, M., Iyer, R., Wojcik, S. P., & Ditto, P. H.
Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 55-130
3,871 cit.
What is freedom — and does wealth cause it?
Iyer, R., Motyl, M., & Graham, J.
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 36, 492-493
5 cit.
Creatureliness priming undermines aggression and support for war
Motyl, M., Hart, J., Goldenberg, J., Heflick, N., Pyszczynski, T., & Cooper, D.
British Journal of Social Psychology, 52, 648-666
20 cit.
The aftermath of destruction: Images of destroyed buildings increase support for war, dogmatism, and death thought accessibility
Vail, K. E., Arndt, J., Motyl, M., & Pyszczynski, T.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 1069-1081
151 cit.
Drawing attention to global climate change decreases support for war
Pyszczynski, T., Motyl, M., Vail, K., Hirschberger, G., Arndt, J., & Kesebir, P.
Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 18, 354-368
86 cit.
An open, large-scale, collaborative effort to estimate the reproducibility of psychological science
Open Science Collaboration.
Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(6), 657-660
792 cit.
Scientific utopia II. Restructuring incentives and practices to promote truth over publishability
Nosek, B. A., Spies, J. R., & Motyl, M.
Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7, 615-631
1,804 cit.
Subtle priming of shared human experiences eliminates threat-induced negativity toward Arabs, immigrants, and peace-making
Motyl, M., Hart, J., Pyszczynski, T., Weise, D., Cox, C., Maxfield, M., & Siedel, A.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 1179-1184
183 cit.
Is Obama the Anti-Christ? Racial priming, extreme criticisms of Barack Obama, and attitudes toward the 2008 US presidential candidates
Pyszczynski, T., Henthorn, C., & Motyl, M.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46, 863-866
36 cit.
Cumulative and career-stage citation impact of social-personality programs and their members
Nosek, B. A., Graham, J., Lindner, N. M., Kesebir, S., Hawkins, C. B., Hahn, C., Schmidt, K., Motyl, M., Joy-Gaba, J., Frazier, R., & Tenney, E. R.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, 1283-1300
164 cit.
The existential underpinnings of the cycle of terrorist and counterterrorist violence and pathways to peaceful resolutions
Motyl, M., & Pyszczynski, T.
International Review of Social Psychology, 3, 267-291
64 cit.
When animals attack: The effects of mortality salience, infrahumanization of violence, and authoritarianism on support for war
Motyl, M., Hart, J., & Pyszczynski, T.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46, 200-203
83 cit.
Support for diplomacy: Peacemaking and militarism as a unidimensional correlate of social, environmental, and political attitudes
Vail III, K. E., & Motyl, M.
Peace and Conflict: The Journal of Peace Psychology, 16, 29-57
20 cit.
Compassionate values and presidential politics: Mortality salience, compassionate values and support for Barack Obama and John McCain
Vail III, K. E., Arndt, J., Motyl, M., & Pyszczynski, T.
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 9, 255-268
66 cit.
Of mice and men, and objectified women: Terror management as an explanatory framework for infrahumanization effects
Goldenberg, J.L., Heflick, N.A., Vaes, J., Motyl, M., & Greenberg, J.
Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 12, 1-14
50 cit.
The cycle of violence and pathways to peace
Motyl, M., Rothschild, Z., & Pyszczynski, T.
Organisational Transformation and Social Change, 6, 153-170
58 cit.
Dying to live: Terrorism, war, and defending one's way of life
Vail, K. E., Motyl, M., Abdollahi, A., & Pyszczynski, T.
In D. Antonius et al. (Eds.), Interdisciplinary Analyses of Terrorism and Political Aggression (pp. 49-70). Cambridge Scholars Publishing
9 cit.
The cycle of righteous killing: Psychological forces in the prevention and promotion of peace
Pyszczynski, T., Vail III, K. E., & Motyl, M.
In T. Pick et al. (Eds.), Homegrown Terrorism (pp. 227-243). Amsterdam: IOS Press
13 cit.
Waging terror: Psychological motivations in cultural violence and peacemaking
Motyl, M., Vail III, K. E., & Pyszczynski, T.
In M. Morgan and P. Zimbardo (Ed.), The Day That Changed Everything (pp. 23-36). Praeger/Greenwood Press
20 cit.
Righteous violence: Killing for god, country, freedom, and justice
Pyszczynski, T., Motyl, M., & Abdollahi, A.
Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 1, 12-39
50 cit.
The cycle of righteous destruction: A terror management theory perspective on terrorist and counter-terrorist violence
Pyszczynski, T., Rothschild, Z., Motyl, M., & Abdollahi, A.
In W. Stritzke et al. (Eds.), Terrorism and torture (pp. 154-178). Cambridge University Press
25 cit.
Shouldn't we consider? Jury discussions of forbidden topics and damage awards
Greene, E., Dunaway, K., & Motyl, M.
Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 14, 194-222
24 cit.
Peace in the face of terror
Rothschild, Z., Motyl, M., & Pyszczynski, T.
Peace Psychology, 18, 18-20
From 9/11 to Katrina: Has there been an evolution in political preferences?
Motyl, M., & DeLamarter, W.
Peace Psychology, 15, 18