Geoffrey L. Cohen

Geoffrey L. Cohen is a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and the James G. March Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business. Trained as a social psychologist, his research examines how people’s sense of belonging, identity, and self-integrity are shaped by social situations, and how these processes contribute to persistent social problems in education, work, health care, politics, and communities. Over several decades, his work has focused on identifying both subtle and overt threats to belonging and developing theory-driven, evidence-based interventions that improve learning, performance, health, and well-being. He is a leading figure in research on self-affirmation and wise interventions, emphasizing the power of small, timely changes in context to produce lasting effects. His approach integrates psychological theory with applied intervention, reflecting his belief that understanding human behavior is inseparable from efforts to change social conditions for the better.