Geoffrey L. Cohen, Ph.D.

Geoffrey L. Cohen, Ph.D.‘s research examines processes that shape people’s sense of belonging and self and implications for social problems. He studies the big and small threats to belonging and self-integrity that people encounter in school, work, and health care settings, and strategies to create more inclusive spaces for people from all walks of life. He believes that the development of psychological theory is facilitated not only by descriptive and observational research but by theory-driven intervention. He has long been inspired by Kurt Lewin’s quip, “The best way to try to understand something is to try to change it.”

Prof. Cohen is Professor of Psychology and the James G. March Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business at Stanford University. He is the author of the 2022 book Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides, about the causes and consequences of a sense of belonging in school, work, our politics, health care, and other arenas of social life.