The University of Chicago
Department of Psychology
5848 South University Ave
Chicago, IL, 60637
Adam Waytz
Background
Adam is a doctoral student in the Social Psychology Program at the University of Chicago. He is an active member in the labs of both John Cacioppo and Nick Epley. Currently, he is funded by a fellowship through the Psychology Department at the University of Chicago.
Adam graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a concentration in creative writing.
Research Interests
Adam primarily studies the two associated domains of anthropomorphism (treating non-humans like humans) and dehumanization (treating humans like non-humans). In collaboration with Dr. Cacioppo and Dr. Epley, Adam has proposed a psychological model of anthropomorphism based on two motivational determinants (sociality and effectance) and one cognitive determinant (the elicitation of anthropocentric knowledge). Based on this model, he is conducting studies to determine the situational, developmental, cultural, and personality-based moderators of anthropomorphism, and looking at how these factors affect the inverse process of dehumanization.
Publications
Epley, N., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). On Seeing Human: A Three- Factor Theory of Anthropomorphism. Psychological Review, 114 (4), 864-886.*Winner of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Theoretical Innovation Prize (2008). [Download PDF ]
Epley, N., Akalis, S., Waytz, A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2008). Creating Social Connection Through Inferential Reproduction: Loneliness and Perceived Agency in Gadgets, Gods, and Greyhounds. Psychological Science, 19, 114-120. [Download PDF]
Epley, N., Waytz, A., Akalis, S., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2008). When we need a human: Motivational determinants of anthropomorphism. Social Cognition, 26, 143-155. [Download PDF]
Epley, N & Waytz, A. (2009). Mind Perception. Chapter to appear in D. T. Gilbert and S. T. Fiske (Eds.), The Handbook of Social Psychology, 5th Edition.
