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Simine Vazire Ph.D.

About

Simine Vazire is an assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Washington University in St. Louis. She got her B. A. from Carleton College and her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines how well people know their own personalities and behavior, and how well people know the impressions they make on others. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

Recent Posts
Save Us From Ourselves
The allure of believing we are multi-tasking superheroes is irresistible. The time has come for the government to save us from ourselves.
What your friends know about you that you don't
Are you your own best expert? When it comes to your own personality, you should know, right? Maybe not. A study of mine that just came out in this month's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that there are plenty of areas of our personality that we don't know very well, and our friends do.
Does Obama know how we see him?

We don't like people who think they're more popular than they really are.

We don't like people who think they're more popular than they really are.

You're not the kind of man who...

Most of us don't know how we would act under the most dire circumstances. Few people ever have to find out. But that doesn't stop the rest of us from speculating.

Most of us don't know how we would act under the most dire circumstances. Few people ever have to find out. But that doesn't stop the rest of us from speculating.

So your mom thinks you're beautiful...

During today's online chat with Dear Prudence, a woman asked why she can't find a boyfriend even though "people always tell me I'm really pretty, smart, fun, nice, and adventurous".

During today's online chat with Dear Prudence, a woman asked why she can't find a boyfriend even though "people always tell me I'm really pretty, smart, fun, nice, and adventurous".

A case of national self-deception?

The U.S. media is in a frenzy over the election in Iran. I agree that the results were probably rigged, that it was not a fair election, and I, too, would have liked to see Ahmadinejad defeated. But what amazes me is how un-self-aware we Americans are in the face of a stolen election.

The U.S. media is in a frenzy over the election in Iran. I agree that the results were probably rigged, that it was not a fair election, and I, too, would have liked to see Ahmadinejad defeated. But what amazes me is how un-self-aware we Americans are in the face of a stolen election.

Supreme court acknowledges existence of unconscious bias

In a 5-4 ruling this week, the supreme court ruled that a judge should recuse himself if there is a risk of actual bias, even if the judge himself has searched his soul and concluded that he has no bias. I agree with the court that on issues like this, the judge should not be the judge of his own bias. 

In a 5-4 ruling this week, the supreme court ruled that a judge should recuse himself if there is a risk of actual bias, even if the judge himself has searched his soul and concluded that he has no bias. I agree with the court that on issues like this, the judge should not be the judge of his own bias. 

Does Sotomayor know her own biases?

Prominent Republicans have been calling for senators to ask Sotomayor about how her ethnic identity influences her judgment during her upcoming confirmation hearings. Some have even gone as far as accusing her of racism. Others have argued that we don't ask straight white men how their identity biases their judgments, so it would be a double-standard to ask Sotomayor.  But can Sotomayor, or anyone, tell us how her ethnic identity biases her judgment?

Prominent Republicans have been calling for senators to ask Sotomayor about how her ethnic identity influences her judgment during her upcoming confirmation hearings. Some have even gone as far as accusing her of racism. Others have argued that we don't ask straight white men how their identity biases their judgments, so it would be a double-standard to ask Sotomayor.  But can Sotomayor, or anyone, tell us how her ethnic identity biases her judgment?