Michael W Kraus Ph.D.

About

Michael W. Kraus is a social-personality psychologist who received his undergraduate and graduate training in psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on understanding how (1) status (e.g., power, social class), (2) emotion (e.g., empathy, touch), and (3) the self (e.g., goals, motives) shape interpersonal life. He studies these topics through a variety of methods that range from controlled laboratory experiments, to psychophysiological assessments, to ethological observations.

Michael has published his work in several leading journals in the field of psychology, including the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Psychological Science, and Emotion. His research has been featured in leading print news outlets (the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal), popular magazines (New Scientist, Sports Illustrated, and Time), and national news programs (ABC World News with Diane Sawyer). Michael is also a regular contributor on the popular psychology blog Psych-Your-Mind: Applying Psychology to Everyday Life.

Michael grew up in southern California in a little town called Poway and is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Recent Posts

The Psychology of the "Psychology Isn't a Science" Argument

I consider the arguments suggesting that psychology isn't a science, and find them mostly insufficient.

The Daddy Chronicles II: Immune Function

Sometimes we think of children as sticky little disease vectors. And yet, despite all the runny noses and spit ups, parents have boosted immune systems relative to non-parents of the same age. In today's post I consider why this might be the case!

The Daddy Chronicles: What Happened to My Testosterone?

New fatherhood comes with many life changes. What surprised me (and still does quite frankly) is how much it changes your hormones and biology. In particular, testosterone decreases in new fathers. Find out why in today's post.

Do Professors Live a Stress-Free Life?

A few months ago, Forbes magazine published a list of the least stressful jobs in 2013. At the very top of the list was the college professor. Is Forbes right about stress in the ivory tower?

Do Genes Influence Personality?

We all know that genes influence personality. The problem is developing the right paradigm that can accurately answer the question, "how much?"

Psychology at the Movies

I have always loved the psychological drama that movies tackle in an intimate and provocative way. In this post I discuss psychological constructs in recent films like Looper, Skyfall, Cloud Atlas, and the Queen of Versailles. Enjoy!

Early Life Shapes Political Attitudes

New research suggests that early infant environments and temperament independently predict political attitudes at age 18.

Oxytocin and the Zombie Apocalypse

Researchers used to think oxytocin was the cuddle hormone. Oxytocin's relationship to sympathy and cooperation is more complicated than it's cute nickname suggests, but it's still critical for the survival of human beings and the passing on of their genes.

Status Hierarchies: Do We Need Them?

It is difficult to think of examples of social groups or organizations that do not have a social hierarchy. This leads to the question: Why is that? Is hierarchy a natural part of human society?

Testosterone and Dominance

How do hormones relate to dominance behavior? The popular HBO series Game of Thrones provides some surprisingly accurate insights.