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Ian Zimmerman Ph.D.

About

Ian Zimmerman, Ph.D. grew up in New Jersey, and throughout his childhood always found human behavior fascinating. Ian took his first psychology course in high school, and realized then he wanted to devote his life to the study of behavior. After graduating from The College of New Jersey in 2003 with a B.A. in Psychology, Ian enrolled at Central Michigan University to pursue graduate study in psychology. Ian received his M.S. in Applied Experimental Psychology in 2007 and received his Ph.D. in Applied Experimental Psychology in 2011. Ian is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he teaches courses in experimental psychology and conducts consumer psychology research. The findings from Ian’s research have been published in academic journals and presented at international conferences. Ian’s research goals include uncovering implicit social cognition's role in consumer behavior and promoting smarter, more sustainable consumption.

Recent Posts
We Are What We Consume
We consume to construct and maintain our identities. At the same time, the things we consume influence our conceptions of ourselves.
Implicit Attitudes Can Help Promote Green Consumer Behavior

Implicit attitudes may successfully predict green consumption when explicit attitudes don't because they're more emotional and more honest.

Implicit attitudes may successfully predict green consumption when explicit attitudes don't because they're more emotional and more honest.

Product Placement Can Be a Lot More Powerful Than We Realize

While it seems innocuous, product placement's effects can occur without our awareness and can actually be resistant to suspicion and skepticism.

While it seems innocuous, product placement's effects can occur without our awareness and can actually be resistant to suspicion and skepticism.

True Happiness Rarely Lies at the Bottom of a Shopping Bag

A message commonly disseminated in our consumer culture is we need more material possessions to be happy. However, there's little empirical support for that idea, and in fact that which really is associated with happiness costs little or no money at all.

A message commonly disseminated in our consumer culture is we need more material possessions to be happy. However, there's little empirical support for that idea, and in fact that which really is associated with happiness costs little or no money at all.

Implicit Attitudes Predict Impulsive Behavior

We all hold 'implicit' or automatic attitudes. These attitudes operate automatically, and tend to predict behavior when we're running on autopilot and not thinking as much, for instance when we're feeling impulsive.

We all hold 'implicit' or automatic attitudes. These attitudes operate automatically, and tend to predict behavior when we're running on autopilot and not thinking as much, for instance when we're feeling impulsive.

Avoiding the Willpower Depleting Effects of Self-Control

While exercising self-control can lead to impulsive behavior, it doesn't have to do so. There are several easy ways to attenuate the impulsivity normally seen after willpower exertion.

While exercising self-control can lead to impulsive behavior, it doesn't have to do so. There are several easy ways to attenuate the impulsivity normally seen after willpower exertion.

Exercising Self-Control Can Make Us Behave Impulsively

Self-control allows us to resist impulse buying urges. Sometimes however, self-control fails. Why? Essentially, and somewhat paradoxically, using self-control leads to self-control failures.

Self-control allows us to resist impulse buying urges. Sometimes however, self-control fails. Why? Essentially, and somewhat paradoxically, using self-control leads to self-control failures.