A curated selection of writing, press coverage, talks and podcasts, organized by the five research themes. The full lists are under News, Writing and Multimedia.

Conversation and Social Life

How the way we talk shapes how well we understand each other, and why we connect less than we should.

The Humanizing Voice: How Does the Conversation Medium Change How We See Each Other?

Your voice does something your words alone cannot — it makes you seem human.

Writing
Is Talking or Texting Better for Disagreements? →
Juliana Schroeder
Greater Good Magazine
August 11, 2026

To Earn an Opponent's Respect, Speak — Don't Type →
Juliana Schroeder
Quartz
December 6, 2017

The Science of Sounding Smart →
Juliana Schroeder & Nicholas Epley
Harvard Business Review
October 7, 2015

News
Talking it out vs. writing it out →
Hidden Brain
May 29, 2026

Talk Is Deep →
Berkeley Haas Magazine
May 6, 2026

Study shows why speaking beats writing for contentious conversation →
UC Berkeley Haas
April 27, 2026

Video
Would you rather talk or text with someone you disagree with? →
Greater Good Science Center
August 17, 2026

The Connection Gap: Why Do We Connect Less Than We Should?

People are less social than is good for them — and they don’t fully realize it.

Writing
The Surprising Benefits of Talking to Strangers →
Nicholas Epley & Juliana Schroeder
BBC
June 12, 2019

News & Podcasts
‘The Anti-Social Century’: America’s Epidemic of Solitude—and How to Fix It →
Plain English With Derek Thompson
January 10, 2025

Mistakenly Seeking Solitude →
Stanford Psychology Podcast
November 24, 2022

Why Talking to Strangers Will Make You Happier →
UChicago News, Big Brains
October 7, 2019

Video
Why You Should Talk to Strangers (Science Says So) →
Livelong Media
December 26, 2025

How to fight loneliness: Everyday hacks for a connected life →
TEDxMarin
September 9, 2023

Technology and Society

How digital technologies and AI are changing social life.

Modern Sociality: How Are Digital Technologies and AI Changing Social Life?

Digital technology is reshaping how and whether we connect with each other.

Writing
Empathy and Artificial Intelligence →
Edited by Anat Perry & C. Daryl Cameron
Cambridge University Press
September 17, 2026

Alone together? How social technology is influencing human connection and loneliness →
Matt Motyl & Juliana Schroeder
Psychology of Technology Institute: Designing Tomorrow
February 5, 2024

What Can We Learn from the First Studies of Facebook’s and Instagram’s Roles in the US 2020 Election? →
Ravi Iyer & Juliana Schroeder
Tech Policy Press
August 2, 2023

Podcast
AI is Changing How We Talk—Are You Ready? →
Chief Change Officer
February 22, 2025

Dehumanization and Conflict

When and why people fail to see others as fully human, and how contact and conversation can bridge divides.

The Lesser Minds Problem: When Do People Fail to Recognize Others’ Inner Lives?

Failures to recognize others’ inner lives and see them as fully human.

Writing
Give More Feedback—Others Want It More Than You Think →
Nicole Abi-Esber & Juliana Schroeder
Behavioral Scientist
April 17, 2023

Video
Persuading a Divided Democracy: How Misreading Other Minds Drives Polarization →
TVO Today, The Agenda with Steve Paikin
November 21, 2022

How People Think About Others’ Minds: Evidence for “Everyday Dehumanization” →
Center for the Science of Moral Understanding
August 2, 2021

Demeaning and Paternalism: When Does Well-Intentioned Help Go Awry?

Good intentions don’t guarantee good help — not when helpers misread the minds they’re trying to serve.

Writing
The Paradox of Helping: Endorsing for Others What We Oppose for Ourselves →
Juliana Schroeder
Behavioral Scientist
June 1, 2017

Match Your Motivational Tactic to the Situation →
Juliana Schroeder & Ayelet Fishbach
Harvard Business Review
January 8, 2016

Podcast
Self-Care: Can You Hack Your Mood? →
Science Vs
October 5, 2023

Contact Across Conflict: Can Contact Across Conflict Lines Reduce Prejudice?

Proximity can overcome prejudice — but the conditions have to be right.

Writing
Peace Through Friendship →
Juliana Schroeder & Jane L. Risen
The New York Times
August 22, 2014

Reactions to Political Correctness Are Not Inherently Partisan →
Michael Rosenblum, Juliana Schroeder & Francesca Gino
Behavioral Scientist
November 18, 2019

Video
Managing Partisan Animosity and Polarization in Organizations →
Berkeley Culture Conference
January 11, 2023

Instrumental Relationships and Objectification

What happens when we treat people as means to an end.

Human “Resources” and “Empty Vessels”

The workplace turns people into tools — and neither party always notices.

Writing
Who's Really Doing the Work? The Impact of Group Size on Over-claiming of Responsibility →
Juliana Schroeder
California Management Review
September 5, 2017

News
The layoff survival guide: What to do before, during and after →
The Washington Post
October 16, 2025

Video
The Problem of “Overclaiming” →
California Management Review
November 9, 2017

Rituals and Culture

Rituals aren’t superstition — they’re the glue that holds groups together.

Social Meaning Making: How Do Groups Create and Use Rituals?

How rituals create meaning, and why changing them sparks outrage.

Writing
Understanding the Outrage Over Altering Holiday Celebrations Despite COVID-19 Risks →
Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder & Nicholas Hobson
Behavioral Scientist
November 23, 2020

News & Podcasts
‘Eat the frog’: How getting unpleasant things out of the way makes for a fulfilling day →
Fast Company
December 12, 2025

The Impact of Ritual in Sports →
Brain on Sports Podcast, Sports Illustrated
December 7, 2015

Video
When Alterations are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to Altering Rituals →
Berkeley Haas Culture Conference
January 15, 2020