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POST-DOC
PHILIP PARNAMETS - NYU Social Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow
Philip completed his PhD in cognitive science at Lund University and has spent two years as a postdoc with the Emotion Lab at Karolinska Institutet. His research is grounded in a broad interest in the cognitive and computational mechanisms underlying preference change, decision making and learning, especially in the moral domain. In the Social Identity and Morality lab his work focuses on dynamic models of social learning about moral agents and of moral choices generally. Philip spends his spare time creating, listening or dancing to electronic music.
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RESEARCH
WHAT DIVIDES US AND WHAT UNITES US?
WHAT DIVIDES US AND WHAT UNITES US?
For the past two decades, our research has examined how the groups we identify with influence our thoughts, behaviors, and emotions, shaping both our personal experiences and the societies we live in. Grounded in the understanding that our sense of self and the world is shaped by our social environment, we investigate how people form and navigate identities with groups–such as political parties, universities, and nations–and how these identities affect thought and behavior in both real-world and digital contexts. Our program of research and social identity approach is covered in more depth here and in Jay’s book, The Power of Us.
At the Center for Conflict and Cooperation, we apply a social identity approach to understand the roots and consequences of intergroup conflict and cooperation. Specifically, we study how group identities shape social dynamics, including polarization, intergroup tension, prejudice, and ideological extremism, as well as the conditions that foster shared understanding and cooperation. We examine how these forces intersect with social media, misinformation, and AI technology, and explore their implications for democracy, public health, climate change, and psychological well-being around the globe.
RESEARCH AREAS
Polarization and Conflict
While social conflict is essential for a flourishing society–facilitating innovation, accountability, and social change–extreme division can erode trust, cooperation, and democracy itself. In recent years, many countries, including the U.S., have seen a rise in unproductive and harmful social division, with outgroup hate, empathy gaps, and false polarization deepening societal fractures worldwide.
Read about our research
Cooperation and Cohesion
One of the most important features of groups is how they shape moral concerns and help us construct a shared sense of reality. Whether in politics, religion, organizations, or nations, group members develop common understandings that shape their worldview and judgments of right and wrong.
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Misinformation and Belief in the Digital Age
In an increasingly polarized information landscape, there is growing division over what is true, what is false, and how to interpret the world around us. The spread of misinformation is widely regarded as one of the greatest threats to societies, undermining democratic processes, public health, and efforts to combat climate change.
Read about our research
