Michael Slepian

Last updated
Michael Slepian
Born (1987-04-02) 2 April 1987 (age 37)
Citizenship
Alma mater Syracuse University, Tufts University
Occupations
  • Professor
  • author
Relatives
Scientific career
Doctoral advisor Nalini Ambady

Michael Slepian (born April 2, 1987) is an American psychologist and author. He is currently an associate professor of business at Columbia University. [1] Slepian is best known for his research on the psychology of secrecy. In 2022, he published a book titled The Secret Life of Secrets. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Slepian received the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science in 2016. [5] He is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology [6] and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. [7]

Education and career

Slepian was educated at Syracuse University and received his M.S. and PhD from Tufts University. [8] [9]

Research

Whereas prior psychology research on secrecy has focused on the experience of concealing secrets, Slepian's research has revealed that many of the harmful effects of secrets comes from people's tendency to think about and therefore be preoccupied by their secrets. [10] [11] [12] [13] Moreover, his research reveals that secrets can lead to feelings of shame, isolation, uncertainty, and inauthenticity. [14] On the other hand, his research has found that confiding secrets in others is beneficial for health and well-being, as it generates emotional and practical support from others. [4] [15]

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References

  1. "Columbia University Directory". Columbia University. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  2. "The Secret Life of Secrets". Google Books. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  3. Egan, Elisabeth (2022-06-03). "Unpacking 'The Secret Life of Secrets'". New York Times. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  4. 1 2 Hutson, Matthew (2022-06-23). "'The Secret Life of Secrets' Review: Monsters in Our Closet". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  5. "Congratulations 2016 Rising Stars" (PDF). APS Observer. Association for Psychological Science. April 2015. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  6. "Journal of Experimental Social Psychology". Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  7. "Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  8. "Twelve Syracuse University seniors named 2009 University Scholars". Syracuse University News. Syracuse, NY. 2009-04-28. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  9. Spencer, George (2022-12-12). "Keeping Secrets Can Make You Sick". Tufts Now. Somerville, MA. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  10. Shankar Vedantam. "Hidden Brain" (Podcast). NPR. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  11. Beck, Julie (May 15, 2017). "The Worst Part of Keeping a Secret". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  12. "Having Secrets Is Not a Problem. Thinking About Them Is". The Economist. April 22, 2017. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  13. Burdick, Alan (May 27, 2017). "The Secret Life of Secrets". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  14. "The Cost of the Secrets We Keep". Association for Psychological Science. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  15. Slepian, Michael (2022-06-12). "Dare to Share: How Revealing Your Secrets to Others Can Improve Your Life". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-09-04.