Assistant ProfessorVladas Griskevicius

Vladas Griskevicius, Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Minnesota McKnight Land-Grant Professor, has an extensive background in psychology and evolutionary theory. His research examines the ancestral roots of modern consumer behavior. Using theoretical principles from evolutionary biology, Griskevicius investigates how modern behavior is driven by ancestral motives, which often steer conscious decisions in unconscious ways. His work on conspicuous consumption and donations as a mating strategy has been recognized by the Society for Consumer Psychology and reported in The Economist. Additionally, his research on emotions, persuasion, and social norms was lauded by the Human Behavior and Evolution Society, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. The BBC, TIME magazine, and the Boston Globe have covered his research on “Going Green to Be Seen”, and his work has been published in top-tier marketing and psychology journals. Griskevicius recently received several teaching honors and a major National Science Foundation grant for his research, "Fundamental Motives and Decision-Making."


Areas of Expertise

  • Evolutionary psychology and consumer behavior
  • Evolution, motivation, and emotion
  • Green marketing: pro-environmental behavior and conspicuous consumption
  • Social influence: social norms and reciprocity
  • Persuasion: advertising, sex, and status


Research

Full List of Publications 
 

Selected Recent Publications:

 


Curriculum Vitae

Vladas Griskevicius CV


News & Activities

Selected Media 

Selected Honors

  • Awarded University of Minnesota McKnight Land-Grant Professorship, 2010-2012
     
  • Received Carlson School Dean’s Small Research Grant, 2009
     
  • Named "Outstanding Professor" by Alpha Kappa Psi, 2009.
     
  • April 2009 received a grant from the National Science Foundation titled "Fundamental Motives and Decision-Making." This research examines how evolved human motives, such as protecting oneself from danger and attracting a mate, influence modern-day behaviors such as risky investing decisions and delay of gratification. Griskevicius is a Principal Investigator on this four-year multi-university grant with a total award of $600,000.
     
  • April 2009 Business Week Faculty of the Year finalist and nominee for the Carlson Faculty of the Year award.
     
  • Received Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry, and Scholarship from the University of Minnesota, November 2008.
     
  • Named to the consulting board of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes), 2008.
     
  • Received Best New Investigator Paper Award, Human Behavior and Evolution Society Conference, Kyoto, Japan, 2008.
     
  • Best Competitive Paper Award from the Society for Consumer Psychology, 2007.
     
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2004-2007.

 

Recent Presentations

  • Will present “Reciprocity Done Right” and “Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous Conservation” at the Society for Consumer Psychology conference, St. Petersburg, FL (February 2010)

     

     
  • Presented “Aggress to Impress: Status, Reputation, and Hostility” at the meeting of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology, Portland, ME. (October, 2009)
     
  • Presented “Why different positive emotions have different effects: An evolutionary approach” and “Sex, Certainty, & Financial Risk: Why Bikinis Lead People to Want a Sure Thing” at the meeting of the Association for Consumer Research, Pittsburgh, PA. (October 2009)
     
  • Will present “Going green to be seen: Status, reputation, and conspicuous conservation” and  “I’ll Scratch Your Back if You Scratch My Brother’s: Extradyadic Reciprocity and The Extended Self” at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Las Vegas, NV (January 2010)


Contact Information

Vladas Griskevicius, Assistant Professor of Marketing

Carlson School of Management

University of Minnesota

321 Nineteenth Avenue South, Suite 3-150

Minneapolis, MN  55455-0438  USA

(612) 626-3793, fax (612) 624-8804

vladasg@umn.edu

Instructional Profile