Dave Nussbaum

A. David Nussbaum is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science who will be teaching Power and Influence in Organizations. Prior to teaching at Booth, Nussbaum held a Post-Doctoral Fellow position at the University of Waterloo.

Nussbaum’s research primarily focuses on how people manage and defend their self-image in the face of psychological threats, and how this affects their beliefs and behavior. He also explores how social contexts can either attenuate threats to self-image or exacerbate them. Nussbaum states, “In my research I have found that defensively managing self-image threats can often lead to negative consequences, including academic disidentification, missed learning opportunities, the avoidance of important medical tests, and persistence in failing investments. I believe that by identifying contexts and processes that attenuate threat, individuals and organizations can employ strategies to prevent these maladaptive outcomes.”

With prior teaching experience at Booth, as well as at Stanford University as a teaching assistant, co-instructor, and instructor, Nussbaum attempts to make his classroom time illustrative and interactive. “I try to use vivid examples of psychological phenomena, especially from the real world. While psychology is happening in and around us all the time, taking the time to notice it and consider how it works can make a really big difference in the way we understand people and situations as well as ourselves.”

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Stanford University (2002 — 2008)
• Bachelor's degree Yale University (1997 — 2001)
• The University of Chicago
• The University of Chicago

Companies

• Director of Communications Behavioral Science & Policy Association (BSPA) (2015)
• Digital Editor Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) (2014)
• Adjunct Associate Professor of Behavioral Science University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2011)

Skills

• Research
• Teaching
• Statistics

Other

Data Analysis, Qualitative Research