Jocelyn Bélanger

Jocelyn J. Bélanger is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at New York University Abu Dhabi. He earned his master's degree and doctorate in Social Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. His work investigates the dynamic and complex world of human motivation. Dr. Bélanger focuses on two major research areas: (a) political violence and (b) environmental sustainability. On the surface, these themes appear widely different, but they are in fact deeply interconnected. Indeed, climate change increases the occurrence of natural disasters and the subsequent devastation of communities, which increase migratory movements and the social and psychological pressure arising from limited access to resources. These changes are important vectors of political instability and civil unrest. Therefore, improving sustainability is paramount to preserving peace and tolerance across the globe.

Dr. Bélanger is the author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications and has received several awards including the APA Dissertation Research Award, the APS rising star early-career award, the Milton Dean Havron Social Sciences Award, and the Guy Bégin Award for the Best Research Paper in Social Psychology. He is the author of “The Three Pillars of Radicalization: Needs, Narratives, and Network.” In 2015, he was appointed by the City of Montreal to create the first deradicalization center in North America to tackle homegrown terrorism.

Research Areas:

• Social Cognition, Goal-pursuit, Belief Formation, Self-regulation