DARYL BEM

'Daryl J. Bem' is a social psychologist at Cornell University, and the originator of the self-perception theory of attitude change. Bem received a B.A. from Reed College in physics in 1960. He later dropped out of graduate study in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue social psychology. He later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1964. He has also carried out research on psi phenomena (a technical term for "E.S.P."), group decision making, handwriting analysis, sexual orientation and personality theory and assessment.

Contents

Life

Career

See also

External links

Life

Career

Bem is perhaps best known for his theory of "self-perception", the most oft-cited competitor to Leon Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory. According to the self-perception theory, people infer their attitudes from their own behavior much as an outside observer might. For example, a person asked to give a pro-Fidel Castro speech would consequently view him or herself as more in favor of Castro.
In parapsychology, Bem is known for his defense of the Ganzfeld experiment as empirical evidence of "psi", more commonly known as ESP or psychic phenomena. Bem also supports the idea of a connection between psi and quantum phenomena.

See also

★ Cornell University

★ Exotic Becomes Erotic theory

External links

★ Official site

★ Publications online