The Psychology of Inaction | Catherine Sanderson | TEDxAmherstCollege

The talk focuses on subjects she addresses in her latest book, Why We Act: Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels (Harvard University Press), which examines why good people so often stay silent or do nothing in the face of wrongdoing. It will also be centered around her research, much of which focuses on social norms and misperceptions of such norms, and has been conducted with Amherst students as part of their thesis work.

Professor Sanderson is the Manwell Family Professor of Life Sciences (Psychology) at Amherst. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University, and went on to receive both masters and doctoral degrees in psychology from Princeton University. Her research has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. She has also published over 25 journal articles and book chapters, in addition to multiple textbooks. Her latest trade book, The Positive Shift, examines how mindset influences happiness, health, and even how long we live. At Amherst, she teaches classes in a number of different areas of psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching reality TV dating shows, and walking her rescue dogs! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx