Daniel Benkendorf, PhD

Professor and Assistant Chair | Social Sciences
Daniel Benkendorf

(212) 217-4922

Business and Liberal Arts Center, Room B641

Education

BS, University of Florida
MPhil, PhD, The Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York

2012–2013 State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
2018–2019 FIT President's Award for Faculty Excellence

Research Interests

My research pursuits intersect conservation, social, industrial, and positive psychology. I am most interested in the psychological factors that lead to environmentally-destructive consumer behavior.  I am also interested in how psychological science can lead to the development of interventions and tools that generate more environmentally-sensitive behavior. My work has explored the implications of materialism and consumerism for well-being and personal happiness. In addition, I have studied the effects of emotional certainty on stereotyping, motivated decision-making processes in small groups, and interpersonal rejection.

Selected Publications and Presentations

Sintov, N., Benkendorf, D., & Donohue, K. (2019). Social Identity and the Environment: Interactions between Social and Environmental Issues.  Symposium presented at the 127th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2019. Chicago, IL.

Benkendorf, D. (2019). Beauty and the Beast: How Interest in Beauty Undermines Subjective Well-Being. Individual podium presentation at the 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology, July 2019. Melbourne, Australia.

Benkendorf, D. (2019). In the Dark: Exploring White Men’s Attitudes toward Racial Injustice. Poster presented at the 20th Annual Convention of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, February 2019. Portland, OR.

Benkendorf, D. (2018). Engaging Public Psychology: Assignments that Develop Critical Thinking. Symposium at the 17th Annual Conference on Teaching, sponsored by the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, October 2018. Phoenix, AZ.

Paidas, S., Benkendorf, D., Richard, K., & Friedheim, R.E. (2018). Wellness through Wilderness: Multiple Perspectives on the Benefits of Wilderness Experiences.  Symposium presented at the 126th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2018. San Francisco, CA.

Wilson, J., Kumar, K., Barker, E., Entin, A., Semmelheck, D., Kaufman, J., Kuriansky, J., Daisy, R., Koch-Sheras, P., Serlin, I., & Benkendorf, D.L. (2018). Sustainable Creative Expressive Arts: Therapist Self-Care and Therapy.  Innovative video and experiential symposium presented at the 126th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2018.  San Francisco, CA.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2018). Fashionable and Fit: How Media Exposure and Social Pressures Undermine Body Esteem in Women and Men. Paper to be presented at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, March 2018.  Atlanta, GA.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2017). Hope and Change: How Experimentally-Induced Hope Inspires Pro-Environmental Behavior.  Paper presented at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2017.  Washington, D.C.

Amel, E., & Benkendorf, D. (2017). Make Your Workplace Environmentally Sustainable Using I/O Psychology Principles.  Symposium presented at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2017.  Washington, D.C.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2017). The Pursuit of Unhappiness: Exploring the Link between Interest in Fashion, Clothing Consumption, and Subjective Well-Being.  Roundtable presentation at the 5th Annual World Congress on Positive Psychology, July 2017.  Montreal, QC, Canada.

Rossi, W., Witney, L., & Benkendorf, D.L. (2017). Gaydar: A Set of Simple Stereotypes or a Legitimate Sixth Sense?  Paper presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, January 2017.  San Antonio, TX.

Amel, E., & Benkendorf, D. (2016). Infusing Sustainability within Industrial and Organizational Psychology Courses.  Symposium presented at the 124th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2016.  Denver, CO.

Contact with Nature and Sustainable Behavior.  Chairperson of multi-speaker symposium presented at the 123rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2015.  Toronto, ON, Canada.

Psychological Dimensions of Green Decision Making.  Chairperson of multi-speaker symposium presented at the 123rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2015.  Toronto, ON, Canada.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2015). Strengthening Students’ Life Skills: Assessing the Promises and Pitfalls of Self-Help Books.  Oral presentation at the 29th Annual Conference for the Teaching of Psychology, April 2015.  Tarrytown, NY.

Benkendorf, D.L., Newman, C., & Yudell, E. (2015). I Love Thy Selfie: An Observational Study of Social Media Use and Narcissistic Personality in Young Adults.  Paper presented at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, February 2015.  Long Beach, CA.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2014). Using In-class Debates to Foster Critical Thinking.  Oral presentation at the Society for Teaching of Psychology’s Annual Conference on the Teaching of Psychology, October 2014.  Atlanta, GA.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2014). Sonic Psychology: Teaching Diversity through Song.  Oral presentation at the 28th Annual Conference for the Teaching of Psychology, April 2014.  Tarrytown, NY.

Benkendorf, D.L. (2013). Certainly Biased: Does Emotional Certainty Lead to Stereotyping and Discrimination in Selection?  Paper presented at the 121st Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, July 2013.  Honolulu, HI.

Paley, R.T., Moskowitz, J.H., Lamar, A.W., & Benkendorf, D.L. (2011).  Seeking Success with Online Technology: E-textbooks, Social Networks, Websites, and Student Characteristics. Oral presentation at the 25th Annual Conference for the Teaching of Psychology, March 2011.  Tarrytown, NY.

Benkendorf, D.L., Kirkland, K.L., & Sommer, K.L. (2010).  Throwing Momma from the Train: Family Obligations Bias and Layoffs. Paper presented at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 2010.  San Diego, CA.

Paley R.T., Benkendorf, D.L, & Moskowitz, J.H. (2010).  Using Writing to Facilitate Student Engagement.  Oral presentation at the 24th Annual Conference for the Teaching of Psychology, March 2010.  Tarrytown, NY.

Benkendorf, D.L., Bruno, S., Kern, M.J., & Sommer, K.L. (2010). Better Off Alone: Social Detachment Following Peer Rejection. Paper presented at the 11th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, January 2010.  Las Vegas, NV.

Sommer, K.L., & Benkendorf, D.L. (2009). Looking Before Leaping: The Role of Social Expectancies in Attachment Regulation Following Interpersonal Rejection. In Harris, M.J. (Ed.) Bullying, Rejection, and Peer Victimization: A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective. New York: Springer Publishing.

Benkendorf, D.L., Kirkland, K.L., & Sommer, K.L. (2009). Who is the Fairer Sex? How Gender Composition of Groups Influences Bias For and Against Women with Family Obligations. Paper presented at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, February 2009.  Tampa, FL.

Courses

Courses Developed

  • SS 338 Happiness & Human Flourishing (Presidential Scholars Course)
  • SS 336 Psychology for Sustainability
  • SS 396 Social Experiments: Answering the Questions of Social Psychology (Presidential Scholars Course)

Other Courses Taught

  • SS 131 General Psychology
  • SS 231 Personality
  • SS 385 Social Psychology