Office Address and Website: 

       Department of Psychology 

       The University of Texas at Austin 

       Austin, Texas 78712 

Home

Academic Training 

      Undergraduate:  Gettysburg College, 1970-1974, B.A.           

      Graduate:  University of Minnesota, 1974-1978, Ph.D., Social Psychology

Professional Experience 

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology at University of Texas, 1978-1984 

Fellow, Department of Psychology at Princeton University, 1984-1985 

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at University of Texas, 1985-1988 

Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, 1988-1989 

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at University of Texas, 1989-1990 

Professor, Department of Psychology at University of Texas, 1990-2026

Professor Emeritus, University of Texas at Austin, 2026-present

 Research Interests 

Identity fusion and extreme pro-group behavior

Identity negotiation

Self-esteem and social interaction

Self-knowledge and self-verification in close relationships

    Memberships  

     American Psychological Society, Fellow 

     Society of Experimental Social Psychology 

             Executive committee: 2007-2010,

President, 2010

Society for Personality and Social Psychology 

International Society of Self and Identity

 Honors, Awards, Impacts 

• American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2026
• Career Contribution Award, Society of Personality and Social Psychology, 2018
• Distinguished Lifetime Career Award, International Society for Self and Identity, 2016
• Gettysburg College, Distinguished Alumni Award, 2024
• Society of Experimental Social Psychology:  President, 2010 
• University of Queensland award for international collaborative research, 2009
• Outstanding publication in Organizational Behavior, 2003 
• William Howard Beasley Professor, University of Texas at Austin, 2000 
• Career Awards, National Institute of Mental Health, 1984-1989; 1989-1994
• Fellow, Society of Experimental Social Psychologists
• Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, 1988-1989.
• Fellow, American Psychological Association, 1990.
• Fellow, American Psychological Society, 1990. 
• Citation count (Google scholar): 66,561; H-index = 92

External Research Support 

• National Science Foundation 
• • Self-concept stability and change. $270,000. 2/1994-1/1998.  
  • Identity fusion and extreme group behavior. $432,836. 9/2011-8/2015.
  • Identity fusion and intergroup relations, $407,500.  9/2015-8/2019.      

• Army Research Office

• Identity fusion and extreme group behavior, $336,997, 8/2017–8/2021

•  National Institute of Mental Health: 
• • The interpersonal dynamics of self-concept stability. $207,000. June 1,   
  •   1985-May 31, 1989
  • The interpersonal dynamics of self-concept stability. $376,526. June 1,  
  •     1989-May 31, 1993
  • Antecedents and consequences of belief certainty. $942,470. January 1, 
  •    1999-December 31,2004    

• National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Interpersonal processes, identity, and smoking cessation. $358,000,

                  2/2008-1/2010

• Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation

• Predicting positive and negative extremism: An Individual’s fusion with the     group, $83,000, 2009-2012, Principal investigator: Angel Gomez, UNED

• Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness

• Identity fusion: Nature, antecedents and consequences, September 2012-2015, $80,000 Principal investigator: Angel Gomez, UNED

• Economic and Social Research Council

• Ritual, Community, and Conflict, 05/31/2011 – 05/30/2016 GBP 3,184,340, Principle investigator: Harvey Whitehouse, University of Oxford

• Australian Research Council

• Moral vitalism: understanding the foundations of righteous violence within everyday secular thought. 01/01/2011 – 12/31/2013, AUD 300,000. Principle investigator: Brock Bastian

Doctoral Students

• Stephen Read, 1981
• Brett Pelham, 1989
• Al Stein-Seroussi, 1990
• Deborah Fisher, 1990
• J. Gregory Hixon, 1991
• Shawn McNulty, 1992
• Brian Giesler, 1993
• Romin Tafarodi, 1994
• Kate Morris, 1996
• Chris De La Ronde, 1996
• Stephen Blumberg, 1997
• Michael Gill, 1998
• Elizabeth Pinel, 1998
• Jennifer Bosson, 2000
• Jason Rentfrow, 2004
• Conor Seyle, 2007
• Sarah Angulo, 2009
• Christine Chang, 2011
• Tracy Kwang, 2012
• Matt Brooks, 2012
• Michael Buhrmester, 2013
• William Fraser, 2016
• Leah Fredman, 2018
• Sanaz Talaifar, 2020
• Ashwini Ashokkumar, 2021
• Alexi Martel, 2023
• Pelin Cunningham-Erdogdu, 2025

PUBLICATIONS

In press

• Klein, J. W., Bingley, W. J., Hornsey, M. J., & Swann, W. B., (in press). Annual Review of Psychology. Toward a Unified Theory of Group Connection.

• Klein, J. W., & Swann, W. B., (in press). Dying to Kill: Identity Fusion and Terrorism. Chapter to appear in The Oxford Handbook of the Psychology of Terrorism and Terrorist Behavior (Matthew Yalch, Max Taylor, Lisa Brown, Ariel Merari, & Bruce Bongar, Eds.), Oxford University Press. 

• Klein, J. W., & Swann, W. B., (in press) It’s time to ditch the ‘empty-self’ view of human psychology. Psyche.

2026

• Klein, J. W., & Swann, W. B., (2026). Social psychology’s empty-self metaphor and the replication crisis. Perspectives on Psychological Science.

2025

• Moniz, P., & Swann, W B., Jr (2025). “The Power of Trump’s Big Lie: Identity Fusion, Internalizing Misinformation, and Support for Trump.” PS: Political Science & Politics.

• Buhrmester, M. D., Swann Jr, W. B., McQuinn, B., Everington, A., Hafid, L., & Whitehouse, H. (2025). Examining Shifts in Group-Based Motivations for Civil Conflicts in Libya. New England Journal of Public Policy, 37(1), 10.

2024

• Swann, W. B., Klein, J. W., & Gómez, Á. (2024) Comprehensive Identity fusion theory (CIFT): New insights and a revised theory. In B. Gawronski (Ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 70.

• Kirkland, K. et al., (2024).  High economic inequality is linked to greater moralization.  PNAS Nexus.   

• Gómez, Á., Vázquez, A., & Swann, W. B. (2024). Feeling Understood Fosters Identity Fusion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

• Rousis, G., Martel, F. A., Bosson, J.K., & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2024) Behind the Blackpill: Self-Verification and Identity Fusion Predict Endorsement of Violence Against Women Among Self-identified Incels. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 50, 1531–1545

• Martel, F. A., Moniz, P., Ashokkumar, A., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2024). Identity fusion and support for political authoritarianism: Lessons from the US insurrection of 2021. Political Psychology.

• Rousis, G. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2024). Buying the Blackpill: Perceived Exclusion and the Psychology of Incels. Chapter in the volume, Exclusion and Extremism: A Psychological Perspective.

2023

• Bosson, J. K., & Swann, W. B. Jr., (2023).  A truly responsive listener is a self-verifying listener.  Current Opinion in Psychology

 

·      Kowert, R., Martel, F.A., & Swann, W.B. Jr. (2023). You are What you Play: The Risks of Identity Fusion in Toxic Gamer Cultures. Games: Research and Practice, 1, 1-3.

 

• Vázquez, A., Gómez, Á., López-Rodríguez, L., & Swann, W. B. (2023). Can identity fusion foster social harmony? Strongly fused individuals embrace familiar outgroup members unless threatened. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 107, 104462.

• Tanjitpiyanond, P. et al., ( 2023). A 32-society investigation of how perceived economic inequality shapes social class stereotyping. European Journal of Social Psychology.

2022

• Kowert, R., Martel, F.A., & Swann, W.B. Jr. (2022). Not just a game: Identity Fusion and Extremism in Gaming Cultures. Frontiers

• Kirkland, K. el. al., (2022). Social mindfulness predicts concern for nature and immigrants across 36 nations.  Scientific Reports, 12,

• Ashokkumar, A., & Swann Jr, W. B. (2022). Restoring Honor by Slapping or Disowning the Daughter. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (2022).  The power of firmly-held beliefs: A troubled child, Schachter’s incredulity, and the roots of extreme behavior. In S. Kassin (Ed.), Pillars of Social Psychology: Stories and Retrospections. Cambridge, United Kingdom.

• Dejonckheere, et. al., (2022). Perceiving societal pressure to be happy is linked to poor well-being, especially in happy nations. Scientific reports, 12.

2021

• Martel, F. A., Buhrmester, M., Gómez, A., Vázquez, A., & Swann Jr, W. (2021) Why true believers make the ultimate sacrifice: Sacred values, moral convictions, or identity fusion? Frontiers in Psychology, 12.

• Ashokkumar, A. & Swann, W. B., Jr., (2021). The saboteur within: Self-verification strivings can make praise toxic. In Brummelman, E. (Ed.) (2020). Psychological perspectives on praise. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

• Gómez, Á., Martínez, M., Martel, F. A., López-Rodríguez, L., Vázquez, A., Chinchilla, J., Paredes, B., Hettiarachchi, M., Hamid, N., & Swann, W. B. (2021). Why People Enter and Embrace Violent Groups. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 614657. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.614657

• Talaifar, S., Ashokkumar, A., Pennebaker, J., Medrano, F. N., Yeager, D. S., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2021).  A New Pathway to University Retention? Identity Fusion with University Predicts Retention Independently of Grades. Social Psychological and Personali

2020

• Rudnev, M., et al., (2020). Measurement invariance of the moral vitalism scale across 28 cultural groups. PLOS ONE.

• Ashokkumar, A., Talaifar, S., Fraser, W.T., Landabur, R., Buhrmester, M.D., Gomez, A., Paredes, B., & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2020). Censoring Political Opposition Online: Who does it and why. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 

• Talaifar, S., Buhrmester, M. D., Ayduk, O., & Swann, W. B. Jr. (2020) Asymmetries in mutual understanding:  People with low status, power, and self-esteem understand better than they are understood. Perspectives on Psychological Science.

• Swann W. (2020) Swann, William B.. In: Zeigler-Hill V., Shackelford T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham.

• Talaifar, S ., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2020). Self-verification theory, Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, 4813-4821

2019

• Bastian, B., Vauclair, C. M., Loughnan, S., Bain, P., Ashokkumar, A., Becker, M., … & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2019). Explaining illness with evil: pathogen prevalence fosters moral vitalism. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 286(1914), 20191576.

• Ashokkumar, A. Galaif, M., Swann, W. B., Jr., (2019). Tribalism can corrupt: Why people denounce or protect immoral group members. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

• Gómez, Á., Vázquez, A., López-Rodríguez, L., Talaifar, S., Martínez, M., Buhrmester, M. D., & Swann Jr, W. B. (2019). Why people abandon groups: Degrading relational vs collective ties uniquely impacts identity fusion and identification. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 85, 103853.Expe

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Jetten, J. (2019). Identity fusion ‘in the wild’: Moving toward or away from a general theory of identity fusion? Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

• Talaifar, S. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2019). Self and Identity. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. Ed. Oliver Braddick. New York: Oxford University Press.

• Talaifar, S. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2019). Deep Alignment with Country Shrinks the Moral Gap Between Conservatives and Liberals. Political Psychology, 40, 657-675.

2018

• Vázquez, A, G., Gómez, Á., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2018). You Just Don’t Get Us! Positive, but Non-Verifying, Evaluations Foster Prejudice and Discrimination. Social Psychology, 49, 231–242.

• Talaifar, S. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2018). Identity Fusion: The Union of the Personal and Social Selves. In P. J. Ivanhoe, O. J. Flanagan,  S. Harrison, H. Sarkissian, & E. Schwitzgebel (Eds.). Oneness in Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology. New York: Columbia University Press.

• Swann, W. B. & Talaifar, S. (2018).  Introduction to Special Issue of Self and Identity on Identity Fusion. Self and Identity, 17, 483-486, DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2018.1458646

2017

• Talaifar, S. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2017). Self-Verification Theory. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer International Publishing.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Jetten, J. (2017). Restoring agency to the human actor. Perspectives in Psychological Science, 12, 382-299.

• Vázquez, A., Gomez, A., Ordoñana, J. R., Swann, Jr., W. B.  Whitehouse, H. (2017).  Sharing Genes Fosters Identity Fusion and Altruism. Self and Identity, 16, 684-702.
  
  
• Fredman, L.A., Bastian, B., & Swann, W.B., Jr.  (2017). God or country? Fusion with Judaism predicts desire for retaliation following Palestinian Stabbing Intifada. Social and Personality Psychological Science.  

• Vázquez, A, G., Gómez, Á., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2017). Do Historic Threats to the Group Diminish Identity Fusion and its Correlates?  Self and Identity.

• Stinson, D., & Swann, W. B. Jr. (2017). Leveraging self psychology to strengthen positive psychology: Conceptual analysis of three paths to well-being. In F. Guay, H.W. Marsh, D. McInerney, & R. Craven, Self: Driving positive psychology and well-being (Vol. 6, International advances in self research). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Press.

2016

• Talaifar, S. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2016). Differentiated Selves Can Surely Be Good for the Group, But Let’s Get Clear About Why. Brain and Behavioral Sciences.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Bosson, J. K. (2016). Identity negotiation in social interaction: Past, present, and future. In Trusz, S. & Bąbel, P. (Eds.). Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Expectancies: Research, Applications and Future Directions. Hove, UK: Psychology Press.

2015

• Fredman, L.A., Buhrmester, M. D., Gomez, A., Fraser, W.T., Talaifar, S., Brannon, S.M., Swann, W. B., Jr. (2015). Identity fusion, extreme pro-group behavior, and the path to defusion. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9, 468–480.

• Buhrmester, M.D., Fraser, W.T., Lanman, J., Whitehouse, H., & Swann, W.B. Jr. (2015). When terror hits home: Identity Fused Americans who saw Boston bombing victims as “family” provided aid. Self and Identity, 14, 253-270.

• Buhrmester, M. D., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2015).  Identity fusion.  In Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences, R. Scott and S. Kosslyn (eds.), Hoboken, NJ:  John Wiley and Sons.

• Bastian, B., Bain, P., Buhrmester, M. D., Gómez, Á., Vázquez, A., Knight, C. G., & Swann, W. B. Jr. (2015). Moral vitalism: Seeing good and evil as real, agentic forces. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Buhrmester, M. (2015).  Identity fusion. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 24, 52–57

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Gómez, Á., Vázquez, A, G. Guillamón, A., Segovia, S., & Carillo, B. (2015).  Fusion with the Cross-Gender Group Predicts Genital Sex Reassignment Surgery. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44, 1313. 

• Jimenez, J, Gomez, A, Buhrmester, M. D., Vazquez, A, Whitehouse, H. Swann, W. B., (2015). The Dynamic Identity Fusion Index (DIFI): A new continuous measure of identity fusion for Web-based questionnaires, Social Science Computer Review, Social Science Computer Review 1-14.

2014

• Whitehouse, H., McQuinn, B., Buhrmester, M. & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2014). Brothers in Arms: Libyan revolutionaries bond like family.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Buhrmester, M., Gómez, Á., Jetten, J., Bastian, B., Vázquez, A. et al. (2014). What makes a group worth dying for?  Identity fusion fosters perception of familial ties, promoting self-sacrifice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. l
•  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Gómez, A., Buhrmester, M. D., López-Rodríguez, L., Jiménez, J., & Vázquez, A. (2014).  Contemplating the ultimate sacrifice: Identity fusion channels pro-group affect, cognition, and moral decision-making, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, c

• Gómez, A., Jetten, J., & Swann, W.B., Jr. (2014).  The more prototypical the better? The allure of being seen as one sees oneself.  Group processes and intergroup relations, 17, 221-239.

• Yoo, J.J, Swann, W.B., and Kim, K.K. (2014). The Influence of Identity Fusion on Patriotic Consumption: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Korea and the U.S., The Korean Journal of Advertising , 25(5), 81-106.

2013

• Kwang, T., Crockett, E.E., Sanchez, D.T., Swann, W.B., Jr. (2013). Men seek Social Standing, Women Seek Companionship: Sex Differences in Deriving Self-Worth from Relationships.  Psychological Science, 24, 1142-1150.

• Seih, Y., Buhrmester, M. D., Lin, Y., Huang, C., Swann, W. B., Jr. (2013). Do People Want to be Flattered or Understood? The Cross-Cultural Universality of Self-Verification. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49, 169–172.

2012

• Buhrmester, M. D., Gómez, Á, Brooks, M.L., Morales, J. F., Fernandez, S. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2012). My group’s fate is my fate: Identity fused Americans and Spaniards link personal life quality to outcome of ‘08 elections. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 34, 527-533.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Jetten, J., Gómez, Á. Whitehouse, H., & Bastian, B. (2012). When group membership gets personal: A theory of identity fusion. Psychological Review, 119, 441-456.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Brooks, M. (2012) Why Threats Trigger Compensatory Reactions: The Need for Coherence and Quest for Self-Verification. Social Cognition, 30, 758-777.

• Chang, C. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2012). The benefits of self-verifying social feedback. Chapter to appear in R.M. Sutton, M.M. Hornsey, K.M. Douglas (Eds). Feedback: The handbook of praise, criticism, and advice. Peter Lang publishers: New York.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (2012). Self-verification theory. In P. Van Lang, A. Kruglanski, & E.T. Higgins (Eds.); pp. 23-42. Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology, Sage: London.

• Swann, W. B. Jr & Buhrmester, M. D. (2012). Self as functional fiction. Social Cognition, 30, 415-430.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., De La Ronde, C. & Hixon, J. G. (2012). Authenticity and positivity strivings in marriage and courtship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 857-869.  [reprinted in Psychology of Close Relationships (H.T. Reis, Ed.), Sage: Washington.

2011

• Gómez, Á, Brooks, M.L., Buhrmester, M. D., Vázquez, A., Jetten, J. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2011). On the nature of identity fusion: Insights into the construct and a new measure.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100, 918-933.

• Buhrmester, M. D., Blanton, H. & Swann, W. B. Jr.  (2011). Implicit self-esteem:

Nature, measurement, and a new way forward. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 100, 365-385

• Gómez, Á, Morales, J.F., Hart, S., Vázquez, A., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2011). Rejected and excluded forevermore, but even more devoted: Irrevocable ostracism intensifies loyalty to the group among identity fused persons. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37, 1574-1586.

• Brooks, M. L., Swann, W. B., Jr. & Mehta, P. H. (2011). Reasserting the self: Blocking self-verifying behavior triggers compensatory self-verification. Self & Identity, 10, 77–84.

• Brooks, M. L. & Swann, W. B. Jr. (2011). Is social interaction based on guile or honesty? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 34, 17-18.

• Angulo, S., Brooks, M. L., & Swann, W. B. Jr. (2011) Swimming serenely in a sea of words: Sexism, communication, and precarious couples. Personal Relationships, 18, 604-616.

• Swann, W. B. Jr & Buhrmester, M. D. (2011). Self-verification: The search for coherence. In M. Leary and J. Tagney (Eds.), Handbook of self and identity (2^nd Edition) Guilford, New York.

2010

• Swann, W.B., Jr., Gómez, A., Dovidio, J. Hart, S. & Jetten, J. (2010). Dying and Killing for One’s Group: Identity Fusion Moderates Responses to Intergroup Versions of the Trolley Problem.  Psychological Science, 21, 1176–1183

• Kwang, T. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2010). Do people embrace praise even when they feel unworthy? A review of critical tests of self-enhancement versus self-verification.  Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14, 263-280.

• Swann, W.B., Jr. &  Bosson, J. (2010). Self and Identity. In S.T. Fiske, D.T. Gilbert, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (5th ed; 589-628), New York: McGraw-Hill. 

• Sasaki, T., Hazen, N. L., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2010). The supermom trap: Do involved dads erode moms’ self-competence? Personal Relationships, 17, 71-79.

• Patterson, M. M., Bigler, R. S., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2010). When Personal Identities Confirm versus Conflict with Group Identities: Evidence from an Intergroup Paradigm. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 652-670. 

• Brooks, M. L., Burhrmester, M. & Swann, W. B., Jr.  (2010). Interactionism spoken like a true situationist. European Journal of Personality, 24, 483-485.

• Kwang, T., Wells, T. T., McGeary, J. E., Swann, W. B., Jr., & Beevers, C. G. (2010). Association of the serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism with biased attention for negative word stimuli. Depression and Anxiety, 27, 746–751.

• Swann, W.B., Jr., Gómez, A., Huici, C., Morales, F., & Hixon, J. G. (2010). Identity fusion and self-sacrifice: Arousal as catalyst of pro-group fighting, dying and helping behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 824–841.  

2009

• Swann, W.B., Jr., Gómez, A., Seyle, C., Morales, F. & Huici, C (2009).  Identity fusion: The interplay of personal and social identities in extreme group behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96, 995–1011.
• Gómez, A., Seyle, C., Huici, C. & Swann, W.B., Jr., (2009). Can self-verification strivings fully transcend the self-other barrier? Seeking verification of ingroup identities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97, 1021-1044.
• North, R.J. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2009).  Self-Verification 360º:  Illuminating the light and dark sides.  In  V. Kwan & L. Gaertner (Eds.) Special issue for Self and Identity, 8, 131–146.

• North, R.J. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2009). What’s positive about self-verification?  S. Lopez (Ed.) Handbook of Positive Psychology, 2nd Edition. (pp. 465-474). New York: Oxford University Press. 

• Swann, W. B. Jr., (2009). Self-verificationTheory.  In H. Reis & S. Sprecher (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Human Relationships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Swann, W. B. Jr., (2009). Self-verificationTheory.  In D. Matsumoto (Ed.), The Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology (p. 482).  New York: Cambridge University Press.

• Bosson, J. & Swann, W.B., Jr.  (2009). Self-esteem: Nature, origins, and consequences. Chapter prepared for R. Hoyle & M. Leary (Eds.), Handbook of individual differences in social behavior (pp. 527-546). New York: Guilford.

• Chang-Schneider, C. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2009). The role of uncertainty in self-evaluative processes: Another look at the cognitive-affective crossfire. Chapter to appear in R.M. Arkin, K.C. Oleson, P.J. Carroll (Eds.) The uncertain self: A handbook of perspectives from social and personality psychology (p. 216-231). Laurence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.: New Jersey.

• Swann, W.B., Jr., Johnson, R.E.,  &  Bosson, J. (2009). Identity negotiation in the workplace. In B. Staw & A. Brief (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol 29, 81-109). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier

2008

• Swann, W.B., Jr. (2008). Self-Verification.  International Encyclopedia of the
  Social Sciences, 7, pp.430-431, Thomson Gale (Macmillan Reference USA.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. Chang-Schneider, C. & McClarty, K. (2008) Yes, cavalier attitudes can have pernicious consequences: A reply to Krueger, Vohs, & Baumeister American Psychologist, 63, 65-66.

• English, T., Chen, S., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2008). A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Self-Verification Motives. In R. Sorrentino  & S. Yamaguchi, (Eds.) Handbook of Motivation and Cognition Across Cultures (pp. 119-142), Elsevier: San Diego, CA.

• Maestas, K. L, Amidon, A. Baum, E. S., Chrisman, J. G., Durham, J. A., Rooney, S. B., Rude, S. S. & Swann W. B. Jr. (2008). Partner Devaluation is Associated with Depression Symptoms Among Depression-Vulnerable Women With Low Self-Esteem. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27, 621-640.

• Swann, W.B., Jr. &  Bosson, J. (2008). Identity negotiation: A Theory of Self and Social Interaction. In O. John, R. Robins, & L. Pervin (Eds.) Handbook of Personality Psychology: Theory and Research I (pp. 448-471). New York: Guilford.  

2007

• Swann, W. B., Jr. Chang-Schneider, C.& McClarty, K. (2007) Do our self-views matter? Self-concept and self-esteem in everyday life. American Psychologist, 62, 84-94.

• Seyle, C. & Swann, W.B., Jr.  (2007). Being Oneself in the Workplace:  Self-verification and Identity in Organizational Contexts.  In C. A. Bartel, S. Blader, & A. Wrzesniewski (Eds.) Identity and the modern organization (pp. 201-222).  Erlbaum.  

• Wiesenfeld, B. M., Swann, W.B., Jr, Brockner, J. & Bartel, C. (2007). Is More Fairness Always Preferred?  Self-Esteem Moderates Reactions to Procedural Justice. Academy of Management Journal, 50, 1235–1253.

• Sellers, J.G., Woolsey, M.D. & Swann, W. B. Jr, (2007). Is silence more golden for women than men? Observers derogate effusive women and their quiet partners. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 57, 477-482.

• Swann, W.B., Jr. (2007).  Self-verificationTheory.  In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Psychology, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Swann, W. B., Jr.  (2007). Blind spots.  American Scientist, 95 , 451-452.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Chang-Schneider, C., & Angulo, S. (2007). Self-verification in relationships as an adaptive process. In J. Wood, A. Tesser, & J. Holmes (Eds.),Self and relationships (pp. 49-72). New York: Psychology Press.

• Swann, W. B., Jr., McClarty, K., & Rentfrow, P. J. (2007). Shelter from the storm? Flawed reactions to stress in precarious couples. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24, 793-808. 

2006  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Guinn, J. S., & Larsen, K. M.  (2006).  Tempting today, troubling tomorrow: The roots of the precarious couple effect. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 93-103. 

• Bosson, J. K., Johnson, A. B., Niederhoffer, K. & Swann, W. B. Jr.  (2006).  Interpersonal chemistry through negativity: Bonding by sharing negative attitudes about others. Personal Relationships, 13, 135–150. 

• Swann, W.B., Jr.  & Seyle, C. (2006). The antecedents of self-esteem. In M. Kernis (Ed.) Self-esteem: Issues and Answers (pp. 201-207). Psychology Press: East Sussex, UK.  

2005  

• Swann, W.B., Jr. & Seyle, C.  (2005). Personality psychology’s comeback and its emerging symbiosis with social psychology. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 155-165. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr.  (2005). The self and identity negotiation.  Interaction Studies, 6, 69-83.  

2004  

• Swann, W. B. Jr., Polzer, J. T., Seyle, C. & Ko, S.  (2004). Finding value in diversity: Verification of personal and social self-views in diverse groups.  Academy of Management Review, 29, 9-27.  

• Gill, M. J., & Swann, W.B., Jr.  (2004)   On what it means to know someone: A matter of pragmatics.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 86, 405-418. 
•  

2003  

• Swann, W.B., Jr., Rentfrow, P. J., & Guinn, J. (2003). Self-verification: The search for coherence. In M. Leary and J. Tagney, Handbook of self and identity (pp. 367-383):  Guilford, New York. 
• Bosson, J. K., Brown, R. P., Zeigler-Hill, V., & Swann, W. B., Jr.  (2003).  Self-enhancement tendencies among people with high explicit self-esteem: The moderating role of implicit self-esteem.  Self and Identity, 2, 169-187. 
• Swann, W. B., Jr., Rentfrow, J. R., & Gosling, S. G. (2003). The precarious couple effect: Verbally inhibited men + critical, disinhibited women = bad chemistry. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 1095-1106. 
• Swann, W. B. Jr., Kwan, V. S. Y., Polzer, J. T., Milton, L. P.  (2003). Vanquishing stereotypic perceptions via individuation and self-verification: Waning of gender expectations in small groups.  Social Cognition, 21, 194-212.
• Polzer, J., Swann, W., & Milton, L. (2003). The benefits of verifying diverse identities for group performance.  In Neale, M., Mannix, E., & Polzer, J. (Eds.), Research on Managing Groups and Teams: Identity Issues in Groups, Vol. 5. Stamford, CT: JAI Press.
• Swann, W. B. Jr., Kwan, V. S. Y., Polzer, J. T., Milton, L. P.  (2003). Fostering group identification and creativity in diverse groups: The role of individuation and self-verification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 1396-1406.  
• Gosling, S. D., Rentfrow, P. J., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2003). A Very Brief Measure of the Big Five Personality Domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 504–528  

2002 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Pelham, B. W. (2002). The truth about illusions: Authenticity and positivity in social relationships. In C.R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.) Handbook of positive psychology (pp 366-381). Oxford: New York. 
•  
• Swann, W. B., Jr., Bosson, J. K., & Pelham, B. W. (2002).   Different partners, different selves:  The verification of circumscribed identities. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1215-1228.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Pelham, B. W. (2002). Who wants out when the going gets good? Psychological investment and preference for self-verifying college roommates.  Journal of Self and Identity, 1, 219-233.  

• Polzer, J. T., Milton, L. P. & Swann, W. B., Jr.  (2002). Capitalizing on Diversity:  Interpersonal Congruence in Small Work Groups.  Administrative Science Quarterly, 47, 296-324.  

2001  

• Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr., (2001). Two-dimensional self-esteem: Theory and measurement. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 653-673. 

• Bosson, J. K., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2001). Pragmatic self-verification: Seeking feedback as positive as reality will allow. In J. H. Harvey & A. E. Wenzel (Eds.), Close Romantic Relationships: Maintenance and Enhancement.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr.  & Rentfrow, P. J.  (2001). Blirtatiousness: Cognitive, interpersonal, and physiological consequences of rapid responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.    

2000  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Milton, L. P., & Polzer, J.T. (2000). Should we create a niche or fall in line? Identity negotiation and small group effectiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 238-250.   

• Bosson, J., Swann, W.B., Jr. & Pennebaker, J. (2000). Stalking the perfect measure of implicit self-esteem: The blind men and the elephant revisited? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 631-643.

• Pinel, E. C. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (2000). Finding the self through others: Self-verification and social movement participation. In T. Owens & S. Stryker (Eds.), Self, identity, and social movements (132-152). MPLS, MN: Univ. of Minnesota Press.  

1999  

• Bosson, J. & Swann, W.B.,Jr. (1999). Self-liking, self-competence, and the quest for self-verification. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 1230-1241. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Langlois, J. H. & Gilbert, L. A. (Eds.) (1999). Sexism and stereotypes in modern society: The gender science of Janet Taylor Spence.  American Psychological Association: Washington, DC. 

• Swann, W. Jr. (1999). Resilient Identities: Self, relationships, and the construction of social reality. Basic books: New York. (paperback version of “Self-traps”). 

• Giesler, R. B. & Swann, W. B. Jr. (1999). Self-verification and depression. In T. Joiner & J. C. Coyne (Eds.) Recent advances in interpersonal approaches to depression. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Bosson, J. K. (1999). The flip side of the reassurance-seeking coin: The partner’s perspective. Psychological Inquiry, 10, 302-304. 

• Swann, W.B. Jr; Griffin, J.J. Jr, Predmore, S.C; Gaines, B. The cognitive-affective crossfire: When self-consistency confronts self-enhancement. [Reprinted as a chapter]. Baumeister, Roy F. (Ed), et al. (1999). The self in social psychology. Key readings in social psychology. (pp. 391-401). Philadelphia, PA, US: Psychology Press/Taylor & Francis. 

1998  

• De La Ronde, C. & Swann, W. B. Jr. (1998). Partner verification: Restoring shattered images of our intimates. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 374-382. 

• Gill, M.J, Swann, W.B., Jr., & Silvera, D.H. (1998). On the genesis of confidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1101-1114. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1998). The Self is not a bowling ball, in J. Cooper & J. Darley (Eds.), Attributional processes, person perception, and social interaction: The legacy of Ned Jones. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Gill, M. (1998). Sex, confidence, and the widows Ademoski: On knowing what we know about others. In V. Yzerbyt, G. Lories, & B. Dardenne (Eds). Metacognition: Cognitive and social dimensions. London: Sage.

1997

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1997). The trouble with change: Self-verification and allegiance to the self. Psychological Science, 8, 177-180. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Gill, M.J. (1997). Confidence and accuracy in person perception: Do we know what we think we know about our relationship partners? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 747-757.  

1996  

• Giesler, R. B., Josephs, R. A. & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1996). Self-verification in clinical depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 358-368.  

• Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1996). Individualism-collectivism and global self-esteem: Evidence for a cultural trade off. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology, 27, 651-672. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1996). Self-traps: The elusive quest for higher self-esteem. Freeman: New York 

• Morris, K. A., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1996). Denial and the AIDS crisis: On wishing away the threat of AIDS. In S. Oskamp & S. Thompson (Eds.), Safer sex in the 90’s: Understanding and preventing HIV risk behavior. New York: Sage. 

1995  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Schroeder, D. G. (1995). The search for beauty and truth: A framework for understanding reactions to evaluations. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21, 1307-1318.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Silvera, D. H., & Proske, C. U. (1995). On “knowing your partner”: Dangerous illusions in the age of AIDS? Personal Relationships, 2, 173-186. 

• Tafarodi, R. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1995). Self-liking and self-competence as dimensions of global self-esteem: Initial validation of a measure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65, 322-342.  

1994  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., De La Ronde, C. & Hixon, J. G. (1994). Authenticity and positivity strivings in marriage and courtship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66, 857-869.  

• Pelham, B. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1994). The juncture of intrapersonal and interpersonal knowledge: Self-certainty and interpersonal congruence.  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 20, 349-357. 

• McNulty, S. E., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1994). Identity negotiation in roommate relationships: The self as architect and consequence of social reality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1012-1023.  

1993  

• Hixon, J. G., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1993). When does introspection bear fruit? Self-reflection, self-insight, and interpersonal choices. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64, 35-43. 
• De La Ronde, C., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1993). Caught in the crossfire: Positivity and self-verification strivings among people with low self-esteem. In R. Baumeister (Ed.) Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard. New York: Plenum. 

1992  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1992). Seeking truth, finding despair: Some unhappy consequences of a negative self-concept. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 1, 15-18. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Stein-Seroussi, A., & Giesler, B. (1992). Why people self-verify. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 392-401.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Hixon, J. G., & De La Ronde, C. (1992). Embracing the bitter truth: Negative self-concepts and marital commitment. Psychological Science, 3, 118-121. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Stein-Seroussi, A., & McNulty, S. (1992). Outcasts in a white lie society: The enigmatic worlds of people with negative self-conceptions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 618-624. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Wenzlaff, R. M., Krull, D. S., & Pelham, B. W. (1992). The allure of negative feedback: Self-verification strivings among depressed persons. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101, 293-306.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Wenzlaff, R. M., & Tafarodi, R. W. (1992). Depression and the search for negative evaluations: More evidence of the role of self-verification strivings. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101, 314-317. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1992). Dance with the one who brung ya? Psychological Inquiry. 

1991  

• McNulty, S. E., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1991). Psychotherapy, self-concept change, and self-verification. In R. Curtis (Ed.) The relational self: Theoretical convergences in psychoanalysis and social psychology, New York: Guilford. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1991). Bridge over troubled water. Psychological Inquiry. 

1990  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Hixon, G., Stein-Seroussi, A., & Gilbert, D. T. (1990). The fleeting gleam of praise: Behavioral reactions to self-relevant feedback. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59, 17-26.  

• Swann, W.B., Jr., & Brown, J. D. (1990). From self to health: Self-verification and identity disruption. In I. Sarason, B. Sarason, & G. Pierce (Eds.), Social support: An interactional view (pp. 150-172). New York: Wiley. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1990). To be adored or to be known : The interplay of self-enhancement and self-verification. In R. M. Sorrentino & E. T. Higgins (Eds.) Foundations of Social Behavior, (Vol. 2, pp. 408-448). New York: Guilford.  

1989  

• Pelham, B. W., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1989). From self-conceptions to self-worth: The sources and structure of self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 672-680.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Pelham, B. W., & Krull, D. S. (1989). Agreeable fancy or disagreeable truth? How people reconcile their self-enhancement and self-verification needs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 782-791.  

1988  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Pelham, B. W., & Chidester, T. (1988). Change through paradox: Using self-verification to alter beliefs. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 268-273. 

• Darley, J. M., Fleming, J. H., Hilton, J. L., Swann, W. B., Jr. (1988). Dispelling negative expectancies: The impact of interaction goals and target characteristics on the expectancy confirmation process. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 24, 19-36. 

1987  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Griffin, J.J., Predmore, S., & Gaines, B. (1987). The cognitive-affective crossfire: When self-consistency confronts self-enhancement.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 881-889.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. & Giuliano, T. (1987). Confirmatory search strategies in social interaction: When, how, why and with what consequences. Journal of Clinical and Social Psychology, 5, 511-524. 

• Ginzel, L. E., Jones, E. E., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1987). How naive is the naive attributer?: Discounting and augmentation in attitude attribution. Social Cognition, 5, 108-130. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Pelham, B. W., & Roberts, D. (1987). Causal chunking: Memory and inference in ongoing interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 858-865.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1987). Identity negotiation: Where two roads meet. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 1038-1051.  

1985  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Predmore, S. C. (1985). Intimates as agents of social support: Sources of consolation or despair? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 1609-1617.

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1985). The self as architect of social reality. In B. Schlenker (Ed.), The self and social life (pp. 100-125). New York: McGraw-Hill. 

1984  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Ely, R. J. (1984). A battle of wills: Self-verification versus behavioral confirmation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 1287-1302.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1984). The quest for accuracy in person perception: A matter of pragmatics. Psychological Review, 91, 457-477.  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1984). Language and social knowing. Contemporary Psychology, 29, 215-216. 

1983  

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1983). Self-verification: Bringing social reality into harmony with the self. In J. Suls & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.),Social psychological perspectives on the self (Vol. 2, pp. 33-66). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.  

•  Swann, W. B., Jr. (1983). The self. Science, 218, 782. 

1982  

• Swann, W. B., Giuliano, T., & Wegner, D. M. (1982). Where leading questions can lead: The power of conjecture in social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 1025-1035. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Hill, C. A. (1982). When our identities are mistaken: Reaffirming self-conceptions through social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43, 59-66. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Miller, L. C. (1982). Why never forgetting a face matters: Visual imagery and social memory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43, 475-480. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr. (1982). It’s not what you do, but why you do it. Contemporary Psychology, 27, 185-186.

1981

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Read, S. J. (1981). Self-verification processes: How we sustain our self-conceptions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 17, 351-372. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Read, S. J. (1981b). Acquiring self-knowledge: The search for feedback that fits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41,1119-1128.  

1980  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Snyder, M. (1980). On translating beliefs into action: Theories of ability and their application in an instructional setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 879-888. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., Stephenson, B., & Pittman, T. S. (1980). Curiosity and control: On the determinants of the search for social knowledge. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40, 635-642. 

1978  

• Snyder, M., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1978a). Hypothesis testing processes in social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 1202-1212.  

• Snyder, M., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1978b). Behavioral confirmation in social interaction: From social perception to social reality. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 14, 148-162.  

1975-1977  

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Pittman, T. S. (1977). Initiating play activity of children: The moderating influence of verbal cues on intrinsic motivation. Child Development, 48, 1128-1132. 

• Snyder, M., & Swann, W. B., Jr. (1976). When actions reflect attitudes. The politics of impression management. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 34, 1034-1042. 

• Swann, W. B., Jr., & Pittman, T. S. (1975). Salience of initial ratings and attitude change in the “forbidden toy” paradigm. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1, 493-496.