Current Primals Project Research

In-house at the Primals Project, one of the topics we are currently exploring is the plasticity of primals. For example, Dr. Nick Kerry is leading investigations into (a) if demographic backgrounds influence primals (e.g., do rich people see the world as more abundant?), (b) the impact of very extreme life experiences on primals (incarceration for negligent homicide after accidentally killing a loved one; getting cancer), and (c) if new interventions can influence primals to improve wellbeing. 

Much of our work is in partnership with others. For example, Dr. Jer Clifton is working with Dr. Alia Crum at Stanford on the relationship between primals and personality, Dr. David Yaden at Johns Hopkins on how psilocybin impacts primals, and even robotics expert Dr. Bilge Mutlu at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on giving different primal world beliefs to robots to simulate human personality characteristics. 

Research Spotlight

Dr. Nick Kerry recently published “World Beliefs Moderate the Effects of Trauma and Severe Illness on Emotional Distress”, in the Journal of Personality. This research found evidence that specific world beliefs like Improvable, Regenerative, Just, and Safe world belief moderate emotional distress in individuals following severe illness or trauma. Discover more about this study in this Psychology Today post, or this infographic.