Hahrie Han
Political scientist, Director of SNF Agora Institute, and social change thought leader
Kurt Gray
Social psychologist and author of Outraged
Social psychologist Kurt Gray is an award-winning researcher whose groundbreaking work in psychology and neuroscience rewrites our understanding of individual morality. As the Director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding, he uses interdisciplinary methods to illuminate the impact our most deeply-held beliefs have on society. In his forthcoming book, Outraged, Dr. Gray applies the science of how the brain makes moral judgements to better understand how to bridge political division, foster meaningful connection between those who disagree, and find common ground. His engaging and accessible talks offer strategic applications of his innovative research for organizations and individuals looking to bring people together and present a compelling reminder that we are more alike than we might think.
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About Kurt Gray
Kurt Gray, Ph.D. is a prominent social psychologist known for his innovative research around empathy, ethics, and the moral mind. A Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding, Dr. Gray’s explorations of moral judgment and bias have radically reshaped our understanding of how the human mind creates empathy and outrage.
Dr. Gray’s forthcoming book, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground, challenges the widespread assumption that liberals and conservatives have radically different moral foundations. Instead, he showcases the latest science to demonstrate that we all have the same moral mind, and that everyone’s judgments stem from feeling threatened or vulnerable to harm. Conflict arises when we disagree about who needs to be protected. Dr. Gray tackles popular myths that keep us from understanding ourselves and presents new research that finds our moral judgments are based on gut feelings rather than rational thought and that no matter our politics, we are more alike than we might think.
The ideal speaker for any organization invested in bringing audiences together, Kurt Gray illuminates valuable strategies to connect with one another in an increasingly fractured world. His talks are funny, balanced, and showcase his research in relatable and digestible presentations. Drawing from his experience transforming both public and private-sector organizations, Dr. Gray coaches audiences on how to bridge political and religious divisions, foster meaningful connections, and defuse outrage and hatred.
A frequent speaker at thought leadership summits such as TEDx and Upswell, Kurt Gray has written numerous op-eds for popular press outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Harvard Business Review. In addition to his position as a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC Chapel Hill, he is also an Adjunct Professor in Organizational Behavior at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC, where he teaches about organizational ethics and team processes.
For his strides in scientific research, Kurt Gray has received the Janet Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Research, the Sage Young Scholar Award, and the Theoretical Innovation Award. For teaching, he has received the Psi Chi Undergraduate Teaching Award. His work on bridging divides won The Grand Prize for Best Paper at the FRANK Public Interest and Communication Conference. Dr. Gray received his PhD from Harvard University.
Contact us to bring Dr. Kurt Gray to your organization’s next event.
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Speaking Topics
Why We Fight About Morality and Politics
In this talk, Kurt Gray applies the science of how the brain makes moral judgements to understand how to bridge political and religious divisions, foster meaningful connection between those who disagree, and defuse moral outrage and hatred. By recognizing the psychological mechanisms behind moral conflicts, attendees gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shape our moral, social, and political landscapes, and learn concrete strategies for better conversations within organizations and in everyday life.
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Video
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Praise for Kurt Gray
Praise for Outraged
Feeling outraged? Read this book. In this divided world, Outraged offers a much-needed, scientifically-grounded framework that can help defuse moral conflict by making sense of it, and putting us on the pathway we need towards better, more humanizing interactions.
— Hahrie Han, author of Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American ChurchWhat an enlightening and enjoyable read! I learned so much from Outraged, especially about how to bridge differences between people with very different identities, ideologies and views about harm. In a diverse democracy, nothing is more important than that.
— Eboo Patel, author of We Need To Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy and Founder and President of Interfaith AmericaPowerful insights that will change how you see the world (and hopefully make you a little less angry).
— Jonah Berger, best-selling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On and The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind, and Wharton ProfessorMoral outrage ruins friendships, families, democracies, and lives. Where does it come from, how much is too much, and what can be done about it? In this deeply and thoughtful and highly readable book, Kurt Gray offers provocative answers to these and other important questions about the endless seething to with Americans are becoming increasingly addicted.
— Daniel Gilbert, New York Times best-selling author of Stumbling on Happiness, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, and host of the PBS television series This Emotional LifePraise for The Mind Club
Daniel Wegner was among the world’s cleverest, wittiest, and most beloved social psychologists. The Mind Club is genuinely novel, with brilliantly conceived studies on some of the deepest issues the mind of man can ponder.
— Steven Pinker, author of The Stuff of Thought and How the Mind WorksCompelling, and so beautifully written…’The Mind Club’ deftly brings the most up-to-date research about other minds to readers of all backgrounds. It may cause you to think differently about crime and punishment, about business transactions and health care, and even about the upcoming elections. Things might just start looking up.
— The Wall Street Journal -
Books by Kurt Gray
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Media About Kurt Gray
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and Availability
- 212 572-2013
- Kurt Gray travels from Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Featured Title
Outraged
“A riveting read on the roots of our bitterest conflicts—and the remedies for them. One of the leading lights in moral psychology overturns widespread assumptions about why we’re divided and reveals how we can come together.”
—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know and host of the podcast Re: Thinking
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