ana gantman
@anagantman.bsky.social
associate prof of psychology at brooklyn college & cuny grad center, & assoc prof of phil at cuny grad center; interested in moral psych—how people judge what is right and wrong, and what they do with those judgments
Pinned
ana gantman
@anagantman.bsky.social
· Sep 25
OSF
osf.io
We propose that the everyday psychology of rules and 3rd party punishment is at the core of authoritarianism
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by ana gantman
🚨 New preprint 🚨
How do people's mental models shape memory, prediction, and generalization? We find that people spontaneously construct goal-dependent causal abstractions that compress experience to privilege relevant information.
📃 osf.io/preprints/ps...
🔗 github.com/cicl-stanfor...
How do people's mental models shape memory, prediction, and generalization? We find that people spontaneously construct goal-dependent causal abstractions that compress experience to privilege relevant information.
📃 osf.io/preprints/ps...
🔗 github.com/cicl-stanfor...
October 24, 2025 at 7:15 PM
🚨 New preprint 🚨
How do people's mental models shape memory, prediction, and generalization? We find that people spontaneously construct goal-dependent causal abstractions that compress experience to privilege relevant information.
📃 osf.io/preprints/ps...
🔗 github.com/cicl-stanfor...
How do people's mental models shape memory, prediction, and generalization? We find that people spontaneously construct goal-dependent causal abstractions that compress experience to privilege relevant information.
📃 osf.io/preprints/ps...
🔗 github.com/cicl-stanfor...
Reposted by ana gantman
Here's a link to access our article "People Can Find Their True Selves Outside Moral Pursuits" (Cognition) for free for the next 50 days @jowylie.bsky.social @anagantman.bsky.social 📄 📎
authors.elsevier.com/c/1lznW2Hx2-...
#moralpsychology #philsky
authors.elsevier.com/c/1lznW2Hx2-...
#moralpsychology #philsky
authors.elsevier.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Here's a link to access our article "People Can Find Their True Selves Outside Moral Pursuits" (Cognition) for free for the next 50 days @jowylie.bsky.social @anagantman.bsky.social 📄 📎
authors.elsevier.com/c/1lznW2Hx2-...
#moralpsychology #philsky
authors.elsevier.com/c/1lznW2Hx2-...
#moralpsychology #philsky
Reposted by ana gantman
Thrilled to see this paper out! It's the culmination of a project begun in the depths of the pandemic with Sabrina Karjack and @zoengo.bsky.social . We continue our exploration of how children generalize when their episodic memory is not yet mature.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The dependence of children’s generalization on episodic memory varies with age and level of abstraction - Nature Communications
Children’s ability to generalize from episodic memories varies by both age and the level of abstraction. Here, the authors show that lower level generalization increasingly depends on episodic memory with age, whereas higher level generalization shows no such relationship.
www.nature.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Thrilled to see this paper out! It's the culmination of a project begun in the depths of the pandemic with Sabrina Karjack and @zoengo.bsky.social . We continue our exploration of how children generalize when their episodic memory is not yet mature.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by ana gantman
Why do some ideas spread widely, while others fail to catch on?
Our new review paper on the PSYCHOLOGY OF VIRALITY is now out in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social (it was led by @steverathje.bsky.social)
Read the full paper here: www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
Our new review paper on the PSYCHOLOGY OF VIRALITY is now out in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social (it was led by @steverathje.bsky.social)
Read the full paper here: www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
October 7, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Why do some ideas spread widely, while others fail to catch on?
Our new review paper on the PSYCHOLOGY OF VIRALITY is now out in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social (it was led by @steverathje.bsky.social)
Read the full paper here: www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
Our new review paper on the PSYCHOLOGY OF VIRALITY is now out in @cp-trendscognsci.bsky.social (it was led by @steverathje.bsky.social)
Read the full paper here: www.cell.com/trends/cogni...
We propose that the everyday psychology of rules and 3rd party punishment is at the core of authoritarianism
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
September 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
We propose that the everyday psychology of rules and 3rd party punishment is at the core of authoritarianism
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
Our view posits no new constructs, is ideology-agnostic, & considers relevant only interactions w the state
See our new working paper "Authoritarianism in Action" osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by ana gantman
Can large language models stand in for human participants?
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
The threat of analytic flexibility in using large language models to simulate human data: A call to attention
Social scientists are now using large language models to create "silicon samples" - synthetic datasets intended to stand in for human respondents, aimed at revolutionising human subjects research. How...
arxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Can large language models stand in for human participants?
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Many social scientists seem to think so, and are already using "silicon samples" in research.
One problem: depending on the analytic decisions made, you can basically get these samples to show any effect you want.
THREAD 🧵
Reposted by ana gantman
🚨 NEW PREPRINT: Multimodal inference through mental simulation.
We examine how people figure out what happened by combining visual and auditory evidence through mental simulation.
Paper: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Code: github.com/cicl-stanfor...
We examine how people figure out what happened by combining visual and auditory evidence through mental simulation.
Paper: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Code: github.com/cicl-stanfor...
September 16, 2025 at 7:04 PM
🚨 NEW PREPRINT: Multimodal inference through mental simulation.
We examine how people figure out what happened by combining visual and auditory evidence through mental simulation.
Paper: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Code: github.com/cicl-stanfor...
We examine how people figure out what happened by combining visual and auditory evidence through mental simulation.
Paper: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Code: github.com/cicl-stanfor...
Reposted by ana gantman
One common view in moral psychology is “the primacy of the moral” - the view that people think your moral traits are what’s most fundamental about you
These new studies challenge that view, suggesting that people sometimes see artistic creation as just as fundamental as morality
These new studies challenge that view, suggesting that people sometimes see artistic creation as just as fundamental as morality
you're having a sliding doors moment--you can either become a great artist or a great philanthropist. what path will make you feel like you've found your true self? @jowylie.bsky.social & @mattlindauer.bsky.social and i find that arts provide a unique one static1.squarespace.com/static/679ee...
September 17, 2025 at 1:29 PM
One common view in moral psychology is “the primacy of the moral” - the view that people think your moral traits are what’s most fundamental about you
These new studies challenge that view, suggesting that people sometimes see artistic creation as just as fundamental as morality
These new studies challenge that view, suggesting that people sometimes see artistic creation as just as fundamental as morality
you're having a sliding doors moment--you can either become a great artist or a great philanthropist. what path will make you feel like you've found your true self? @jowylie.bsky.social & @mattlindauer.bsky.social and i find that arts provide a unique one static1.squarespace.com/static/679ee...
September 15, 2025 at 3:56 PM
you're having a sliding doors moment--you can either become a great artist or a great philanthropist. what path will make you feel like you've found your true self? @jowylie.bsky.social & @mattlindauer.bsky.social and i find that arts provide a unique one static1.squarespace.com/static/679ee...
Reposted by ana gantman
In a new paper, my colleagues and I set out to demonstrate how method biases can create spurious findings in relationship science, by using a seemingly meaningless scale (e.g., "My relationship has very good Saturn") to predict relationship outcomes. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Pseudo Effects: How Method Biases Can Produce Spurious Findings About Close Relationships - Samantha Joel, John K. Sakaluk, James J. Kim, Devinder Khera, Helena Yuchen Qin, Sarah C. E. Stanton, 2025
Research on interpersonal relationships frequently relies on accurate self-reporting across various relationship facets (e.g., conflict, trust, appreciation). Y...
journals.sagepub.com
September 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
In a new paper, my colleagues and I set out to demonstrate how method biases can create spurious findings in relationship science, by using a seemingly meaningless scale (e.g., "My relationship has very good Saturn") to predict relationship outcomes. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by ana gantman
August 18, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Reposted by ana gantman
@anagantman.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully gotten back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
Everyday Revenge
We are interested in stories of everyday revenge—cases where you successfully got back at someone after being wronged. Please think up an experience of when you took revenge and tell us about it.
Pl...
docs.google.com
August 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM
@anagantman.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully gotten back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it.
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
@paulbloomatyale.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social, and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully got back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
Everyday Revenge
We are interested in stories of everyday revenge—cases where you successfully got back at someone after being wronged. Please think up an experience of when you took revenge and tell us about it.
Pl...
docs.google.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
@paulbloomatyale.bsky.social @jowylie.bsky.social, and I are starting to study everyday revenge. Have you ever successfully got back at someone after being wronged? We would love to hear about it:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#PsychSciSky #socialpsyc #cognition
Reposted by ana gantman
In this finally out (!) paper, I argue no—and cognitive science backs this up. We can keep the orthodox rationalist view of belief *and* recognize the difficulties in changing minds. The key is thinking of belief as requiring a *capacity* (not a reliable disposition) to respond to evidence.
Resistant Beliefs, Responsive Believers - Volume 122, Issue 4, April 2025
Beliefs can be resistant to evidence. Nonetheless, the orthodox view in epistemology analyzes beliefs as evidence-responsive attitudes. I address this tension by deploying analytical tools on capaciti...
www.pdcnet.org
July 29, 2025 at 1:09 PM
In this finally out (!) paper, I argue no—and cognitive science backs this up. We can keep the orthodox rationalist view of belief *and* recognize the difficulties in changing minds. The key is thinking of belief as requiring a *capacity* (not a reliable disposition) to respond to evidence.
🥂 officially promoted to associate prof of psych at brooklyn college & the CUNY grad center--and appointed in the philosophy department at the grad center 🥂
July 28, 2025 at 3:14 PM
🥂 officially promoted to associate prof of psych at brooklyn college & the CUNY grad center--and appointed in the philosophy department at the grad center 🥂
Reposted by ana gantman
I have a new paper on "The Psychology of Virality" with @steverathje.bsky.social
We explain how similar psychological processes (eg preferential attention to negativity, social motives, etc.) drive the spread of information across online and offline contexts: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We explain how similar psychological processes (eg preferential attention to negativity, social motives, etc.) drive the spread of information across online and offline contexts: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
July 23, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I have a new paper on "The Psychology of Virality" with @steverathje.bsky.social
We explain how similar psychological processes (eg preferential attention to negativity, social motives, etc.) drive the spread of information across online and offline contexts: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We explain how similar psychological processes (eg preferential attention to negativity, social motives, etc.) drive the spread of information across online and offline contexts: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by ana gantman
A now-classic experiment from Kevin Tobia found an effect of morality (becoming morally worse vs. becoming morally better) on intuitions about personal identity
A new study now looks at that effect across a variety of different cultures
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
A new study now looks at that effect across a variety of different cultures
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
June 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A now-classic experiment from Kevin Tobia found an effect of morality (becoming morally worse vs. becoming morally better) on intuitions about personal identity
A new study now looks at that effect across a variety of different cultures
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
A new study now looks at that effect across a variety of different cultures
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Reposted by ana gantman
Now out in paperback! Advances in Experimental Political Philosophy. Very glad to have put together such a stellar lineup of contributors. #philsky
June 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Now out in paperback! Advances in Experimental Political Philosophy. Very glad to have put together such a stellar lineup of contributors. #philsky
so the word 'corporation' comes from the latin 'corporatio' meaning "having taken bodily form" and in a new paper @gfloresrob.bsky.social nirupika sharma and i interrogate this corporation-body metaphor and its implications for how we think about blame wrt corporate wrongdoing osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
May 15, 2025 at 7:13 PM
so the word 'corporation' comes from the latin 'corporatio' meaning "having taken bodily form" and in a new paper @gfloresrob.bsky.social nirupika sharma and i interrogate this corporation-body metaphor and its implications for how we think about blame wrt corporate wrongdoing osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by ana gantman
Honored to receive this award, which @anagantman.bsky.social also received! Go PsyPhi Lab! 👽
Congratulations to the Graduate Center’s Feliks Gross and Henry Wasser Awards winners: @anagantman.bsky.social, Qiushi Guo, Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, @mattlindauer.bsky.social., Sarah Ita Levitan, and Vladimir Rosenhaus! www.gc.cuny.edu/news/six-cun...
May 6, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Honored to receive this award, which @anagantman.bsky.social also received! Go PsyPhi Lab! 👽
Reposted by ana gantman
Congratulations to the Graduate Center’s Feliks Gross and Henry Wasser Awards winners: @anagantman.bsky.social, Qiushi Guo, Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, @mattlindauer.bsky.social., Sarah Ita Levitan, and Vladimir Rosenhaus! www.gc.cuny.edu/news/six-cun...
May 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Congratulations to the Graduate Center’s Feliks Gross and Henry Wasser Awards winners: @anagantman.bsky.social, Qiushi Guo, Catherine Kramarczuk Voulgarides, @mattlindauer.bsky.social., Sarah Ita Levitan, and Vladimir Rosenhaus! www.gc.cuny.edu/news/six-cun...
Congratulations, Dr. @gfloresrob.bsky.social 🌟🧠🥳 so proud of you! And so jealous of your future mentors at princeton!
April 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Congratulations, Dr. @gfloresrob.bsky.social 🌟🧠🥳 so proud of you! And so jealous of your future mentors at princeton!
great thread on our working paper on the role that pursuits besides moral goodness--specifically aesthetic or intellectual ones--play in access our feelings that we are our free and authentic selves
love working with these two @jowylie.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
love working with these two @jowylie.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
Academic research focuses so obsessively on morality, but people also care deeply about other parts of life
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
OSF
osf.io
April 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM
great thread on our working paper on the role that pursuits besides moral goodness--specifically aesthetic or intellectual ones--play in access our feelings that we are our free and authentic selves
love working with these two @jowylie.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
love working with these two @jowylie.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
Reposted by ana gantman
Academic research focuses so obsessively on morality, but people also care deeply about other parts of life
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
OSF
osf.io
April 24, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Academic research focuses so obsessively on morality, but people also care deeply about other parts of life
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
Reposted by ana gantman
Fun thread on our recent work looking at the contributions that non-moral forms of value, such as aesthetic value, make to our lives. @jowylie.bsky.social @anagantman.bsky.social
Academic research focuses so obsessively on morality, but people also care deeply about other parts of life
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
(Lou Reed might not have been a moral exemplar, but we might think he was an exemplar of something else)
This @jowylie.bsky.social paper explores this other side of people’s values
OSF
osf.io
April 24, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Fun thread on our recent work looking at the contributions that non-moral forms of value, such as aesthetic value, make to our lives. @jowylie.bsky.social @anagantman.bsky.social