Virtues
I am interested in better understanding the social nature of virtues, such as humility and forgiveness. How to virtues help social functioning? In what ways do virtues contribute to a flourishing and meaningful life? How are virtues, religion, and meaning intertwined? Using experimental, longitudinal, and dyadic research designs, I am fascinated to learn more about the range of human prosociality and virtue. I wrote a book on the importance of cultivating humility.
Book
Van Tongeren, D. R. (2022). Humble: Free yourself from the traps of a narcissistic world. The Experiment.
Selected Publications
Van Tongeren, D. R., Teahan, K., Davis, E. B., Aten, J. D., Wang, D. C., Hall, E. L., & Shannonhouse, L., Kojima, Y., & Severino, M. (in press). The trust signaling hypothesis of humility: How humble leaders elicit greater monetary contributions. Journal of Positive Psychology.
Van Tongeren, D. R., DeWall, C. N., Davis, D. E., & Hook, J. N. (2023): Intellectual humility and existentially relevant moral decisions. Journal of Positive Psychology, 18, 363-369.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Ng, V., Hickman, L., & Tay, L. (2023). Behavioral measures of humility: Part 1. Theoretical and methodological review. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18, 711-721.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Ng, V., Hickman, L., & Tay, L. (2023). Behavioral measures of humility: Part 2. Conceptual mapping and charting ways forward. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18, 722-732.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Severino, M., Kojima, Y., Miskowski, K., & Blank, S. (2023). Is there a dark side to humility? Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence for existential costs of humility. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 33, 136-150.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Davis, D. E., Hook, J. N., & Witvliet, C. V. O. (2019). Humility. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 463-468.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Hook, J. N., Ramos, M. J., *Edwards, M., Worthington, E. L., Jr., Davis, D. E., Ruiz, J. M., Reid, C. A., Garthe, R. C., Nonterah, C. W., Cowden, R. G., Opare-Henaku, A., Connelly, R., Omoruyi, O., Nkomo, T. S., Osae-Larbi, J. A. (2019). The complementarity of humility hypothesis: Individual, relational, and physiological effects of mutually humble partners. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 14, 178-187.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Davis, D. E., Hook, J. N., Rowatt, W., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2018). Religious differences in reporting and expressing humility. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 10, 174-184.
Van Tongeren, D. R., *Stafford, J., Hook, J. N., Green, J. D., Davis, D. E., & Johnson, K. A. (2016). Humility attenuates negative attitudes and behaviors toward religious outgroup members. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11, 199-208.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Burnette, J. L., O’ Boyle, E., Worthington, E. L., & Forsyth, D. (2014). A meta-analysis of intergroup forgiveness. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9, 81-95.
Van Tongeren, D. R., Davis, D. E., & Hook, J. N. (2014). Social benefits of humility: Initiating and maintaining romantic relationships. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 9, 313-321.
Davis, D. E., Hook, J. N., Worthington, E. L. Jr., Van Tongeren, D. R., Gartner, A. L., Jennings, D. J. II, & Emmons, R. A. (2011). Relational humility: Conceptualizing and measuring humility as a personality judgment. Journal of Personality Assessment, 93, 225-234.
Selected Relevant Grant Funding
John Templeton Foundation (#62265), Applied Research on Intellectual Humility: A Request for Proposals. Role: Co-Principal Investigator (PI Don Davis). $6,041,610. 2022-2026 .
John Templeton Foundation (61392), Using Intellectual Humility to Navigate Existential Challenges. Role: Principal Investigator. $234,699. 2019-2022.
Templeton Religion Trust (0196), Quantifying the Dynamic Interplay Between Virtue and Human Flourishing: A National Scale Longitudinal Study. Role: Consultant (PI Joe Bulbulia). NZD 4,596,114. 2017-2020.
John Templeton Foundation (60622), Developing Humility in Leadership. Role: Co-Investigator (PI Peter Hill). $1,887,209. 2016-2019.
John Templeton Foundation (48321), Behavioral Measures of Humility in Couples. Role: Co-Investigator (PI Don E. Davis). $246,248. 2014-2016.