Dr. Scott T. Allison
Professor of Psychology
(804) 289-8127
sallison@richmond.edu
Topic: Death (Perceptions of deceased individuals)
Allison, a social psychologist, is studying human beliefs about deceased individuals. He has found evidence that people actually value dead individuals more than living individuals, calling this phenomenon "the death positivity basis."
"Throughout history and across cultures, human beings have crafted numerous behaviors and rituals aimed at showing great reverence for the dead," Allison says. He is investigating how people form judgments about dead people, and how these judgments differ from those formed about living people. He recently presented his work at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in February in San Antonio, Texas.
For more information on Allison, please visit the Richmond Research Institute.