Mark J. Landau is a Professor at the University of Kansas. He received his doctorate from the University of Arizona in 2007. Dr. Landau has published many articles and chapters on metaphor's influence on social cognition and the role of existential motives in diverse aspects of social behavior. He has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Mental Health.
Our lab's research interests center on two questions with relevance to social and cognitive psychology. One addresses the cognitive mechanisms through which people make meaningful sense of themselves and their social world. Using conceptual metaphor theory as a framework, we investigate how people use metaphors at a conceptual level to understand abstract concepts (e.g., authenticity) in terms of dissimilar, relatively more concrete concepts (e.g., physical expansion). Several published findings to date point to metaphoric influences on self-perceptions, consumer decision making, and health intentions, among other outcomes. Findings also reveal effects of theoretically-specified moderating and mediating variables. The second major question addresses the psychological roots of human motivation. Inspired by perspectives in experimental existential psychology, particularly terror management theory and attachment theory, we investigate how deep-seated existential concerns fuel people's efforts to project meaning onto the social stimuli and their personal experiences. Findings to date demonstrate the integral role of existential concerns in various aspects of social behavior, from person perception to academic achievement.
A harrowing journey into the heart of motherhood: Tully
Beneath the surface: Abstract construal mindset increases receptivity to metaphors in health communications
Conceptual metaphors shape consumer psychology
Do metaphors in health messages work? Exploring emotional and cognitive factors
Enhancing health message framing with metaphor and cultural values: Impact on LatinasΓÇÖ cervical cancer screening
Finding the meaning of meaning: Emerging insights into four grand questions
Metaphors can give life meaning
Social psychology: The science of everyday life, 2nd Edition
When and why does belief in a controlling god strengthen goal commitment?