Nicholas J Kelley
Biographic Data
| ID | 4626862 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Nicholas J Kelley |
| GIVEN NAMES | Nicholas J |
| FAMILY NAME | Kelley |
| SIGNATURE | KELLEY N J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Southampton |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2256-0597 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 13 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1954 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Up the moral pedestal: How self-image and self-beliefs fuel social action
We examine how moral outrage can promote perceived capacity for social change through the psychological mechanism of moral self-enhancement. Across four studies (N = 1300), we show that morally outraged individuals often engage in downward moral comparison, enhancing their sense of moral character relative to transgressors. This self-enhancement strengthens participatory efficacy, that is, beliefs in one’s capacity to enact change. In turn, heigh…
Motivations and outcomes of women’s pornography use
Liking Predicts Judgments of Authenticity in Real-Time Interactions More Robustly Than Personality States or Affect
We conducted three studies involving small group interactions ( N = 622) that examined whether Big Five personality states, affect, and/or liking predict judgments of others’ authenticity. Study 1 ( n = 119) revealed that neither self -rated personality states nor affect predicted other-rated authenticity. Instead, other-rated liking was the only predictor of other-rated authenticity. Study 2 ( n = 281) revealed that other -rated personality stat…
Narcissism Is Associated With Blunted Error‐Related Brain Activity
OBJECTIVE: Narcissism is associated with self-enhancement and social antagonism, yet its neural underpinnings, particularly in error processing, remain underexplored. Competing theoretical models, such as the mask model and the metacognitive model, offer conflicting hypotheses regarding how narcissism influences early neural responses to errors. We examine whether grandiose agentic narcissism relates to an elevated or blunted error-related negati…
Sleep quality and the self
We addressed the relation between sleep quality and aspects of the self. In particular, we conducted three studies using cross-sectional and longitudinal, as well as subjective and behavioral, methods to examine the link between sleep quality and four self-aspects: self-esteem, self-compassion, self-control, self-continuity. Past month sleep quality positively related to trait levels of all four self-aspects (Studies 1–2). Daily reports of sleep …
Nostalgia and the positive valence system
According to the regulatory model of nostalgia, nostalgia activates the positive valence system to countermand negative emotionality. However, no research has systematically examined whether nostalgia influences the diverse manifestations of the positive valence system. We addressed this issue in two preregistered studies (Σ N = 543). Participants completed trait nostalgia scales and the Positive Valence System Scale, comprising the following sev…
Authenticity, Well-Being, and Minority Stress in LGB Individuals: A Scoping Review
In general (i.e. in heteronormative and cisgendered samples), authenticity appears protective against threats to well-being. Authenticity may also, in part, protect well-being against the minority stressors experienced by sexually minoritized (LGB; lesbian, gay, and bisexual) individuals. In this scoping review, we examined the relation between authenticity and well-being in LGB samples experiencing minority stress. We hypothesized that (i) LGB m…
There is a party in my head and no one is invited: Resting‐state electrocortical activity and solitude
OBJECTIVE: What are the motivational underpinnings of solitude? We know from self-report studies that increases in solitude are associated with drops in approach motivation and rises in avoidance motivation, but only when solitude is experienced as non-self-determined (i.e., non-autonomous). However, the extent to which individual differences in solitude relate to neurophysiological markers of approach-avoidance motivation derived from resting-st…
Analytical reasoning reduces internet fraud susceptibility
Fake websites extract enormous financial and psychological toll on consumers across the globe, with some estimates reaching billions of dollars each year. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical data on why some consumers respond to fake websites while others remain immune. In nine studies we tested the hypothesis that analytical reasoning promotes the ability to discriminate real from fake versions of popular consumer websites. We found evidence in…
Emotional, motivational and attitudinal consequences of autonomous prosocial behaviour
When do prosocial actors experience positive versus negative psychological outcomes from helping others? In four studies and an internal meta‐analysis, we tested the hypothesis that autonomy shapes the psychological consequences of helping others. In Study 1, prosocial behaviour was associated with a robust pattern of negative well‐being outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) for individuals low but not high in autonomy. In Studies 2–4, rel…
Nostalgia confers psychological wellbeing by increasing authenticity
Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for one's past, predicts or augments psychological wellbeing (PWB). We hypothesized that it does so—at least in part—via authenticity, a sense of alignment with one's true self. We obtained support for this hypothesis in four studies. Using a measurement-of-mediation design, across a Western (United States) and East-Asian (China) culture, we found that nostalgia is associated with both authenticity and PWB, and th…
Evidence for a general factor of behavioral activation system sensitivity
Disgust sensitivity predicts defensive responding to mortality salience
Disgust protects the physical self. The present authors suggest that disgust also contributes to the protection of the psychological self by fostering stronger defensive reactions to existential concerns. To test this idea, 3 studies examined the link between disgust sensitivity and defensive responses to mortality salience or "terror management" processes (Greenberg, Solomon, & Pyszczynski, 1997). Each study included an individual difference mea…
Jealousy increased by induced relative left frontal cortical activity
Asymmetric frontal cortical activity may be one key to the process linking social exclusion to jealous feelings. The current research examined the causal role of asymmetric frontal brain activity in modulating jealousy in response to social exclusion. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the frontal cortex to manipulate asymmetric frontal cortical activity was combined with a modified version of the Cyberball paradigm designed to i…
Lashing Out after Stewing over Public Insults: The Effects of Public Provocation, Provocation Intensity, and Rumination on Triggered Displaced Aggression
Four studies present the first evidence showing that public (vs. private) provocation augments triggered displaced aggression by increasing the perceived intensity of the provocation. This effect is shown to be independent of face‐saving motivation. Following a public or private provocation, Study 1 participants were induced to ruminate or were distracted for 20 min. They then had an opportunity to aggress against another person who either acted …
Early Days at Hull House
Nostalgia confers psychological wellbeing by increasing authenticity
Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for one's past, predicts or augments psychological wellbeing (PWB). We hypothesized that it does so—at least in part—via authenticity, a sense of alignment with one's true self. We obtained support for this hypothesis in four studies. Using a measurement-of-mediation design, across a Western (United States) and East-Asian (China) culture, we found that nostalgia is associated with both authenticity and PWB, and th…
Lashing Out after Stewing over Public Insults: The Effects of Public Provocation, Provocation Intensity, and Rumination on Triggered Displaced Aggression
Four studies present the first evidence showing that public (vs. private) provocation augments triggered displaced aggression by increasing the perceived intensity of the provocation. This effect is shown to be independent of face‐saving motivation. Following a public or private provocation, Study 1 participants were induced to ruminate or were distracted for 20 min. They then had an opportunity to aggress against another person who either acted …
There is a party in my head and no one is invited: Resting‐state electrocortical activity and solitude
OBJECTIVE: What are the motivational underpinnings of solitude? We know from self-report studies that increases in solitude are associated with drops in approach motivation and rises in avoidance motivation, but only when solitude is experienced as non-self-determined (i.e., non-autonomous). However, the extent to which individual differences in solitude relate to neurophysiological markers of approach-avoidance motivation derived from resting-st…
Emotional, motivational and attitudinal consequences of autonomous prosocial behaviour
When do prosocial actors experience positive versus negative psychological outcomes from helping others? In four studies and an internal meta‐analysis, we tested the hypothesis that autonomy shapes the psychological consequences of helping others. In Study 1, prosocial behaviour was associated with a robust pattern of negative well‐being outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) for individuals low but not high in autonomy. In Studies 2–4, rel…
Evidence for a general factor of behavioral activation system sensitivity
Early Days at Hull House
Lashing Out after Stewing over Public Insults: The Effects of Public Provocation, Provocation Intensity, and Rumination on Triggered Displaced Aggression
Four studies present the first evidence showing that public (vs. private) provocation augments triggered displaced aggression by increasing the perceived intensity of the provocation. This effect is shown to be independent of face‐saving motivation. Following a public or private provocation, Study 1 participants were induced to ruminate or were distracted for 20 min. They then had an opportunity to aggress against another person who either acted …
Disgust sensitivity predicts defensive responding to mortality salience
Disgust protects the physical self. The present authors suggest that disgust also contributes to the protection of the psychological self by fostering stronger defensive reactions to existential concerns. To test this idea, 3 studies examined the link between disgust sensitivity and defensive responses to mortality salience or "terror management" processes (Greenberg, Solomon, & Pyszczynski, 1997). Each study included an individual difference mea…
Jealousy increased by induced relative left frontal cortical activity
Asymmetric frontal cortical activity may be one key to the process linking social exclusion to jealous feelings. The current research examined the causal role of asymmetric frontal brain activity in modulating jealousy in response to social exclusion. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the frontal cortex to manipulate asymmetric frontal cortical activity was combined with a modified version of the Cyberball paradigm designed to i…
Evidence for a general factor of behavioral activation system sensitivity
Nostalgia confers psychological wellbeing by increasing authenticity
Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for one's past, predicts or augments psychological wellbeing (PWB). We hypothesized that it does so—at least in part—via authenticity, a sense of alignment with one's true self. We obtained support for this hypothesis in four studies. Using a measurement-of-mediation design, across a Western (United States) and East-Asian (China) culture, we found that nostalgia is associated with both authenticity and PWB, and th…
Analytical reasoning reduces internet fraud susceptibility
Fake websites extract enormous financial and psychological toll on consumers across the globe, with some estimates reaching billions of dollars each year. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical data on why some consumers respond to fake websites while others remain immune. In nine studies we tested the hypothesis that analytical reasoning promotes the ability to discriminate real from fake versions of popular consumer websites. We found evidence in…
Emotional, motivational and attitudinal consequences of autonomous prosocial behaviour
When do prosocial actors experience positive versus negative psychological outcomes from helping others? In four studies and an internal meta‐analysis, we tested the hypothesis that autonomy shapes the psychological consequences of helping others. In Study 1, prosocial behaviour was associated with a robust pattern of negative well‐being outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress) for individuals low but not high in autonomy. In Studies 2–4, rel…
Liking Predicts Judgments of Authenticity in Real-Time Interactions More Robustly Than Personality States or Affect
We conducted three studies involving small group interactions ( N = 622) that examined whether Big Five personality states, affect, and/or liking predict judgments of others’ authenticity. Study 1 ( n = 119) revealed that neither self -rated personality states nor affect predicted other-rated authenticity. Instead, other-rated liking was the only predictor of other-rated authenticity. Study 2 ( n = 281) revealed that other -rated personality stat…
Narcissism Is Associated With Blunted Error‐Related Brain Activity
OBJECTIVE: Narcissism is associated with self-enhancement and social antagonism, yet its neural underpinnings, particularly in error processing, remain underexplored. Competing theoretical models, such as the mask model and the metacognitive model, offer conflicting hypotheses regarding how narcissism influences early neural responses to errors. We examine whether grandiose agentic narcissism relates to an elevated or blunted error-related negati…
Sleep quality and the self
We addressed the relation between sleep quality and aspects of the self. In particular, we conducted three studies using cross-sectional and longitudinal, as well as subjective and behavioral, methods to examine the link between sleep quality and four self-aspects: self-esteem, self-compassion, self-control, self-continuity. Past month sleep quality positively related to trait levels of all four self-aspects (Studies 1–2). Daily reports of sleep …
Nostalgia and the positive valence system
According to the regulatory model of nostalgia, nostalgia activates the positive valence system to countermand negative emotionality. However, no research has systematically examined whether nostalgia influences the diverse manifestations of the positive valence system. We addressed this issue in two preregistered studies (Σ N = 543). Participants completed trait nostalgia scales and the Positive Valence System Scale, comprising the following sev…
Authenticity, Well-Being, and Minority Stress in LGB Individuals: A Scoping Review
In general (i.e. in heteronormative and cisgendered samples), authenticity appears protective against threats to well-being. Authenticity may also, in part, protect well-being against the minority stressors experienced by sexually minoritized (LGB; lesbian, gay, and bisexual) individuals. In this scoping review, we examined the relation between authenticity and well-being in LGB samples experiencing minority stress. We hypothesized that (i) LGB m…
There is a party in my head and no one is invited: Resting‐state electrocortical activity and solitude
OBJECTIVE: What are the motivational underpinnings of solitude? We know from self-report studies that increases in solitude are associated with drops in approach motivation and rises in avoidance motivation, but only when solitude is experienced as non-self-determined (i.e., non-autonomous). However, the extent to which individual differences in solitude relate to neurophysiological markers of approach-avoidance motivation derived from resting-st…
Up the moral pedestal: How self-image and self-beliefs fuel social action
We examine how moral outrage can promote perceived capacity for social change through the psychological mechanism of moral self-enhancement. Across four studies (N = 1300), we show that morally outraged individuals often engage in downward moral comparison, enhancing their sense of moral character relative to transgressors. This self-enhancement strengthens participatory efficacy, that is, beliefs in one’s capacity to enact change. In turn, heigh…
Motivations and outcomes of women’s pornography use
Psychology (11 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Developmental psychology (6 works) · Social Psychology (5 works) · Behavioral Health and Interventions (4 works) · Computer Science (4 works) · Affect (linguistics) (3 works) · Cognition (3 works) · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion (3 works) · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior (3 works)