Leah R. Dickens

Leah Dickens is a social psychologist specializing in the functions of emotions in everyday life.

Dickens’ current work centers on the emotional experiences of pride and gratitude, and how these can be beneficial to the self and relationships. Her work extends beyond the positive/negative dichotomy to investigate the nuanced complexity of discrete emotional states. How do emotions with the same valance differ in context, motivation, and utility? Dickens’ work also involves social perception (how we view other people) and nonverbal behavior.

Dickens received her Ph.D. from Northeastern University in 2015 and was a visiting assistant professor at both Mount Holyoke College (2015-16) and Bowdoin College (2016-17) before coming to Kenyon. Some of her favorite courses to teach are social psychology and positive psychology – the psychology of “the good life.”

Outside of college life, Dickens enjoys baking, nature walks and various embarrassing arts & crafts activities.