Researcher Profiles

Dr. Jeremy Frimer

Assistant Professor, Psychology

Can you share a brief description of your current research.

I am interested in why moral leaders are the minority among societal leaders more generally.  One approach centers on understanding unique personality characteristics of moral leaders.  A second approach focuses on the (sometimes negative) reactions of people surrounding moral leaders and the impact that those reactions have on the moral leader herself.

In what ways could this research affect the average person?

Anyone who cares about his or her own welfare (or the welfare of children, the disenfranchised, the hurting, and so on) stands to benefit from having moral leaders at the helm.  Some of our practices in educating our children and some of our interactions with pro-social people actually counter the effort to encourage moral leadership.  A better understanding of where we could improve might help us make the world a better place for our children.

For you personally, why do you want to do this kind of research?

I love thinking about people.Their stories fascinate me.  I care about what they care about.  I also love thinking about the nuances of how people relate to one another.  I feel grateful to have the opportunity to do all this thinking for a living and for a cause that I genuinely believe in.

What is the most satisfying part of this research?

The moment I discover a paradox---where I come to realize that two things are true but can’t be true---has to be the most rewarding moment of my job.  For example, my student Sarah Nicolau recently discovered that people think that moral leaders are worthy of awards, but, at the same time, people don’t trust moral leaders as individuals.  I love it when I rediscover how little I understand.

What kind of student involvement do you have in this research?

I arrived at the University of Winnipeg in the summer of 2012 but I am already working with five undergraduates.  They are developing study ideas, running participants, analyzing results, and building the research capacity of my lab.

What would you say to students who may be interested in this field of study?

You are in the right place at the right time.  Beginning around 2001, moral psychology really caught fire.  Every year, fascinating new studies are coming out.  Get involved!