ABINGTON, Pa. — Michael J. Bernstein, professor of psychology at Penn State Abington, was elected president of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology (SESP), an international organization dedicated to advancing research on the psychology of social interactions. He will take the helm in 2026 after serving as an officer this year and next.  

“I want SESP to be a place for faculty to connect and research in an inclusive space. It has been growing and changing, and the annual conference welcomes junior and early career faculty for training, professional development and building a network of scholars,” said Bernstein, who was named an SESP fellow in 2017. 

The organization counts fewer than a thousand members, who must show "evidence of substantial contribution to social psychology ... and significant publication in recognized journals or books" to be admitted.  

Bernstein has published more than 100 papers. At a broad level, his research focuses on groups and how they affect human feelings and behavior. Two subsets capture his interest: human response to social rejection and face processing.  

"For example, if your co-workers are upset with you and you don’t realize it, it leads to further ostracism," he said. "How do we become aware of the problem and how do we deal with it?”

Bernstein said his fascination with faces, the most important social indicator, led him and Joshua Correll, associate professor of psychology and neurology at the University of Colorado Boulder, down a path that resulted in a nearly $450,000 grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

During this three-year longitudinal study, they are examining the effects of cross-race contact on perceptual expertise, expectancies and individuated face processing. Specifically, Bernstein and Correll are investigating the cross-race recognition deficit, which occurs when people in one racial group fail to recognize faces from another racial group. Why this happens is open to debate, but the pair think it's related to having less experience seeing faces from other races. Someone may classify the person's race but may not individualize the person's features.

“Faces are unique, but it turns out we mess up faces," he said. "It tends to happen a lot if you are looking at another racial group, and it happens across races and populations all over the world. But it also occurs across other groups. ... The recognition deficit has huge implications for social interactions and legal implications such as eyewitness identifications, which are sometimes just plain wrong and not lies. Does more exposure make it better or not?"

When Bernstein completed his doctorate at Miami University in 2010, he applied for faculty positions nationally, but he was already familiar with Abington and Penn State. He grew up nearby, his parents both attended the campus, and his dad graduated from University Park.  

“Beyond location, I wanted to be in a place that cared about research but also really valued undergraduate teaching. I’m at Abington because I really love undergraduate teaching, but it also allows me to do as much research as I want,” he said. 

While Bernstein said teaching is his passion, he is inspired by the Abington student population, many of whom face financial and social challenges — almost 50% of students are the first in their families to attend college.

“I love getting students excited about things I find interesting and exciting. Education is one of most valuable tools people can acquire, and for our students in particular, education is an opportunity to make significant changes that will lead them to more opportunities,” Bernstein said. 

His favorite course to teach is statistics because he recalls struggling with it, and he uses that experience to support his students. 

“I withdrew the first time I took it, and it felt impregnable. I see when students feel this way, but I want them to see why stats matter. I tell them that I know where you’re at, and I’ve been there so let’s do this together. One of funniest things about my career is that I teach stats. I swore I would never do it,” Bernstein said. 

His expertise, dedication to teaching and voluble personality make him popular among current and former students, including Quintara Tucker, a 2015 graduate who has carved out a career as a board certified behavior analyst. She is also working on earning her doctorate.

“Dr. B has had a profound impact on my career, inspiring me with his passion, wisdom and unwavering support. He was my professor and my senior thesis adviser. Dr. B fueled my passion for research and teaching others. His guidance has not only shaped my path but also ignited within me a desire to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in academia as a professor,” Tucker said. 

Between 2015 and 2020, Bernstein was promoted from assistant to associate to full professor, and he was named the chair of the Psychological and Social Sciences major. He has won multiple awards for teaching excellence and research in addition to external research support.  

In the last few years, he has been tapped for campus-wide administrative posts, including serving as the director of research. He is currently the interim division head for social sciences, business and education. 

“I like the administrative roles because I can reduce hurdles and barriers to make faculty jobs easier. I also love mentoring and training, and it is one of the most important things I do. I still go to my phenomenal mentors from graduate school and in the field,” Bernstein said, citing Judy Newman, the associate professor of human development and family studies and bioethics who was assigned to be his mentor 14 years ago. 

Bernstein believes he is in a good place at Abington. 

“Abington has invested in me. I’m at a point where I can say yes to things that I might not have agreed to before. If the campus needs me, I’m more than willing to say yes. I’m excited for what comes next,” he said.  

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With more than 3,100 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 25 majors, accelerated master's degrees, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.