Daniel B. Shank

Daniel B. Shank is an Associate Professor of Psychological Science at Missouri University of Science & Technology, where he specializes in social psychology and technology interactions. His research primarily focuses on social psychological interactions with and perceptions of artificial intelligence, including morality, emotions, relationships, impressions, and behavior toward AIs. He has received over $3 million in external and internal grants including major funding from the National Science Foundation and the Army Research Office.

Dr. Shank's educational background includes a PhD and MA in Sociology, an MS in Artificial Intelligence, all from the University of Georgia, and a BA in Computer Science from Harding University. He previously served as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Alabama Birmingham and at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

His research interests span social psychology, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, technology and emotions, morality and AI, smart home technology, and digital sociology. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in psychology, sociology, and behavioral science technology journals such as Computers in Human Behavior, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and Journal of Experimental Psychology Applied. In 2025, he published the book The Machine Penalty: The Consequences of Seeing Artificial Intelligence as Less Than Human with Palgrave-Macmillan, which argues that comparing AI to humans leads us to diminish similar outcomes from AI across various situations.

His publication record shows a consistent focus on human perceptions of AI, particularly examining how people judge AI morality compared to humans, emotional responses to AI, and everyday ethical issues with AI rather than just theoretical dilemmas. His recent work has increasingly focused on real-world AI ethics, smart home technology adoption, and the affective impressions people form of AI systems.

Professional Recognition:

• 2024 Faculty Excellence Award, Missouri S&T
• 2023 Experiential Learning Award, Missouri S&T
• 2023 Innovative Teaching Award, College of Arts, Science, and Education, Missouri S&T
• 2021 Research Award, College of Arts, Science, and Business, Missouri S&T
• 2019 Faculty Research Award, Missouri S&T

Dr. Shank actively involves students in his research, as evidenced by his 2021 award for involving students in research. His grant funding from organizations like the National Science Foundation and Army Research Office supports both his research agenda and student participation in meaningful scholarly work.