James Wirth

Dr. James Wirth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at The Ohio State University Newark. He holds a BA from Northwestern University (2003), and MS and PhD from Purdue University (2007 and 2010). Before joining OSU Newark in 2013, he was an Assistant Professor at the University of North Florida. His research focuses on group processes, particularly ostracism’s impact on social pain, basic human needs, mood, and aggression. He explores how individual differences and situational factors moderate ostracism effects, including why groups ostracize burdensome members. His work integrates intergroup relations, personality, and novel group-based paradigms.

Wirth has received multiple grants, including annual Research and Scholarly Activity Grants at OSU Newark and prior funding from the University of North Florida. His research emphasizes undergraduate involvement, as seen in his grants involving student assistants. Key themes in his publications include ostracism dynamics, burden perception, and decision-making under social exclusion.

His research has been published in journals like Psychological Science and Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Notable works include studies on burdensome group members and the consequences of exclusion based on group identity. He also investigates technological solutions to pandemic-related behaviors, such as reducing face-touching through videoconferencing.