Kentaro Fujita

Dr. Kentaro Fujita is a Professor of Social Psychology and Decision Psychology at The Ohio State University’s Department of Psychology within the College of Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from New York University (2006) and an A.B. from Harvard College (2000). His research explores why individuals often act against their long-term goals, focusing on self-control failures through the lens of motivation, cognition, and decision-making. He is particularly known for contributions to Construal Level Theory, examining how psychological distance and abstract thinking influence behavior.

Key awards include the 2020 Faculty Mentor of the Year Award and the 2010 SAGE Young Scholars Award. His work has been published in top journals such as Psychological Science and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Dr. Fujita directs the Motivation and Cognitive Science Laboratory, investigating the interplay between motivation and cognition in decision-making. Recent research emphasizes metamotivational strategies, regulatory focus, and interventions for health behaviors like diabetes prevention.

His articles highlight themes like self-control mechanisms, the impact of construal levels on behavior, and the role of mental abstraction in resisting temptations. Collaborative projects span neuroscience, public health, and educational psychology, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to understanding human decision processes.