Richard W. Robins

Richard W. Robins is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, within the College of Letters and Science. He is Director of the Personality, Self and Emotion Laboratory and the California Families Project, and a core faculty member of the NIMH Training Program in Affective Science.

• Ph.D. in Psychology (Social/Personality), University of California, Berkeley (1995)
• B.A. in Psychology, University of California, Berkeley (1988)

His research centers on personality development, self-esteem, narcissism, self-conscious emotions (pride, shame, guilt, contempt), and developmental trajectories of Mexican-origin youth. He employs longitudinal and experimental designs with multi-method data collection across biological, psychological, and sociocultural domains.

His recent publications reflect a strong trend in longitudinal analysis of personality and emotion, particularly focusing on developmental pathways in youth, self-evaluation processes, and cultural influences on emotional expression. Key themes include the interplay between temperament and social behavior, the stability of self-esteem, and the distinction between genuine self-worth and narcissism.

Award highlights include:

• 2012 Diener Award for Outstanding Mid-Career Contributions to Personality Psychology
• Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2011)
• Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution (APA)
• Theoretical Innovation Prize (SPSP)
• Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Davis (2002–2007)

Professor Robins has secured research funding from the National Institutes of Health, particularly supporting the California Families Project. He has served as Associate Editor for Personality and Social Psychological Review and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and has edited major handbooks in personality psychology. He mentors graduate students and teaches courses in Personality Psychology, Personality Development, The Self, Emotion, and Longitudinal Methods.

He leads the Personality, Self and Emotions Laboratory at UC Davis, which focuses on social development, emotion regulation, and self-esteem using integrative and naturalistic research approaches.