Zakary Tormala

Zakary Tormala is the Laurence W. Lane Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). He holds a PhD in Psychology from The Ohio State University (2003) and a BA in Psychology from Arizona State University (1996). His academic career includes roles as an Assistant Professor at Indiana University (2003–2007) and subsequent tenured positions at Stanford GSB, culminating in his current professorship since 2019.

His research focuses on attitudes, persuasion, social influence, and psychological certainty. Key themes include the dynamics of attitude change, the role of uncertainty in decision-making, and the mechanisms behind effective advocacy. Tormala has contributed to prestigious journals like Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and serves in editorial roles, including Co-Editor of Consumer Psychology Review (2020–2022).

• Awards: Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award (Society for Consumer Psychology), Fellowships from Society for Personality and Social Psychology and Society of Experimental Social Psychology, and Early Career Award (Society for Consumer Psychology).
• Teaching: Courses on attitudes and persuasion at the MBA and PhD levels, alongside executive education programs on strategic marketing leadership.
• Labs/Teams: Engaged in interdisciplinary research at Stanford GSB, focusing on behavioral science applications in marketing and consumer psychology.

His work bridges psychological theory with practical insights for marketing and organizational communication, emphasizing how individuals process and respond to persuasive messages in dynamic social contexts.