Kristin Sommer
Professor
Weissman School of Arts and Sciences
- Biography
- Teaching
- Research and Creative Activity
- Grants
- Honors and Awards
- Service
Kristin Sommer is Professor of Psychology at Baruch College, CUNY. She holds appointments on the doctoral faculties in Basic and Applied Social Psychology and Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the Graduate Center. Dr. Sommer’s research interests lie in the domain of social rejection and exclusion, broadly defined. Dr. Sommer teaches undergraduate and doctoral courses in research methods and social psychology. Her work has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation.
Education
Ph.D., Social Psychology, University of Toledo
M.A., Social Psychology, University of Toledo
B.A., Psychology, University of Toledo
Journal Articles
(2024). Back to basics and moving forward: Expanding research on ostracism to linguistically diverse and workplace settings. Journal of Social Psychology.,
Benkendorf, D., & Sommer, K. (2021). The impact of emotions on stereotyping and discrimination in workplace selection: The role of certainty appraisals. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 51(4). 434-448.
Kulkarni, M., & Sommer, K. (2015). Language-based exclusion and prosocial behavior in organizations. Human Resource Management, 54(4). 637-652.
Sommer, K., & Bernieri, F. (2014). Minimizing the Pain and Probability of Rejection: Evidence for Relational Distancing and Proximity Seeking Within Face-to-Face Interactions. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(2). 131-139.
Sommer, K., & Yoon, J. (2013). When silence is golden: Ego depletion following aversive social interactions. Journal of Personal and Social Relationships, 30(2).
Sommer, K., & Kulkarni, M. (2012). Does constructive performance feedback improve citizenship intentions and job satisfaction? The roles of perceived opportunities for advancement, respect, and mood. Human Resource Decision Quarterly, 23(2). 177-201.
Sommer, K., Parson, C., Bruno, S., & Bourgeois, M. J. (2012). Sex and need for power as predictors of reactions to disobedience. Social Influence, 7(1). 1-19.
Sommer, K., & Bourgeois, M. (2010). Linking the perceived ability to influence others to subjective well-being: A need-based approach. Social Influence, 5. 200-244.
Bourgeois, M., Sommer, K., & Bruno, S. (2009). What do we get out of influencing others?. Social Influence, 4. 1-26.
Sommer, K., Kirkland, K. L., Newman, S., Estrella, P., & Andreassi, J. L. (2009). Narcissism and cardiovacular reactivity to thoughts of rejection. Journal of Applied Social Psychology , 39. 1083-1115.
Dotan-Eliaz, O., Sommer, K., & Rubin, Y. (2009). Working in a multilingual context: Effects of linguistic ostracism on coworker attraction, team potency, performance and aggressive thought. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 31. 363-375.
Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (2002). Self-evaluation, persistence, and performance following implicit rejection: The role of trait self-esteem. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (28). 926-938.
Sommer, K., Williams, K. D., Ciarocco, N. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (2001). When silence speaks louder than words: Explorations into the interpersonal and intrapsychic consequences of social ostracism. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, (23). 227-245.
Sommer, K., Horowitz, I. A., & Bourgeois, M. J. (2001). When juries fail to comply with the law: Biased evidence processing in individual and group decision making. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (27). 309-320.
Ciarocco, N. J., Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (2001). Ostracism and Ego depletion: The strains of silence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (27). 1156-1163.
Baumeister, R. F., Sommer, K., & Dale, K. (1998). Freudian defense mechanisms and empirical findings in modern social psychology. Journal of Personality, (66). 1081-1124.
Baumeister, R. F., & Sommer, K. (1997). Patterns in the bizarre: Common themes in saatanic ritual abuse, sexual masochism, UFO abductions, factitious illness and extreme love. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, (16). 213-223.
Baumeister, R. F., & Sommer, K. (1997). What do men want? Gender differences and two spheres of belongingness. Psychological Bulletin, (122). 38-44.
Williams, K. D., & Sommer, K. (1997). Social ostracism by coworkers: Does rejection lead to loafing or compensation?. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (23). 693-706.
Baumeister, R. F., Sommer, K., & Cicora, K. F. (1996). Inequity and iniquity in marriage. Social Justice Research, (9). 199-212.
Book Chapters
Sommer, K., Nagel, J., & Williams, K. D. (2021). Ostracism as applied to the workplace. In Liu, C., & Ma, J. (Eds.), Workplace Ostracism: Its Nature, Antecedents, and Consequences (pp. 1-34). Cham, Switzerland. Palgrave/Macmillan.
Sommer, K., Leone, J. N., & Williams, K. D. (2019). Ostracism and Motivation in Groups. In Karau, S. (Ed.), Individual Motivation within Groups: Social Loafing and Motivation Gains in Work, Academic, and Sports Teams (pp. 331-357). San Diego, USA. Academic Press.
Sommer, K., Baumeister, R. F., & Stillman, T. (2012). The construction of meaning from life events: Empirical studies of personal narratives.. In Wong, P. T., & Fry, P. S. (Eds.), Handbook of personal meaning: Theory, research, and application (pp. 297-313). New York, NY. Taylor & Francis.
Sommer, K., & Benkendorf, D. (2009). Looking before leaping: The role of social expectancies in attachment regulation following interpersonal rejection.. In Harris, M. J. (Ed.), Bullying, Rejection, and Peer Victimization: A Social Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective. (pp. 225-250). New York, NY. Springer Publishing Company.
Sommer, K., & Rubin, Y. (2005). Role of social expectancies in cognitive and behavioral responses to social rejection. In Williams, K. D., Forgas, J. P., & von Hippel, W. (Eds.), The social outcast: Ostracism, social exclusion, rejection, and bullying (pp. 171-183). Psychology Press.
Sommer, K. (2001). Coping with rejection: Ego-defensive strategies, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships, Interpersonal rejection. In Leary, M. (Ed.), Interpersonal Rejection (pp. 167-188). New York. Oxford University Press.
Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (1998). The construction of meaning from life events: Empirical studies of personal narratives.. In Wong, P. T., & Fry, P. S. (Eds.), Handbook of personal meaning: Theory, research, & application (pp. 143-161). Mahwah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Baumeister, R. F., Exline, J. J., & Sommer, K. (1998). The victim role, grudge theory and two dimensions of forgiveness, Dimensions of forgiveness: Psychological research and theological perspectives. In Worthington, E. (Ed.), Dimensions of forgiveness: Psychological research and theological perspectives. (pp. 79-104). Radnor, PA. Templeton Press.
Bratslavsky, E., Baumeister, R. F., & Sommer, K. (1998). To love or be loved in vain: The trails and tribulations of unrequited love.. In Spitzberg, B. H., & Cupach, W. R. (Eds.), The dark side of relationships. (pp. 307-326). Mahwah, NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Sommer, K. (1997). Consciousness, free choice and automaticity.. In Wyer, Jr., R. S. (Ed.), The automaticity of everyday life. (pp. 75-81). Mahway, NJ. Erlbaum.
Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Making someone feel guilty: Causes, strategies and consequences.. In Kowalski, R. (Ed.), Aversive interpersonal behaviors. (pp. 31-35). New York. Plenum Press.
Presentations
Sommer, K., Pinkhasik, E., Sidibe, S., & Kulkarni, M. (2026, February 13). Perspective differences in attributions for linguistic ostracism. . Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. San Fransisco, CA: Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
Sommer, K. (2021, April 30). Symposium Discussant: The Political Antecedents of Workplace Ostracism and Employees' Emotional Labor. Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. New Orleans, LA: Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Lee, S., Kato, A., & Sommer, K. (2021, April 30). Coping with Success: Effects of Coworker Relationship Quality on Outperformer.. Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology. New Orleans, LA
Sommer, K. (2021, April 30). New Tower of Babel: Probing the Antecedents and Consequences of Linguistic Ostracism.. Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. New Orleans, LA: Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Sommer, K., Kern, M., Kulkarni, M., & Mugayar-Baldocchi, M. (2020, August 31). Language-based exclusion increases workplace deviance among the morally disengaged. Academy of Management. virtual
Pesner, E. D., Gonzalez, K., Sommer, K., & Kern, M. (2017, April 30). When Ostracism Leads to Turnover: The Moderating Role of Attachment Style.. Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Orlando, FL
Covell, M., & Sommer, K. (2017, April 30). Does trait self-esteem moderate the motivational consequences of self-threatening feedback?. Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology. Orlando, FL
Mitra, P., Park, J., Scherbaum, C., & Sommer, K. (2017, April 30). Role of the Veil and Target Ethnicity in Selection Decisions.. Poster presented at the 32nd annual conference. Orlando, FL.: Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Mitra, P., Park, J., Scherbaum, C., & Sommer, K. (2017, April 30). Role of the Veil and Target Ethnicity in Selection Decisions. Poster presented at the 32nd annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Orlando, FL.
Mitra, P., Park, J., Scherbaum, C., & Sommer, K. (2017, April 30). Role of the Veil and Target Ethnicity in Selection Decisions.. Poster presented at the 32nd annual conference. Orlando, FL.: Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Sidibe, S., Pinkhasik, E., Kulkarni, M., Sommer, K., & Dotan-Eliaz, O. (2015, December 31). Using language to exclude others: Motives for and emotional reactions to linguistic ostracism. Association for Psychological Science. New York: APS.
Denunzio, M., Mitra, P., & Sommer, K. (2014, April 30). Job Crafting: A Way to Satisfy Psychological Needs at Work. Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Honolulu: SIOP.
Denunzio, M., Mitra, P., & Sommer, K. (2014, April 30). Workplace Ostracism as a Precursor to Unethical Decision-Making. Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Honolulu, HI: SIOP.
Marira, T., & Sommer, K. (2014, April 30). The Impact of Colorism in Selection Systems: A SDO Perspective. Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Honolulu: SIOP.
Sywulak, L., Sommer, K., & Bourgeois, M. J. (2013, December 31). How persuasion and group membership affect social identification and helping.. Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Houston, TX: SIOP.
Parson, C. C., Artistico, D., Sommer, K., & Goldstein, H. (2013, December 31). Ethical climate, self-construal, and unethical decision-making.. Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Houston, TX: SIOP.
Parson, C., Wong, C., Leung, C., Bruno, S., Bourgeois, M. J., & Sommer, K. (2011, December 31). Does power fulfill belongingness? Reactions to obedience among males and those high in nPower.. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. San Antonio, TX
Morris, E. A., Bourgeois, M. J., & Sommer, K. (2011, December 31). Influencing others buffers the effects of mortality salience on ingroup bias. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. San Antonio, TX
Gillis, L. V., Morris, E. A., Bourgeois, M. J., & Sommer, K. (2011, December 31). Behavioral mimicry, gender, and well-being.. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Las Vegas, NV
Benkendorf, D. L., Kirkland, K. L., & Sommer, K. (2010, December 31). Better off alone: Social detachment following peer rejection.. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Las Vegas, NV
Benkendorf, D. L., Kirkland, K. L., & Sommer, K. (2010, December 31). Who is the fairer sex? How gender composition of groups influences bias for and against women with family obligations. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Tampa, FL
Gillis, L. V., Morris, E. A., Bourgeois, M. J., & Sommer, K. (2009, December 31). Influencing others leads to increased self-esteem, sense of control, and belongingness.. Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Tampa, FL
Boyd, B., Blanshtenyn, V., & Sommer, K. (2008, December 31). Implicit egotism in selection. The Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology Convention. San Francisco, CA
Benkendorf, D., & Sommer, K. (2008, December 31). The effect of emotional valence and certainty on the use of the physical attractiveness stereotype in an employee selection context. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Memphis, TN
Sommer, K., Benkendorf, D., Bruno, S., Kirkland, K., Busing, A., & Bernieri, F. (2007, December 31). Destined for rejection? How isolated experiences with rejection engender negative social expectancies and the defensive derogation of new relationship partners. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention. Memphis, TN
Dotan, O., Sommer, K., Granovskaya, Y., & Rubin, Y. (2007, December 31). "It's Greek to me!" Emotional and behavioral responses to linguistic ostracism in work groups. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention. Memphis, TN
Bruno, S., Sommer, K., Bourgeois, M., & Lai-Ying, L. (2007, December 31). Preceptions of social influence impact coworker attraction and helping behavior. The Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology Convention. San Francisco, CA
Elgendy, S., McMahon, J., & Sommer, K. (2007, December 31). When terror breeds disdain for newcomers: The relationship between reminders of September 11, 2001 and the evaluation of prospective group members. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Memphis, TN
Bourgeois, M. J., & Sommer, K. (2006, January 31). Influencing other enhances feelings of belongingness. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Palm Springs, CA
Tallon, J., & Sommer, K. (2006, January 31). Effects of interpersonal rejection of public and private conformity. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Palm Springs, CA
Sommer, K., Bourgeois, M. J., & Bruno, S. (2006, January 31). The perceived ability to influence others and subjective well-being. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Palm Springs, CA
Ogilvie, J., & Sommer, K. (2006, January 31). The Dyadic-Tribal Affiliation Questionnaire. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Palm Springs, CA
Bernieri, F., McMahon, J., Sommer, K., & Ochea, J. (2006, May 31). Emotional contagion in conversational language. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., Bernieri, F., Barkowski, B., Czajka, A., & Raymond, A. (2006, May 31). Interpersonal Rejection, Felt Security and the Desirability of New Relationships. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K. (2004, May 31). Negative social expectancies and critcism following interpersonal rejection.. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Dotan, O., Rubin, Y., & Sommer, K. (2004, April 30). Impact of language diversity on team-member's self-feelings, team-perceptions and individual performance. The Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology Convention. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K. (2004, March 31). Maintaining self-esteem in the face of rejection. The Sydney Symposium in Social Psychology. Sydney, AU
Kirkland, K. L., Hirsch, S., Andreassi, J. L., & Sommer, K. (2003, May 31). Effects of interpersonal rejection and narcissism on cardiovascular reactivity. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Yoon, J., Sommer, K., & Chavez, D. (2002, May 31). Ostracism and ego depletion: The role of target likability. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Yoon, J., Lee, J. K., & Sommer, K. (2001, May 31). Is ostracizing others depleting? It depends on whether you like them. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Gat, M., Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (2001, February 28). Ego depletion and automatic egotism. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Antonio, TX
Sommer, K., Fernandez, J., Yoon, J., & Shpak, Y. (2001, May 31). Emotional and cognitive underpinnings of forgiveness: Apologies, remorse and violations of trust.. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., Ciarocco, N. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (1999, April 30). Ignoring other causes a subsequent breakdown in self-control. The British Psychological Association. Belfast, Northern Ireland
Ciarocco, N. J., Sommer, K., & Williams, K. D. (1998, May 31). On being ignored and not knowing why: The detrimental effects of ambiguous silence. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., Dale, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (1998, August 31). Freudian defense mechanisms in modern personality and social psychology. Meeting of the American Psychological Association. San Francisco, CA
Sommer, K. (1997, August 31). Self as energy: Ego depletion weakens defense against self-esteem threat. Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K. (1997, October 31). Unleashing our worst fears: Rejection priming increases the ego-threatening implications of failure. The Society for Experimental Social Psychology Conference. Toronto, Canada
Sommer, K., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997, May 31). Rejection priming and persistence: The moderating role of self-esteem.. Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., Bogle, M., Grahe, J. E., & Williams, K. D. (1995, July 31). Nonverbal and attributional reactions to social ostracism. Meeting of the American Psychological Association. New York, NY
Sommer, K., & Horowitz, I. A. (1994, May 31). The impact of self-imposed time pressure and trial complexity on juror decision making. The Midwestern Psychological Association Conference. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., Bourgeois, M. J., & Horowitz, I. A. (1994, March 31). Noncompliance as a form of jury nullification. The American Psychology-Law Society Conference. Santa Fe, NM
Sommer, K., & Horowitz, I. A. (1994, July 31). On-line versus memory-based processing as function of self-imposed time pressure. The American Psychological Society Conference. Washington, D.C.
Sommer, K., Bourgeois, M., & Horowitz, I. A. (1993, May 31). Civil disobedience in a civil trial?. The Midwestern Psychological Association Conference. Chicago, IL
Sommer, K., & Williams, K. D. (1993, October 31). Social loafing in unfriendly groups. The Society for Experimental Social Psycology. Santa Barbara, CA
Sommer, K., & Williams, K. D. (1993, June 30). After a negative group experience, males socially loafed whereas females socially compensated.. The American Psychological Society Conference. Chicago, IL
Levy, G. D., Haaf, R. A., & Sommer, K. (1990, March 31). Detection of correlated features among social stimuli by infants: A precursor to stereotyping?. The Biennial Meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development. Seattle, WA
Other Scholarly Works
Sommer, K. (1995). Resource book for social psychology: A teacher's tool kit. 249 pages.
| Title | Funding Agency Sponsor | Start Date | End Date | Awarded Date | Total Funding | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language-based exclusion and prosocal behavior | PSC-CUNY 47 | 07/01/2016 | 03/31/2018 | 04/15/2016 | 3405 | Completed |
| Rejection and Unethical decision making | PSC-CUNY 43 | 07/01/2012 | 06/30/2013 | 04/17/2012 | 5807.33 | Completed |
| THE FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE | National Science Foundation | 06/01/2008 | 05/31/2010 | 164012 | Completed | |
| Cardiovascular Response to Interpersonal Rejection: The Moderating Role of Narcissism | PSC-CUNY 39 | 07/01/2008 | 12/31/2009 | 3000 | Completed |
| Honor / Award | Organization Sponsor | Date Received | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Research Service Award (NRSA) | National Institute of Mental Health (1995-1998) | 1995-08-01 |
College
| Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| WSAS Strategic Planning Committee | Present | ||
| Subject Pool Committee | Present | ||
| Research Integrity Officer (RIO) | Present | ||
| Andreassi Research Fair Coordinator | Present | ||
| Participant Pool | Committee Chair | Present | |
| Executive committee | Committee Member | 7/31/2022 | |
| Website Administrator | 12/31/2018 | ||
| Curriculum Committee | 12/31/2017 | ||
| Provost's task force on research | Committee Member | 6/30/2016 | |
| Faculty Advisor | 12/31/2013 | ||
| Executive Committee | 5/31/2012 | ||
| RCR training in Human Research Protections | Workshop leader - Human Subjects Research | 3/31/2012 | |
| Institutional Review Board | 12/31/2011 | ||
| Institutional Review Board, Vice/Deputy Chair | 12/31/2011 | ||
| WSAS Student Information Session: Graduate School | 12/31/2011 | ||
| RCR training in Human Research Protections | Workshop leader | 2/28/2011 | |
| RCR training in Human Research Protections | Workshop leader | 4/30/2010 | |
| Search Committee, Director of Administrative and Financial Services, WSAS | 12/31/2007 | ||
| Subject Pool Coordinator | 5/31/2006 | ||
| Space Committee | 5/31/2006 | ||
| Brownbag Coordinator | 5/31/2005 | ||
| College Committee on Research | 12/31/2003 | ||
| Search Committee, Director of Administrative and Financial Services, WSAS | 12/31/2003 | ||
| Search Committee for Psychology Chairperson | 12/31/1999 | ||
| Committee on Campus Safety | 12/31/1999 |
University
| Committee Name | Position Role | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| BASP doctoral program head | Training Area Head | 8/28/2023 | Present |
| CUNY Research Integrity Officers Research Climate Working Group | Special Institutional Assignment | 9/1/2019 | Present |
| Admissions Co-Chair | Committee Chair | 11/1/2021 | 1/31/2022 |
| Admissions Co-Chair | Committee Chair | 11/1/2020 | 1/31/2021 |
| Admissions Co-Chair | Committee Chair | 11/1/2019 | 1/31/2020 |
| Executive Committee, Doctoral Program in Psychology | Committee Member | 9/1/2015 | 6/30/2019 |
| Course development | Special Institutional Assignment | 1/1/2018 | 6/30/2019 |
| BASP Brownbag/Colloquium Coordinator | Committee Chair | 12/1/2018 | 5/31/2019 |
| Curriculum Development Committee | Committee Member | 1/1/2017 | 12/31/2018 |
| BASP Brownbag/Colloquium Coordinator | Committee Chair | 12/1/2016 | 5/31/2017 |
| Reviewer for DSRG Grants Competition | 1/1/2017 | 3/31/2017 | |
| CUNY Research Integrity Officers SOP working group | Committee Member | 12/1/2015 | 7/31/2016 |
| BASP Brownbag/Colloquium Coordinator | Committee Chair | 8/1/2012 | 6/30/2013 |
| Reviewer for DSRG Grants Competition | 1/1/2013 | 2/28/2013 | |
| Reviewer for DSRG Grants Competition | 10/1/2012 | 11/30/2012 | |
| BASP Training Area Working Group | 9/1/2011 | 8/31/2012 | |
| PSC-CUNY Grant Review Panel | 2/1/2012 | 4/30/2012 | |
| PSC-CUNY Grant Review Panel | 10/1/2011 | 11/30/2011 | |
| PSC-CUNY Grant Review Panel | 1/1/2009 | 12/31/2009 | |
| PSC-CUNY Grant Review Panel | 1/1/2001 | 12/31/2001 |
Professional
| Organization | Position Role | Organization State | Organization Country | Start Date | End Date | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Influence | Editorial Review Board Member | 1/1/2014 | Present | |||
| Social Influence | Editorial Review Board Member | 11/1/2011 | Present | |||
| Multiple Journals | Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer | 1/1/1995 | Present | |||
| Society for Personality and Social Psychology | Reviewer, Grant Proposal | 1/1/2018 | 1/31/2020 | |||
| Basic and Applied Social Psychology Journal | Editor, Associate Editor | 1/1/2013 | 1/31/2014 |