Dacher Keltner is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Founding Director of the Greater Good Science Center. A leading voice in the science of emotion, Keltner has devoted his career to understanding the biological and cultural foundations of compassion, awe, power, beauty, and moral life. His research reveals how emotions—often dismissed as irrational—are in fact central to human connection, cooperation, and meaning.
Keltner is the author of several acclaimed books, including Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life (2009), The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence (2016), The Compassionate Instinct (2010), and Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life (2023), which explores the emotion of awe as a pathway to understanding our place in the world. His writing combines rigorous research with storytelling and philosophy, bridging scientific insight and the humanities in ways that make complex ideas deeply accessible to broad audiences.
At Berkeley, Keltner directs the Social Interaction Lab, where he and his students investigate the moral and emotional bases of human life—from how facial expressions communicate empathy and gratitude to how power and inequality shape emotional experience. His more than 200 scientific publications have advanced the study of positive emotions and influenced diverse fields including psychology, education, health, and design.
Beyond academia, Keltner’s work has reached millions through his public writing and media projects. He is the co-host of The Science of Happiness podcast, which translates research findings into practical tools for everyday well-being. He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Wall Street Journal, and has collaborated with organizations ranging from the United Nations to Pixar—where he served as a scientific consultant for the animated film Inside Out, helping to bring emotional science to life for global audiences.
Keltner has received numerous awards for his contributions to research, teaching, and mentorship, including recognition from the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Through his scholarship and writing, he continues to shape the public understanding of emotion as not only a psychological phenomenon, but a source of wisdom, creativity, and collective purpose.