I study cognitive and motivational processes with regard to risk. Some strategies, like comparative optimism and false consensus, moderate or mediate the cognitive and emotional effects of risk. The purpose of my research is to study the adaptive or maladaptive nature of these strategies.

I am a full member of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) as well as the Association pour la Diffusion de la Recherche Internationale en Psychologie Sociale (ADRIPS).

Primary Interests:

Applied Social Psychology
Attitudes and Beliefs
Causal Attribution
Health Psychology
Judgment and Decision Making
Self and Identity
Social Cognition

Applied Social Psychology
Attitudes and Beliefs
Causal Attribution
Health Psychology

Judgment and Decision Making
Self and Identity
Social Cognition

Research Group or Laboratory:

Laboratoire Parisien de Psychologie Sociale [Map]

Journal Articles:

Bazillier, C., Verlhiac, J. F., Mallet, P., & Rouëssé, J. (2011). Prectictors of intention to eat healthily in children aged 8-9 years old. Journal of Cancer Education, 26(3), 572-576.
Chappé, J., Verlhiac, J.-F., & Meyer, T. (2007). Optimisme et pessimisme comparatifs consécutifs à l'exposition à plusieurs messages menaçants. Revue Européenne de Psychologie Appliquée/European Review of Applied Psychology, 57, 223-35.
Delhomme, P., Verlhiac, J.-F., & Martha, C. (2009). Are drivers' comparative risk judgments about speeding realistic? Journal of Safety Research, 40, 333-339.
Desrichard, O., Verlhiac, J.-F., & Milhabet, I. (2001). Beliefs about average-risk, efficacy and effort as sources of comparative optimism. International Review of Social Psychology, 14(4), 105-141.
Goncalves, I., Verlhiac, J.-F., Meyer, T. & Hutchison, P. (in press). TMT & biculturalism: When the salience of cultural duality affects worldview defense in the face of death. European Psychologist.
Milhabet, I., Desrichard, O., & Verlhiac, J.-F. (2001). Social comparison and risk perception. International Review of Social Psychology. Special Issue, 14(4).
Milhabet, I., & Verlhiac, J.-F. (2011). Social acceptance of comparative optimism and realism. Psychological Reports, 109(2), 393-410.
Verlhiac, J.-F. (2006). Les effets du statut et de la privation relative sur l'optimisme comparatif de sujets de faibles ressources socio-économiques [The effects of status and relative deprivation on comparative optimism in subjects with low socioeconomic resources]. Cahiers Internationaux de Psychologie Sociale, 72, 23-36.
Verlhiac, J.-F. (2000). L'effet de faux consensus: Une revue empirique et théorique. L'année Psychologique, 100, 141-82.
Verlhiac, J.-F. (1999). Nondiagnostic information and the effects of context evaluation in the moderation of False Consensus. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 58, 12-21.
Verlhiac, J.-F., Bonnet, A., & Ranucci, M.-F. (2006). Les effets de variables psychosociales sur l'intentionn d'adolescents obèses de changer leurs comportements [The effects of psychosocial variables on obese adolescents' intention to change their behaviors]. Pratiques Psychologiques, 12, 347-364.
Verlhiac, J.-F., Chappé, J., & Meyer, T. (2011). Comparative optimism and pessimism and tobacco preventive messages: Does congruency of vivid pictures with message framing make a difference? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41, 9, 2104–2122.
Verlhiac, J.-F., Desrichard, O., Milhabet, I., & Arab, N. (2005). Effets de la réputation du groupe scolaire d’appartenance et des facteurs de vulnérabilité personnelle sur l’Optimisme Comparatif/Effects of reputation of junior school and of factors of vulnerability on comparative optimism. L'Orientation Scolaire et Professionnelle, 34, 119-141.
Weise, D. R., Arciszewski, T., Verlhiac, J.-F, Pyszczynski, T., & Greenberg, J. (2012). Terror management and attitudes toward immigrants: Differential effects of mortality salience for low and high right-wing authoritarians. European Psychologist, 1, 17, 63-72.

Other Publications:

Arciszewski, T., Verlhiac, J.-F., & Kruglanski, A. (2009). Special issue on social psychological perspectives on terrorism: Processes, causes and consequences. International Review of Social Psychology, 22(3-4).
Milhabet, I., Desrichard, O., & Verlhiac, J.-F. (2002). Comparaison sociale et perception des risques: l'optimisme comparatif/ Social comparison and perception of risks: the comparative optimism. In J.-L., Beauvois, R.-V., Joulé, & J.-M. Monteil (éds.). Perspectives Cognitives et Conduites Sociales VIII (pp. 215-245). Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes.
Verlhiac, J.-F. (2005). Soi et comparaison sociale [Self and social comparison]. In T. Meyer (Ed.), Psychologie Sociale (pp. 119-154). Paris: Hachette.
Verlhiac, J.-F., & Meyer, T. (2009). Optimisme et pessimisme: Une nécessaire complémentarité. In J. Lecomte (Ed.), Introduction à la psychologie positive. Paris: Dunod, Psycho-Sup.

Courses Taught:

Introduction to Health Psychology
Introduction to Social Psychology
Social Judgments and Attitudes
Social Psychology and Health

Introduction to Health Psychology
Introduction to Social Psychology

Social Judgments and Attitudes
Social Psychology and Health

Jean-Francois Verlhiac
Département de Psychologie
Université Paris Ouest, Nanterre la Défense
200, av. de la République
92001 Nanterre
France

Phone: 33 1 40 97 78 64
Fax: 33 1 40 97 71 58