Jamie Goldenberg

Dr. Jamie Goldenberg’s research, rooted in an existential framework, explores how people manage the inherent anxieties linked to an awareness of human mortality, with a particular focus on implications for women. She has extensively studied the causes and impacts of female objectification, revealing that objectification serves as a strategy to deny mortality by transforming women into seemingly immortal "objects" and disconnecting them from their natural "creatureliness." This focus on women’s appearance over their internal attributes leads to a denial of their personhood, impacting societal perceptions of women and potentially obstructing their advancement, including in political arenas. Additionally, Dr. Goldenberg has extended her existential perspective to health outcomes through the terror management health model, a research avenue that secured a decade of NIH funding. More recently, she has applied her insights on existential threat denial to examine climate change denial, exploring how ignoring existential threats hinders environmental action.

In addition to her role as Professor of Psychology and Area Director of Cognitive, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology at the University of South Florida, Dr. Goldenberg is also an accomplished artist. Her artwork centers on celebrating and promoting women, reflecting her commitment to highlighting women’s experiences and contributions.