Social Psychology Network

Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

Wendy Treynor

Wendy Treynor

  • Media Contact
  • SPN Mentor

Dr. Wendy Treynor is trained as a scientist with a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, as well as being a cancer survivor, artist, writer, philosopher, and dreamer. Her insights into the "Art of Happiness" build upon her life experience battling cancer, integrating what she learned from life from almost dying, as well as on the foundation of scientific research in the field of Social Psychology, representing a convergence of science and spirit.

People have described Wendy as a free spirit, creative, original, enthusiastic, animated, vibrant, vivacious, but also wise, courageous, empathetic, loving, and compassionate. In addition to being a published author in scientific journals, and enjoying people and public speaking, she has received recognition for her communication skills, and her research has afforded her the opportunity to speak to audiences around the globe. Wendy has given talks at universities including UC Berkeley, UCLA, the University of New South Wales in Australia, and Israel’s Technion Institute of Technology.

Wendy is also a published author of scientific articles on emotion and depression, having trained with emotion and depression scholars (Dr. Phoebe Ellsworth, at Michigan, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, now at UNC and author of "Positivity," and Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, author of "Women Who Think Too Much," now at Yale). Drawing on her life experience and scientific expertise, Wendy has just completed her first book entitled "Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology: Understanding Human Cruelty, Human Misery, and, Perhaps, a Remedy: A Theory of the Socialization Process" (Euphoria Press, just released, Nov 7, 2009, on Amazon.com). Her next book will be the eagerly-awaited, "The Gift of Cancer."

In "Towards a General Theory of Social Psychology," Wendy presents "socialization theory," which integrates Festinger's two seminal theories (dissonance and social comparison), and which unites depression, identity, self-esteem (vs. self-love), culture, and standards/values/ethics (personal vs. cultural), into a unified whole. In this book, Wendy proposes "the identity shift effect" to explain how "good" people can be happy making others unhappy without a guilty conscience and "the shame hypothesis of depression." In the Afterword of the book, she explores the implications of the theory to the "non-social" domain, which according to Wendy, is the same as "the spiritual."

Wendy’s honors and awards include: Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers (2005), Delta Epsilon Iota for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Dedication, Enthusiasm, and Initiative (2003), Hough Psychology & Ethics Scholarship for Promising Psychology and Ethics Research (2003), Pi Mu Epsilon for Outstanding Achievement in the Mathematical Sciences (1997), and Acceptance to NYU’s Tisch School of the Performing Arts for Dramatic Study (1993). Most recently she is a recipient of The Hay Foundation Grant (2008) and The Lloyd Symington Foundation Grant (2009), which have sponsored her talks.

Wendy is founder and director of Healing Consulting in Los Angeles and a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Social Research at UCLA (Sept '09- Sept '10). Through Healing Consulting, Wendy shares her vision of integrating scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom to enhance people’s quality of life. With the cancer, Wendy discovered that the lessons she learned from science converged with the spiritual lessons she learned about life from almost dying, providing a single map, a unified picture, a sole prescription to follow for achieving wholeness and happiness—a map she now lives by and seeks to share. Wendy shares this information with others, in a fresh and exciting way, through her lectures, workshops, consultation, and writing so that others, too, may heal themselves, actualize their own potential, and find the freedom, peace, love, and happiness they seek.

Primary Interests:

  • Aggression, Conflict, Peace
  • Applied Social Psychology
  • Attitudes and Beliefs
  • Culture and Ethnicity
  • Emotion, Mood, Affect
  • Ethics and Morality
  • Group Processes
  • Health Psychology
  • Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
  • Persuasion, Social Influence
  • Research Methods, Assessment
  • Self and Identity

Note from the Network: The holder of this profile has certified having all necessary rights, licenses, and authorization to post the files listed below. Visitors are welcome to copy or use any files for noncommercial or journalistic purposes provided they credit the profile holder and cite this page as the source.

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Video Gallery

26:01 Featured SVG

Breaking Free From the Herd

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  • 26:01

    Breaking Free From the Herd

    Length: 26:01


  • 5:09

    How to Feel Upbeat in Down Times: Dr. Wendy's Map to Happiness

    Length: 5:09


  • 4:52

    Speak Inc. Keynote Speaker

    Length: 4:52


  • 2:51

    The Peer Pressure Process: How It Works According to Socialization Theory

    Length: 2:51


  • 31:50

    Happiness and Social Influence in the Workplace

    Length: 31:50


  • 9:43

    The Psychology of the Soul

    Length: 9:43


  • 30:21

    "BookTrib" Interview 1

    Length: 30:21


  • 3:29

    "BookTrib" Interview 2

    Length: 3:29




Books:

Journal Articles:

  • Treynor, W., Gonzalez, R., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2003). Rumination reconsidered: A psychometric analysis. Journal of Cognitive Therapy and Research, 27(3), 247-259.

Courses Taught:

  • Graduate Statistics
  • Social Psychology
  • Statistical Consulting
  • The Art of Happiness
  • Why People Can Be Happy Making You Unhappy & How You Can Be Happy
  • Phone: (310) 937-5683

Wendy Treynor
Healing Consulting
Suite 100, Pier Plaza
107 West Torrance Boulevard
Redondo Beach, California 90277
United States of America

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