Andrew Abeyta

Research Fellow

Andrew Abeyta, PhD, is a fellow at the Archbridge Institute’s Human Flourishing Lab. Dr. Abeyta is also an assistant professor of psychology and director of the Social and Existential Motives Lab at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. He is a social psychologist who studies how people satisfy the psychological needs for meaning in life and social belonging. Dr. Abeyta’s research focuses on psychological factors, like the experience of nostalgia, religion, and supernatural beliefs, that promote social belonging and meaning in life. Additionally, Dr Abeyta’s research is interested in the implications of the needs for meaning in life and social belonging for human flourishing, psychological resilience, and human agency.

Dr. Abeyta earned his BA in psychology from Colorado College, his MA in experimental psychology from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs, and his PhD in social and health psychology from North Dakota State University. His research and scholarly insights are published in many of the top journals in personality and social psychology, including The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Emotion, Social Psychology and Personality Science, and Current Opinion in Psychology. Moreover, his work and expert opinions are featured in media outlets such as The Atlantic, CNN, The Guardian, Science Friday, NBC News LX, USA Today, and more.