Michael D. Baker, PhD

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director
252-328-6059
Fax: 252-328-6283
Office: Rawl 112
bakermich@ecu.edu
Mailing Address
104 Rawl Building
Department of Psychology
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858-4353

Education

  • PhD, Social Psychology, Florida State University (2010)
  • MS, Social Psychology, Florida State University (2007)
  • BS, Psychology, Sam Houston State University (2002)

Research Interests

Professor Baker’s research has centered around understanding how evolved social motives such as mate-seeking and mate-retention motives impact self-presentation strategies. Research in Dr. Baker’s lab seeks to understand how fundamental social motives, including the pursuit of relationships, self-preservation, and mating, are intricately intertwined with human decision-making, cognitive processes, and health behaviors. In this context, our lab has examined how exposure to various social and environmental cues can influence behaviors like exercise, nutrition choices, and smoking cessation.

Selected publications in peer refereed journals

  • Baker, M. D., Owens, B. T., Utter, R. L., Boachie, R. J., & Keith, D. R. (2021). Boundary conditions for gender differences in risk taking. Journal of Risk Research,1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2021.1962953
  • Schmeichel, B. J., Lohmann, S., Gronau, Q. F., Ainsworth, S. E., Alquist, J. L., Baker, M. D., Brizi, A., Bunyi, A., Butschek, G. J., Campbell, C., Capaldi, J., Cau, C., Chambers, H., Christensen, W. J., Clay, S. L., Curtis, J., De Cristofaro, V., del Rosario, K., Diel, K., . . . Wagenmakers, E. J. (2021). A multisite preregistered paradigmatic test of the ego-depletion effect. Psychological Science, 32(10), 1566-1581.
  • Baker, M.D., Strickland, A., & Fox, N. (2019) Choosing a meal to increase your appeal: How relationship status, sexual orientation, dining partner sex, and attractiveness impact nutritional choices in social dining scenarios. Appetite, 133, 262-269.
  • Baker, M.D., Nabell, M.E., Thomas, N., Hall, A., Sloan, H.N., Utter, R.A., Beringer, J. (2019) Going the Distance, Going for Speed: Honest Signaling and the Benefits of Exercising with an Opposite-Sex Partner. Evolution and Human Behavior, 40, 167-175.
  • Baker, M.D., & Maner, J.K. (2009). Male risk-taking as a context sensitive signaling device. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45, 1136-1139.
  • Baker, M.D., & Maner, J.K. (2008). Risk-taking as a situationally sensitive male mating strategy. Evolution and Human Behavior, 29, 391-395.

Full Curriculum Vitae (PDF)