Michael Magee, Ph.D.

Education

Ph.D., Cognition, Brain, & Behavior, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
M.Phil., Psychology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
M.A., Experimental Psychology, Brooklyn College of CUNY,
B.A., Acting, Central School of Speech and Drama, London, U.K.

Bio

Dr. Michael W. Magee is an experimental social psychologist whose research has recently pivoted to the intersection of self-compassion, veganism, and masculinity. He received an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from Brooklyn College, and an M.Phil. and Ph.D. from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Scholarly & Professional Interests

Dr. Magee is interested in how kindness, especially in the form of self-compassion, connects with masculinity. He hopes that his research will challenge cultural narratives that equate masculinity with aggression, emotional suppression, and dominance. In contrast, his work explores how kindness toward oneself and others—including non-human others—need not threaten men, but can instead support a more expansive and humane vision of masculinity. He is particularly interested in how embracing a plant-based lifestyle—beneficial for the planet, the animals, and for human health—can align with rather than undermine or threaten male identity. Dr. Magee also investigates vegans as a social group.

Dr. Magee directs the Social Cognition Lab at St. Joseph’s University in Brooklyn, where undergraduate students are actively involved in every stage of the research process. Each year, Dr. Magee’s students present original research at regional conferences. His mentorship centers on strengthening his student’s intellectual curiosity, empathy, and personal transformation, helping them grow as scholars, citizens, and compassionate human beings.

Select Publications

• Magee, M. W. (2025) Christians Have More Self-Compassion Than Atheists—But Also More Grandiose (Not Fragile) Narcissism. Pastoral Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-025-01239-x
• Miyaoka, M., Toolsidass, R. & Magee, M. W. (2023). Embedded Librarians and Scaffolding for Remote Learning: Assessing the Efficacy of the First Year Experience Library Literacy Scale. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, JHU Press.
• McCarthy, R. J., Gervais, W., Aczel, B., Al-Kire, R. L., Baraldo S. M., Baruh L., Basch, C., Baumert, A., Behler, A., Bettencourt, A., Bitar, A., Bouxom, H., Buck, A., Cemalcilar, Z., Chekroun, P., Chen, J. M., del Fresno- Díaz, A., Ducham, A, Edlund, J. E., ElBassiouny, A., Rhys Evans, T., Ewell, P. J., Forscher, P. S., Fuglestad, P. T., Hauck, L., Hawk, C. E., Hermann, A. D., Hines, B., Irumva, M., Jordan, L. N., Joy-Gaba, J. A., Haley, C., Kačmár, P., Kezer, M., Körner, R., Kosaka, M., Kovacs, M., Lair, E. C., Légal, J., Leighton, D. C., Magee, M. W., Markman, K., Martončik, M., Müller, M., Norman, J. B., Olsen, J., Oyler, D., Phills, C. E., Ribeiro, G., Rohain, A., Sakaluk, J., Schütz, A., Toribio-Flórez, D., Tsang, J., Vezzoli, M., Williams, C., Willis, G. B., Young, J., & Zogmaister, C. (2021). A multi-site collaborative study of the hostile priming effect. Collabra: Psychology. 7 (1): 18738.
• Magee, M. W. & Hardin, C. D. (2010). In Defense of Religion: Shared Reality Moderates the Unconscious Threat of Evolution. Social Cognition, 28, 379.
• Hardin, C. D., Cheung, M. H., Magee, M. W., Noel, S. & Yoshimura, K. (2012). The interpersonal functions of ideological thinking. In Jon Hanson (Ed) Ideology, Psychology, and Law. Oxford University Press; 2012: 132-159.
• Ackroff, K., Bonacchi, K., Magee, M. W., Yiin, Y., Graves, J., & Sclafani, A., (2007). Obesity by choice revisited: Effects of food availability, flavor variety and nutrient composition on energy intake. Physiology & Behavior, 92, 468.

Dissertation

• Magee, M. W. (2012). The interpersonal foundations of anti-atheist prejudice. Dissertation Abstracts International, 73, pp 1313.