# Only At Stern: Professor Jonathan Haidt on Using Moral Psychology to Explain Why So Much Is Going Wrong

1 School News April 9, 2024>

NYU Stern Professor [Jonathan Haidt](https://www.stern.nyu.edu/faculty/bio/jonathan-haidt) is a social psychologist. His mission is to use research on moral psychology to help people understand each other and to help important social institutions work better.

In 2015, Professor Haidt co-authored a landmark cover story in *The Atlantic*. “[The Coddling of the American Mind](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/the-coddling-of-the-american-mind/399356/)” analyzed the atmosphere on college campuses, how it came to be, and the implications for education and mental health. The article inspired Professor Haidt’s *New York Times* best-selling co-authored book “[The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure.](https://www.thecoddling.com/)” It also launched Professor Haidt into the national conversation on these issues.

Professor Haidt’s recent work has focused on how social media has led to the rise of political dysfunction and the decline of teen mental health. The latter is the focus of his newest book, “[The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.](https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book)”

Learn more in this video:

**Noteworthy Media coverage featuring Professor Haidt’s work:**

- *Good Morning America |* “[Jon Haidt talks new book, 'The Anxious Generation'](https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/video/jon-haidt-talks-new-book-anxious-generation-108500679)” | 3/26/2024

- *60 Minutes* | “[How Social Media Has Changed the U.S. Congress.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_CJ3-GzxeI)” | 11/6/22

- Real Time with Bill Maher | "[Kids and Social Media | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vZIdCw7luk)" | 11/19/22

- *The New York Times* feature | “[First He Came for Cancel Culture. Now He Wants to Cancel Smartphones.](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/23/business/jonathan-haidt-smartphones-coddling.html)” | 3/23/2024
- *The Atlantic* op-ed | “[The Terrible Costs of a Phone-based Childhood](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/)” | 3/13/2024
- *The Atlantic* op-ed | “[Get Phones Out of Schools Now](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/ban-smartphones-phone-free-schools-social-media/674304/)” | 6/6/2023
- *The Wall Street Journal* | “[Jonathan Haidt on the ‘National Crisis’ of Gen Z](https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-national-crisis-of-generation-z-jonathan-haidt-social-media-performance-anxiety-fragility-gap-childhood-11672401345?mod=hp_opin_pos_5#cxrecs_s)” | 12/30/2022
- *The Atlantic* op-ed | “[Yes, Social Media Really Is Undermining Democracy](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/07/social-media-harm-facebook-meta-response/670975/)” | 7/28/2022
- *Fortune* op-ed | “[California has an opportunity to shape how the world protects children online](https://fortune.com/2022/05/19/california-code-tech-world-protect-children-online-tech-kidron-haidt/)” | 5/19/22
- *The New York Times* | “[How Changing One Law Could Protect Kids From Social Media.](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/05/opinion/social-media-parents-children.html)” | 8/5/22
- *The Atlantic* op-ed | “[Why The Past 10 Years Of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/)” | May 2022
- *The Washington Post* op-ed | “[Social Media Is Riskier for Kids Than ‘Screen Time’](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/02/16/social-media-is-riskier-kids-than-screen-time/)” | 2/16/2021
- *The New York Times* op-ed | “[This Is Our Chance To Pull Teenagers Out of the Smartphone Trap](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/opinion/smartphone-iphone-social-media-isolation.html)” | 7/31/2021

**Professor Haidt's Books:**
[The Anxious Generation](https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book)

![The Anxious Generation Book Cover](/sites/default/files/styles/medium_375px_wide/public/2024-03/81z1agbmevl._sl1500_.jpg.webp?itok=70Vd7Vw4)

[The Coddling of the American Mind](https://www.thecoddling.com/)

![The cover of "The Coddling of the American Mind"](/sites/default/files/styles/medium_375px_wide/public/2024-04/mind-coddling.jpeg.webp?itok=1I1u88GM)

[The Righteous Mind](https://righteousmind.com/)

![The cover of "The Righteous Mind"](/sites/default/files/styles/medium_375px_wide/public/2024-04/mind-righteous_1.jpeg.webp?itok=PjBCIfsm)

[The Happiness Hypothesis](https://www.happinesshypothesis.com/)

![The cover of "The Happiness Hypothesis"](/sites/default/files/styles/medium_375px_wide/public/2024-04/hh-paperback-cover_1.jpeg.webp?itok=ArPdXx7i)