JACK BAUER | THE TRANSFORMATIVE SELF
How stories foster flourishing
THEÂ TEAM
JACK BAUER
Jack Bauer, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and past Raymond A. Roesch, S.M., Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences at the University of Dayton. His courses and research focus on the development of self-identity and personality, with an emphasis on life stories, meaning-making, growth motivation, humane flourishing, and a quiet ego.
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His recent book, The Transformative Self: Personal Growth, Narrative Identity, and the Good Life (2021, Oxford University Press), explains how personal and cultural stories cultivate as well as thwart human flourishing for the self and others. He is primary co-author with Heidi Wayment of the forthcoming book The Quiet Ego: Balance and Growth, Inside and Out (expected 2026, Oxford University Press), which explains how a quiet ego (which wants to listen, wants to know, and acts for humane reasons) contrasts with a noisy ego (which clamors for attention, puffs itself up, and puts others down). He is co-editor with Heidi Wayment of the book Transcending Self-Interest: Psychological Explorations of the Quiet Ego (2008, American Psychological Association), which examines the problems of egotism and the ways and benefits of transcending it.
He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, co-editor of the Journal of Happiness Studies, and co-editor of a special issue on "Storying the Good Life" at the Journal of Research in Personality. After college he was the editor of a newspaper in northern Michigan.
ELLA LAMB
Ella Lamb is the lab manager and a senior at the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology and minoring in health communication.
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VIOLET BUTLER
Violet Butler is a senior at the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology.​
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In her words: "I have always been drawn to the arts and creative fields. My first major was actually architecture, which was fascinating and fulfilling, but proved to not be a good match. I decided to major in psychology because it is both interesting and practical, as what I learn in class often has direct connections to my life. Through this journey, I have realized that psychology is creative in its own way, as the process of research leads to new ideas and theories which require innovative ideas and collaboration. I think ultimately, design has my heart, but I value what psychology has taught me on a personal and interpersonal level, expanding its meaningfulness past what career I might pursue."
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And some lab members who graduated recently...
SOPHIA DIXON
Sophia Dixon graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology, minoring in race and social justice, and having served as lab manager.​
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MORGAN KELLER
Morgan Keller graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology.​
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SINISA SMOOT
Sinisa Smoot is a senior at the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology.​
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CINTIA KIRJAK
Cintia Kirjak graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology, having also served as lab manager.​
MORGAN RAMSEY
Morgan Ramsey graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology and minoring in criminal justice studies.
CAITIE MASTERS
Caitie Masters graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in premedicine, minoring in psychology, and having served as lab manager. ​
SARAH MOONEY
Sarah Mooney graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology and minoring in social work, and the student manager of The Transformative Self Lab. She is specifically interested in social work, counseling, personality, and social psychology.
HANNAH BEAN
Hannah Bean graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology. She is interested in clinical psych, health psych, personality psych, criminal psych, and psychopathology.​
KELLY MUMBACH
Kelly Mumbach graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology. ​
GRACE FIORITI
Grace Fioriti graduated from the University of Dayton. She is majoring in health science with minors in psychology, social work, and disability studies. ​
MEKDELAWIT MUELLER
Dela Mueller graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology and minoring in business management. She is specifically interested in counseling, clinical, social, and personality psychology.​
ABIGAIL GEISZ
Abby Geisz graduated from the University of Dayton, majoring in psychology with a minor in philosophy. She is interested in counseling, social, personality, and child psychology.​
KIERSTEN WEATHERBIE
Kiersten Weatherbie is a second-year graduate student in the experimental psychology program at the University of Dayton. She graduated in 2019 from the University of Dayton with a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in Spanish, with minors in sociology and in women's and gender studies and a certificate in human sexuality studies. After finishing her coursework in May 2021, she plans to work full-time in psychology research.