Jonathan Haidt Gives 2022 University of New England Commencement Address

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt gives the Commencement address at the University of New England's 187th Commencement ceremony in Portland, Maine.

Haidt (pronounced “height”) is a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992, and taught for 16 years in the department of psychology at the University of Virginia.

Haidt’s research examines the intuitive foundations of morality, and how morality varies across cultures — including the cultures of progressive, conservatives, and libertarians. His goal is to help people understand each other, live and work near each other, and even learn from each other despite their moral differences. Haidt has co-founded a variety of organizations and collaborations that apply moral and social psychology toward that end, including https://heterodoxacademy.org/

At UNE, we believe that free expression, open inquiry, and respectful debate are crucial to our mission — supporting healthy people, healthy communities, and a healthy planet. In accordance with these guiding principles, we cultivate a lively and robust marketplace of ideas that empowers members of our community to assess information, draw rational conclusions, and use that knowledge to build creative, effective solutions in a troubled world. Learn more at https://www.une.edu/marketplace-ideas

Discover Maine’s largest private University, the University of New England. UNE offers more than 40 bachelor’s degrees in needed fields, from the health professions, to the health and life sciences, to business and the humanities. We also offer 30-plus graduate, professional and doctoral degrees in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, social work and more. UNE learning happens online and on three beautiful campuses: on the shore in Biddeford, Maine, in-town in Portland, Maine, and at our study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco. Visit https://www.une.edu for complete information.