June Tangney

Professor of clinical psychology
June Tangney studies the moral emotions of shame and guilt, with a specific focus on currently and formerly incarcerated people.

Why you should listen

June Tangney received her PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA in 1985, with minors in social psychology and measurement. After teaching for two years at Bryn Mawr College, she joined the Psychology Department at George Mason University in 1988, where she is currently University Professor and professor of psychology.

A recipient of International Society for Self and Identity’s Distinguished Lifetime Career Award and Fellow of the Association of Psychological Science and the American Psychological Association, Tangney is coauthor (with Ronda Dearing) of Shame and Guilt, and coeditor (with Ronda Dearing) of Shame in the Therapy Hour.

Tangney has spent her career focusing on the moral emotions of shame and guilt, with funding from NIH, NSF and the John Templeton Foundation. Currently, her work focuses on moral emotions and cognitions among currently and formerly incarcerated people. She draws on theory and research from social and clinical psychology to develop novel brief interventions tailored to the needs of the 11 million people who cycle through US jails annually. A recipient of GMU's Teaching Excellence Award, Tangney strives to integrate service, teaching and clinically-relevant research in both the classroom and her lab.

June Tangney’s TED talk