Won the 2010 Theoretical Innovation Prize from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology for his paper with C.K. Morewedge, "When Dreaming Is Believing: The (Motivated) Interpretation of Dreams" (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2009).
Michael I. Norton
Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration
Unit Head, Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration
Unit Head, Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
Selected for the Marketing Science Institute's 2009 Young Scholar Program. The biennial MSI Young Scholar Program brings together some of the most promising scholars in marketing and closely related fields to explore research opportunities and encourage future research collaboration.
Won a SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology in 2011.
Michael I. Norton is the Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He holds a B.A. in Psychology and English from Williams College and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Princeton University. Prior to joining HBS, Professor Norton was a Fellow at the MIT Media Lab and MIT’s Sloan School of Management.
He is the author of the forthcoming book, The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. He is also the co-author - with Elizabeth Dunn - of the book, Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending.
His research has been the answer to Final Jeopardy and has been parodied by the Onion. In 2012, he was selected for Wired Magazine’s Smart List as one of “50 People Who Will Change the World.” His TEDx talk, How to Buy Happiness, has been viewed more than 4.5 million times.
- Featured Work
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For more information on Professor Norton’s book, The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions, click here.
For more information on Professor Norton’s new book, Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending (Simon & Schuster, 2013), co-authored with Elizabeth Dunn, click here.
TEDxCambridge, November 2011At TEDxCambridge, Michael Norton shares fascinating research on how money can, indeed buy happiness—when you don't spend it on yourself. Listen for surprising data on the many ways pro-social spending can benefit you, your work, and (of course) other people.
- Books
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- Norton, Michael. The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. New York: Scribner, 2024. View Details
- Dunn, Elizabeth, and Michael Norton. Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013. View Details
- Journal Articles
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- Madan, Shilpa, Gita Venkataramani Johar, Jonah Berger, Pierre Chandon, Rajesh Chandy, Rebecca Hamilton, Leslie John, Aparna Labroo, Peggy J. Liu, John G. Lynch, Nina Mazar, Nicole Mead, Vikas Mittal, Christine Moorman, Michael I. Norton, John Roberts, Dilip Soman, Madhu Viswanathan, and Katherine White. "Reaching for Rigor and Relevance: Better Marketing Research for a Better World." Marketing Letters 34, no. 1 (March 2023): 1–12. View Details
- Kim, Tami, Kate Barasz, Michael I. Norton, and Leslie K. John. "Calculators for Women: When Identity-Based Appeals Backfire." Special Issue on Racism and Discrimination in the Marketplace edited by Samantha N. N. Cross and Stephanie Dellande. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research 8, no. 1 (January 2023): 72–82. View Details
- Stein, Daniel H., Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino, and Michael I. Norton. "When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 123, no. 1 (July 2022): 123–153. View Details
- Collins, Hanne K., Serena F. Hagerty, Jordi Quoidbach, Michael I. Norton, and Alison Wood Brooks. "Relational Diversity in Social Portfolios Predicts Well-Being." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 119, no. 43 (October 17, 2022). View Details
- Prinsloo, Emily, Kate Barasz, Leslie K. John, and Michael I. Norton. "Opportunity Neglect: An Aversion to Low-probability Gains." Psychological Science 33, no. 11 (November 2022): 1857–1866. View Details
- Garcia-Rada, Ximena, Mary Steffel, Elanor F. Williams, and Michael I. Norton. "Consumers Value Effort over Ease When Caring for Close Others." Journal of Consumer Research 48, no. 6 (April 2022): 970–990. View Details
- Schlager, Tobias, Bhavya Mohan, Katherine DeCelles, and Michael I. Norton. "Consumers—Especially Women—Avoid Buying from Firms with Higher Gender Pay Gaps." Special Issue on Consumer Psychology for the Greater Good. Journal of Consumer Psychology 31, no. 3 (July 2021): 518–531. View Details
- Donnelly, Grant E., Anne V. Wilson, Ashley V. Whillans, and Michael I. Norton. "Communicating Resource Scarcity and Interpersonal Connection." Journal of Consumer Psychology 31, no. 4 (October 2021): 726–745. View Details
- Buell, Ryan W., Ethan Porter, and Michael I. Norton. "Surfacing the Submerged State: Operational Transparency Increases Trust in and Engagement with Government." Manufacturing & Service Operations Management 23, no. 4 (July–August 2021): 781–802. View Details
- Hauser, Oliver P., Gordon T. Kraft-Todd, David Rand, Martin A. Nowak, and Michael I. Norton. "Invisible Inequality Leads to Punishing the Poor and Rewarding the Rich." Behavioural Public Policy 5, no. 3 (July 2021): 333–353. View Details
- Kim, Tami, Ovul Sezer, Juliana Schroeder, Jane L. Risen, Francesca Gino, and Michael I. Norton. "Work Group Rituals Enhance the Meaning of Work." Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 165 (July 2021): 197–212. View Details
- Aknin, Lara B., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Jason Proulx, Iris Lok, and Michael I. Norton. "Does Spending Money on Others Promote Happiness? A Registered Replication Report." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 119, no. 2 (August 2020). View Details
- Dunn, Elizabeth, A.V. Whillans, Michael I. Norton, and Lara B. Aknin. "Prosocial Spending and Buying Time: Money as a Tool for Increasing Subjective Well-Being." Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 61 (2020): 67–126. View Details
- Smeets, Paul, A.V. Whillans, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Time Use and Happiness of Millionaires: Evidence from the Netherlands." Social Psychological & Personality Science 11, no. 3 (April 2020): 295–307. View Details
- Whillans, A.V., Elizabeth W. Dunn, Paul Smeets, Rene Bekkers, and Michael I. Norton. "Buying Time Promotes Happiness." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114, no. 32 (August 8, 2017): 8523–8527. View Details
- Working Papers
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- Mohan, Bhavya, Serena Hagerty, and Michael Norton. "Consumers Punish Firms That Cut Employee Pay in Response to COVID-19." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-020, August 2020. View Details
- Kiatpongsan, Sorapop, and Michael I. Norton. "Spreading the Health: Americans' Estimated and Ideal Distributions of Death and Health(care)." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-114, April 2020. View Details
- Garcia-Rada, Ximena, Leslie K. John, Ed O’Brien, and Michael I. Norton. "A Preference for Revision Absent Improvement." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 19-087, February 2019. (Revised April 2025.) View Details
- Sezer, Ovul, Alison Wood Brooks, and Michael I. Norton. "Backhanded Compliments: How Negative Comparisons Undermine Flattery." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 18-082, February 2018. View Details
- Cases and Teaching Materials
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- Brooks, Alison Wood, Michael Norton, and F Katelynn Boland. "Laughter on Call: Injecting Conversational Levity." Harvard Business School Case 923-045, March 2023. (Revised January 2024.) View Details
- Brooks, Alison Wood, Michael I. Norton, and Oliver Hauser. "Irrationality in Action: Decision-Making Exercise." Harvard Business School Exercise 924-007, September 2023. View Details
- Mayo, Anthony J., Alan MacCormack, Teresa Amabile, and Michael Norton. "FIELD Foundations." Harvard Business School Course Overview Note 415-011, July 2014. (Revised August 2018.) View Details
- John, Leslie K., and Michael Norton. "Making stickK Stick: The Business of Behavioral Economics." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 515-088, February 2015. (Revised September 2016.) (Email mking@hbs.edu for a courtesy copy.) View Details
- Avery, Jill, and Michael Norton. "Learning From Extreme Consumers." Harvard Business School Technical Note 314-086, January 2014. View Details
- Keinan, Anat, Michael Norton, German Echecopar, and Cintra Scott. "Gastón Acurio: A Recipe for Success." Harvard Business School Case 514-014, May 2014. (Revised January 2015.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., and Jeremy Dann. "Juan Valdez: Innovation in Caffeination." Harvard Business School Case 513-090, February 2013. (Revised May 2013.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., and Jeremy Dann. "Juan Valdez: Innovation in Caffeination." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 514-027, August 2013. View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Luc Wathieu, Betsy Page Sigman, and Marco Bertini. "What's the Deal with LivingSocial?" Harvard Business School Case 512-065, February 2012. (Revised August 2013.) View Details
- Norton, Michael. "What's the Deal with LivingSocial? (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 513-086, March 2013. View Details
- Keinan, Anat, Jill Avery, Fiona Wilson, and Michael Norton. "EILEEN FISHER: Repositioning the Brand." Harvard Business School Case 512-085, April 2012. (Revised May 2012.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., and Jill Avery. "The Pepsi Refresh Project: A Thirst for Change." Harvard Business School Case 512-018, September 2011. (Revised August 2013.) View Details
- Norton, Michael, and Jill Avery. "The Pepsi Refresh Project: A Thirst for Change (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 513-087, March 2013. View Details
- Norton, Michael I. "Note on Evaluating Empirical Research." Harvard Business School Background Note 512-019, July 2011. (Revised August 2013.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Fiona Wilson, Jill Avery, and Thomas J. Steenburgh. "Better World Books." Harvard Business School Case 511-057, September 2010. (Revised April 2012.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Jill Avery, Fiona Wilson, and Thomas Steenburgh. "Better World Books (TN) ." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 512-106, June 2012. View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Fiona Wilson, Jill Avery, and Thomas Steenburgh. "Better World Books Video." Harvard Business School Video Supplement 512-701, August 2011. View Details
- Norton, Michael I., and Jeremy Dann. "Local Motors: Designed by the Crowd, Built by the Customer." Harvard Business School Case 510-062, February 2010. (Revised September 2011.) View Details
- Norton, Michael. "Local Motors: Designed by the Crowd, Built by the Customer (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 513-088, March 2013. View Details
- Moon, Youngme E., Michael I. Norton, and David Chen. "(PRODUCT) RED (A)." Harvard Business School Case 509-013, July 2008. (Revised February 2009.) View Details
- Moon, Youngme E., Michael I. Norton, and David Chen. "(PRODUCT) RED (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 509-014, July 2008. (Revised February 2009.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., and Youngme E. Moon. "(PRODUCT) RED (TN) (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 509-054, April 2009. (Revised April 2009.) View Details
- Moon, Youngme E., and Michael I. Norton. "(PRODUCT) RED Video (A) & (B)." Harvard Business School Video Supplement 509-724, March 2009. View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Julian Villanueva, and Luc Wathieu. "elBulli: The Taste of Innovation." Harvard Business School Case 509-015, July 2008. (Revised March 2009.) (Also available in Spanish: 509S01-PDF-SPA.) View Details
- Norton, Michael I., Julian Villanueva, and Luc Wathieu. "elBulli: The Taste of Innovation (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 509-055, March 2009. View Details
- Ofek, Elie, Thomas J. Steenburgh, Michael I. Norton, and Kerry Herman. "RKS Guitars." Harvard Business School Case 507-003, October 2006. (Revised August 2007.) View Details
- Steenburgh, Thomas J., and Michael I. Norton. "Pitch Yourself!" Harvard Business School Exercise 508-039, September 2007. (Revised March 2009.) View Details
- Steenburgh, Thomas J., and Michael I. Norton. "Sell Yourself!" Harvard Business School Exercise 507-045, November 2006. View Details
- Steenburgh, Thomas J., and Michael I. Norton. "Sell Yourself! (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 507-069, April 2007. View Details
- Other Publications and Materials
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- Whillans, A. V., and Michael I. Norton. "If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time." Wall Street Journal (online) (September 11, 2017). View Details
- Research Summary
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Professor Norton's research can be grouped into two broad areas. First, he explores the effects of social norms on people’s attitudes and behavior, addressing the key role that social factors play in shaping the preferences of individuals. This work has a particular focus on the norm of political correctness, demonstrating the impact of this norm in domains ranging from social interaction to personnel selection to the effectiveness of marketing appeals.
In the domain of behavioral economics, Professor Norton's research investigates the psychology of investment: How investing time, labor, and money impacts how people come to value things, from products to people. One project, for example, demonstrates that people value products far beyond their market price when they assemble those products themselves, the “IKEA effect.”
- Awards & Honors
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Won the 2010 Theoretical Innovation Prize from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology for his paper with C.K. Morewedge, "When Dreaming Is Believing: The (Motivated) Interpretation of Dreams" (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2009).Selected for the Marketing Science Institute's 2009 Young Scholar Program. The biennial MSI Young Scholar Program brings together some of the most promising scholars in marketing and closely related fields to explore research opportunities and encourage future research collaboration.Won a SAGE Young Scholars Award from the Foundation for Personality and Social Psychology in 2011.
- Additional Information
- Areas of Interest
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- consumer behavior
- consumer psychology
- decision-making
- nonprofit
- philanthropy
- corporate social responsibility
- ethnic marketing
- experimental economics
- marketing
- pricing
- race and ethnicity
- social enterprise
- social interactions
- advertising
- consumer products
- e-commerce industry
- marketing industry
- nonprofit industry
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