Peggy Liu was honored by the Association for Psychological Science for early career contributions

Peggy Liu, the Ben L. Fryrear Chair in Marketing and an associate professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, has been awarded the 2024 Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions from the Association for Psychological Science (APS).

Liu and six other psychological scientists earned the Janet Taylor Spence Award for conducting cutting-edge research on topics like self-regulation, collective emotions and multicultural experiences. First awarded in 2010 and named after the association’s first president, the Spence Award honors particularly creative and promising APS members who embody the future of the field.

A leading expert on consumer behavior from the social and health perspectives, Liu’s research has advanced understanding of how consumption decisions affect interpersonal relationships and vice versa. She conducts rigorous research on how people’s choices can weaken or strengthen social connections, such as by offending others.

The APS announcement said: “Overall, Liu’s work adds insights to consumer psychology, social psychology and health psychology.”  

The recipients will be honored in May at the APS annual conference in San Francisco.