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  1. Directory
  2. Faculty
  3. Sandra Matz

Sandra Matz

David W. Zalaznick Associate Professor of Business
Management Division
Photo of Prof. Sandra Matz
Areas of Expertise
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Climate, Consumer Behavior, Decision Making & Negotiations, Leadership & Organizational Behavior, Media
Contact
Office: 312 Kravis
E-mail: [email protected]
Links
Personal Website
Curriculum Vitae
Sandra Matz is the David W. Zalaznick Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and the author of Mindmasters.
 
As a computational social scientist with a background in psychology and computer science, Dr. Matz studies human behavior by uncovering the hidden relationships between our digital footprints and our inner mental lives. Her goal is to make data relatable and help individuals, businesses and policy makers use data in more effective and ethical ways
 
Over the last ten years Dr. Matz has published more than fifty academic papers in the world’s leading peer-reviewed journals, and her work has frequently been covered by many major news outlets, including the Economist, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Business Insider. In addition, she has shared her findings with business leaders, policymakers, and the broader public through op-eds, keynote speeches, podcasts, TV appearances, and consulting work.
 
Dr. Matz has won numerous awards for her research and teaching, including the SAGE Early Career Trajectory Award for social and personality psychologists; Poets and Quants’ Best 40-Under-40 MBA professors; Capital Magazine’s Young Elite Top 40 Under 40; World Frontiers Forum Young Pioneers; Pacific Standard Magazine’s Top 30 Thinkers Under 30; and DataIQ’s 100 Most Influential People in Data.
Education
B.Sc, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg (Germany); Ph.D., University of Cambridge
Joined CBS
2017

All Activities

  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Awards and Honors
  • Press
  • CaseWorks
  • Journal articles
  • Working papers
  • Articles
  • Books
  • Chapters
Journal Article
Cerf, Moran, Sandra Matz , and Malcolm A. MacIver
. “Participating in a climate prediction market increases concern about global warming.”
Nature Climate Change
vol.
13
, (June 08, 2023):
523
-
531
. doi:
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-023-01677-6
Explore Further about Participating in a climate prediction market increases concern about global warming
Journal Article
Peters, Heinrich , Sandra Matz , and Moran Cerf
. “Sensory substitution can improve decision-making.” (April 23, 2023).
Explore Further about Sensory substitution can improve decision-making
Journal Article
Cowgill, Bo, Fabrizio Dell'Acqua, and Sandra Matz
. “The Managerial Effects of Algorithmic Fairness Activism.”
American Economic Association Papers and Proceedings
vol.
110
, (May 01, 2020):
85
-
90
.
Explore Further about The Managerial Effects of Algorithmic Fairness Activism
Journal Article
Cerf, Moran, Sandra Matz , and Aviram Berg
. “Using Blockchain in Decision-Making that Benefits the Public Good.” (March 31, 2020).
Explore Further about Using Blockchain in Decision-Making that Benefits the Public Good
Journal Article
Matz, Sandra and Oded Netzer
. “Using Big Data as a Window into Consumers' Psychology.”
Current Opinion in Behavioral Science
vol.
18
, (December 01, 2017):
7
-
12
.
Explore Further about Using Big Data as a Window into Consumers' Psychology
Download PDF on Using Big Data as a Window into Consumers' Psychology
Journal Article
Matz, Sandra, J.J. Gladstone, and D. Stillwell
. “In a World of Big Data, Small Effects Can Still Matter: A Reply to Boyce, Daly, Hounkpatin, and Wood.”
Psychological Science
vol.
28
, (March 01, 2017):
547
-
550
.
Explore Further about In a World of Big Data, Small Effects Can Still Matter: A Reply to Boyce, Daly, Hounkpatin, and Wood
Journal Article
Behrendt, P., Sandra Matz , and A. Goeritz
. “An Integrative Model of Leadership Behaviour.”
The Leadership Quarterly
vol.
28
, (February 01, 2017):
229
-
244
.
Explore Further about An Integrative Model of Leadership Behaviour
Journal Article
Matz, Sandra, M. Kosinski, G. Nave, and D. Stillwell
. “Psychological Targeting as an Effective Approach to Digital Mass Persuasion.”
PNAS
vol.
14
, (January 01, 2017):
12714
-
12719
.
Explore Further about Psychological Targeting as an Effective Approach to Digital Mass Persuasion
Download PDF on Psychological Targeting as an Effective Approach to Digital Mass Persuasion
Journal Article
Matz, Sandra, J.J. Gladstone, and D. Stillwell
. “Money Buys Happiness When Spending Fits Our Personality.”
Psychological Science
vol.
27
, (January 01, 2016):
715
-
725
.
Explore Further about Money Buys Happiness When Spending Fits Our Personality
Journal Article
Kosinski, M., Sandra Matz , Samuel Gosling, V. Popov, and D. Stillwell
. “Facebook as a Research Tool for the Social Sciences: Opportunities, Challenges, Ethical Considerations, and Practical Guidelines.”
American Psychologist
vol.
70
, (January 01, 2015):
543
-
560
.
Explore Further about Facebook as a Research Tool for the Social Sciences: Opportunities, Challenges, Ethical Considerations, and Practical Guidelines
Journal Article
Matz, Sandra, Ryan Hyon, Elisa C. Baek, Carolyn Parkinson, and Moran Cerf
. “Personality similarity predicts synchronous neural responses in fMRI and EEG data.” (August 22, 0022).
Explore Further about Personality similarity predicts synchronous neural responses in fMRI and EEG data
Working Paper
Peters, Heinrich, Friedrich Gotz, Tobias Ebert, Sandrine Muller, P. Rentfrow, Samuel Gosling, Marin Obschonka, Daniel Ames , Jeff Potter, and Sandra Matz
. Regional personality differences predict variation in COVID-19 infections and social distancing behavior. September 22, 2022.
Explore Further about Regional personality differences predict variation in COVID-19 infections and social distancing behavior
Book
Matz, Sandra
. Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior. 
Harvard Business Review Press
, 2025.
Explore Further about Mindmasters: The Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior
Chapter
Matz, Sandra and Jacob B. Hirsh
. “Marketing and Personality.” In
The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences
,
Hoboken
:
Wiley
, 2017.
Explore Further about Marketing and Personality
Chapter
Matz, Sandra
. “Personality-customised Advertising in the Digital Environment.” In
Routledge International Handbook of Consumer Psychology
, edited by
Cathrine V. Jansson-Boyd and Magdalena J. Zawisza
,
656
-
674
.
New York
:
Taylor & Francis
, 2016.
Explore Further about Personality-customised Advertising in the Digital Environment
Chapter
Matz, Sandra, Y. Chan, and M. Kosinski
. “Models of Personality.” In
Emotions and Personality in Personalized Services
, edited by
M. Tkalcic, B. De Carolis, M. de Gemmis, A. Odic, and A. Kosir
,
35
-
54
.
New York
:
Springer
, 2016.
Explore Further about Models of Personality
Chapter
Behrendt, P. and Sandra Matz
. “Wie Sie Probleme lösen statt sie zu fokussieren.” In
Professionnell coachen: Das Methodenbuch
, edited by
A. Ryba, D. Pauw, D. Ginati, and S. Rietmann
,
348
-
362
.
Weinheim
:
Beltz
, 2014.
Explore Further about Wie Sie Probleme lösen statt sie zu fokussieren
  • Courses
  • Case Studies
Course
B8510: Managerial Negotiations
View Course on Managerial Negotiations
Course
B7583: Executive Ethics
View Course on Executive Ethics
Course
B6500: Lead: People, Teams, Organizations
View Course on Lead: People, Teams, Organizations
  • Awards & Honors
  • In the Media
  • Articles
In the Media

Sandra Matz | How Algorithms Read and Reveal the Real You

"Jordan Harbinger Show" Podcast
In the Media

ChatGPT May Be Making Us Lonelier

Fast Company
In the Media

Meet the CFO Tasked with Cleaning up the Huge Mess at Bankrupt 23andMe

Fortune
In the Media

Why the Internet Knows You Better Than You Know Yourself

NPR's "The Pulse"
In the Media

6 Books to Read This Season to Help You Grow

Forbes
In the Media

Targeted Messaging Online with Sandra Matz

"Opinion Science" Podcast
In the Media

Gennari: I Can See Dead People ... And Profit Margins

Boston Business Journal
In the Media

AI Could Revolutionize the Future of Mental Health Care, but It Comes with Big Risks

Fortune
In the Media

Sandra Matz: The Personal Data Privacy Crisis

"Remarkable People" Podcast
In the Media

Are Algorithms Controlling Your Mind?

Next Big Idea Club's "Next Big Idea Daily" Podcast
In the Media

The Case for Privacy by Design

Built In
In the Media

The Data and Influence behind Your Digital Footprint

"Behavioral Grooves" Podcast
In the Media

What Makes a Great Leader? W/ Gerd Leonhard, Sandra Matz, Jon Reed

"DisrupTV" Podcast
In the Media

The Nosy Neighbor Is Your Web Browser: How Psychology Went Digital

Next Big Idea Club
In the Media

How You Are Being Psychologically Targeted & the Extraordinary Power of Curiosity

"Something you Should Know" Podcast
In the Media

Can Big Data Really Predict What You’ll Do Next?

"The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show" Podcast
In the Media

Fake News Is Driving Us Apart amid Disaster — But Slanted News Is Slowly Drowning Our Democracy

Salon
In the Media

Sandra Matz on Protecting Our Privacy Online`

"Curious Minds at Work" Podcast
In the Media

Sandra Matz Makes the Case for a Data-Driven Science of Predicting and Changing Human Behavior

"Keen On" Podcast
In the Media

Psychological Targeting & AI with Sandra Matz

"The Behavioral Design Podcast"
In the Media

Bloomberg Businessweek: Rare Apple Downgrade

Bloomberg Radio's "Bloomberg Businessweek"
In the Media

Rapid Spread of Election Disinformation Stokes Alarm

The Hill
In the Media

I Took a ‘Decision Holiday’ and Put A.I. In Charge of My Life

The New York Times
In the Media

How Is Your Location Data Really Tracked? You’d Be Surprised.

National Geographic
In the Media

This Algorithm Could Predict Your Health, Income, and Chance of Premature Death

Science
In the Media

Meta Unfriends the News Industry in Growing Rift with Publishers

The Financial Times
In the Media

Reducing Employee Turnover through Financial Wellbeing

Human Resources Director Magazine
In the Media

AI is Changing Every Aspect of Psychology. Here’s What to Watch For

American Psychological Association
In the Media

Gambling, Literally, on Climate Change

NPR
In the Media

How Much Money was President Trump's Twitter Account Worth?

MarketWatch
In the Media

Social Media Braces for a Deluge of Voter Misinformation

Bloomberg News
In the Media

How You Feel Depends on Where You Are

The Wall Street Journal
In the Media

Ozzy Osbourne Fans Are 'Disagreeable' and Bowie Lovers Are 'Neurotic': Study Shows People Prefer Listening to Artists Who Reflect Their Own Personality

Daily Mail
In the Media

Forget Your Crystal Ball: How Can Leaders Really Prepare for the Future?

Forbes
Article

Mindmasters: The Promise and Peril of Algorithmic Influence

Read More about Mindmasters: The Promise and Peril of Algorithmic Influence
Article

On Our Shelves

Read More about On Our Shelves
Article

Friend or Foe? Big Data as a Window Into Our Psychology

Read More about Friend or Foe? Big Data as a Window Into Our Psychology
Article

Participating in a Climate Prediction Market Increases Concern About Global Warming

Read More about Participating in a Climate Prediction Market Increases Concern About Global Warming
Article

The Psychology of Success: the Personality Traits That Make or Break a Tech Startup

Read More about The Psychology of Success: the Personality Traits That Make or Break a Tech Startup
Article

Using Betting Markets to Transform Climate Attitudes and Behaviors

Read More about Using Betting Markets to Transform Climate Attitudes and Behaviors
Article

Psychological Targeting

Read More about Psychological Targeting
Article

How Intrusive Algorithms Can Become Valuable Allies

Read More about How Intrusive Algorithms Can Become Valuable Allies
Article

GPS Accurately Tracks Your Whereabouts, but Predicting Your Depression Is Much Harder

Read More about GPS Accurately Tracks Your Whereabouts, but Predicting Your Depression Is Much Harder
Article

Be Yourself: Authenticity on Social Media Leads to a Happier Life

Read More about Be Yourself: Authenticity on Social Media Leads to a Happier Life
Article

The Human Experience of COVID-19

Read More about The Human Experience of COVID-19
Article

Understanding the Nuances of Big Data

Read More about Understanding the Nuances of Big Data
Article

Columbia Bizcast: Professor Sandra Matz

Read More about Columbia Bizcast: Professor Sandra Matz
  • CaseWorks
Case ID
230407

Apple's Privacy Paradox

Is Apple's App Tracking Transparency policy a sound company strategy and what limitations might it impose?

View Case on Apple's Privacy Paradox
Case ID
220402

Memorial Park Negotiation (A and B)

What negotiation tactics will both bring positive results for Memorial Park's Fall Carnival, while preserving a good working relationship between the park's operations team and the outsourced vendor coordinator?

View Case on Memorial Park Negotiation (A and B)

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