Nicholas DiFonzo

Professor of Psychology

Nicholas Difonzo Headshot

Profile

Dr. Nicholas DiFonzo is an internationally recognized scholar in the psychology of rumor, with particular expertise in social and organizational behavior, Christian worldview psychology, and the intersection of faith, trust, and uncertainty. He serves as Professor of Psychology at Roberts Wesleyan University, where he also chairs the Institutional Review Board. Over his distinguished career, Dr. DiFonzo has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, authored award-winning books including Rumor Psychology and The Watercooler Effect, and received accolades such as the 2024 Barbara S. Muller Award for Teaching Excellence and the 2007 ForeWord Book of the Year Gold Medal in Psychology.

His research explores how rumors function in times of change and uncertainty, the role of Christian psychology in addressing conspiracy beliefs, and how worldview shapes psychological science. As a guest editor, consulting editor, and contributor to journals like Journal of Psychology and Christianity and Social Influence, he continues to shape conversations at the intersection of faith and psychological science. A member of multiple professional organizations, including the American Psychological Society and the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, he is committed to advancing the integration of rigorous research with faith-informed practice.

Courses Taught

PSYC2080 Psychology of Human Relationships
PSYC3060 Social Psychology
PSYC3090 Research Methods
PSYC3120 Positive Psychology
PSYC4060 Psychology & Theology
PSYC4070 Research Practicum
DPSY7000 Advanced Integration of Counseling and Theology
DPSY8300 Advanced Social Psychology

Education

Ph.D. Psychology/Concentration: Social & Organizational Psychology | Temple University

M.A.  Psychology | Temple University

M.A.  Counseling | Rider College

A.B.  Engineering | Lafayette College

Sample Publications

  • DiFonzo, N., & Johnson, E. L. (2024). Discerning worldview assumptions in psychological texts: A primer for Christians in psychology. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 43(2), 135-150.
  • Knabb, J. J., DiFonzo, N., & Garzon, F. (2024). Emic Christian worldview psychologies: Theoretical and empirical contributions. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 43(2), 108-121.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Black, J. S. (2024). Trustful waiting and enemy loving responses to uncertainty and vulnerability: Christian psychology soul care in an age of conspiracy rumors. Christian Scholar’s Review, 53(2) 51-74.

    DiFonzo, N., & Hall, M. E. L. (2022). Introduction to the special issue: An apologetic for emic research in psychology. Journal of Psychology and Christianity. 41(1), 3-15.
  • Hill, P. C., DiFonzo, N., Jones, C. E., & Bell, J. S. (2022). Measurement at the intersection of positive psychology and the psychology of religion/spirituality. In Davis, E. B., Worthington, Jr., E. L., & Schnitker, S. A. (Eds.) Handbook of positive psychology, religion, and spirituality. [Ch. 7]. Springer Publishing.
  • DiFonzo, N., (2020). Evil rumors. Christianity Around the World, 14, 47-52.
  • DiFonzo, N., (2020). Rumor and communication. In Patricia Moy (Ed.). Communication. Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756841-0246.
  • DiFonzo, N. (2019). A Christian psychology of rumor. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 38(1), 3-21.
  • DiFonzo, N. (2019). Conspiracy Rumor Psychology. In Joseph E. Uscinski (Ed.) Conspiracy Theories and the People Who Believe Them, (pp. 257-268). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • DiFonzo, N., Alongi, A., & Wiele, P. (2018). Apology, Restitution, and Forgiveness after Psychological Contract Breach. Journal of Business Ethics. DOI 10.1007/s10551-018-3984-1
  • DiFonzo, N., Beckstead, J., Stupak, N., & Walders, K. (2016). Validity judgments of rumors heard multiple times: The shape of the truth effect. Social Influence. 11(1), 22-39. DOI: 10.1080/15534510.2015.1137224
  • DiFonzo, N., Suls, J., Beckstead, J., Bourgeois, M. J., Homan, C., Brougher, S., Younge, A. J., & Terpstra-Schwab, N. (2014). Network Structure Moderates Intergroup Differentiation of Stereotyped Rumors. Social Cognition, 32(5), 409-448. DOI: 10.1080/15534510.2015.1137224
  • Bordia, P., Kiazad, K., Restubog, S. L. D., DiFonzo, N., Stenson, N., & Tang, R. L. (2014). Rumor as Revenge in the Workplace Group & Organization Management, 39, 363-388. DOI:10.1177/1059601114540750 [Won Group & Organization Management Best Micro Paper of 2014 Award]
  • Brooks, B., DiFonzo, N, & Ross, D. (2013). The GBN-Dialogue Model of Outgroup-Negative Rumor Transmission: Group Membership, Belief, and Novelty. Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, 17(2), 269-293.
  • DiFonzo, N., Bourgeois, M. J., Suls, J. M., Homan, C., Stupak, N., Brooks, B., Ross, D. S., & Bordia, P. (2013). Rumor Clustering, Consensus, and Polarization: Dynamic Social Impact and Self-Organization of Hearsay. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(3), 378-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.12.010
  • Bordia, P., & DiFonzo, N. (2013). Rumors During Organizational Change: A Motivational Analysis. In The Psychology of Organisational Change. [pp. 232-252]. Cambridge University Press.
  • DiFonzo, N., Robinson, N., Suls, J., & Rini, C. (2012). Rumors about cancer: Content, sources, coping, transmission, and belief. Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, 17(9), 1099-1115. DOI:10.1080/10810730.2012.665417
  • Fine, G. A., & DiFonzo, N. (2011, Summer). Uncertain knowledge. Contexts, 10(3). 16-21.
  • DiFonzo, N. (2010). Ferretting facts or fashioning fallacies? Factors in rumor accuracy. Social and Personality Compass.4(11), 1124-1137, DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00321.x
  • Stupak, N., DiFonzo, N., Younge, A. J., & Homan, C. (2010). SOCIALSENSE: Graphical user interface design considerations for social network experiment software. Computers in Human Behavior, 26, 365-370. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2009.11.007.
  • DiFonzo, N. (2010). Rumor. In Irving B. Weiner & Edward Craighead (Eds.). Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. (4th Ed.).
  • DiFonzo, N. (2010). Propaganda. In Irving B. Weiner & Edward Craighead (Eds.). Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. (4th Ed.).
  • DiFonzo, N. (2009). Rumor. Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology. London: Sage.
  • DiFonzo, N. (2008). Rumors. In William A. Darity, Jr., Editor-in-chief. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences (Vol. 7, 2nd ed., pp. 295-298). Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference USA (Thomson Gale).
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007). Rumor Transmission. In R. F. Baumeister & K., D. Vohs (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Psychology. [pp. 771-773]. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007). Rumors influence: Toward a dynamic social impact theory of rumor. In A. R. Pratkanis (Ed.), The Science of Social Influence: Advances and Future Progress. [pp.271-296]. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007). Rumor, gossip, and urban legends. Diogènes 213, 54(1). 19-35.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2006). Rumeurs, ragots et legends urbaines. [Rumor, gossip, and urban legends]. Diogène, 213 (Janvier-Mars). 23-45.
  • DiFonzo, N. & Bordia, P. (2006). Rumor in organizational contexts. In D. A. Hantula (Ed.), Advances in psychology: A tribute to Ralph L. Rosnow. (pp. 249-274). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Bordia, P., Jones, E., Gallois, C., Callan, V., & DiFonzo, N. (2006). Management are aliens! Rumors and stress during organizational change. Group & Organization Management, 31(5), 601-621.
  • Bordia, P., & DiFonzo, N. (2005). Psychological motivations in rumor spread. In G.A. Fine, V. Campion-Vincent, & C. Heath (Eds.), (pp. 87-101), Rumor mills: The social impact of rumor and legend. New York: Aldine.
  • Bordia, P., DiFonzo, N., Haines, R., & Chaseling, L. (2005). Rumor denials as persuasive messages: Effects of personal relevance, source, and message characteristics. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 35(6), 1301-1331.
  • Bordia, P., Hunt, L., Paulsen, N., Tourish, D., & DiFonzo, N. (2004). Communication and uncertainty during organizational change: Is it all about control? European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology, 13(3), 345-365.
  • Bordia, P., & DiFonzo, N. (2004). Problem solving in social interactions on the Internet: Rumor as social cognition. Social Psychology Quarterly, 67(1), 33-49.
  • DiFonzo, N. & Bordia, P. (2002). Corporate rumor activity, belief, and accuracy. Public Relations Review, 150, 1-19.
  • DiFonzo, N. & Bordia, P. (2002). Rumor and stable-cause attribution in prediction and behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 88, 785-800.
  • Bordia, P., & DiFonzo, N. (2002). When social psychology became less social: Prasad and the history of rumor research. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 5, 49-61.
  • DiFonzo, N. & Bordia, P. (2000). How top PR professionals handle hearsay: Corporate rumors, their effects, and strategies to manage them. Public Relations Review, 26(2), 173-190.
  • Costenbader, V., Rohrer, A.M., & DiFonzo, N. (2000). Kindergarten screening: A survey of current practice. Psychology in the Schools,37(4), 323-332.
  • Bordia, P., DiFonzo, N., & Schultz, C. A. (2000). Source characteristics in denying rumors of organizational closure: Honesty is the best policy. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 11, 2301-2309.
  • Bordia, P., DiFonzo, N., & Chang, A. (1999). Rumor as group problem solving: Development patterns in informal computer mediated groups. Small Group Research, 30(1), 8-28.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (1998). A tale of two corporations: Managing uncertainty during organizational change. Human Resource Management, 37(3&4), 295-303.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (1998). How Top PR Professionals Handle Hot Air: Types of Corporate Rumors, their Effects, and Strategies to Manage them. Gainesville, FL: Institute for Public Relations.
  • DiFonzo, N., Hantula, D. A., & Bordia, P. (1998). Microworlds for experimental research: Having your (control & collection) cake, and realism too. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 30(2), 278-286.
  • Bordia, P., DiFonzo, N., & Travers, V. (1998). Denying rumors of organizational change: A higher source is not always better. Communications Research Reports, 15(2). 189-198.
  • DiFonzo, N., Hantula, D. A., & Bordia, P. (1997). Microworlds for a dynamic I/O Psychology in the 21st century. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 35(2), 19-25.
  • DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (1997/2005). Rumor and prediction: Making sense (but losing dollars) in the stock market. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 71(3), 329-353. Reprinted 2005 in International Library of Critical Writings in Economics, 187, 248-272.
  • DiFonzo, N., Bordia, P., & Rosnow, R. L. (1994). Reining in Rumors. Organizational Dynamics, 23(1), 47-62.