Dennis P. Stolle

About Dennis P. Stolle

My work centers on helping people and organizations flourish by creating the conditions where they can learn, adapt, and perform at high levels in complex environments. At its core, my work is grounded in the psychology of small groups—how people think, decide, and coordinate in settings where outcomes depend on collective judgment rather than individual discretion. For more than two decades, I’ve worked to bring psychological science into the systems that shape modern life—juries, work teams, human-technology teaming, and group decisions impacting the natural environment.As the Head of Applied Psychology at the American Psychological Association, I lead efforts that use behavioral science to strengthen performance, decision-making, and well-being across organizations and communities. My work draws on research in learning, resilience, purpose, psychological safety, and human–technology interaction to help teams and work groups operate with clarity and effectiveness.I began my career examining decision-making and behavior in high-stakes legal environments, with a particular focus on how small groups—especially juries—reason, deliberate, and reach collective decisions under uncertainty. My early scholarship in therapeutic jurisprudence explored how interactions among legal decision-makers could be structured to promote psychological and emotional well-being. Later, as a capital partner at an AmLaw 100 law firm, I founded a behavioral science consulting practice applying psychological insights and original empirical research to jury decision-making, legal communication, and organizational culture. Those experiences reinforced my belief that groups and institutions—not just individuals—can be intentionally designed to support human thriving.My current interests include the psychology of AI and emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and how systems can either bolster or constrain human capability. At APA, I lead initiatives such as the Work in America surveys, which explore how technology, work design, and organizational culture influence resilience, motivation, and performance.Across all these domains, my focus remains the same: helping individuals and institutions create the conditions where learning, resilience, and purpose can take root and grow. Flourishing is not accidental—it is cultivated through intentional design and evidence-informed practice.Away from work, I practice Ashtanga yoga, tend to my garden in Thomasville, Georgia, and read widely about behavioral science, often under the watchful eyes of my two pugs.

Experience

1. Executive Lead Psychologist, Applied Psychology

   American Psychological Association

   Nov 2024 — Present · Washington, DC, US

Education

• University of Nebraska College of Law

  JD, Law

  1993 — 1996

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  MA, Social Psychology

  1994 — 1997

• Saint Louis University

  BS, Psychology

  1989 — 1993

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  PhD, Social Psychology | Legal Psychology | Personality Psychology

  1994 — 1998

Skills

• Corporate Law
• Litigation Consulting
• Jury Selection
• Trials
• Focus Groups
• Criminal Law
• Intellectual Property
• Commercial Litigation
• Psychology
• Demonstrative Evidence
• Civil Litigation
• Appeals
• Jury Research
• Courts
• Class Actions
• Arbitration
• Legal Writing
• Litigation
• White Collar Criminal Defense
• Mediation