Emily E. Balcetis is an American social psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at New York University.

Balcetis joined the faculty of New York University in 2006 and was recipient of the NYU College of Arts and Sciences Golden Dozen Teaching Award in 2014.

[8] Building on ideas first proposed by Jerome Bruner and Cecile Goodman in 1947,[9] Balcetis has explored how mental and motivational states influence how visual stimuli are perceived and responded to.

"[10] Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual finds themselves in a situation that is contradictory to their beliefs, logic, behavior, and attitudes.

[11] In Balcetis and Dunning's study, participants were given the choice of performing a task that induced cognitive dissonance, such as pushing themselves up a hill while kneeling on a skateboard.