About

Alia Crum is an Associate Professor of Psychology and, by courtesy, of Medicine (Primary Care & Population Health) at Stanford University. Her research focuses on how changes in subjective mindsets—such as thoughts, beliefs, and expectations—can alter objective reality through behavioral, psychological, and physiological mechanisms. Inspired in part by research on the placebo effect, her work aims to understand how mindsets influence outcomes across various domains, including health, behavior, and organizational performance. Crum's interdisciplinary approach integrates psychology of schemas and appraisals with fields like behavioral economics and sociology, employing experimental studies, surveys, and field interventions to explore how mindsets shape health, performance, and wellbeing.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Sociology
• Social Science
• Psychology
• Social psychology
• Public relations
• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Psychiatry
• Clinical psychology
• Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence
• Psychotherapist
• Nursing
• Cognitive psychology
• Economics
• Applied psychology
• Law
• Virology

Selected publications

• “My Body is a Ticking Time Bomb”: Associations of Body Mindsets with Psychological Distress in People with Chronic Kidney Disease

  Research Square · 2025-05-07

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Illness mindsets in health and disease: development and validation of the Illness Mindset Inventory (IMI)

  Journal of Behavioral Medicine · 2025-10-16 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering experience that can be shaped, for better or worse, by psychological factors. How patients think about their illness-their core beliefs about what it means and what it might bring such as whether it is catastrophic, manageable, or even an opportunity-can influence how they respond and adapt. This research introduces the concept of illness mindsets and presents the initial validation of the Illness Mindset Inventory (IMI), a new tool designed to assess these beliefs and their implications for health and well-being. Study 1 examines the factor structure, internal reliability, and discriminant validity of the 9-item IMI in N = 201 healthy participants and N = 200 participants with cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and/or chronic pain. Study 2 investigates cancer patients (N = 463) with different degrees of illness severity and tests the pre-registered hypothesis that the IMI will account for variability in functioning over and above measures of illness severity. In Study 1, illness mindsets were associated with between 5.7 and 12.1% additional variance in physical, social, and emotional functioning, above and beyond disease status. In Study 2, illness mindsets accounted for between 6.9 and 12.0% additional variance in physical functioning, social functioning, and emotional distress in people diagnosed with cancer above and beyond cancer stage, cancer status, trait optimism, and self-efficacy. Illness mindsets may help account for variance in individual functioning beyond disease status and disease severity. Future research can probe the IMI's utility in supporting patient care; in predicting functioning before, during, and after a diagnosis; and as a potential target for intervention.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Beliefs about Characteristics Of Relative Essence (CORE Beliefs): A Theory to Unify Disparate Belief Literatures

  2025-11-16

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The insight that our beliefs are not mere reactions to our experiences but also a cause of our experiences is central to most disciplines in psychology. Yet research progress has been slowed by ambiguous definition, classification, and measurement of beliefs. Drawing from Beck’s original work on “core beliefs” and integrating previously disparate literatures including appraisals, mindsets, and primals, we present an integrated, technical definition of CORE beliefs as beliefs about the Characteristics of Relative Essence of a topic in which the modifier ascribed to that topic is adjectival, simple, and evaluative (e.g., the world is dangerous; I am incompetent; stress is enhancing; my body is capable). By focusing on modifiers rather than topic, our theory aids field organization, hypothesis generation, accelerated cumulative science, and increased precision in belief intervention. In the future, we hope that all psychological researchers, no matter one’s subdiscipline or outcome of interest, can contribute to a single, cumulative science of beliefs. The notion—that beliefs are not merely reactions to our experience but a cause of it—deserves a matured science equal to the task.

  PublisherDOI

• The role of mindsets in placebo effects and healthcare

  Handbook of clinical neurology · 2025-01-01

  book-chapterSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Pain Acceptance in Adolescent Chronic Pain

  Clinical Journal of Pain · 2025-07-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Pain acceptance predicts better quality of life, physical functioning, and treatment outcomes in youth with chronic pain. However, we know little about the factors that promote pain acceptance in youth. This study investigated body mindsets and their associations with facets of pain acceptance, specifically pain willingness and activity engagement, in adolescents with chronic pain. METHODS: The sample comprised 102 adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain (aged: 8 to 17; 72.3% female, 49.5% Caucasian/White) attending a tertiary pain clinic. Hierarchical linear regression analyses examined associations of body mindsets with pain acceptance, controlling for demographic factors, pain and mental health symptoms, and basic functioning. RESULTS: There was significant variation in the mindsets that adolescents with chronic pain held about their bodies-some endorsed the mindset that their Body is an Adversary, others endorsed the mindsets that their Body is Responsive or Body is Capable. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that endorsing the mindset that their Body is an Adversary was associated with lower willingness to experience pain, while endorsing the mindset that their Body is Capable was associated with greater engagement in valued activities despite pain, even after accounting for demographic factors, pain characteristics, and basic functioning. Together, all 3 mindsets explained 6.6% to 26.8% unique variance in pain acceptance. DISCUSSION: Body mindsets are significantly associated with pain acceptance in youth with chronic pain, even after controlling for pain characteristics and basic functioning. Experimental research should investigate whether body mindsets are modifiable in this population and whether they could represent interventional targets fostering pain acceptance.

  PublisherDOI

• The Future of Women in Psychological Science

  UNC Libraries · 2025-06-27

  articleOpen access

  There has been extensive discussion about gender gaps in representation and career advancement in the sciences. However, psychological science itself has yet to be the focus of discussion or systematic review, despite our field's investment in questions of equity, status, well-being, gender bias, and gender disparities. In the present article, we consider 10 topics relevant for women's career advancement in psychological science. We focus on issues that have been the subject of empirical study, discuss relevant evidence within and outside of psychological science, and draw on established psychological theory and social-science research to begin to chart a path forward. We hope that better understanding of these issues within the field will shed light on areas of existing gender gaps in the discipline and areas where positive change has happened, and spark conversation within our field about how to create lasting change to mitigate remaining gender differences in psychological science.

  PublisherDOI

• Can catastrophes be opportunities? A randomized clinical trial testing a brief mindset intervention for reducing inflammation and depression following COVID-19

  Brain Behavior and Immunity · 2025-07-28 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  • Pandemic-related stress can lead to inflammation and mental health problems. • Shifting mindsets may promote biopsychosocial resilience following a crisis. • To investigate, we tested the impact of a catastrophes-as-opportunities mindset intervention. • The intervention reduced C-reactive protein and depressive symptoms levels. • The mindset intervention is thus an effective and scalable option for public health use. Survivors of major catastrophes face significant mental health risks but may also experience growth in meaning, relationships, and self-esteem. Two years after the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we conducted a randomized clinical trial to test the effects of an intervention that promotes the mindset that “catastrophes can be opportunities in the long-term” on mental health and well-being. Adults were randomized to a mindset intervention ( n = 226) or control group ( n = 153). The mindset group watched five brief videos that reinforced that “catastrophes can be opportunities in the long-term” and wrote about their mindsets toward the COVID-19 pandemic and how these might encourage or discourage post-traumatic growth. The control group watched videos on the chronology of the pandemic and completed questions reviewing their knowledge. Mindsets regarding catastrophes-as-opportunities, post-traumatic growth, anxiety, depression, and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. The mindset intervention significantly reduced CRP ( p = 0.030) and depressive symptom levels ( p = 0.009) at 3 months post-intervention. In addition, changes in mindset significantly mediated the effects of the intervention on posttraumatic growth, depressive symptoms, and other domains of mental health and well-being. Brief mindset interventions may thus have beneficial biological and clinical effects for individuals going through major catastrophes.

  PublisherDOI

• Employing illness perceptions and mindsets in health contexts: towards an integrative framework

  Health Psychology Review · 2025-09-05 · 2 citations

  review

  Beliefs about illness powerfully shape how people experience and respond to health conditions. The dominant theory underpinning illness perception - Leventhal's Common-Sense Model - proposes that individuals construct cognitive representations of illness based on specific beliefs about its features and likely course (e.g., symptom severity, timeline, controllability). These perceptions predict key outcomes, including functioning, quality of life, emotional distress, and treatment adherence. Mindsets are related but distinct: they are broader, more abstract beliefs about the nature and meaning of illness (e.g., viewing cancer as 'manageable' or 'a catastrophe'). While the illness perception literature is well established, mindset research in the health context is more recent, with promising findings and emerging tools for intervention. In this paper, we critically review both constructs, highlight their complementary strengths and limitations, and propose an integrative framework that unites them. We argue that combining these perspectives can sharpen measurement, deepen theoretical understanding, and enhance the impact of belief-based interventions in healthcare.

  PublisherDOI

• “My Body Is a Ticking Time Bomb”: Associations of Body Mindsets with Psychological Distress in People with Chronic Kidney Disease

  International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · 2025-06-27 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: This study investigated the association between body mindsets-established, but mutable beliefs a person holds about their body-with psychological distress in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: A cross-sectional, mixed methods survey was conducted in people with CKD at various stages of treatment. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) to capture distress, the Body Mindset Inventory (BMI), and qualitative free-text responses elaborating on their mindsets. Hierarchical regression models explored associations of body mindsets with psychological distress, controlling for demographic variables, treatment modalities, and comorbidities. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-two adults with CKD (62% female) completed the survey; 27.6% were receiving dialysis and 34.7% had received a kidney transplant. Those who more strongly endorsed the mindset that their Body is an Adversary reported greater psychological distress, while those who more strongly endorsed the mindsets that their Body is Capable or their Body is Responsive reported less psychological distress. Together, all three mindsets explained 12% unique variance in psychological distress, even after accounting for demographic factors, treatment modalities, and comorbidities. Mixed methods analyses illustrated the range of body mindsets in people with CKD, with some describing their body as "A ticking time bomb" and others stating "My body is a fighter just like me. My body is amazing." CONCLUSION: Mindsets about the body are significantly associated with psychological distress in people with CKD. These cross-sectional data provide a foundation for future longitudinal and interventional studies on the relationship between mindsets and distress outcomes in people living with CKD.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A randomized clinical trial testing digital mindset intervention for knee osteoarthritis pain and activity improvement

  npj Digital Medicine · 2024-10-17 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of short, digital interventions in improving physical activity and pain for individuals with knee osteoarthritis. We compared a digital mindset intervention, focusing on adaptive mindsets (e.g., osteoarthritis is manageable), to a digital education intervention and a no-intervention group. 408 participants with knee osteoarthritis completed the study online in the US. The mindset intervention significantly improved mindsets compared to both other groups (P < 0.001) and increased physical activity levels more than the no-intervention group (mean = 28.6 points, P = 0.001), but pain reduction was not significant. The mindset group also showed significantly greater improvements in the perceived need for surgery, self-imposed physical limitations, fear of movement, and self-efficacy than the no-intervention and education groups. This trial demonstrates the effectiveness of brief digital interventions in educating about osteoarthritis and further highlights the additional benefits of improving mindsets to transform patients' approach to disease management. The study was prospectively registered (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05698368, 2023-01-26).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• Harnessing Mindset in 21st Century Healthcare

  NIH · $2.4M · 2016–2021

Frequent coauthors

• Lauren C. Howe

  Swiss Finance Institute

  46 shared

• Hazel Rose Markus

  Stanford University

  43 shared

• Emerson J. Hardebeck

  Antioch University Seattle

  38 shared

• Jennifer L. Eberhardt

  37 shared

• Sean R. Zion

  30 shared

• Kari Leibowitz

  Stanford University

  27 shared

• Rina I. Horii

  21 shared

• Lauren C. Heathcote

  King's College London

  21 shared

Labs

• Vice Provost for Student AffairsPI

  1-2 sentence research focus

Education

• B.A., Psychology

  Harvard University

  2005

• Ph.D., Clinical Psychology

  Yale University

  2012