Professor Bodenhausen studies a wide variety of issues involved in consumer cognition, including: understanding the origins, nature, and consequences of consumer attitudes, including both explicit and implicit (or automatic) attitudes; the role of identity concerns in judgment and behavior; the influence of prejudice and stereotypes on perception, judgment, memory, and behavior; how moods and other kinds of emotional states influence judgment and preference; and the nature and consequences of materialistic mindsets.

His research interests include: Social attitudes and social cognition; the role of implicit and automatic reactions in judgment and choice; influence of emotion on decision making; the impact of social identities and reference groups on attitudes and behavior; psychological implications of social diversity