Thomas conducts experimental studies to unveil the nonconscious mental processes that influence consumer behavior. He has identified several interesting behavioral phenomena – such as the left-digit effect, the precision effect, and the credit card effect – that illustrate how heuristics and feelings influence consumer decisions. His research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, and Psychological Science. His research has also been discussed in a variety of popular media outlets such as NPR, Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American. Thomas is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Consumer Psychology, and is also on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Consumer Research and the Journal of Marketing Research.