Policing and Racism, Insights from Psychological Science: Expert Panel
On May 21, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) will convene a panel of experts…
Psychology
Reminiscing with confidence
Sounds like crickets chirping and the taste of warm buckwheat pancakes can spark the senses of people with dementia — a fact faculty and students at WVU used to develop a way for those people to experience parts of their cultural past and to relieve stress for their caregivers.
APS 2021 Virtual Convention News Highlights: Annual ‘Meeting of the Minds’ in Psychological Science
The latest news and discoveries from the field of psychological science will be featured at the 2021 Virtual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), held May 26-27.
Little to No Increase in Association Between Adolescents’ Mental Health Problems and Digital Technology Engagement
A new study suggests that over the past 30 years, there has been little to no increase in the association between adolescents’ technology engagement and mental health problems. The study also urges more transparent collaborations between academia and industry.
2021 Posters on the Hill Spotlights Exemplary Undergraduate Research Projects for Policymakers, Scholars, and the Public
Via a virtual public poster session on April 28, undergraduate researchers from colleges and universities in 42 states and the District of Columbia will share their research projects in the 2021 Posters on the Hill event, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
CUR Psychology Division Announces 2021 Psychology Research Awardees
The Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research announces the 2021 recipients of its Psychology Research Awards. The recipients are undergraduate students conducting original psychological research, who receive awards of up to $500 per project.
Videoconferences More Exhausting When Participants Don’t Feel Group Belonging
Videoconferences may be less exhausting if participants feel some sense of group belonging, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Mass Shootings Are Happening Again: NSU Home to Experts to Help Media Working Related Stories
It is happening again – mass shootings in the United States. There have been three…
No increase in brain health problems in middle age for men who played football in high school
Decades after their days on the gridiron, middle-aged men who played football in high school are not experiencing greater problems with concentration, memory, or depression compared to men who did not play football, reports a study in Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
Telling sunbathers what they don’t want to hear: Tanning is bad
Most young women already know that tanning is dangerous and sunbathe anyway, so a campaign informing them of the risk should take into account their potential resistance to the message, according to a new study.
Moravian’s Sarah K. Johnson Elected to CUR Executive Board
Sarah K. Johnson—associate professor in the Department of Psychology/Neuroscience at Moravian College in Pennsylvania—has been elected to the Executive Board of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Representing CUR’s Psychology Division, Johnson will begin a three-year term on the board in summer 2021.
Covering a Pandemic: University of Kentucky Study Explores Impact of COVID-19 on Journalists
To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on TV journalists, researchers in the College of Social Work (CoSW) Self-Care Lab at the University of Kentucky conducted a national study.
The Psychological Science of Racism: Expert Panel for Journalists: March 31; 2 p.m. EDT
The Association for Psychological Science will present an expert panel on the psychological science of…
Black diabetes mortality higher that white rates in top 30 U.S. cities
Examining data at a city level can inform more targeted local policy interventions and programming to promote health equity, find researchers.
The Psychology of Racism: Newswise Live Event for March 31st, 2PM ET
Panelists will discuss the psychological science of how racist attitudes and behaviors are formed, and how they can be influencedd, using science.
Self-compassion can alleviate feelings of loneliness due to remote work, study finds
A new study led by a psychology researcher at IUPUI has found evidence that feelings of ‘work loneliness’ during the pandemic are associated with greater depression — and also that self-compassion seems to mitigate these negative effects.
Relearning normalcy, focusing on the positive: UW psychologist on the vaccine phase of the pandemic
A year into the pandemic, with COVID-19 vaccines increasingly available and restrictions lifting on many…
Doctors should address reduced sense of taste and smell in cancer patients, Tulane study says
The study is a joint project of the Tulane Department of Psychology and the Tulane Cancer Center.
Tired at the Office? Take a Quick Break. Your Work Will Benefit.
Recent research shows that people are more likely to take “microbreaks” at work on days when they’re tired – but that’s not a bad thing. The researchers found microbreaks help tired employees engage with their work better over the course of the day.
Helpful behavior during pandemic tied to recognizing common humanity
A new University of Washington study finds that an identification with all humanity, as opposed to identification with a geographic area like a country or town, predicts whether someone will engage in “prosocial” behaviors particular to the pandemic, such as donating extra masks or coming to the aid of a sick person.
Star employees get most of the credit and blame while collaborating with non-stars
Star employees often get most of the credit when things go right, but also shoulder most of the blame when things go wrong, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
A Remote, Computerized Training Program Eases Anxiety in Children
Using a computerized and completely remote training program, researchers have found a way to mitigate negative emotions in children. Results support the link between inhibitory control dysfunction and anxiety/depression. EEG results also provide evidence of frontal alpha asymmetry shifting to the left after completing an emotional version of the training. Computerized cognitive training programs can be highly beneficial for children, not just for academics, but for psychological and emotional functioning during a challenging time in their development.
How Does Your Brain Process Emotions? Answer Could Help Address Loneliness Epidemic
In a study published in the March 5, 2021 online edition of Cerebral Cortex, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that specific regions of the brain respond to emotional stimuli related to loneliness and wisdom in opposing ways.
Digital solutions including remote monitoring can help chronic pain sufferers manage their pain and reduce the probability of misuse of prescription opioids.
For the first time, an app has been shown to reduce key symptoms of chronic pain. A UNH-led study evaluated the impact of Manage My Pain(MMP), a digital health solution on chronic pain patients.
Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research Issue Features Nontraditional Approaches to Research
The winter 2020 issue of Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research (SPUR), the academic journal of the Council on Undergraduate Research, focuses on unusual approaches to undergraduate research such as research for chefs and a video game for biology majors.
Expert Available: School Psychologists, COVID-19, and the Return of In-Person Learning
By now, with the COVID-19 pandemic approaching the one-year mark, the impacts of extended quarantine…
Do atheists have a moral compass?
University of Illinois Chicago social psychologist examines what values people view as relevant for morality
Innovative Parenting Programs Address Inequality in Young Children’s Development
Parent education programs and interventions that begin shortly after the birth of a child have shown to significantly impact parenting behaviors that support social and academic engagement for children growing up in poverty.
Body shape, beyond weight, drives fat stigma for women
Fat stigma in women contributes to poor medical outcomes and negatively affects educational and economic opportunities. A new study from scientists at Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University shows that body shape, beyond overall weight, drives fat stigma. Women with overweight and obesity who carry gluteofemoral fat were less stigmatized than those who carry abdominal fat. These findings could affect how interventions for overweight and obesity are designed and delivered.
Mean or Nice? These Traits Could Make or Break a Child’s Friendships
While it’s logical to assume that children who are mean have friendships characterized by growing strife and that children who are nice report little of the same, these assumptions haven’t been tested in the real-world friendships. A study of elementary-school children is the first to examine the extent to which being “nice” and being “mean” shape changes in friend perceptions of their relationship. Results confirm the widespread assumption that one child’s behavioral traits drive the other child’s friendship experiences.
Study Aims to Break the Chains of Incarceration in African American Males
The majority of African American men return to prison within one to three years of their first release. A study explores why re-entry programs are not as effective for them when compared to others. Researchers suggest a holistic approach that addresses psychological and historical trauma in conjunction with the environmental factors that perpetuate the stigma justice-involved African American men experience. The approach accounts for negative associations developed in the centuries of oppression and segregation that shape their current societal interactions.
U.S. Adults Report Highest Stress Level Since Early Days of the Covid-19 Pandemic
As the U.S. confronts a bitter election season, political unrest and violence, a shaky economy, and a soaring death toll due to COVID-19, 84% of U.S. adults say the country has serious societal issues that we need to address, according to a new poll.
Dean Appointed to Committee on Health Equity
Rutgers School of Public Health dean, Perry N. Halkitis, has been appointed to the American Psychological Association’s inaugural Ad Hoc Committee on Health Equity.
The Medical Minute: Understanding seasonal affective disorder
Clinical depression that sets in at a season’s start and goes into remission at the end is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. With a proper diagnosis, effective treatment is available.
Family life can make you a better boss
New research from the University of Georgia, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that positive interactions with your child during your off hours can make you a better leader.
Sexual harassment claims by less feminine women perceived as less credible
Women who do not fit female stereotypes are less likely to be seen as victims of sexual harassment, and if they claim they were harassed, they are less likely to be believed, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Sexual harassment claims considered more credible if made by ‘prototypical’ women, study finds
A new UW study reveals people’s perceptions that sexual harassment primarily affects young, feminine and conventionally attractive women. Women who fall outside that prototype not only are perceived as unharmed by harassment, but also have a harder time convincing others that they have been harassed.
Depression and Stress Could Dampen Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines
Health behaviors and emotional stressors can alter the body’s ability to develop an immune response to vaccines, including—potentially—the new COVID-19 vaccines. Simple interventions, including exercising and getting a good night’s sleep in the 24 hours before vaccination, may maximize the vaccine’s initial effectiveness.
Wives bore the brunt of child care during the shutdown
Traditional gendered patterns of child care persisted during the COVID-19 shutdown, with more than a third of couples relying on women to provide most or all of it.
5 Things You Must Do While You Wait for the COVID-19 Vaccine
Even as vaccinations against COVID-19 are under way, the virus continues to kill thousands of Americans every day, making it more important than ever to stay safe and be ready in case it strikes you or your family. Here’s what you need to do to prevent and prepare for the novel coronavirus.
Covering faces around kids won’t mask emotions
The proliferation of face coverings to keep COVID-19 in check isn’t keeping kids from understanding facial expressions, according to a new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison psychologists.
Holidays ‘full of love and connection’: UW psychologist offers tips for celebrating the season during COVID-19
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or none of the above, how you spend the…
The power of validation in helping people stay positive
Telling a distressed friend or family member something as simple as “I understand why you feel that way” can go a long way toward helping loved ones feel better, new research suggests.
Experts: How to Navigate the Holiday Season During COVID-19
ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 24, 2020) – The 2020 holiday season will be like no other….
Francine Conway Brings Experience, Expertise to Role of Rutgers-New Brunswick Provost
Francine Conway, a child psychologist and the first Black dean of Rutgers University-New Brunswick’s Graduate School of Applied Psychology who helped expand student enrollment and double federal grant revenue, has been named provost and executive vice chancellor of academic affairs.
New research finds we don’t empathize with others equally – but we believe we should
According to new research, while we don’t always empathize with others equally–most of us believe we should.
NAU researchers publish new report, recommendations to increase concussion disclosure in athletes
Psychology chair Heidi Wayment co-authored the report with Ann Huffman, Deborah Craig and Monica Lininger. The work was a result of a grant funded by the Mind Matters Challenge, which provides recommendations for increasing concussion symptom disclosure in collegiate athletic departments and military service academies.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Risk Perception in COVID-19 Era
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor William Hallman is available for…
Why Are Men So Negatively Impacted by Depression?
Anxiety, worry and depression are natural responses to the coronavirus pandemic and all of the problems that accompany it. Paul Ingram, in Texas Tech University’s Department of Psychological Sciences, said the impact on men might be more serious than for women because of how men deal with mental health.
HOW LONG DOES THE PRESCHOOL ADVANTAGE LAST?
Children who attend preschool enter kindergarten with greater skills than those who don’t, but that advantage is nearly halved by the end of the year as their counterparts quickly begin to catch up, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.