Media Invited to Acoustical Society of America Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 29 – Dec. 3

After more than a year of virtual conferences, the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is holding its 181st meeting in person in Seattle, Washington, at the Hyatt Regency Seattle from Nov. 29 through Dec. 3. This major scientific conference brings together interdisciplinary groups of acoustics professionals, spanning many fields, including physics, medicine, music, psychology, wildlife biology, and engineering, to discuss the latest advancements. Follow conference highlights with social media hashtag #ASA181.

FDA authorization of COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11: IU experts available to comment

Following a daylong meeting Oct. 26, the FDA authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in children ages 5 to 11. This was the first in a series of meetings to make this vaccine available to younger children. Next, the Advisory…

PTSD symptoms vary over course of menstrual cycle

In women who have experienced trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may vary over the course of the menstrual cycle, with more symptoms during the first few days of the cycle when the hormone estradiol is low, and fewer symptoms close to ovulation, when estradiol is high, finds research published by the American Psychological Association.

New NIH research study to investigate psychosocial determinants of cardiovascular disease risk among urban African American adults

The Biopsychosocial Health lab from Wayne State University has been awarded $3,590,488 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to conduct a project titled “Stress and Cardiovascular Risk Among Urban African American adults: A Multilevel, Mixed Methods Approach.”

Coping in College? Female Students Much More Stressed Than Their Male Counterparts

Researchers measured both the psychological perception of stress and evaluated how undergraduate males and females cope with stress. The differences are vast. Females experienced much higher levels of stress than males and used emotion-focused approaches to cope more than males. Females used self-distractions, emotional support and venting as coping strategies. Male students on the other hand sought much lower levels of support, since they either may lack the social network or may not have developed those skills.

‘Virtual nature’ experiences reduce stress in prisons

For people who are in jails or prisons, experiencing nature virtually is usually their only option. A new study from University of Utah researchers finds that exposure to nature imagery or nature sounds decreased physiological signs of stress in the incarcerated, and spurred their interest in learning more about the habitats they experienced. The researchers also found that, in general, people didn’t strongly prefer visual to auditory nature experiences.

Healing trauma: Research links PTSD, emotion regulation and quality of life

Research from Binghamton University, State University of New York provides insight into the impact PTSD has on emotional regulation and quality of life, and points to ways to improve both.

From ‘distress’ to ‘unscathed’ — mental health of UW students during spring 2020

To understand how the UW’s transition to online-only classes affected college students’ mental health in the spring of 2020, UW researchers surveyed 147 UW undergraduates over the 2020 spring quarter.

Officers’ tone of voice reflects racial disparities in policing

The Black Lives Matter movement has brought increasing attention to disparities in how police officers treat Black and white Americans. Now, research published by the American Psychological Association finds that disparity may exist even in subtle differences in officers’ tone of voice when they address Black and white drivers during routine traffic stops.

Childhood Lead Exposure May Adversely Affect Adults’ Personalities

A study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sampled more than 1.5 million people in 269 U.S. counties and 37 European nations. Researchers found that those who grew up in areas with higher levels of atmospheric lead had less adaptive personalities in adulthood — lower levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness and higher levels of neuroticism.

Reopening Anxiety? Here’s How to Overcome it According to University of Kentucky Experts

For nearly a year, we relied on masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, many are removing the facial coverings, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy to shed the anxiety that accompanies a global pandemic. If you’re having difficulty coping with this added stress, psychology experts at the University of Kentucky say you’re not alone.

Language Trade-off? No, Bilingual Children Reliably Acquire English by Age 5

A first-of-its kind study in U.S.-born children from Spanish-speaking families finds that minority language exposure does not threaten the acquisition of English by children in the U.S. and that there is no trade-off between English and Spanish. Rather, children reliably acquire English by age 5, and their total language knowledge is greater to the degree that they also acquire Spanish. Children’s level of English knowledge was independent of their level of Spanish knowledge.

Exposure to Homophobic Attitudes Linked to Higher Stress Levels Among Sexual Minorities

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people who encounter homophobic attitudes experience increases in heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones, potentially putting them at risk for multiple health problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

People prefer ‘natural’ strategies to reduce atmospheric carbon

A cross-disciplinary collaboration led by Jonathon Schuldt, associate professor of communication at Cornell University, found that a majority of the U.S. public is supportive of soil carbon storage as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly when that and similar approaches are seen as “natural” strategies.

Taking photos can impair your memory of events

It is a common practice to photograph events that we most want to remember, such as birthdays, graduations and vacations. But taking photos can actually impair your memory for the experience, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

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.

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.