How do kids build friendships and navigate bullying in schools? Dr. Leslie Echols, Missouri State University associate professor of psychology, is trying to find out with her latest research project. Echols and her co-researcher, Dr. Sandra Graham from University of California – Los Angeles, received a grant of about half a million dollars from the National Science Foundation. … [Read more...] about Tackling bullying and promoting friendships in middle schools
Hip-hop is its own unique culture, complete with music, fashion and art. Dr. Ashley Payne, assistant professor of psychology at Missouri State University, studies how hip-hop plays a role forming racial, gender, sexual and academic identities. She also looks at a major player in U.S. culture: social media. “How are hip-hop artists presenting themselves on social media? … [Read more...] about How hip-hop influences identity development
Runway models, social media influencers, pageant queens, celebrities and even Barbie support troubling body image ideals. They are almost unequivocally identified as beautiful, as evidenced by the money we spend and who we choose to idolize. Dr. Brooke Whisenhunt has studied media influences on body image for more than 20 years. As a professor of psychology at Missouri State … [Read more...] about Body image ideals become more unattainable
Native Americans contributed a military tactic crucial to saving lives among U.S. troops in both world wars: use of their Native languages. The direct Native languages and coded vocabulary based on them – named code talking – secured the U.S. military’s communications. The tactic ensured that even if enemy armies intercepted U.S. military messages, they couldn’t decipher … [Read more...] about Uncovering the legacy of code talkers
Even in the best of times, people experience inconsistent motivation levels to exercise, according to Missouri State University’s Dr. Sara Powell. With the added unusual stressors of a pandemic, how does that change? Powell, assistant professor in the kinesiology department, is working on a collaborative study with faculty and students to find out. The Stress, Physical … [Read more...] about Motivated to move: How to keep it up