Human beings use personal beliefs and experiences to elect presidents, spread misinformation and make choices that help and harm the world. So, how can we use science to make sure humans act in ways that are beneficial to society and the planet? How can we influence and manipulate human behavior? These are the questions Dr. Jordan Belisle, assistant professor of … [Read more...] about What’s behind the psychology of changing behavior?
Runway models, social media influencers, pageant queens, celebrities and even Barbie purport these troubling ideals. They are almost unequivocally identified as beautiful, as evidenced by the money we spend and who we choose to idolize. You can also see young girls internalizing these standards as cheerleaders scrutinize their bodies, wear revealing uniforms and undergo … [Read more...] about Changing the look
“Having friends, even one good one, can separate the well-adjusted child from the at-risk youth,” said Dr. Leslie Echols, assistant professor of psychology. When a child reaches adolescence, the brain develops more and starts sorting qualities differently. Youth begin to worry more about status, Echols notes. This brings about a greater likelihood of bullying behavior, and … [Read more...] about Building friendships and battling bullying
Does she feel empathy for those she squashed to get to the top? The studies of Dr. Amber Abernathy say no. "Every human should have a physiological response when they feel empathy," said Abernathy, the Mary-Charlotte Bayles Shealy Chair in Conscientious Psychology. This empathy is measured through electro dermal activity, similar to a lie detector test. She performed a … [Read more...] about Can you change your personality?
Moving the needle for middle schoolers The class – now a required course for all psychology majors – also involves presenting Diversity Pep Talks at local middle schools. Since middle schoolers are at such an impressionable age, Young-Jones and her students lead discussions and activities in hopes of teaching the children to celebrate diversity – of skin color, race, religion, … [Read more...] about Mirror, mirror: Self-reflections on hidden prejudice
Resiliency testing is just one example of many research projects Dr. Erin Buchanan, associate professor of psychology at Missouri State University, has published in recent years. She collaborates with undergraduate and graduate students in her statistics lab as well as with a clinical psychologist at University of Mississippi, Dr. Stefan Schulenberg, on many projects regarding … [Read more...] about Answering big questions through statistics
Rost discovered that late-stage ovarian cancer patients achieved a better quality of life when they participated in a modern therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) rather than traditional therapy. By learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions, the women were better able to cope with their situation and less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. … [Read more...] about ACT now to avoid depression and anxiety
You don’t have to pay conscious attention for minutes to identify each and every vehicle. This is because of past experiences: With repetition of events, such as observing types of automobiles you see frequently, there is an increase in familiarity. As a result, there is a decrease in neural activity regarding these automobiles and your conscious attention is directed … [Read more...] about Psychology study takes unique look at visual learning