Your source for the latest psychological research.
Recognizing 125 Years of Psychological Research Excellence
Tucked away in a corner of the Philosophy Department, Indiana University’s first psychology laboratory opened in 1888 with humble beginnings. But 125 years later, it now stands as the longest continuing psychology laboratory in the United States. Emphasizing a collaborative and interdisciplinary focus from the start, the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS) as a whole now stands as a prime example of cutting-edge and multi-faceted research.
“The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences has an enormous worldwide impact,” said Lauren Robel, Indiana University Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President. “Its faculty includes renowned scientists and teachers who conduct cutting-edge and highly relevant research on topics ranging from molecular neuroscience to social behavior. Its many undergraduates and graduate students are directly engaged in that research and its alumni apply these critical insights to a broad range of careers. We at Indiana University Bloomington congratulate the department on its illustrious…
Tags: History of Psychology | No Comments »
Uncovering the Intricacies of Unethical Behavior
Are people of one social class more likely to lie, cheat, or steal than those of another social class? While some studies have drawn general conclusions about how social class affects ethical behavior, researcher Stefan Trautmann of Tilburg University and colleagues weren’t convinced that the relationship could be so simple.
In a new article published in Perspectives in Psychological Science, the researchers set forth the argument that ethical behavior is the product of multiple interacting dimensions, including: moral values and beliefs about what is correct; patterns of social orientation; and anticipated costs and benefits of any given behavior.
Furthermore, they argue that it’s a mistake to think of “social class” as a singular entity, observing that “dimensions such as wealth, income, education, or occupation can have fundamentally different psychological impacts and behavioral implications.”
To get a more comprehensive picture of the…
Tags: Attitude, Ethics, Lying, Perspectives on Psychological Science, Social Cognition, Socioeconomic Status | No Comments »
Q&A With Dieter Wolke
Dieter Wolke is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Division of Mental Health & Wellbeing at the University of Warwick, UK. His research focuses on social and emotional development, specifically school and sibling bullying.
Below is a Q&A with Wolke on his recent study in Psychological Science, Impact of Bullying in Childhood on Adult Health, Wealth, Crime, and Social Outcomes.
I found the gender differences between bully groups to be intriguing. Could you elaborate on those findings?
Our paper is concerned with the relationship of childhood experience of bullying (victim, bully, bully-victim) and adult outcomes. We included sex (gender) as one factor to control for in the analysis, i.e., to make sure that sex was not a third factor that explained the relationship between bullying involvement and later outcome.…
Tags: Aggression, Childhood, Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Mental Health, Personality/Social, Psychological Science, Relationships, Well-Being | No Comments »
Duckworth Named 2013 MacArthur Fellow
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has named University of Pennsylvania scientist and APS member Angela Lee Duckworth a 2013 MacArthur Fellow. She is among 24 MacArthur Fellows chosen this year for exceptional creativity as well as “a track record of achievement and the potential for even more significant contributions in the future.”
A former math and science teacher, Duckworth received a PhD in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. Her research focuses on how factors other than intelligence predict achievement. Specifically, she is interested in grit, self-control, and the demonstrated role that both of these personality traits play in predicting success.
Duckworth defines self-control as a short-term ability to control behavior and mental states for the sake of important personal goals; grit is a longer-term ability…
Tags: Academic Achievement, Awards & Honors, Education, Experimental Psychology, Personality, Self-Control | No Comments »
Bringing In More Donations to the Cause – At No Extra Cost
Every year in the United States, more than $50 billion dollars are spent to raise about $300 billion in philanthropic donations. New research suggests one possible way to boost that donation margin – possibly several times over – at almost no additional cost.
The research, published in Psychological Science, demonstrates that donors are more generous when they’re asked to give a hypothetical amount to one person before deciding how much to actually donate to a group of needy people.
“A subtle manipulation based on psychological science can make a substantial difference in real life,” writes lead researcher Christopher Hsee of the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago.
In the first experiment, 180 participants were asked how much they were willing to donate to give Christmas gifts to local schoolchildren. Participants who were asked how much they would give to all…
Tags: Cognitive Psychology, Decision Making, Generosity, Giving, Judgment, Money, Psychological Science | No Comments »
