Behavioral Health | Penn Today

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A modified game of ‘chicken’ reveals what happens in the brain during decision-making

Research from the Platt Labs found that in rhesus macaques, two regions of the brain mirror those of similar regions in humans, broadening the understanding of what unfolds, neurologically, when people interact and cooperate.

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Q&A

How did echo chambers influence the 2020 election?

Research from the Annenberg School for Communication shows that people are consuming news from more diverse sources, but many don’t consume any news at all. It’s too soon to tell what role that played in the recent race for president.

Person sitting cross-legged on an airport chair looking at a phone. A suitcase is in front of the image. A chair next to the person has a large, red X and read "Social Distancing."

How have new social norms emerged as COVID-19 has spread?

In a study of nine countries, researcher Cristina Bicchieri found that motivating people to modify behavior requires changing their expectations about the actions and thoughts of those who matter to them.

How to get voters off the fence? With a soft touch

According to Wharton’s Jonah Berger, one way to sway undecided voters is to break down the gap between two sides into smaller steps to make it easier for people to navigate.

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Simple solutions reduce court no-shows, subsequent arrest warrants

For low-level offenses in New York City, text nudges and a redesigned summons form decreased failure-to-appear rates by about 20% and led to 30,000 fewer arrest warrants over a three-year period.

adolescent wearing face mask leans on fence staring into distance

Adolescents, psychiatric hospitalization, and COVID-19

As widespread community transmission of COVID-19 continues, researchers say the focus must shift to the broader effects on health and wellbeing, including on the mental health of children and adolescents. A recent Penn LDI study reports on the impact of the pandemic on youth at a local behavioral health hospital.

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An improv class that enriches the mind and soul, even remotely

The Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy program gives people with memory impairments and their caregivers a no-pressure space to think creatively, socialize, and be part of a community.

Bottle of liquid COVID-19 vaccination with a syringe lying against it in front of a row of vaccine bottles in the background.

Is the threat of COVID vaccine hesitancy getting enough attention?

The ultimate key to ending the coronavirus pandemic is developing an effective vaccine and administering it to the population. But a number of trends are converging in ways that may prevent the achievement of that population-wide herd immunity.

On the left side of the screen, fireworks in the night sky, on the right, two military members in combat gear in front of an explosive device.

The overlooked effects of fireworks

For veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder, fireworks and loud pyrotechnics can add stress and trigger physical reactions, as they mimic the stimuli of combat.

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Can spending time in nature prevent or lessen postpartum depression?

Nurtured in Nature, a pilot project in Black communities conducted by Penn Medicine’s Eugenia South, aims to find out.

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