Psychology | Penn Today

A person sitting at a desk covered in papers, with a computer screen in the background. Four people are blurry, in the foreground. They are all engaged in conversation.

What factors predict success?

New research from Angela Duckworth and colleagues finds that characteristics beyond intelligence influence long-term achievement.

Women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer from PTSD. Studies are underway to find out why

Edna Foa of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about her research on the effects of estrogen on fear extinction, a process of “unlearning” fear related to recovery from PTSD.

Suicide attempts rising for black teens, study shows

Two studies, one led by Terry Richmond of the School of Nursing and the other by Atheendar Venkataramani of the Perelman School of Medicine, were cited in an article about the emotional impact of trauma on black people.

Taking off the blinders to our social blunders

Angela Duckworth of the School of Arts and Sciences wrote about how easy it is to “act like a jerk and not realize it” when committing social blunders.

The virtual assistant

Artificial intelligence has permeated many corners of life, from consumer purchasing and media consumption to health care—sometimes in ways we don’t even know.

A young child at a table with an adult, playing a game with blue plastic cups.

Minds in the wild

As part of a MindCORE effort to bring research into the community, behavioral psychologist Elizabeth Brannon and her team spent the summer conducting two studies at the Academy of Natural Sciences to better understand how children learn.

Personality tests are the astrology of the office

Adam Grant of the Wharton School weighed in on the lack of evidence behind personality tests like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Myers-Briggs and analogs create “the illusion of expertise about psychology,” he said.

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Hunter-gatherers agree on what is moral, but not who is moral

In determining whether there is a universal concept of moral character, research could provide insight into ways to improve our interactions with one another.

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No evidence that testosterone reduces cognitive empathy

In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that testosterone administration did not affect cognitive empathy, a measure of the ability to recognize another’s feelings and motivations. The finding calls into question the theory that the symptoms of autism are caused by a hyper-masculinized brain.

Mental health is for rich people

Maria Oquendo of the Perelman School of Medicine was cited in an excerpt from “Hello I Want to Die Please Fix Me,” a new book about mental health care access. The fact that just 43% of American psychiatrists accept Medicaid is “a really huge problem,” said Oquendo.

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