Psychology | Penn Today

Zapping the Brain Appears to Decrease Aggressive Intentions, New Study Says

PIK Professor Adrian Raine and Roy Hamilton of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed their new study which suggests, as Hamilton said, “that violent thought and action are not wholly preordained by one’s brain wiring, since they can be influenced by outside inputs.”

Researchers from the Annenberg School for Communication at Penn discovered that “dehumanization” and “dislike” are processed by two completely separate brain regions, which suggests that they may be two different psychological processes.

In the brain, ‘dislike’ and ‘dehumanization’ are not the same thing

It has long been thought that characterizing people as less than human was an expression of extreme dislike. Annenberg neuroscientists now find that neurologically, these two viewpoints actually differ.

Police Killings Have Harmed Mental Health in Black Communities, Study Finds

The Perelman School of Medicine’s Atheendar Venkataramani co-authored a study about the negative effects that news of police killings has on the psychological and emotional wellness of African-Americans.

Doctoral candidate Caitlin Clements lead research showing that that individuals with autism spectrum disorder respond differently to social and non-social rewards than typically developing children.

New insight into autism and reward circuitry in the brain

New research reveals people with autism spectrum disorder respond differently to social and non-social cues than typically developing individuals, and might not respond to rewards for desired behavior.

A two-week summer intensive workshop run by mindCORE focused on social and behavioral sciences, and on language science and technology, included a visit to Eastern State Penitentiary.

Sharing the science behind what we do, what we say, and how we learn

Through mindCORE, a two-week undergrad program through Arts and Sciences, faculty from eight departments and five schools explore the mind and the brain via disciplines like behavioral science and language acquisition.

Feeling Disgust Helps Us Stay Healthy, Study Says

The School of Arts and Sciences’ Paul Rozin said, discussing his research on human disgust reactions, that the response is the product of “both biological and cultural evolution.”

Psychologist Alan Stocker, of the University of Pennsylvania’s Computational Perception and Cognition Laboratory.

Why do the choices made today affect those we make tomorrow?

It’s long been known that someone’s previous choices subconsciously affect those they make in the future. New research could pave the way for a deeper investigation into how such thought processes work.

Penn Integrates Knowledge professor Michael Platt

Hormones flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviors

Findings from a study of male rhesus macaques from PIK professor Michael Platt and postdoc Yaoguang Jiang could lead to treatment options for social impairments in disorders like autism and schizophrenia.

Melissa G. Hunt is the associate director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology in the School of Arts & Sciences. She is also author of the book “Reclaim Your Life from IBS: A Scientifically Proven Plan for Relief without Restrictive Diets.”

New ‘match’ streamlines clinical training experience for psych graduate students

A new “match” for clinical psychology graduate students connects trainees with potential externship sites. In its second year, the initiative successfully matched more than 250 trainees in the mid-Atlantic region.

Video: Why This Psychologist Says You SHOULD Argue in Front of the Kids

Adam Grant of the Wharton School has said it’s healthy for parents to have disagreements in front of their children. Grant, who specializes in disrupting conventional wisdom, explained that presenting kids with multiple viewpoints can help them evolve into more creative adults.

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