4.21
Michele W. Berger
Senior Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Psychology
How do natural disasters shape the behavior and social networks of rhesus macaques?
How do natural disasters shape the behavior and social networks of rhesus macaques?
A team of researchers from Penn, the University of Exeter, and elsewhere found that after Hurricane Maria monkeys on the devastated island of Cayo Santiago formed more friendships and became more tolerant of each other, despite fewer resources.
The path to deeper connections, even amidst a pandemic
The path to deeper connections, even amidst a pandemic
A new book from Penn’s Edward Brodkin and psychology doctoral candidate Ashley Pallathra focuses on the science and practice of attunement, the process by which people can most effectively connect to themselves and others.
Behavior Change for Good unveils effective strategies to boost vaccination rates
Behavior Change for Good unveils effective strategies to boost vaccination rates
Texts with “reserved for you” messaging boosted flu vaccine rates by up to 11%.
An ‘electronic nose’ to sniff out COVID-19
An ‘electronic nose’ to sniff out COVID-19
Through a newly funded grant, researchers across the University are developing a device that can rapidly detect COVID-19 based on the disease’s unique odor profile.
Children persist less when parents take over
Children persist less when parents take over
According to research from Penn psychologists, kids ages 4 to 7 persevere longer when allowed to struggle through a challenging activity than if a grown-up steps in.
Money matters to happiness—perhaps more than previously thought
Money matters to happiness—perhaps more than previously thought
Research from Wharton’s Matthew Killingsworth shows that contrary to previous influential work, there’s no dollar-value plateau at which money’s importance lessens. One potential reason: Higher earners feel an increased sense of control over life.
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Most people break New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks. Neuroscientist Vera Ludwig offers six tips to move mindfully through this process, leading to a greater chance for success.
Four strategies to find joy in a very different holiday season
Four strategies to find joy in a very different holiday season
Experts from Penn’s Positive Psychology Center suggest tweaking traditions, acknowledging the situation’s highs and lows, and seeking help from people in your life.
A modified game of ‘chicken’ reveals what happens in the brain during decision-making
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.
One step closer to a clinical fix for the side effects of monovision
One step closer to a clinical fix for the side effects of monovision
Monovision counters the deterioration of the ability to see up close but also causes dramatic visual distortions. New research confirms that a solution that successfully works with trial lenses—the special lenses used by eye doctors—also succeeds with contact lenses.
Media Contact
In the News
The New York Times
Zoom burnout is real, and it’s worse for women
Emily Falk of the Annenberg School for Communication said the results of a recent Stanford study, which found women scored higher than men on all types of fatigue associated with video calls, were unsurprising but that Zoom itself may not be fully responsible for burnout. “It’s correlational data, and there could be other potential variables at play here,” she said. “When we’re feeling exhausted right now, how full is our emotional or mental tank to begin with?”
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
‘It’s OK to not be OK’: For clients’ mental health, and their own, therapists managed intense new demands
Ariane Thomas of the Graduate School of Education spoke about the challenges of being a mental health professional over the last year. “The stressors and the symptoms that people are experiencing are exacerbated by the pandemic, the racial unrest, the intensity of the election, and the way the election dragged on, and the fallout since the election, the attack on voting rights,” she said. “It feels like it hasn’t quite let up. And as a result, neither has the request for support.”
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Newsweek
Amid the Derek Chauvin case, America’s fixation with televised trials is not new
PIK Professor Adrian Raine spoke about human fascination with murder, saying evolutionary forces may be a factor. “We've evolved to avoid being killed so that we can reproduce our genes. One thing that can help here is to learn as much as possible about two things—who the killer is, and why the victim was killed,” he said.
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The Washington Post
COVID brought ‘manifestation’ back. But you can’t simply will your way to a better life
Thea Gallagher of the Perelman School of Medicine questioned the wellness trend of “manifestation.” “I don’t think there’s everything wrong with it,” she said. “But I also think you can’t use it as the bible for your life.”
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Philadelphia Inquirer
I’m sitting at home during the pandemic. You’re going out. How to make sense of these friendships now
Lyle Ungar of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke about the importance of friendship to happiness.
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Bloomberg
The free speech debate about social media is broken
Research by Paul Rozin of the School of Arts & Sciences was cited. Rozin conducted an experiment in which participants labeled two identical bottles of sugar differently and then expressed reluctance to consume the contents of the one they’d labeled “sodium cyanide,” even though they knew the bottle contained sugar.
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