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Michele W. Berger
Senior Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Psychology
The psychology of playing the fool
The psychology of playing the fool
Law professor Tess Wilkinson-Ryan’s new book “Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Ourselves and the Social Order―and What We Can Do About It” explores the psychology of fools, dupes, cons, and morality.
Restricted abortion access linked to increased suicide risk in young women
Restricted abortion access linked to increased suicide risk in young women
Research from the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia determined that this association exists for women of reproductive age, findings that hold potential clinical, policy, and ethical implications.
Six tips for a happy holiday season
Six tips for a happy holiday season
Positive Psychology experts share their advice for boosting well-being this holiday season.
Abandoned house repairs reduced nearby gun violence
Abandoned house repairs reduced nearby gun violence
Installing working windows and doors, cleaning trash, and weeding at abandoned houses led to safety improvements and should be considered in efforts to create healthy communities, according to researchers from University of Pennsylvania and Columbia.
A link between social environment and healthy brains in wild rhesus macaques
A link between social environment and healthy brains in wild rhesus macaques
Research from Penn, Arizona State University, the National Institute of Mental Health, and elsewhere finds that on the island of Cayo Santiago, female monkeys with a higher social status had younger, more resilient molecular profiles.
What our twice-a-year shifts to the clock do to the body
What our twice-a-year shifts to the clock do to the body
Disruptions to sleep patterns and the body's circadian rhythms are a toll of the twice-a-year shifts between Daylight Saving Time and standard time, says sleep expert Philip Gehrman.
The language of loneliness and depression, revealed in social media
The language of loneliness and depression, revealed in social media
By analyzing Facebook posts, Penn researchers found that words associated with depression are often tied to emotions, whereas those associated with loneliness are linked to cognition.
During sleep, one brain region teaches another, converting novel data into enduring memories
During sleep, one brain region teaches another, converting novel data into enduring memories
Using a neural network model, Penn neuroscientist Anna Schapiro and colleagues found that as the body moves between REM and slow-wave sleep cycles, the hippocampus and neocortex interact in ways that are key to memory formation.
Where political views and fundamental beliefs intersect
Where political views and fundamental beliefs intersect
Research from The Penn Primals Project debunks the idea that conservatives think the world is more dangerous than liberals, findings with implications for future research and productive political debate.
Defining neural ‘representation’
Defining neural ‘representation’
Neuroscientists frequently say that neural activity ‘represents’ certain phenomena, PIK Professor Konrad Kording and postdoc Ben Baker led a study that took a philosophical approach to tease out what the term means.
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In the News
Psychology Today
Moral virtues and character strengths across the life span
Martin Seligman of the School of Arts & Sciences is lauded for convening a 2005 meeting at Penn of the world’s leading experts in the emerging field of positive psychology.
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The New York Times
The benefits of ‘wise selfishness’
Adam Grant of the Wharton School says that people who are generous with their time while keeping their own interests in mind are often the most successful people at an organization.
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Financial Times
Can you predict the year ahead better than superforecasters?
PIK Professor Philip Tetlock is noted for co-founding the Good Judgment project at Penn in response to a search for the best methods to forecast geopolitical events.
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Business Insider
‘Quiet quitting is the natural sequel to the Great Resignation’ as workers still rethink their jobs three years into the pandemic
Adam Grant of the Wharton School says that “quiet quitting” can be counteracted by providing meaningful work, respect, and fair pay.
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CNN
This 95-second video will help you build a habit for good
Katy Milkman of the Wharton School details science-backed and proven ways to form a habit without continuing to fail.
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CNBC
Stopping the ‘quiet quitting’ trend could be all down to your boss
Adam Grant of the Wharton School suggests having “entry interviews” and “stay interviews” in favor of exit interviews to mitigate the “quiet quitting” phenomenon.
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