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Michele W. Berger
Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Psychology
Police killings and Black mental health
Police killings and Black mental health
Specialists from across the Penn community discuss the mental health impacts of Black people being subjected to videos of African Americans being killed by the police.
Talking positive psychology and COVID-19 with Larry King
Talking positive psychology and COVID-19 with Larry King
In a free video series co-hosted by James Pawelski, King interviews researchers about coping during the pandemic. In a June 11 event, they’ll speak with actor Kevin Bacon about philanthropy, arts and culture’s role in well-being, and the importance of open dialogue.
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program, Penn students are learning how to reflect on and engage with subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and the criminal justice system.
To keep firearms safe from children, look to behavioral economics
To keep firearms safe from children, look to behavioral economics
Mental shortcuts and cognitive biases may factor into whether a gun gets locked up, separate from ammunition. New findings suggest several ways to positively influence this behavior.
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
These two biomarkers may offer clues into the underlying biological processes at play in decision making, according to research from neuroscientist Michael Platt.
With support from parents, teens forge a path to handle social distancing
With support from parents, teens forge a path to handle social distancing
Adolescents need and value their friends, relationships challenged by COVID-19 restrictions. By having explicit conversations and facilitating remote access to peers, the adults in their lives can help.
Language in tweets offers insight into community-level well-being
Language in tweets offers insight into community-level well-being
In a Q&A, researcher Lyle Ungar discusses why counties that frequently use words like ‘love’ aren’t necessarily happier, plus how techniques from this work led to a real-time COVID-19 wellness map.
Continued CO2 emissions will impair cognition
Continued CO2 emissions will impair cognition
Rising CO2 causes more than a climate crisis, according to a study from Penn and CU Boulder. It may directly harm our ability to think.
Counselors find new ways to treat patients under quarantine
Counselors find new ways to treat patients under quarantine
Like many areas of medicine, COVID-19 has uprooted the routine of mental health treatment. Telehealth is filling in the gaps—and may be a preview of what standard care looks like in the future.
Six tips to stay calm, positive, and resilient in trying times
Six tips to stay calm, positive, and resilient in trying times
The situation around COVID-19 can be overwhelming, but experts from Penn’s Positive Psychology Center offer advice to get through—or at the very least, get by.
Media Contact
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Psychologist explains why we formed bad habits during quarantine, and tips for how to break them
Thea Gallagher of the Perelman School of Medicine was interviewed about anxiety and coping mechanisms amid the pandemic.
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The Washington Post
As movie theaters reopen, they’re tackling a role they never expected to play: psychologist
Deborah Small of the Wharton School said the primary way to make people comfortable adhering to COVID-19 safety practices is to see many others in their peer group taking the same steps. “The twist now,” she said, “is that we’re told to avoid crowds.”
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The New York Times
In a crisis, we can learn from trauma therapy
Karen Reivich of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about how to cultivate resilience in oneself. “There’s nothing magical about this work,” she said. “It’s hard work.”
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Time
How to soothe your ‘re-entry anxiety’ as COVID-19 lockdowns lift
Lily Brown of the Perelman School of Medicine said that people are experiencing two distinct types of re-entry anxiety as stay-at-home orders are lifted: the fear of unwittingly catching or spreading COVID-19 and general social anxiety associated with a lack of practice over the last few months.
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The Washington Post
A third of Americans now show signs of clinical anxiety or depression, Census Bureau finds amid coronavirus pandemic
Maria A. Oquendo of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the pandemic’s negative effects on Americans’ mental health. “It’s understandable given what’s happening. It would be strange if you didn’t feel anxious and depressed,” she said. “This virus is not like a hurricane or earthquake or even terrorist attack. It’s not something you can see or touch, and yet the fear of it is everywhere.”
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The New York Times
How to reduce your risk of PTSD in a post-COVID-19 world
Edna Foa of the Perelman School of Medicine recommended taking breaks to self-soothe amidst the COVID-19 crisis. “If you are obsessed with this pandemic, you need to find ways to distract yourself,” she said.
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