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Posts

June 07, 2013

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4:36 PM | Sunscreen slows wrinkles: Will this evidence increase the use of sunscreen?
source This week, new research was released suggesting that sunscreen not only reduces the risk for skin cancer, but that it also slows skin aging. In this study, people who were told to use sunscreen daily had fewer lines and less coarse skin after four years than those who used it as they normally would. I’ve seen this study all over the news (here, here, and here)! Though doctors say they have long been telling patients that sunscreen protects against skin aging, they are now excited to […]

Mahler, H., Kulik, J., Gerrard, M. & Gibbons, F. (2007). Long-term effects of appearance-based interventions on sun protection behaviors., Health Psychology, 26 (3) 350-360. DOI:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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May 07, 2013

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5:41 PM | Group gender composition: Does it matter?
source When I was younger, I can remember being split into teams in gym class and different tables in art class and having one question: how many girls and how many boys are in my group? Depending on the activity, it seemed important to know this so you could assess your chances for success. More boys on your team, and you might be more likely to win dodgeball. More girls at your art table, and you might paint a better mural. An adult might have told me that was silly - how many […]

West, T., Heilman, M., Gullett, L., Moss-Racusin, C. & Magee, J. (2012). Building blocks of bias: Gender composition predicts male and female group members’ evaluations of each other and the group, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48 (5) 1209-1212. DOI:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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April 05, 2013

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5:57 PM | When Telling Others About Your Goals Compromises Them
source As you think ahead about what you want to accomplish in the next few months and years, you probably have several goals that involve you “becoming” something – like a good athlete or a good doctor. These are called “identity goals” because they are goals to achieve a certain identity, and they can be attained by engaging in identity-relevant activities, like training for a marathon or going to medical school. In order to enact these behaviors, we might tell others about […]
Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science

March 01, 2013

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8:55 PM | Friday Fun: Psych Your Mind at the Oscars
source If you follow all the goings-on in Hollywood, you almost certainly watched the 85th Academy Awards last Sunday. If you didn't, I would be surprised if you have paid attention to the news this week without seeing at least one mention of the best and worst dressed, Jennifer Lawrence’s fall, or Seth MacFarlane’s performance as host. While the gowns and all the famous people in one room may have caught your attention the most, if we move beyond all of the glamour and drama […]
Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science

February 06, 2013

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1:34 AM | Living Abroad and Thinking Outside of the Box
 source Two weeks ago, I had the exciting opportunity to visit my sister in London where she is studying for the year. As she showed me her new lifestyle and daily routine, we reflected on some of the benefits she has gained from her time abroad thus far, such as greater knowledge about European history and new friends from different countries. We also talked about some less tangible advantages, like changing the way she thinks about the world, learning to interpret behaviors from a new […]
Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science

January 04, 2013

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7:16 PM | Seasonal affective disorder: An extreme case of the winter blues
source Though the shortest day of the winter is behind us, in many areas of the United States, the days continue to be painfully short. Where I live, the sun will set at 4:41 pm today – during my summer vacations, I still have a few more hours of fun in the sun at that time! As someone who enjoys being outside and the light and warmth of the sun, I do have the tendency to get a little fatigued and saddened by Northeastern winters. According to the American Psychiatric Association, I am […]

Harald B & Gordon P (2012). Meta-review of depressive subtyping models., Journal of affective disorders, 139 (2) 126-40. PMID:

Lurie, S. J., Gawinski, B., Pierce, D. & Rousseau, S. J. (2006). Seasonal affective disorder, American Family Physician, 74 (9) 1521-1524.

Rosenthal NE (2009). Issues for DSM-V: seasonal affective disorder and seasonality., The American journal of psychiatry, 166 (8) 852-3. PMID:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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December 07, 2012

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5:42 PM | Is it the thought that counts?
source Now that we are in the midst of the holiday gift-giving season, many of you may be searching for the perfect presents to give friends and family members. Whether braving the busy parking lots at malls or surfing the internet for the latest deals, shoppers are likely putting a lot of time and energy into purchasing gifts that are just right. After all, when it comes to gift-giving, isn’t it the thought that counts? Conventional wisdom tells us that how much a gift is liked or […]

Gino, F. & Flynn, F. (2011). Give them what they want: The benefits of explicitness in gift exchange., Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47 (5) 915-922. DOI:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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November 02, 2012

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3:32 PM | Why don't people evacuate before storms?
source As a Manhattan resident, this past week my life has been dominated by one event: Hurricane Sandy. Fortunately, unlike tornadoes or earthquakes, hurricanes allow time for people to prepare. In the hours leading up to this hurricane, government officials issued mandatory evacuations for residents of coastal areas that were likely to be hit hardest. Residents were urged to seek shelter with friends and relatives or utilize one of numerous shelters opened (some with transportation […]

McCrae, R.R. & Sutin, A.R. (2009). Openness to experience., Handbook of Individual Differences in Social Behavior, 257-273.

Gaudry, E., Vagg, P. & Spielberger, C. (1975). Validation of the State-Trait Distinction in Anxiety Research, Multivariate Behavioral Research, 10 (3) 331-341. DOI:

Grandpre J, Alvaro EM, Burgoon M, Miller CH & Hall JR (2003). Adolescent reactance and anti-smoking campaigns: a theoretical approach., Health communication, 15 (3) 349-66. PMID:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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October 05, 2012

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3:15 PM | Writing your way to better health
source Try to recall the last time you were angry, depressed, or anxious. What did you want to do with those feelings? There is a good chance you had an urge to text your best friend, post a Facebook status update, or write in your journal. We often want to get things off our chest and prevent them from festering inside of us. If we pick the right outlet, disclosing our emotions can help us feel better in the moment. Furthermore, there’s evidence that emotional disclosure through writing […]

Pennebaker, J.W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process., Psychological Science, (8) 162-166. DOI:

Pennebaker, J.W. & Chung, C.K. (2011). Expressive writing and its links to mental and physical health., Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology, 417-437.

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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September 07, 2012

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1:43 PM | Kids, school, and play: A look at what today’s youngest students are (and are not) doing in the classroom
source Now that kids across the country are putting away their swimsuits and flip-flops and heading back to school, a new cohort of kids will be stepping into the classroom for the first time. But what will they be doing once they walk into the classroom? As you think back to your preschool or kindergarten years, you may recall having fun with blocks or dolls, running around the yard playing tag, or pretending that you and your friends owned a restaurant. Take a look into many preschools […]

Howes, C. & Matheson, C.C. (1992). Sequences in the development of competent play with peers: social and social pretend play., Developmental Psychology, 28 (5) 961-974. Other: doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.28.5.961.

Lindsey, E.W. & Colwell, M.J. (2003). Preschoolers’ emotional competence: Links to pretend and physical play., Child Study Journal, 33 (1) 39-52.

Stipek, D.J., Feiler, R., Byler, P., Ryan, R., Milburn, S. & Salmon, J.M. (1998). Good beginnings: What difference does the program make in preparing young children for school?, Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 19 (1) 41-66. DOI:

Psych Your Mind
Psychology | Social Science
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