News
August 16, 2018
Moral decision making is rife with internal conflict, say developmental psychologists
August 2, 2018
A new in-depth study of moral reasoning challenges the popular notion that people are unable to think through difficult moral problems and rely primarily on automatic "gut" reactions to make tough decisions.
Deportation and family separation impact entire communities, researchers say
August 1, 2018
The deportation and forced separation of immigrants has negative effects that extend beyond individuals and families to entire communities in the United States, according to the Society for Community Research and Action, which has issued a policy statement calling for changes to U.S. policy.
Psychology's Adriana Manago receives early-career award
July 25, 2018
Adriana Manago, assistant professor of psychology, has received an Early Career Award from the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology.
Important new work on autism could change interventions
June 28, 2018
A new paper is pushing back hard on the notion that people with autism are not interested in socializing.
Thank Instagram and Snapchat for your fading memories
June 27, 2018
Research by UC Santa Cruz doctoral student Julia Soares has found compelling evidence that the act of taking a photograph impairs people’s memories of the event.
The new queer teenager
June 14, 2018
Queer youth today are in a paradoxical situation, coming out earlier and becoming leaders even as they cope with the significant challenges of adolescence, Psychology Professor Phil Hammack told a panel convened by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
Children in India exhibit religious tolerance, study finds
June 14, 2018
A new investigation of how children reason about religious rules reveals a remarkable level of acceptance of different religions' rules and practices.
Researchers discuss educational needs of Latino, immigrant, and disadvantaged youth
June 8, 2018
A recent informal interdisciplinary workshop focused on the educational needs and experiences of Latino and immigrant youth.
Global experts attend academic summit on solitary confinement
June 6, 2018
Forty-five of the world's experts on the psychological and physical effects of solitary confinement gathered in Santa Cruz recently for a two-day academic summit.
'First-gen' student pays it forward
May 29, 2018
The University of California is honoring Valeria Jacqueline Alonso Blanco with a prestigious award recognizing the impact of her leadership, advocacy and activism.
Speakers challenge audience to rethink modern incarceration
May 29, 2018
Angela Davis returns to UC Santa Cruz with the two surviving members of the ‘Angola 3’ to discuss solitary confinement and call on society to transform itself to no longer rely on prison repression.
Awards luncheon celebrates excellence in student scholarship
May 29, 2018
Students in the Division of Social Sciences gathered with friends, family members, faculty, staff, and donors on Thursday, May 24, to celebrate excellence in student scholarship and creativity.
Racism expert Tom Pettigrew shares award for impactful scholarship
May 21, 2018
Tom Pettigrew, research professor of social psychology at UC Santa Cruz, is being recognized by the Society for Experimental Social Psychology for the impact of his scholarship.
Video highlights cultural differences in helpfulness
May 14, 2018
For the third year, a video by Distinguished Professor of Psychology Barbara Rogoff is featured in the "2018 STEM for All Video Showcase" hosted by the National Science Foundation.
Angela Davis joins May 22 panel discussion about mass incarceration
May 11, 2018
Angela Davis will join a May 22 panel discussion about mass incarceration, solitary confinement, and criminal justice reform that is being convened by Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Haney.
Bill McKibben, Daniel Ellsberg headline Right Livelihood Laureates' Conference at UC Santa Cruz
April 19, 2018
Climate change activist Bill McKibben and whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg are two of the crusading global leaders gathering May 15-17 at UC Santa Cruz for the Right Livelihood Conference, a three-day series of public events focused on advancing social and environmental justice.
Teaching on the edge
April 16, 2018
Four of UC Santa Cruz’s most innovative educators will offer insights and advice about fostering lively, dynamic, and relevant classrooms during a special edition of the Alumni Weekend Teach-Ins.
Building a feminist psychology of resistance
April 11, 2018
On a fateful trip to Nicaragua in 2005, Shelly Grabe, now an associate professor of psychology, met women who were organizing to fight domestic violence, and she saw what real and lasting social change looked like.
Campus environment led alumna to pursue architecture
April 3, 2018
Urban designer and planner Barbara Maloney (Stevenson, ’71, psychology) said working in higher education is “endlessly interesting,” involving not only issues like sustainability and town-gown relations but also transportation and new ways of learning.
UC Santa Cruz honors alumni: bestselling author Hector Tobar and historian Virginia Espino
April 3, 2018
Award-winning journalist and author Héctor Tobar and filmmaker Virginia Espino are the 2018 recipients of the Social Sciences Division's Distinguished Alumni Award.
Climate Conference features visionary artist and Smithsonian biologist
February 9, 2018
The fifth annual Climate Science and Policy Conference presented by UC Santa Cruz brings together a visionary artist and a Smithsonian scientist for an engaging, interdisciplinary conversation about how humans and ecosystems will cope on a warming planet.
CruzHacks keeps growing
January 30, 2018
In its fifth year, CruzHacks drew hundreds of collegiate coders from across the country.
Psychology undergraduate student Alexandra Piper examines the importance of diversity for student success
January 23, 2018
An undergraduate research project by UC Santa Cruz psychology student shows how advancing diversity in higher education must begin in K-12 classrooms.
Judge relies heavily on Haney's testimony in case banning solitary confinement
January 18, 2018
In a landmark court ruling that prohibits solitary confinement in Canada, a Canadian judge relied heavily on expert testimony by Psychology Professor Craig Haney.
Professor Emeritus Eliot Aronson ranked among 50 most influential living psychologists
January 11, 2018
UCSC Professor Emeritus of Psychology Eliot Aronson has been ranked among the 50 Most Influential Living Psychologists in the World by TheBestSchools.
A Quarter of California Adolescents May Be ‘Gender Nonconforming.’ So What Does That Mean?
December 23, 2017
Psychology Professor Phil Hammack was quoted in a KQED Radio report about a new survey that found 27 percent of California youth are gender nonconforming.
UC Santa Cruz students tackle poverty and income inequality
December 11, 2017
Each year, undergraduate and graduate student scholars of the Blum Center on Poverty, Social Enterprise, and Participatory Governance take a deep dive into a wide range of issues related to fiscal equity, affordable housing, and food insecurity as they build the skills they will need to help build a more equitable society.
Big data for social good: Tri-county initiative will benefit K-12 students
November 29, 2017
Rod Ogawa and Rebecca London are helping launch a data-sharing initiative that will benefit K-12 students in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties.
Psychology professor Cambell Leaper featured in Slate
November 6, 2017
Psychology professor Cambell Leaper discusses how sexism starts in childhood with Slate.
New book reveals role of U.S. corporate elites in school privatization, foreign policy, agribusiness, banking reform
November 1, 2017
Bill Domhoff's new book, Studying the Power Elite: Fifty Years of Who Rules America?, presents a new, detailed analysis of the interplay of corporate elites on contemporary topics, including the privatization of public schools, foreign policy, agribusiness, and banking reform.
Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell steps in to leadership, asks others to step up, too
October 25, 2017
Two months into her new job, Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell has brought energy, focus, and vision to the division.
Psychology professor Craig Haney discussed solitary confinement with Oprah Winfrey on “60 Minutes”
October 23, 2017
Migration, climate, housing among the topics featured during fifth annual UC Santa Cruz Research Frontiers Evening Oct. 26
October 16, 2017
Six UC Santa Cruz researchers who are tackling "key issues of the 21st century" will be featured during the fifth annual Division of Social Sciences Research Frontiers Evening on October 26.
Social Sciences honors outstanding staff, teaching, research
October 11, 2017
The Division of Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz presented four major awards today (Wednesday, October 11), recognizing outstanding accomplishments by faculty, staff, researchers, and emeriti faculty.
New neurocognitive theory of dreaming links dreams to mind-wandering
October 10, 2017
In his new book, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology Bill Domhoff presents an integrated neurocognitive theory of dreams that is grounded in the similarities between dreaming and drifting waking thought.
Psychology professor Ben Storm featured in Angle News
October 3, 2017
Memory expert Benjamin Storm, an associate professor of psychology, was quoted in an Angle News story about millennials who rely on smartphones and tablets when they cook, saying that reliance breeds dependence, erodes memory, and diminishes skill development.
Checking in or checking out? Millennials go online to build their offline lives
October 2, 2017
As the most tech-savvy and connected generation begins college this year, Assistant Professor of Psychology Adriana Manago says they are technological trailblazers rather than passive consumers.
An advocate for awareness
September 12, 2017
Alumna Dyane Harwood is sharing her journey with postpartum bipolar disorder to raise awareness and help others struggling with postpartum mental illness
Love 'em or hate 'em, robots are here to stay so let's make them better, says psychology prof
September 12, 2017
Leila Takayama's work focuses on improving the design and function of personal robots to make them more appealing to humans, expanding what they can do for us.
Parents know best: How everyday conversations foster children's learning
September 1, 2017
For more than two decades, developmental psychologist Maureen Callanan has collaborated with Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose to study how children learn to think about the world around them.
Psychology professor Ben Storm featured in the New York Times
July 3, 2017
Psychology professor Ben Storm talks to the The New York Times about how forgetfulness can lead to improved reasoning.
UCSC psychologist Campbell Leaper talks to the New York Times about raising feminist sons
June 6, 2017
The New York Times featured Leaper's work in the recent article How to Raise a Feminist Son.
UC Santa Cruz to launch first-generation faculty campaign
May 30, 2017
UC Santa Cruz will launch the First-Gen Faculty (FGF) campaign during Student Achievement week, which starts June 5. This initiative is aimed at encouraging professors on campus to identify themselves as first generation — the first in their families to graduate from a U.S. four-year college or university.
Psychology professor featured in National Science Foundation Video Showcase "STEM for All"
May 15, 2017
Newsweek features psychology professor Craig Haney
May 9, 2017
Psychology Professor Craig Haney, an expert in the psychological effects of incarceration, was featured in a Newsweek magazine article about the impacts of solitary confinement.
Research Roundup: Winter 2017 Issue
April 04, 2017
Some of the diverse topics covered by faculty in the Social Sciences Division in Winter 2017 include predicting college success, models for sustainable development, the psychological impact of President Donald Trump, his proposed military budget, and more.
The New York Times features psychology professor Craig Haney
March 30, 2017
USA Today features psychology professor Campbell Leaper
March 12, 2017
Campbell Leaper, a developmental and social psychologist, was quoted in a story about gender reveal parties that ran in USA Today and other media outlets.
Campbell Leaper interviewed for Slate
November 23, 2016
Psychology professor and Department Chair Campbell Leaper was interviewed in an article for Slate about how to talk to kids about hatred and hostility in the Trump era.
Campbell Leaper interviewed in BuzzFeed News
November 11, 2016
Psychology professor and Department Chair Campbell Leaper was quoted extensively in a BuzzFeed article about women and sexism in light of the presidential election results.
Steve Whittaker featured in the Financial Times
October 6, 2016
Psychology professor Stephen Whittaker discusses “pilers and filers” in the Financial Times article, There’s magic in mess: why you should embrace a disorderly desk.
Research Roundup: Spring 2016 Issue
July 25, 2016
From sequencing DNA from pre-Columbian mummies, examining the California strawberry farming industry, and understanding how teachers teach, faculty and researchers in the Division of Social Sciences published a wide range of issues and ideas in spring quarter.
Congratulations to the Frank X. Barron Creativity Award Winners
July 22, 2016
Psychology graduate Students Yu Zhang and Sara Goodman are the recent recipients of the Frank X. Barron Creativity Award, a scholarship that awards students who are researching areas broadly defined by one of UC Santa Cruz’s most distinguished faculty.
Facebook grapples with heartache as it jogs memories
June 7, 2016
The Star online, the web version of the Toronto Star quoted psychology professor Steve Whittaker in an article on Facebook memories.
Psychology professor featured in National Science Foundation Video Showcase "STEM for All"
May 17, 2016
From May 17 - 23, the public is invited to view, discuss, and vote for their favorite video presentation
Research Roundup: Winter 2016 Issue
March 24, 2016
From biodiversity in California to power relations in Tanzania, faculty and researchers in the Division of Social Sciences published a wide range of issues and ideas in winter quarter.
UC Berkeley provost Claude M. Steele speaks about stereotypes, identity, and academic performace
March 17, 2016
Claude M. Steele, a renowned social psychologist and UC Berkeley’s executive vice chancellor and campus provost, spoke about his research to UCSC students, staff, and faculty.
Undergraduates are learning through community building
March 8, 2016
Thanks to the Psychology Department's Field Study Program, students are making a difference in the local community while getting an education at the same time.
Going the distance: contact vs. motivation
February 12, 2016
The Jerusalem Post published an op-ed by Andrew Pilecki, a UCSC Ph.D. in psychology, and Phillip Hammack, associate professor of psychology
Cognitive science students win Hack UCSC with virtual reality study app
February 9, 2016
Undergraduate research assistants from psychology professor Nick Davidenko’s High Level Perception Lab scoop the coveted prize in the innovation category.
Q & A with Professor Su-hua Wang
January 15, 2016
We sat down with Wang for a Q&A to learn more about her work and about the unique research internship program she offers to psychology majors.
More than a decade after release, they all come back
November 5, 2015
Distinguished psychology professor Craig Haney was quoted in a USA Today articled that followed nine Texas inmates who were released from prison in 2002.
Meet the Psychology Department's newest faculty
November 4, 2015
The Psychology Department now consists of 26 faculty thanks to its three newest hires: Christy Byrd, Audun Dahl and Rebecca Covarrubias.
Unique study compares health of LGB age groups
October 28, 2015
The Bay Area Reporter interviews Associate Professor Phil Hammack about his research on the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.
October 13, 2015
October 13, 2015
October 13, 2015
How can we improve dialogue about race relations?
October 12, 2015
PBS News Hour interview with Dr. Linda Tropp, former graduate student in Psychology.
Navigating through digital folders uses the same brain structures as real world navigation
October 1, 2015
Efficient storage and retrieval of digital data is the focus of much commercial and academic attention. With personal computers, there are two main ways to retrieve files: hierarchical navigation and query-based search...
Solitary Confinement: Punished for Life
August 4, 2015
Craig Haney, distinguished professor of psychology, and his research on the long-term psychological effects of solitary confinement, are the focus of a New York Times article on the recent attention being paid to the issue.
The Magic of Tidying Up—Digitally
July 19, 2015
A Wall Street Journal columnist turned to psychology’s Steve Whitaker, professor of human computer interaction, for his expertise in the science of storage and retrieval of digital data.
It Starts At Home: Letting Children Collaborate
June 4, 2015
Dr. Rogoff discusses her work researching the collaborative nature of children in Mexico and the United States at a TEDxSantaCruz talk.
April 10, 2015
Learning from Anita Hill: a panel discussion with Professors Zurbriggen (Psychology) and Falcón (LALS)
February 25, 2015
On Thursday, February 26 law professor Anita Hill, who accused Supreme Court justice nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in 1991, visited UC Santa Cruz.
Professor Haney Honored for Prison Research
October 17, 2014
Professor Craig Haney, known for his research on prison conditions, will be honored at the Founders Day dinner on October 25th.
A beneficial partnership - Professor Callanan highlighted in APA Monitor
October 17, 2014
Psychologists around the country are bringing behavioral science to the public by conducting research on the exhibit floor at science centers and museums.
Alumna Kris Perry shares how she overturned Prop 8, the same-sex marriage ban
October 14, 2014
At a recent event on campus, Perry talks about her leadership in the gay rights movement
Psychology Department receives APA Culture of Service Award
January 17, 2013
BSA recognized the psychology department at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for an impressive record of service to the discipline.
Sociological association awards Tom Pettigrew distinguished career award
May 20, 2011
Thomas F. Pettigrew, research professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named winner of the William Foote Whyte Distinguished Career Award of the Sociological Practice and Public Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association.
Psychology professor awarded prestigious Spencer fellowship
May 18, 2011
Phillip L. Hammack, assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has been named a 2011-2012 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow.
New book questions effectiveness of peace-building workshops
May 18, 2011
In his new book, UCSC psychology professor Phillip L. Hammack questions the effectiveness of peace-building workshops involving Israeli and Palestinian teenagers in the United States.
Analysis shows personal contact reduces tension and prejudice
April 28, 2011
In a new book, "When Groups Meet: the Dynamics of Intergroup Contact," Thomas F. Pettigrew, an international expert on racism, and Linda R. Tropp, associate professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, analyze research that shows how bringing groups together can mitigate prejudice.
Psychology professor links cultural identities, educational success
April 21, 2011
In her new book, UC Santa Cruz psychology professor Catherine R. Cooper examines how culturally diverse youth can develop pathways to college without losing ties to their families, peers, and cultural communities.
