News
Winter 2021 Resources
February 27, 2021
First Generation Initiative partners with SSERC to launch student success educational equity project
February 27, 2021
Participatory action research pilot to study the transformational power of undergraduate student research scholarship
February 27, 2021
Research partnership explores bonds between mothers and nonspeaking autistic children
December 18, 2020
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz and the University of Virginia have been collaborating to better understand behaviors and beliefs that may strengthen relationships between mothers and children with nonspeaking autism.
Psychology research shows ‘water cooler talk’ can have big benefits
November 30, 2020
In settings where people are working together on a task, making time for small talk allows for a newly-described behavior called "reciprocity in conversation," which is associated with higher levels of task enjoyment.
Challenging how we see the prison-industrial complex
October 13, 2020
An ambitious two-part exhibit, titled Barring Freedom and Visualizing Abolition, organized by the UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences, combines art and activism to address prison and policing issues.
Connecting on campus
July 6, 2020
Social psychologist Rebecca Covarrubias documents the experiences of students who are the first in their family to attend college.
Hellman Fellows Program and UC announce $125 million commitment to faculty research
June 23, 2020
The Hellman Fellows Program and the University of California announced a plan to permanently support the Hellman Fellows Program on all 10 campuses in the UC system.
Social Sciences recognizes students amid unprecedented times
June 5, 2020
The Social Sciences Division announced the recipients of its annual student achievement awards.
Protecting vulnerable children and families during the pandemic
May 27, 2020
In addition to experiencing higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death, the most vulnerable among us are losing ground in schooling, learning, and development, according to the authors of a new policy brief aimed at lawmakers.
Outbreak inquiry
May 18, 2020
Faculty have developed two undergraduate classes that are focusing on the effects and experiences of the coronavirus pandemic, even while the pandemic is under way.
Washington Post's depictions of autism shift from "cause and cure" to acceptance, study finds
May 14, 2020
The Washington Post's depiction of autism has shifted over the years from a focus on "cause and cure" toward one of acceptance and accommodation, say the authors of a new study.
Video highlights cultural differences in collaboration
May 5, 2020
A video by Barbara Rogoff, distinguished professor of psychology, about how children learn to collaborate is featured in the 2020 STEM for All Video Showcase competition hosted by the National Science Foundation.
What prisoners in solitary confinement can teach us about social isolation
April 3, 2020
Tens of millions of Californians are sheltering in place — a passive form of social isolation that radically limits the amount of social contact they are supposed to have with others. There are a number of unanticipated, unintended, but potentially very serious consequences of this form of social distancing, no matter how absolutely necessary it is.
These L.A. parents don’t want to assign a gender to their baby, so the government did it for them
September 25, 2019
Campbell Leaper, a psychology professor at UC Santa Cruz who studies childhood gender development, said that gender stereotypes limit kids early and enduringly.
Helping and Hindering Undergraduate Women’s STEM Motivation: Experiences with STEM Encouragement, STEM-Related Gender Bias, and Sexual Harassment
May 9, 2019
Professor Campbell Leaper and Graduate Student Christy Starr discuss the #MeToo and other feminist social movements have highlighted the prevalence of sexual harassment and gender-biased treatment, as well as how damaging they can be.
In the Realm of "Ahh"
May 7, 2019
Professor Jean E. Fox Tree discusses voice and style of speech—including pesky filler words—reveal a lot about a speaker.
Open Forum: On the legacy of AIDS — trauma and shame get in the way of HIV prevention
March 28, 2019
Men & Women Tend To Approach Conversations Differently — Here's How
March 26, 2019
Supreme Court takes no action on DACA, what this means for ‘Dreamers’ in Salinas
January 22, 2019
Professor Gina Langhout was interviewed for this article on DACA.
An immigration and deportation talk translates the scientific and legal speak
January 17, 2019
The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is running a series called Hardcore Natural History in which they explore different themes in research presentations through three lenses: plant, animal, and human/cultural. Their latest theme is migration, which they’ve covered via eucalyptus trees and plankton; this Friday they cover the human element in a talk titled “Deportation Uncovered.”
Beyond ‘no means no’: What most parents aren’t teaching their sons about sexual consent
October 4, 2018
In the age of #MeToo, and in the wake of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, parents across the country have been wrestling with the anxieties of raising teenage boys to understand consent. How does a parent bring clarity to an issue that is too complex even for the country’s political leaders to navigate? How can a mother or father prevent their teenage son from someday being accused of sexual assault?
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.
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.
Psychology professor Cambell Leaper featured in Slate
November 6, 2017
Psychology professor Cambell Leaper discusses how sexism starts in childhood with Slate.
Psychology professor Craig Haney discussed solitary confinement with Oprah Winfrey on “60 Minutes”
October 23, 2017
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.
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.
