3 UCLA faculty members elected to National Academy of Sciences for 2022
Dr. E. Dale Abel, Robert Bjork and Rosa Matzkin were honored for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.
psychology
Results
Study shows how to lower divorce rate among poor Americans: Raise the minimum wage
When states increased their minimum hourly wage by $1, divorce rates declined by 7% to 15% among those earning low wages.
Betting on the Super Bowl: All in good fun?
Dr. Timothy Fong, co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, shares insight into how something “fun” can become a devastating addiction for some people.
How much do students learn when they double the speed of their class videos?
With 85% of students surveyed reporting “speed-watching,” UCLA psychology researchers designed experiments to gauge their comprehension.
The American Dream is more attainable for TV characters than Americans
A report from UCLA’s Center for Scholars and Storytellers looks at the intersection of race, class and social mobility in shows popular with teens.
‘I could be killed at any time’: The anguish of being wrongfully convicted of murder
A UCLA psychologist and undergraduate assess the ongoing traumatic impact of Maurice Caldwell’s unjust incarceration.
New mothers’ sleep loss linked to accelerated aging
Too little sleep in the first six months after giving birth can add three to seven years to women’s “biological age,” UCLA scientists report.
Conservatives’ sensitivity to pandemic threat suppressed by distrust of science, media
A new UCLA study explores the relationship between innate dispositions toward threats, the social environment and responses to COVID-19.
UCLA Health clinic helps mom heal after near-death birth experience
Resources include therapy sessions and a moms support group.
Can TV shows help teens navigate bullying, depression and other mental health issues?
Yes, says a new report by the UCLA Center for Scholars and Storytellers, but only when they approach these topics in a credible, supportive way.
Is One Really the Loneliest Number?
Professor Naomi Eisenberger, who studies how the brain and body react to relationships, looks at isolation during the pandemic.
As optimism returns, a reminder that life after COVID-19 will be stressful for many
“Parents should be patient and not expect everything to go back to how it was before,” said UCLA professor Bridget Callaghan.
Babies prefer baby talk, whether they’re learning one language or two
Study finds bilingual infants become interested in speech at the same age as those learning only one language.
Tweens and TV: UCLA’s 50-year survey reveals the values kids learn from popular shows
The messages kids glean from TV can influence their attitudes and behaviors as they grow into their teenage years and beyond, UCLA psychologists say.
Back to class: How to talk to children about returning to school
Psychologist Melissa Brymer recommends clear and detailed communication about changes children can expect in their classrooms and routines.
Internet trends suggest COVID-19 spurred a return to earlier values and activities
Online mentions of sourdough, sacrifice and death all surged as the pandemic took hold.
Mothers’ stress may lead to preterm births, faster aging in children
Two UCLA studies reveal how a variety of stressors, both before and during pregnancy, may adversely affect a woman's offspring.
UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute sees ‘contagious kindness’ in action
Amid political turmoil, the UCLA study on kindness points to its potential for large-scale healing.
Birthrates, marriage, gender roles will change dramatically in post-pandemic world, scientists predict
The longer COVID-19 continues, the more entrenched these psychological, social and societal changes are likely to be, the study authors suggest.
UCLA faculty couple leaves nearly $9 million for psychology, music and other programs
The late Bernice Wenzel and Wendell “Jeff” Jeffrey, both UCLA professors, were well known for their longtime commitment to the university.
Psychological therapy helps reduce chronic inflammation in body
Researchers also found that cognitive behavior therapy was the most effective approach for boosting the immune system.
Mobile technology may support kids learning to recognize emotions in photos of faces
Yalda Uhls writes that people shouldn’t obsessively fear that screen time is stunting kids’ emotional development.