2023 Archives
Ten myths (and facts) about eating disorders
May 12, 2023 - Megan Mikhail
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that often present alongside other mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. To help raise awareness of eating disorders and mental health, we present ten myths (and facts) about eating disorders based on current research from MSU and other researchers around the world.
2023 Faculty Research Award from the Consortium for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Awarded to Dr. Jae Puckett
May 3, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Dr. Jae Puckett, an ecological-community psychology faculty member at MSU, was awarded the Spring 2023 Faculty Research Award from the Consortium for Sexual and Gender Minority Health for their article “Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals’ Daily Experiences of Rumination,” published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.
Congratulations to UURAF Psychology and Neuroscience First Place Winners!
April 27, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Congratulations to the first-place winners in the Psychology and Neuroscience categories at the 25th annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) held on April 14, 2023.
13 MSU psychology graduates receive Board of Trustees’ Award for earning a 4.0 GPA
April 25, 2023
This semester, a record-breaking 206 graduating students were recognized by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees for achieving the highest scholastic average – a 4.0 GPA. Of those graduating students, 13 are majoring in psychology.
Jessie Greatorex prepares to give this year's College of Social Science student commencement speech
April 25, 2023 - Emily Jodway
Having experienced all the ups and downs of a tumultuous four years on campus and coming away from it all with a positive attitude and her love for Michigan State intact, Jessie Greatorex knew she would be a perfect fit to give the student speech at the 2023 College of Social Science Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony.
Attention and Memory: Insights from Dr. Susan Ravizza's Research
April 23, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Delve into the world of cognitive neuroscientist, Professor Susan Ravizza, who has devoted her career to exploring working memory, attention, and cognitive control. Her research sheds light on the impact of digital distractions on learning, the relationship between personality differences and online learning, and the importance of attention and memory in adapting to changing environments.
PSY Student Spotlight: Advait Rathi
April 21, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Advait Rathi, is a senior from Delhi, India, who is double majoring in psychology and theater with a data science minor. Advait sat down with us to talk about how a class on simulating zombies led to a research experience, how he ended up at MSU Psychology, and what advice he has to other students.
Psych grad student named National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
April 18, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Kenan Sayers, an MSU Clinical Science graduate student, has been selected for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Sayers is one of twenty-four undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni from Michigan State University to have been selected.
PSY Student Research Spotlight: Alex Shemke
April 12, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Alex Shemke, a senior Psychology major with a Women’s Studies minor, has been working in Dr. Alexa Veenema’s lab since March 2022. A multiple PURI award winner, Alex has received valuable hands-on research experience in the Veenema lab that studies the neural circuits that control social behavior like social play. We sat down to talk with Alex about how he ended up doing this research, his upcoming presentation at UURAF 2023, and his plans for the future.
PhD student wins King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship
April 11, 2023 - Karessa Weir
Rosaura Dominguez-Rebollar, a Dual Major PhD student in Chicano/Latino Studies and Psychology, has been awarded the King-Chávez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship from the state of Michigan.
Organizational Psychology’s Distinguished Alumni Speaker: Cori Davis
April 9, 2023 - Shelly DeJong, Jordan Holmes
Dr. Cori Davis, Genentech’s Chief People Officer, presented at the Organizational Psychology program’s Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series on March 27th, 2023. Dr. Davis sat down with us to talk about her role, how a background in psychology helps her in her job today, and what advice she would give to students entering the workforce soon.
MSU study confirms: 1 in 5 adults don’t want children –– and they don’t regret it later
April 5, 2023 - Kim Ward
Last summer, researchers at Michigan State University reported that one in five Michigan adults, or about 1.7 million people, don’t want children and therefore are child-free. Although that number was surprisingly large to many data has now been confirmed in a follow-up study.
Landmark report on supporting and affirming LGBTQI+ youth includes expertise of MSU Psychologist
April 4, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
On Transgender Day of Visibility, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a report with the latest scientific research on supporting the mental health of LGBTQI+ youth. The report was developed by a team of professional experts, including Dr. Robin Lin Miller, an ecological-community psychologist at MSU, who provided evidence reviews on conversion therapy.
Six recommendations for reducing healthcare barriers for transgender patients
March 31, 2023 - Kye Campbell-Fox, Shelly DeJong
New research by Dr. Jae Puckett and members of the Trans-ilience Lab surveyed 420 TGD individuals in the United States about what improvements would decrease barriers to accessing healthcare for TGD people. There were six main recommendations for healthcare providers that emerged from this research.
Student Spotlight: Brandyn Keyes
March 30, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Brandyn Keyes is a senior psychology major from Rochester, Michigan. After first trying out a business major, Brandyn quickly found his fit in psychology. He recently met with us to talk about his favorite classes, the satisfaction he’s found in his lab research, and why he’s taking a gap year after graduation.
Ecological-Community Psychology graduate student receives the Caldwell Award
March 29, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Jaleah Rutledge, a graduate student in the Ecological-Community Psychology program, was awarded the Bob and Bets Caldwell Land Grant Values Award for her notable record of service-oriented research, mentorship, and community involvement.
A Taste of Neuroscience at the MSU Science Festival
March 22, 2023 - Dr. Jenna Lee
During STEAM Expo Days on April 2nd, you can engage with “A Taste of Neuroscience” and discover how the brain and body interact to influence our eating behaviors. Members from the Johnson Behavioral Neuroscience Lab of the Department of Psychology combine principles of learning and memory with sophisticated neuroscience to explore questions about eating behaviors and metabolism.
Student Spotlight: Jessie Skaff
March 20, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Jessie Skaff, a senior Honors student from Ann Arbor, is majoring in Psychology with minors in Cognitive Science and Human Behavior. Jessie sat down to talk with us about her experience with the Psychology Scholars Program, being a research assistant in two Psychology labs, being published as an undergrad, and how her internship and campus involvement have helped reinforce the career path that she is on.
Student Spotlight: Joya Bailey
March 8, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Joya Bailey, from Detroit, is in her third year as a Psychology major with a Human Behavior Social Services minor. In 2022, Joya reactivated the Black Poet Society at MSU. She sat down with us recently to talk about what she loves about psychology and poetry, and how she can use both to be her authentic self and add more love into the world.
MSU experiment explains mansplaining and its impact
March 5, 2023 - Kaylie Crowe
Mansplaining — the combination of “man” and “explaining” — is a colloquial expression used to describe situations in which a man provides a condescending explanation of something to someone who already understands it. And a new study reveals that its negative impact on women is very real.
Interacting with social media and the news after trauma
February 22, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Dr. NiCole Buchanan is a professor of ecological-community psychology at MSU and the Clinical Director and Founder of Alliance Psychological Associates, PLLC in East Lansing, MI. As a scholar and a clinician, Dr. Buchanan shared advice on how the MSU community and those who have experienced a traumatic event can stay informed while also protecting their mental health.
Community Psychology Research Impacting Policy and Practice for Survivors of Domestic Violence
February 13, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
This month, Dr. Cris Sullivan, a professor of ecological-community psychology at MSU, and a team of collaborators from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) will be traveling to Washington DC to meet with federal agencies and policymakers with their findings from a multi-year study on domestic violence and homelessness.
The puzzle of personality, partners, and well-being with Dr. Rebekka Weidmann
February 8, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Dr. Rebekka Weidmann, a research associate in the MSU Department of Psychology, studies how personality relates to well-being in individuals, couples, and families. Learn more about her research and the impact it can have on our understanding of personality, partnerships, and well-being.
PSY Student Spotlight: Sydney Savage
February 5, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Sydney Savage, a senior Honors student studying Psychology and Creative Writing from DeWitt, Michigan, sat down with us to talk about what she’s passionate about, her two majors, and how she’s been able to get involved at MSU. From volunteering with the MSU Peer Body Project and the Listening Ear Crisis Center to her experience with the Adolescent Diversion Program, Sydney has seized the opportunities that MSU has to offer.
Listening to Detroit’s Untested Sexual Assault Kit Survivors and Advocates to Improve Future Victim Notifications
February 2, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
A team of Michigan State psychologists, including Drs. Rebecca Campbell and Katie Gregory, recently concluded a major 3-year study looking at the victim notification process for Detroit’s untested sexual assault kit survivors on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women. This study provides guidance to a variety of teams, including lawyers, law enforcement, and advocates, who are tasked with notifying sexual assault survivors and potentially asking them to participate in the re-opening and prosecution of their cases.
Young Alumni Award Winner Spotlight: Jessica Kingston
January 26, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Jessica Kingston, an MSU Psychology and MSU School of Criminal Justice alumna, won the College of Social Science’s Young Alumni Award this fall. We sat down with her to hear about her work as a Detroit-based employment attorney, how psychology impacts her work today, and how she works to connect MSU alumni.
New Study: Disordered Eating is No Longer a Disease of Affluent Girls
January 25, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Traditionally, stereotypes around eating disorders imply that it predominantly impacts girls from wealthy backgrounds. A new study from Michigan State University found that boys living in disadvantaged circumstances are at an increased risk for disordered eating; particularly if they have underlying genetic risk factors.
Canceling plans with a friend? MSU research says don’t lie
January 24, 2023 - Kim Ward
You’ve made plans to meet up with a good friend in a few hours, but now all you want to do is go home, change into sweats and binge-watch “Game of Thrones.” What do you say to your friend? Will they be upset? New research from Michigan State University found that the worst thing you can do is lie about your reason for canceling — indicating that how cancellations are made may be more important than whether cancellations are made.
Hey Siri, it’s time to understand the stuttering community!
January 19, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
A multidisciplinary team from Michigan State University and Western Michigan University has received a $750,000 grant through the National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator program to make voice-activated AI accessible and fair to people who stutter.
Alumni Award Winner Spotlight: Colleen Haley
January 12, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Colleen Haley, an MSU Psychology and MSU HRLR alumna, won the College of Social Science Alumni Award this past fall. We caught up with her recently to hear about her work as the CEO of Quality Metalcraft & Experi-Metal, what drew her to psychology and HRLR, and what she wishes she had known as a student.
Psych student wins micro-grant for pandemic artwork
January 4, 2023 - Shelly DeJong
Kasey Patrick, a double major in Psychology and English, was awarded an MSU Create! micro-grant to create a project that critically engages the past, present, or future of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Her piece, Paradox Spirits, is a three-part, mixed media collage that travels from pre-pandemic to the height of the pandemic to the present day. The piece looks at the political, social, and emotional states surrounding the pandemic. Patrick also strove to incorporate the overwhelming emotions and the barrage of information that she and others faced throughout the pandemic.