Psychology in Action

Author: Alexandra

  • New findings about the behavioral immune system

    In a recent issue of Psychological Science, researchers report on a new finding that our immune systems may be dictating our behavior.  When we notice that someone else is sick or has a rash, we instinctively try and avoid that person to keep ourselves healthy. This is called the “behavioral immune system” – we preform…

  • Gene linked to psychological resources

    UCLA psychology graduate student Shimon Saphire-Bernstein and Dr. Shelly Taylor identified the first gene to be linked to the psychological resources of optimism, self-esteem and mastery (the belief that you have control over your own life). They have been getting major media attention for their great scientific contribution. Check out the UCLA press release here. 

  • Does stress make you sick? What we know about stress and the immune system

    How does stress impact your health? That question has been studied intensely by psychoneuroimmunology researchers for over 30 years.

  • So you’re not a therapist?! Definition of Health Psychology

    I am getting my PhD in Health Psychology but I don’t always tell people that when they ask.

  • NY Times doctor ignores decades of research

    A man who can not control his blood sugar levels (he’s diabetic) comes into a medical clinic with gangrene so aggressive that people in the clinic hallway can smell his rotting flesh. This is the story Dr. Pauline W. Chen writes about in her NY Times Health article, “When Doctor’s Advice is Ignored at Home”.

  • Cutting edge research: environmental influences on genetics

    Throw out what you learned in 9th grade biology class. The age old idea that your genetic profile is static and there is nothing you can do to change the DNA hand you’ve been dealt, is likely not true. A new article in the American Psychological Association’s magazine the Monitor on Psychology nicely reviews the…

  • Dr. Rodney Hammond: A successful career of blending research and community work

    One of the goals of the American Psychological Association is “to advance the communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society.” As the head of the Center for Disease Control’s Division of Violence Prevention, Dr. Rodney Hammond has worked to achieve this goal by bringing scientific rigor and leadership to curbing violence in our…

  • Testing theoretical models while answering real world questions

    In my previous blog post I wrote about the need for applying health research to improve community health. Another glaring need is to conduct research that both test theoretical models and addresses community-relevant questions. What does this mean? Dr. Eve Brank and Lindsey Wylie outline a perfect example in their recent Monitor on Psychology article…

  • Using health data to improve community health

    Often in academia the direct arrow from research findings to improving the human condition is hard to see. I believe this is a major problem specifically  in the area of health and wellness. Governmental organizations, the private sector, and foundations spend billions of dollars on health research and yet the health of U.S. individuals and…

  • Childhood adversity and disease

    Mounting evidence has demonstrated long-term negative physical and psychological health effects of stressors experienced in early childhood (Repetti, Taylor, & Seeman, 2002). But as health psychology researchers, what we’re interested in is why. How is it possible that something that happened in childhood could affect your health 50 or 60 years later? What are the…