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The Benefits of Higher Social Status: Climbing the Social Ladder
This article is authored by Samantha Eisert and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight series. We live within a complex social hierarchy where access to resources is unequal, and the richest people with the most resources and respect are considered to be at the top of the hierarchy and the poorest…
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Diurnal Patterns of Cortisol
This article is authored by Kriseira Lamas-Krauletz and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight series. Background Racial/ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to mental and physical health problems such as mood disorders, anxiety, and obesity. These differences in health outcomes may be due to stressful life circumstances, recent and long-term perceived discrimination,…
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Gender Differences in Depression: The Role of Inflammation
This article is authored by Eva Li, Samantha Eisert, and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight week. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the US affecting 7.1% of the adult population (NIMH, 2017), and it can greatly reduce individuals’…
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Physiology and Understanding Emotions
This article is authored by Eva Li, Samantha Eisert, and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight week. The theory of mind in social cognition is the ability to perceive others’ emotional states and understanding. It is the way humans are able to read the eyes and facial expressions of other humans…
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Sleep and Inflammation During Adolescence
This article is authored by Brandon Williams and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight week. Adolescence is a period marked by significant biological and social changes, including pubertal changes and greater responsibility. In turn, many adolescents struggle to maintain a regular sleep schedule and do not get the recommended 8 to…
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What Makes a Bully? Looking into the Parent-Child Relationship
This article is authored by Minna Sarwar and Danny Rahal and is part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight week. Bullying has always been a negative but pervasive facet of childhood, and rates are highest during adolescence. In fact, one study reports that up to 30% of teens disclose being victims of bullying (Salmivalli &…
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Tips for being a Pre-Med Psychobiology Student
This article was authored by Selam Mulugeta and Danny Rahal as part of the 2020 pre-graduate spotlight series. It is no secret that many students at UCLA are pre-med. When I first started at UCLA, I was convinced that there was a formula for being the ideal pre-med student. After four years of undergrad and…
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Pervasiveness of Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination can negatively impact one’s health, and research is still uncovering the ways by which it does so. This article focuses on the process by which discrimination can produce more stress for individuals and impact their social relationships.
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Teenage Brains and High-Stakes Situations
This article was authored by Pragya Arya and Danny Rahal as part of the 2018 pre-graduate spotlight week. Teenagers are notorious for being irresponsible and making bad decisions. Almost all of us have witnessed or bore the brunt of parents nagging kids to take “important” situations more seriously and work harder. TV producers and novelists…
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The Healthy and Unhealthy Sides of Calorie Counting and Fitness Tracking Technology
This article is authored by Wendy York and Danny Rahal as part of the 2018 pre-graduate spotlight week. With the growing popularity of health-tracking technology, teaching students of all ages about nutrition and overall health has the potential to become a more interactive learning experience than ever before. Health-tracking technology, commonly in the form…