Department of Psychology

Admitted students and families can engage with the College of Arts and Sciences through several department and program specific events over the next few weeks.

Travelers frequently bemoan the ultra-budget airline’s tiny seats, frequent delays, baggage fees, and lack of complementary snack and drinks. People love meme-ing the carrier, at the bare-minimum treatment on Spirit’s distinctive yellow planes. Jonathan Bricker, affiliate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Massachusetts’ attorney general is championing a bill this legislative session that would ban students from using their cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day. That makes Massachusetts one of more than two dozen states where lawmakers are considering legislation this spring that would restrict students’ cellphone use, according to a tally by Education Week. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

The College of Arts & Sciences is home to many distinguished researchers, faculty, and students. Their work and contributions have been featured in media outside of the UW and across the country. Take a look at some ArtSci features from this past Autumn Quarter. With everything from AI to Orca whales, ArtSci people and research in the media has something for everyone.

It can help us cope with painful events and find peace in the present moment. Marsha Linehan, professor emeritus of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Cute creatures going viral is nothing new. But 2024 seems to be on a different level of feral fascination. David Barash, professor emeritus of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Exciting. Confusing. Inspiring. Intimidating. Being a first-generation college student can bring many challenges and emotions. If you are a first-gen student, know that you are in good company. Here, ten UW Arts & Sciences students/alumni who've been in your shoes offer their thoughts on surviving — and thriving — as a first-generation student at the UW. 

"As a professor, I agree with my colleagues who have noticed the declining literacy of American students at elite universities. However, I am not sure if the schools are entirely to blame," writes Ione Fine, professor of psychology at the UW.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our students and alumni, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

Emergency department visits for self-harm have spiked since the pandemic. Experts explain the psychology behind the behavior and how to overcome it. Vibh Forsythe Cox, clinical associate professor of psychology and director of the Marsha M. Linehan DBT Clinic at the UW, is quoted.

In “Primary Trust,” which opens at Seattle Rep on Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 24, playwright Eboni Booth brings audiences on a deep dive into the epidemic of adult loneliness. Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Fear of flying affects more than 25 million Americans. If you are among them, these tools and expert tips could help make your next plane ride easier. Jonathan Bricker, affiliate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Success in Gig Harbor comes as more schools are looking to reign in cell phones. Four of the five school districts in Kitsap County now have bans, a pair of which are new this fall. Central Kitsap, the lone holdout, plans to have a ban by early next year. Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

Experts at the UW have focused their lens on a rather unconventional subject of study – the link between the ability to view stars free from light pollution and an interest in astronomy. Rodolfo Cortes Barragan, a research scientist at the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, and Andrew Meltzoff, professor of psychology and co-director of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, are quoted.