Department of Psychology

Are we ready to break up with our masks? Or is it hard to let go? Washington is open again (except for indoor events of 10,000-plus people) and mask restrictions have been relaxed, but with coronavirus variants still out there, people are confronting a new set of social and emotional challenges. Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

As each new generation inherits the world, vital knowledge is forgotten. Peter Kahn, professor of psychology and of environmental and forest sciences at the UW, is quoted.

Dr. Edward Diener, who graduated in 1974 with a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Washington, has passed away.

"On my Instagram account, where I frequently query people about their sexual ideas and attitudes, memes like 'Vaxxed and Waxed' and 'Hot Vax Summer' are flying. A lot of people, it seems, are ready to party. Can past catastrophes shed light on whether there will be a large rebound effect in people’s sexual behavior? Are we about to enter a Roaring 2021?" writes Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW.

The UW Institute of Learning and Brain Sciences found that babies already have the building blocks of generous social behavior. Andrew Meltzoff, professor of psychology at the UW and co-director of the institute, is interviewed.

Starting June 8, you could win a cool $250,000 from the state, assuming you’re vaccinated, of course. Today we ask: Why do these vaccine lottery programs work? Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed on the “Seattle Now” podcast.

Three years after Walid Salem was plucked off a Cairo street by plainclothes police officers, blindfolded and then imprisoned, the University of Washington doctoral student remains stuck in Egypt, unable to visit his young daughter or finish his dissertation in Seattle. Michael McCann, professor of political science at the UW, and UW President Ana Mari Cauce are quoted.

Caitlin Zaloom reviews “American Bonds: How Credit Markets Shaped a Nation,” by Sarah Quinn, associate professor of sociology at the UW.

As a child of Deaf adults, Christine Lew feels blessed to part of — and advocate for — the Deaf community and others.

As language evolves, so do the terms we use to describe sexual and gender identity. Some terms are more widely known, but others are relatively new. One of the newer terms is "polysexual." Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

After more than a year of wearing a mask, keeping a distance and staying home, socializing with other people again might feel a little overwhelming. Luckily, there are ways to help feel better about getting back out in public. Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is interviewed.

Ana Mari Cauce discusses the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

Jane Simoni, professor of psychology at the UW, talks about the sense of security and control people have gotten from wearing masks.

Bryn Bandt-Law, UW researcher and graduate student in psychology, discusses her new research on sexual harassment.