Research

“A recent study has determined that watching nature programming on TV or via a virtual-reality headset reduces feelings of sadness and boredom. According to researchers from the University of Exeter, scenes of nature soothe us – whether they are real video footage of a coral reef, to use the study’s example, or even just computer-generated graphics of the same,” writes Adrienne Matei. Peter Kahn, professor of psychology and of environmental and forest sciences, is quoted.

What are the archival powers of the arts? How do the art archives decenter pasts and presents, and imagine more just futures? This article examines works of art that archive Indigenous and Black people, places, stories and histories. Kemi Adeyemi, assistant professor of gender, women and sexuality studies, is quoted.

As we approach the first COVID-19 winter in Seattle, a city with deep Scandinavian roots, a Scandinavian concept known as friluftsliv may also be a helpful model for continuing to spend time outdoors during the coldest, darkest time of the year. Andy Meyer, assistant teaching professor of Scandinavian studies at the UW, is quoted.

Muslims and atheists in the United States are more likely than those of Christian faiths to experience religious discrimination, according to new research led by the University of Washington.

“Societies that reject scientific knowledge and research, for whatever reason, remain weak, poor, backward and dependent. They also tend to be despotic. Scientific work demands much freedom, including the pursuit of phenomena and ideas that may run counter to religious, cultural, or political beliefs sacred to some and useful to others,” writes Scott Montgomery, a lecturer of international studies at the UW.

The p-adics form an infinite collection of number systems based on prime numbers. They’re at the heart of modern number theory. Bianca Viray, associate professor of mathematics at the UW, is quoted.

The p-adics form an infinite collection of number systems based on prime numbers. They’re at the heart of modern number theory. Bianca Viray, associate professor of mathematics at the UW, is quoted.

Mark Alan Smith, professor of political science at the UW, talks about polling in the 2016 election and what it can tell us about the 2020 election. 

Without preschool and playgroups, the youngest children are missing out on important educational opportunities. Patricia Kuhl, professor of speech and hearing sciences at the UW and co-director of the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, is quoted.

Daniel Chirot, professor of international studies at the UW, talks about whether radical upheavals in the social and political order must end in tragedy and disappointment on the “Thinking Out Loud” podcast.

When the pandemic hit, mental health professionals predicted lockdowns and social distancing would result in a wave of loneliness. But researchers who study loneliness say that hasn’t happened. A comment by Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is included.

As Washington families continue to adapt to the mess of a pandemic, they’re struggling to balance their children’s relationships with screens now that school is mostly online. Sarah Roseberry Lytle, the director of outreach and education at the UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, is quoted.

Chanee Choi, a doctoral student in digital arts and experimental media at the UW, has created “Pandemic,” which is both a video game and work of art. It is a first-person 3D video game in which the player is the coronavirus, moving through a virtual environment.

Jonathan Kanter, research associate professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted, and Mavis Tsai, senior research scientist of psychology at the UW, is referenced.

“The vice presidential debate was deemed ‘civil.’ But civil does not mean it was fair. As long as interruptions are rewarded and seen as standard behavior, as they were in both the vice presidential and the presidential debates, many women will be disadvantaged in politics,” write Sapna Cheryan, professor of psychology at the UW, and Laura Vianna, a graduate student in psychology at the UW.