10TH ANNIVERSARY
2019-2020 Psychology Department Speakers Series
All presentations are free and held in room 168 of the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology Center.
For more information, contact Dr. Frank Conner (ph: (616) 234-3612)
*Streaming video of each presentation will be available after each lecture.
What Do We Know About Race and Police Use of Deadly Force? Analyses of Real-World and Laboratory Decision Data
October 8, 2019
1 p.m.
Among academics and the general public, there exists the widespread belief that police officers are racially-biased in their decisions to use deadly force. In this talk, Dr. Joseph Cesaria, Associate Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University, will present data collected in a lab over the last few years from both real-world shootings and simulated laboratory decisions. These data suggest that claims of pervasive racial bias in deadly-force use may indicate a misunderstanding of the nature of deadly force decisions and the cognitive processes underlying such decisions. Dr. Cersaria will discuss various points of uncertainty in the data and how future research might address these unknowns. Finally, he will discuss what we might realistically expect from various training interventions, such as implicit bias training.
Dating in the Modern Age: What Online Dating and Mobile Apps Can Tell Us about Finding (and Keeping) a Romantic Partner
November 20, 2019
1 p.m.
We live in an unprecedented age of connection. There are now more ways than ever to find someone to love, someone with your exact interests, and someone who matches your preferences. Interestingly though, people often report that it’s also harder than ever before to find reliable dating partners. Why is it harder than ever to find a partner despite there being more ways than ever before? The answer might ultimately lie in how relationship dynamics play out online and on mobile dating applications. In this lecture, Dr. William Chopik, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University, will highlight the proposed challenges and solutions to dating in the modern age by providing a review of relationship science being conducted in these contexts. Attendees will gain an increased understanding and appreciation for how relationships emerge and persist in online dating and mobile dating applications.
Portable Device Use and Learning in the Modern Age
February 11, 2020
1 p.m.
Dr. Susan Ravizza is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University. Her expertise in attention and memory has recently been applied to issues surrounding how portable device use (e.g., SmartPhones, laptops) interact with learning in the classroom and beyond. In the first part of the talk, Dr. Ravizza will discuss her research about the benefits and problems of using portable devices in class and what this work might suggest for classroom policies. The second part of the talk will focus on memory in the context of information presented through social media. The question to be considered is whether learning information through social media is any different from learning in other contexts. The goal of this project is to provide empirical evidence of how portable devices are being used and suggest ways to increase their effectiveness for learning while minimizing their potential to distract. These studies are important as our culture becomes more entrenched in portable technology.
What Do We Know about the Psychology of Doing "Work" Together?
March 19, 2020
1 p.m.
Most individuals spend the majority of their days doing work in a job. The vast majority of work performed in modern organizations involves coordinating efforts with coworkers (i.e., teamwork). What does the existing psychological research say about how to make work and working with others more effective and more satisfying? In this talk, Dr. Richard Deshon, Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University, will provide an overview of key results on work and working together from the broad discipline of Organizational Science including: team effectiveness, trust and cooperation, the challenges and opportunities of diversity in the workplace, the impact of the physical space on work, building purpose and meaning into the experience of work, and the impact of good and poor leadership.
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Past Psychology Department Speaker Series videos
2018-19
- What is in your suitcase? Addressing Self Awareness with The Tools to Survive
- Gambling: A Behavior Analytic Perspective
- CHARGE Syndrome: The Study of a Rare Childhood Disorder
- What Happens When We Change Ourselves? A Look at Beliefs and Health
2017-18
- Coping with Grief and Loss
- Child Development in the Digital Age: How, and for Whom, Does Mobile Media Use Become Problematic?
- Unmasking the Automatic Mind: Toward a New Understanding of Unconscious Cognition
- Media effects: Can watching T.V. or playing video games really change how you think and what you do?
2016-17
- The Psychology of Political Affiliation: Are Donkeys and Elephants Really that Different?
- The Emergent Use of Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Psychological Disorders
- Understanding the Neurobiology of Drug Addiction in Humans Through the Study of Animals
- Introduction to Mindfulness: Exploring the Science and Practical Application
2015-16
- The Real World of Forensic Psychology
- Social Support and Mental Health: It's Not What You Think
- Do Visual Artists See the World Differently?
- No Child is an Island: Integrating Family Systems Perspectives into Children's Mental Health Treatment
2014-15
- Modern Application of Darwinian Theory to Psychology
- I’m Dying to Talk with You
- Art Therapy and the Expressive Arts: Knowing Yourself Through Your Creative Side
- Self-Justification in Everyday Life: What cognitive dissonance theory reveals about cheating, justice, love, war, memory, and the decisions we make
2013-14
- Do Parents Make a Difference? An Exploration in Raising a Child
- Do sports matter as much to girls as they do to boys? Gender and the Myth of the Blank Slate
- Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy: Yes, our brain is the biggest erogenous zone!
- Stress can destroy a 66 ton bridge; imagine what it might do to you? Understanding and managing stress
2012-13
- Can Political Psychology Help Us Know What We're Getting When We Vote?
- Anger: Just One Letter Away From Danger!
- Our Connection To Something Bigger: The Archetypes of C.G. Jung.
- Mental Toughness: The X-Factor in Sport and Life
2011-12
- Will Psychologists Be Replacing Their Couch With A Computer Screen?
- I Didn’t Do Anything To Make You Feel That Way – How We Communicate Without Saying Anything.
- The Human Genome: Will You Be Able To Pre-Order The Sex, Height, and Personality Of Your New Baby?
- The Role of Technology in Our Lives: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary
2010-11
- Alzheimer's Disease: One of the Things I'd Like to Forget.
- Things That Go Bump in the Night: An Introduction to Parasomnias
- Finding, Landing, and Thriving in a Job that You Love
- The Roots of Morality: Does Religion Play a Role or is the Tail Wagging the Dog?
2009-10
- Forensic Psychology: The Real World of CSI
- Animal Psychology: We Do More Than Make Dogs Salivate Or Teach Rats To Run Mazes
- The Psychology Of Love: Do Opposites Attract or Do Birds Of A Feather Flock Together?
- Hypnosis: It's Not Just a Stage Act
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Can’t We Just Give ‘Em A “Chill Pill?”