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Psychology  ›  News  ›  2015
Friday, December 11, 2015

Student Team Wins Grand Prize at Facebook Global Hackathon

Dietrich College's Avi Romanoff, a sophomore psychology and human-computer interaction major, was part of the winning team that won the $10,000 grand prize by creating a new digital product that supports breaking news 24/7 with real-time eyewitness videos from around the world.
Thursday, December 03, 2015

Art + the Brain

In this class that integrated fine arts practice with the disciplines of biology, neuroscience and psychology, students created art in response to class discussions. The students also worked with the Children's School, and all of the artwork was part of a weeklong exhibit at CMU.
How Does the Brain Rapidly Deconstruct What We See?
Tuesday, December 01, 2015

How Does the Brain Rapidly Deconstruct What We See?

This is one of the questions Psychology Professor Marlene Behrmann is working to answer. In this video, she talks about how she uses the latest analytical methods such as machine learning and statistical analysis to understand the psychological and neural mechanisms behind the visual perception system. She also discusses her excitement for the future of brain research at Carnegie Mellon University and its BrainHub initiative.
BrainHub – Michael J. Tarr
Monday, November 16, 2015

BrainHub – Michael J. Tarr

Michael J. Tarr is a world-renowned cognitive scientist who studies the human visual system. In this video, he talks about Carnegie Mellon University's long history in brain research, his own work and what the future holds for CMU's BrainHub initiative. Learn more at www.cmu.edu/brainhub.
Undergrads Show Off Their Research
Friday, November 13, 2015

Undergrads Show Off Their Research

In early November, roughly 70 students, faculty and staff gathered in the Baker Hall Coffee Lounge for the third annual Dietrich Undergraduate Colloquium (DUC). Since 2013, the colloquium has provided an opportunity for undergraduate students to immerse themselves in a topic of interest and present their research findings in a structured environment. Psychology students Zora Gilbert, Rubini Naidu, and Joshua Swanson presented their work.
Self-Rated Health & the Immune System
Monday, November 09, 2015

Self-Rated Health & the Immune System

It turns out that we may be the best forecasters of our own health.New research from CMU psychologists shows that a simple self-rating of health accurately predicts susceptibility to the common cold in healthy adults aged 18-55 years. The findings suggest that physicians should ask their patents to rate their own health.
Mental Maps: Route-Learning Changes Brain Tissue
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Mental Maps: Route-Learning Changes Brain Tissue

Fifteen years ago, a study showed that London cab drivers had enlarged brains. CMU's Tim Keller and Marcel Just have determined that detailed navigation information causes hippocampal changes. This finding establishes a critical link between structural and functional brain changes during learning.
Professor Vicki Helegeson talks to CBS Pittsburgh about her new social support and diabetes study
Monday, October 26, 2015

Professor Vicki Helegeson talks to CBS Pittsburgh about her new social support and diabetes study

Prof. Vicki Helgeson stops by to talk about a new diabetes study at CMU.
Difficulty Processing Speech May Be an Effect of Dyslexia, Not a Cause
Thursday, October 08, 2015

Difficulty Processing Speech May Be an Effect of Dyslexia, Not a Cause

The cognitive skills used to learn how to ride a bike may be the key to a more accurate understanding of developmental dyslexia. And, they may lead to improved interventions.CMU scientists investigated how procedural learning - how we acquire skills and habits such as riding a bike - impacts how individuals with dyslexia learn speech sound categories. They found that learning complex auditory categories through procedural learning is impaired in dyslexia.
Training by Repetition Actually Prevents Learning for Those With Autism
Friday, October 02, 2015

Training by Repetition Actually Prevents Learning for Those With Autism

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) sometimes acquire a new behavior or skill only in a specific context, but they have difficulty transferring that learned skill or information to a new context. A new study published in Nature Neuroscience shows that training individuals with ASD to acquire new information by repeating the information actually harms their ability to apply that learned knowledge to other situations. This finding challenges the popular educational approaches designed for ASD individuals that focus on repetition and drills.
Andrew Carnegie Society Scholars Announced
Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Andrew Carnegie Society Scholars Announced

ACS Scholars are CMU undergraduates who achieve high standards of academic excellence combined with outside of the classroom activities, such as volunteerism, involvement in student organizations, participation in sports or the arts and leadership.
Bright Minds, Big Ideas
Friday, September 18, 2015

Bright Minds, Big Ideas

Ten CMU faculty members have received Summer 2015 Google Research Awards, which fund cutting-edge research in computer science, engineering and related fields.Psychology Professor Laurie Heller is one of them. She is working on a device to allow people with little or no sight to navigate their environments using echolocation.
Department of Education Renews PIER Grant
Monday, September 14, 2015

Department of Education Renews PIER Grant

Based on PIER's impressive track record, with respect to training students both in their core disciplines as well as in education research, the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences has funded CMU's program for the third time with a grant of $3.67 million.
Psychology Department Turns 100
Monday, August 31, 2015

Psychology Department Turns 100

The 2015-16 academic year is extra special for one of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences' core departments. The Department of Psychology was founded in 1915 with a focus on applied psychology. Over the past century, it has become a major force in cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience, computational modeling, developmental psychology, social/health psychology and the science of learning. 100th Year Celebration
Confirmed: Lack of Sleep Connected To Getting Sick
Monday, August 31, 2015

Confirmed: Lack of Sleep Connected To Getting Sick

In 2009, Professor Sheldon Cohen found for the first time that insufficient sleep is associated with a greater likelihood of catching a cold. Now, Cohen and researchers from UC San Francisco and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have confirmed the finding using objective sleep measures.
Alumni Q&A with Patrick Cavanagh
Friday, August 21, 2015

Alumni Q&A with Patrick Cavanagh

Patrick Cavanagh (DC'72) started out as a computer and electrical engineer, but an interest in artificial intelligence led him to Carnegie Mellon University, where he could study "the really big computer." Since receiving his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from CMU, Cavanagh worked on aspects of memory and now focuses on how the visual perception system constructs our three-dimensional world.
BrainHub Scientists Visualize Critical Part of Basal Ganglia Pathways
Monday, August 17, 2015

BrainHub Scientists Visualize Critical Part of Basal Ganglia Pathways

Professor Timothy Verstynen's latest research involves a breakthrough could help see the pathways that degenerate with Parkinson's and Huntingdon's disease.
New Information Is Easier To Learn When Composed of Familiar Elements
Thursday, August 13, 2015

New Information Is Easier To Learn When Composed of Familiar Elements

CMU psychologists, led by Professor Lynne Reder, uncover a critical relationship between working memory and the strength of information "chunks."
In & Out of the Classroom With Vicki Helgeson
Monday, August 10, 2015

In & Out of the Classroom With Vicki Helgeson

In 1990, Vicki Helgeson applied for her first job- a junior faculty position in the Psychology Department at Carnegie Mellon University. Helgeson, now a professor of psychology, has been here ever since, teaching and building an impressive program of health psychology research.
World Economic Forum Selects CMU BrainHub Startup as Technology Pioneer
Wednesday, August 05, 2015

World Economic Forum Selects CMU BrainHub Startup as Technology Pioneer

Neon's proprietary technology uses cognitive science, neuroscience and machine learning tools to understand how humans see and react to images, and selects images that emotionally resonate with viewers.
BrainHub Research Projects Receive ProSEED Funding
Monday, July 06, 2015

BrainHub Research Projects Receive ProSEED Funding

One of the six newly funded projects includes Psychology Department professors teaming up with College of Engineering faculty to develop a high-resolution and portable EEG.
The CoAx Lab
Thursday, July 02, 2015

The CoAx Lab

In the Cognitive Axon Lab, Psychology's Timothy Verstynen and his lab members study the structural and functional aspects of the brain-why the brain is wired the way it is and how this wiring is related to cognition.
The Mind-Body Connection
Thursday, June 18, 2015

The Mind-Body Connection

When fourth year Ph.D. student Emily Lindsay began practicing yoga in college, it completely changed her life. After just a few weeks, she was less stressed, sleeping better and more productive in her classes. She became fascinated by the mind-body connection and has spent much of her time in Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Psychology investigating how people can manage their thoughts and feelings to improve their health.
Learning in the Real World Tops Learning From a Tablet
Friday, June 12, 2015

Learning in the Real World Tops Learning From a Tablet

New research from CMU's Simon Initiative show that although screen technologies are ubiquitous and certainly appealing for children, kids still need real-world experimentation with physical objects to enhance their learning.
Scientists Gain First Glimpse of New Concepts Developing in the Brain
Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Scientists Gain First Glimpse of New Concepts Developing in the Brain

Thanks to CMU advances in brain imaging technology, we now know how specific concrete objects are coded in the brain.Now, CMU scientists are applying this knowledge about the neural representations of familiar concepts by teaching people new concepts and watching the new neural representations develop. The research reveals that the brain has a "filing system" that is the same for everyone.
Aspiring and Ambitious
Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Aspiring and Ambitious

Anna Vande Velde is one driven young lady. Hailing from Cassadaga, N.Y., a farm-town of only 600 people, she came to Carnegie Mellon University for its highly-rated psychology program in order to work in the field of child development. This is an aim she's had in one manner or another since a young age. Aspiring to become a clinical psychologist and work with children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vande Velde continually strived in her education as a psychology major to reach this objective.
Nature + Nurture
Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Nature + Nurture

If you see a snake or spider, chances are it will scare you. Is your fear inherent or learned? David Rakison believes it is both and that nature and nurture work together to help you develop fear for potentially threatening recurrent evolutionary threats. Rakison, associate professor of psychology, studies how infants learn about the world around them.
Marlene Behrmann Elected To National Academy of Sciences
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Marlene Behrmann Elected To National Academy of Sciences

Behrmann, the George A. and Helen Dunham Cowan Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and CMU co-director of the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). She is the first female scientist from CMU to be elected to the NAS.Behrmann joined the CMU faculty in 1993 and is widely considered to be one of the foremost experts in the cognitive neuroscience of visual perception. Her research combines behavioral investigations and brain imaging techniques with both normal and impaired individuals to identify the functional architecture of the human brain that enables our visual experiences.
Autism: Making Progress
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Autism: Making Progress

According to a 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, autism - a complex developmental disease - will affect one out of every 68 children born in the United States. The lifetime cost to care for a child with autism is estimated to be as great as $2.4 million. But, while no single cause or cure has yet to be found, there is optimism as researchers - including several at Carnegie Mellon University - are making significant progress with groundbreaking discoveries that are being highlighted this April during National Autism Awareness Month.
Carnegie Mellon Scientists Appear in “Fastball”
Monday, April 20, 2015

Carnegie Mellon Scientists Appear in “Fastball”

Psychology Professors Michael J. Tarr and Timothy Verstynen are making their silver screen debut in Fastball, a baseball documentary produced by CMU Trustee Thomas Tull and directed by eight-time Emmy winner Jonathan Hock. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.In the film, Tarr and Verstynen discuss the brain's cognitive processes involved in hitting a fastball.
Scientists Question Representation of Women in International Journal
Friday, April 10, 2015

Scientists Question Representation of Women in International Journal

Three leading cognitive scientists from the Dietrich College are questioning the gender representation of invited contributors in the special February 2015 issue, "The Changing Face of Cognition," published by the international journal Cognition.Cognition, a highly regarded scientific journal, publishes theoretical and experimental papers on the study of the mind - a topic that has been a research strength of CMU for decades and that is receiving intense focus through the federal government's BRAIN Initiative. In an opinion piece, Roberta Klatzky, Lori Holt and Marlene Behrmann write that they were "struck by the fact that among the 19 authors listed for the 12 articles, only one female author was present."
Ireland Undergraduate Research Award Winners Announced
Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Ireland Undergraduate Research Award Winners Announced

The Department of Psychology has selected Anna Vande Velde (DC'15) and Adam Dickter (DC'17) as the recipients of the inaugural Ireland Undergraduate Research Awards.The awards, funded by an endowment from the George and Elizabeth Ireland family, were established to support high-quality undergraduate research projects.
Researchers study the brain and technical material
Sunday, March 29, 2015

Researchers study the brain and technical material

As part of the global effort to explore and understand complex behaviors of the brain, Robert Mason, senior research associate and Marcel Just, director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging (CCBI) at Carnegie Mellon, have been studying how the brain learns and processes successive information.
Teaching Science to the Brain
Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Teaching Science to the Brain

When you learn a new technical concept, something happens in your brain, but exactly what has been a mystery until now.For the first time, Carnegie Mellon University scientists have traced the brain processes that occur during the learning of technical concepts. Published in NeuroImage, the findings reveal how new technical knowledge is built up in the brain during the course of different learning stages. The findings foreshadow the capability to assess the effectiveness of instruction and efficiency of learning by monitoring changes in the brain.
Neuroscientists Identify New Way Several Brain Areas Communicate
Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Neuroscientists Identify New Way Several Brain Areas Communicate

Using diffusion spectrum imaging and fiber technology, CMU neuroscientists have identified a new way that several brain areas communicate in the striatum. The findings illustrate structural and functional connections that allow the brain to use reinforcement learning to make spatial decisions. This discovery will impact learning and could lead to improved treatments for Parkinson's disease.
BrainHub Announces Recipients of ProSEED Funding
Monday, March 02, 2015

BrainHub Announces Recipients of ProSEED Funding

Eight new neuroscience projects propose innovative solutions to some of the most pressing questions in brain science and represent the university's strengths in biology, computer science, psychology, statistics and engineering. The projects out of the Dietrich College are Measuring Brain Changes During Stress Management Training, Statistical Methods To Identify Early Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease and ConnPort: Creating a Standardized Interface To Access Human Connectome Data.
Mind over mucus? CMU researcher gives subjects common colds to test psychological factors in immune systems
Sunday, March 01, 2015

Mind over mucus? CMU researcher gives subjects common colds to test psychological factors in immune systems

Sheldon Cohen, a CMU professor, will put three decades of groundbreaking research online. (One conclusion: Hugs do help.)
Carnegie Mellon Researchers Reveal How Mindfulness Training Affects Health
Thursday, February 12, 2015

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Reveal How Mindfulness Training Affects Health

CMU Psychology Professor J. David Creswell and graduate student Emily K. Lindsay have developed a model suggesting that mindfulness influences health via stress reduction pathways. Their work, published in "Current Directions in Psychological Science," describes the biological pathways linking mindfulness training with reduced stress and stress-related disease outcomes.
Bringing Texture to Flat Touchscreens: New Insight Into How Brain Understands Data From Fingers
Monday, February 09, 2015

Bringing Texture to Flat Touchscreens: New Insight Into How Brain Understands Data From Fingers

Roberta Klatzky, the Charles J. Queenan Jr. Professor of Psychology and Human Computer Interaction, was part of a team that developed a new mathematical model and experimental results on "haptic illusions" that could one day lead to flat screen displays featuring active touchback technology, such as making your touchscreen's keyboard actually feel like a keyboard.
Can hugs make you healthier?
Saturday, January 31, 2015

Can hugs make you healthier?

Even though it's February, I'm not sick. How does that work? Some new research from Carnegie Mellon University might give us some clues. In their most recent study, Cohen and colleagues used questionnaires to assess how socially supported each of their 406 study volunteers felt, and used daily telephone interviews to tally up the interpersonal conflicts that had happened that day. The researchers recorded one more thing that hadn't been studied before: the number of hugs each volunteer had received.
Researchers Discover "Idiosyncratic" Brain Patterns in Autism
Monday, January 19, 2015

Researchers Discover "Idiosyncratic" Brain Patterns in Autism

New research recently published in Nature Neuroscience shows the brains of individuals with autism display unique synchronization patterns, something that could impact earlier diagnosis of the disorder and future treatments.
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