New research: Using money to buy time linked to increased happiness
New research is challenging the age-old adage that money can’t buy happiness. The study, led by psychology researchers at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School, suggests that using money to buy free time— such as paying to delegate household chores like cleaning and cooking— is linked to greater life satisfaction. “People who […]
UBC Psychology faculty receive 2017 MSFHR Scholar Awards
Join us in congratulating Drs. Frances Chen and Rebecca Todd for receiving Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar Awards. The MSFHR Scholar Program supports early career researchers who are building cutting-edge health research programs, training junior scientists and expanding their potential to make significant contributions to their field. “MSFHR has supported so many […]
UBC’s Psi Chi receives model chapter award
The Department of Psychology is proud to congratulate the UBC Chapter of Psi Chi for receiving a 2016-2017 Model Chapter Award. This award recognizes UBC’s Psi Chi chapter as among the highest performing chapters internationally, in particular noting the chapter’s success in member recruitment, undergraduate awards, and community outreach. Psi Chi, the International Honour Society […]
Less is best when it comes to transparency on corruption
Does transparency reduce corruption, or does it merely reveal the price of the bribe? New research by UBC Psychology alumnus Michael Muthukrishna, former UBC Psychology Professor Joseph Henrich, and UBC Economics Professor Patrick Francois seeks to answer this question. According to Dr. Muthukrishna, corruption is an inevitable outcome of our human tendency to cooperate. “Corruption is actually […]
New study: Ga-ga, goo-goo, why a baby likes you
According to new UBC Psychology research, by the age of one, infants already prefer speakers of their native tongue, but do not necessarily view speakers of an unfamiliar language negatively. The findings suggest that, while positivity toward familiar groups may be innate, dislike for unfamiliar groups appears to be a learned behaviour. “Persistent discrimination and conflict […]
Faculty Q&A: Nancy Sin explores links between everyday life and healthy aging
The Department of Psychology welcomes a new faculty member, Dr. Nancy Sin, as Assistant Professor in the health area. She joins us at UBC after having completed postdoctoral research fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco, and Pennsylvania State University. Nancy’s research focuses on the links between everyday life and chronic diseases and mortality. Her overarching […]
July Lab of the Month: Dr. Amori Mikami’s lab offers a new perspective on kids’ peer relationships
It takes a village: a community approach to building friendships in kids Think back to when you were a kid. It wasn’t easy navigating the choppy waters of school, friends, birthday party invitations, and social dynamics. Now imagine adding a neurodevelopmental condition, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to the mix. For children with ADHD, symptoms […]
Prof. Liisa Galea: Want more funding for research? Support the report
Written by Dr. Liisa Galea: On April 10, 2017, the Fundamental Science Review, written by nine experts in science and technology, was released to the public. The Honourable Kristy Duncan commissioned the review of federal support for science, the first of its kind over the last 40 years. The mandate included a review of […]
Lesley Duncan is combining data and psychology to inform strategies
Three-time UBC Psychology graduate Lesley Duncan’s pursuit of knowledge and passion for psychology is making room for social science research at the boardroom table. Putting her psychology background to good use, Duncan is now the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Distill Analytics. Distill Analytics commercializes social science research by generating assessments of the psychological drivers […]
Portrait of a PhD student: Siba Ghrear and social perspective taking
How do children make sense of others’ thoughts and beliefs? How does this change as they grow up? UBC Psychology PhD student Siba Ghrear seeks to answer these questions in a study on social perspective taking. Siba has also co-authored a study with UBC Psychology professor Susan Birch about children learning with interactive media. Receiving several […]