Psychology Department - Union College

Psi Chi has organized a senior thesis workshop for current juniors who are just beginning the thesis process in order to help them find an adviser, pick a topic, and clarify graduation requirements. The event will be Thursday April 17th at 4:30 in Bailey 300. Current students will describe their thesis experience and faculty will be on hand to discuss their areas of interests At the end of the workshop, there will be time for students to talk with faculty about possible thesis projects for next year.

The Psychology Department begins using its new program, FREUD, a web-based software program which allows students and others to sign-up to participate in psychological research projects that have been pre-approved approved by Union College's Human Subjects Research Review Committee. The new software should make the sign-up procedure more accessible to volunteers and more efficient for student researchers. Freud can be accessed directly at http://freud.union.edu, or from the Psychology Department home page. Special thanks to Prof. Bizer and ITS for Getting the program up and running.

Professor Blythe Duell from Washington State University will give a talk titled "The Effects of Anger on Cooperation in Social Dilemma," on Monday 2/25 at 4:00 pm in Bailey 312. All are welcome to attend.

The Becker Career Center will be hosting a career fair (with over 40 employers) attending on Tue 2/19 from 4:00 to 7:00 at College Park Hall.

If you are a junior or senior psychology major then, although you may not realize it, you have probably learned all of the necessary skills to make you well prepared for many of these jobs.

The Psychology Department is fortunate to be able offer several additional courses in the spring term. In addition to offering several new courses (Psychology of Sexuality, Psychology of Emotion, and Seminar in Clinical Neuropsychology), we are offering two sections of Social Psychology, Statistics, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Abnormal Psychology. If you are behind in Psychology courses, the spring term is your chance to catch up. Check them out at http://www.union.edu/CSCHED_PUBLIC/08.SP.PSY.html

New Courses Planned for Spring Term

The Psychology Department plans to offer two new courses in the spring term. Both are 300-level courses, one focusing on human emotion and the other on human sexuality. The former will be taught by by Prof. Hart, and Prof. Benack will teach the latter. We may not be able to offer these courses again for some time, so if you have an interest in any of them, plan to take them this year.

The Psychology Department Welcomes New Faculty

The Psychology Department welcomes two new professors, Christopher Chabris and Joshua Hart. Prof. Chabris, a cognitive neuroscientist, received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1999, and was a research associate at Harvard before accepting the position at Union. Chabris, an avid chess player and co-recipient of the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize in Psychology, will be teaching the cognitive neuroscience course in the fall. Prof. Hart received his Ph.D. from University of California, Davis in 2006, and comes to us after spending a year in a unique Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Lawrence University designed to prepare faculty for careers at liberal arts institutions. Hart, a personality psychologist interested in motivation and emotion, will be teaching both the introductory psychology course and a seminar on motivation and emotion in the fall. Their offices are on the third floor of Bailey Hall.

"Cut: The Movie."

The Counseling center is bringing Wendy Schneider, a documentary filmmaker, to campus to screen and discuss her film, "Cut: The Movie." She will be presenting for students on February 4th at 7pm in the Reamer Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. The screening is about 45 minutes and the discussion can last anywhere from 20-45 minutes beyond that. Counseling Center staff will be present at the screening to discuss student concerns.

Due to the new petition sign-up procedure, several fall courses, which were originally closed now have openings. An updated list of courses with current enrollment numbers can be found at http://www.union.edu/CSCHED_PUBLIC/07.FA.PSY.html

If a course appears to have openings, please contact the instructor to determine if openings still exist and for permission to enter the class.

Professor Melissa Lea's dissertation research on face and name perception, which is due to be published this fall, in the Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, has made the news. To read more Click either of the news reports below.

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/17/name.ART_ART_05-17-07_A1_576O9FH.html

John's Hopkins Neurologist Gives Guest Lecture

Daniel F. Hanley Jr., a neurologist and the father of Henry Hanley ’08, spoke to students in Carol Weisse’s Brain and Behavior class recently. Hanley is director of the Brain Injury Outcome Program and a professor at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. The recipient of numerous prestigious awards, he has a wealth of experience both here and abroad in teaching, consulting, research and medical leadership. “Dr. Hanley’s research presentation was not only interesting and relevant to what we have been discussing in class, stroke rehabilitation, but he also was happy to answer student questions about his job, their career paths and the field of medicine,” Weisse said. Weisse is director of Union’s Health Professions Program.

Student Search Committee Selected for Tenure-Track Hire

The Psychology Department will be interviewing three candidates in January for a tenure-track position in cognitive psychology or cognitive neuroscience. The successful applicant will join the department in September, 2007. Three top psychology/neuroscience majors have been selected to serve on the search committee and help in the hiring process. The students (Erica Dean, Sophie Rosenbaum, & Judy Ng) will meet with each candidate and will attend each candidate's research presentation, later providing feedback to the department.

Carol Weisse Designs new Mini-Term Aboard Tall Ship

After volunteering as a cook aboard the Half Moon, a replica of Henry Hudson's 1609 tall ship, Union’s Professor Weisse decided that the experience of living aboard a tall ship would be a great way to teach college students about history, natural science, and medical psychology. For three weeks in June, twelve students from various majors learned first hand about the challenges faced by 17^th century explorers by sailing through the Hudson, Connecticut, and Delaware Rivers and Estuaries. Students lived aboard Hudson’s replica ship and learn about seventeenth century scientific instrumentation while carrying out all of the same duties performed 400 years ago. Professor Weisse and Professor Wells of history joined students while they mastered sail handling and other navigational exercises. Weisse lectured on medical history and the various factors that may have contributed to mutiny aboard sailing vessels such as crowding, stress, and nutritional deficiencies. A daily log and photos of the Three Rivers Voyage of Discovery can be found at: http://www.halfmoon.mus.ny.us/livinghistory.htm

George Bizer in the News

Professor George Bizer, a social psychologist interested in the factors involved in the formation and strength of attitudes, was recently interviewed by the Associated Press for an article on negative political ads. Bizer's research examines the relationship between negative thinking and the resistance of attitudes. Versions of the article appeared in several news outlets including WashingtonPost.com.

Professor Ken DeBono, Gilbert R. Livingston Professor of the Behavioral Sciences, was awarded this year's Stillman prize for excellence in teaching. The Stillman prize is awarded to a faculty member each year to encourage outstanding teaching. The prize was created by gifts from David I. Stillman '72, Abbott L. Stillman '69, and Allan Stillman in honor of Abraham Stillman, father and grandfather. Professor DeBono teaches courses in social psychology and the psychology of religion.

Prof. George Bizer has been awarded a one-year $40,000 grant from the National Science Foundation directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences. The grant will fund student assistantships, one summer Union Scholar, student travel, as well as materials and funds with which to pay participants for taking part in the research.
The grant funds one of Bizer's main lines of research, the way in which negative framing of attitudes can influence the strength of those attitudes. Prof. Bizer's previous research has shown that leading people to frame attitudes negatively (i.e., "I oppose Candidate A") leads them to resist persuasive messages more easily than leading them to frame attitudes positively (i.e., "I support Candidate B"). Whereas this prior research has demonstrated the effect, the grant will support research exploring the effect's generalizability and underlying mechanisms.

although all are welcome.

The first 1/2 of the workshop will provide students with information

career selection, thesis work, courses, etc.

And of course, there will be free food!

Prof. Cay Anderson-Hanley, a clinical psychologist who has been a visiting assistant professor in the Psychology Department for the past two years is beginning her new tenure-track position this fall. Anderson-Hanley received her Ph.D. from the University of Albany and held a Post-Doctoral position at UCLA. She has research interests in both clinical neuropsychology and gerontology. She teaches courses in abnormal psychology, psychotherapy, and clinical neuropsychology. She already has begun to involve several students in her research. Her office is on the third floor of Bailey Hall.

The psychology Department welcomes Professor Cheryl Dickter to the Department. Cheryl recently received her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a social psychologist with a focus on social cognition and person perception. More specifically, Cheryl is interested in stereotyping and prejudice. She teaches classes in introductory psychology, social psychology, social cognition, and stereotyping and prejudice. Her new office is on the third floor of Bailey Hall.

NEWS AND EVENTS