Author Archives: Bonnie Vockeroth

The Latin word colloquium means conversation

colloquiumlargeA series of intriguing talks and scientific inspiration.
Annually the Department of Psychology hosts a Colloquium Series throughout the academic year. This exciting program brings us together outside of the classroom to have conversations with our faculty and students and the speakers we’ve invited to our campus to share their ideas. Continue reading

UBC Psych prof Kiley Hamlin shares research on early moral cognition with the Dalai Lama

KHDLcropped-1024x410On October 22, 2014 Prof. Kiley Hamlin took part in the sold-out event Educating the Heart in the Early Years: A Dialogue with the Dalai Lama at UBC’s Chan Centre for Performing Arts.

This unique dialogue featured a keynote address by the Dalai Lama and a panel of leading researchers from UBC who discussed the science behind the Dalai Lama’s belief that consciously teaching children to be compassionate and altruistic in their earliest years has a profoundly positive effect on their social, emotional and spiritual well-being throughout life. Continue reading

New series explores the psychology of gambling in film

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The Centre for Gambling Research at UBC is revisiting some classic gambling films in a new blog series “Gambling in the Movies”. They’ll be reviewing the media’s portrayal of gambling, the relationship between gambling and addiction, and the extent to which these films provide any true insights into the psychology of the gambler. Continue reading

UBC Psychology’s Sunaina Assanand’s five dos & don’ts for students

sunainablogpostAs a senior instructor in UBC’s Dept. of Psychology, Sunaina Assanand has logged countless hours in classrooms. Lecturing to an average class size of 200 to 250 students, she’s also seen her fair share of classroom antics. To better help first-year university students achieve success, Assanand, now an associate dean in the Faculty of Arts, shares her top five dos and don’ts for inside the lecture hall. Continue reading

Go Global: Studying Psychology Abroad

By Riana Ang-Canning

One of the reasons I love studying psychology is because I find it incredibly applicable to daily life. Things I learn in the classroom pop up on TV, in non-psychology courses and in everyday discussions with friends. I guess when you study the behaviour of people, it’s no surprise that the material finds its way out of the classroom. Continue reading

How environmental regularities help visual search – and to find beer

beerblogpostBy  Yu Luo

How far can you go as an undergraduate research assistant in a psychology lab? Your first thoughts may be giving debriefing, running subjects or entering data. These were exactly what I had had in mind before joining Dr. Jiaying Zhao’s lab. However, I have gained far more experiences than I expected. Continue reading

An undergrad student’s quest for research

posterbannerblogBy Sumeyye Cakal

Remember when you were a first year in undergrad? Maybe you were like me and you’d get butterflies as you thought about what the next 4 years would look like. You may have wondered how you’d make the best of them as you built your course lists and learned how not to get lost on your way to class. But did you ever think that you’d get a chance to do research? To help plan, run, present, and write about your projects? Well I sure didn’t – that is, not until I met Dr. Jiaying Zhao. Continue reading

Counting Seconds & Cents: The Psychological Consequences of Time and Money

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By Ashley Whillans

My close friends and family always smugly chuckle upon learning that I study the psychology of time and money. I’ll let you in on their amusement. As a graduate student, I am chronically counting my seconds and cents—scrounging time to see friends while managing multiple deadlines, and saving up for my next flight on a slim student stipend. And while I have not yet learned how to stop time or how to grow money on trees, social psychology does offer insight into when time and money may help vs. hinder happiness. Continue reading

Chances for far-out research are improving

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By Peter Suedfeld

What was the new President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Walter Natynczyk, doing in the Kenny Building on May 14? He and Jean-Marc Chouinard, the CSA’s Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, came to meet with Phyllis Johnson (Dept. of Sociology, UBC) and me to discuss how social and behavioural scientists can contribute to Canada’s space program. Continue reading

Spending Money on Others and Personal Happiness

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By Ashley Whillans

If you found an unexpected $20 bill in your coat pocket this afternoon, what do you think would be the best way to spend this money to maximize your happiness? Take a minute to think about your response. If you imagined spending this $20 on something for yourself — such as indulging in a foamy cappuccino and lunch at your favourite cafe — you might want to rethink your spending decision. In fact, you may even want to turn to entrepreneur Warren Buffet for expert financial advice. Continue reading