Our faculty have been productive and visible, both in the field of psychology and in the media, as illustrated below.
Grants
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD develops in a subset of people who undergo a traumatic event, with a higher prevalence amongst members of the U.S. military returning from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq than in the general population. Both civilians and military serviceman with PTSD have significantly higher rates of substance use disorders (SUDs) and evidence indicates that SUDs are harder to treat in patients with co-morbid PTSD. Dr. Lori Knackstedt, an Assistant Professor in the Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience area, is developing an animal model of comorbid PTSD and cocaine addiction/relapse for the screening of translational compounds to reduce PTSD symptoms and the motivation to seek cocaine in humans. Her research is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Oxytocin and Aging. Previous studies have suggested that when younger adults as well as patients with autism and with schizophrenia are given the hormone oxytocin via intranasal spray, they are better able to read social cues. Dr. Natalie Ebner, an Assistant Professor, has received a grant through the Scientific Research Network on Decision Neuroscience and Aging, sponsored through the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging, to study how oxytocin may help older adults process social information.
Invited Talks
Ignorance is not always bliss. Contrary to the familiar saying, ignorance is not always bliss. Although acquiring information can provide numerous benefits, people often opt to remain ignorant. The study of deliberate ignorance has a long history in psychology and other fields, with most research examining factors that influence whether people seek versus avoid information. Little research, however, has examined why people avoid information or interventions to reduce avoidance. Dr. James Shepperd has recently given invited talks at the University of Colorado and University of Missouri and at several research conferences, describing his research exploring why people avoid information, when it is versus is not problematic, and what can be done about it. Dr. Shepperd’s research examines several interventions for reducing information avoidance, particularly in health contexts, such as avoidance of genetic risk feedback and disease screening.
Honoring Edward Tolman. Professor Emeritus Don Dewsbury delivered an invited address on “Edward Chase
Tolman (1886-1959): A Psychologist with a Purpose and a Map”, University of California, Berkeley. Symposium “The Man and the Map: Honoring the Legacy of Edward Chase Tolman.” featuring 2014 Nobel Laureate Edvard Moser.
Media Recognition
Fighting Fairly. UF psychology professor Laurie Mintz shared her expertise in a Real Simple story about eight ways to fight fairly in a relationship. This also appeared as a Feb. 27 Time story.
Human-Animal Connections. Nicole Dorey, a lecturer in the Department of Psychology, examines the preference of human touch among tortoises and was recently highlighted on Discovery News.