#SPSP2019

Psychology News Roundup: ICYMI February 22, 2019

From romance to buying choices to God, there's a bit of something for everyone in this week's roundup. Recently in the news, written a post, or have selections you'd like us to consider? Email us, use the hashtag #SPSPblog, or tweet us directly @spspnews.

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Misperceptions of Masculinity & Femininity Drive Biased Estimates of Preferences for Household Distribution of Labor

In 1980, the wealthiest 10% of households owned 68% of the total US wealth. In 2007, the wealthiest 10% controlled 73% of the wealth. Similarly, in the 1970s, the average woman earned about 60% of what the average man would typically earn. Fortunately, the gender income gap has decreased since the 1970s, with women earning about 80% of that typically earned by men. Unfortunately, the gender income gap has hit a plateau that started in 2005 (Stanford Center On Poverty & Inequality, 2011).

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Pride: Strength or Sin? The Impact of Nonverbal Displays of Pride on Hiring Decisions

A woman smiles confidently as she responds to an interview question

Picture this. You’re sitting in a job interview talking to someone who will help determine whether or not you get the job. They start asking you about something on your resume – a project you’re particularly proud of, one that you worked really hard on. You can’t help it: you start to lift your head a little higher, sit up straight, pull back your shoulders, puff out your chest. But will this nonverbal display of pride actually help you get the job?

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A Little Perspective Goes a Long Way: Perspective Takers Are Liked More than Non-Perspective Takers

A woman looks across a telescope in front of a glass building

It may come as no surprise that political polarization is on the rise; liberals are becoming more liberal, and conservatives are becoming more conservative. This is more than simple disagreement; political polarization involves an extreme commitment to one’s ideology and an unwillingness to consider other viewpoints. According to Kristin Laurin from the University of British Columbia, we need to be willing to take the perspective of people with opposing views in order to combat political polarization. But how do people perceive those who engage in such perspective taking?

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Protecting Me, Harming Us? Why Individuals of Lower Socioeconomic Status May Experience Lower Romantic Relationship Quality

Silhouette of a couple standing back to back with arms crossed

Economic inequality runs rampant in the United States and, if anything, is getting worse with time. Not only do individuals of lower socioeconomic backgrounds occupy disadvantaged positions in society with less access to resources, but they also face challenges in the private realm of their romantic relationships. But why do low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals generally experience lower romantic relationship quality compared to their high SES counterparts?

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Friend or Foe? Understanding How Social Cues Affect People Perceptions

Two old men great each other...on a chess board.

In navigating the world, we need to determine who are our friends and foes, and who can we trust to be our allies and who should we stay away from. To do this effectively, we rely on various cues either from the environment or the person with whom we interact with. Specifically, we are particularly attentive to cues that are being displayed by other people.

A symposium led by Francine Karmali and Kerry Kawakami shed some light on how we use physical bodies to form impressions of other people on a day-to-day basis.

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Looking for Funding, but not Sure Where to Start? Look No Further!

3 rows of slightly taller coins, growing plants on top of them, representing financial growth

Whether you yourself are a scientist, know someone who does research, or don’t know and don’t care, you may want to start paying attention to the kinds of weird things scientists do and how they go about doing those weird things they do.

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What Does “Feminist” Mean to You?

a Woman stand in a crowd with fist raised, looking powerful and strong

What do you think of when you hear the word “feminist?” To some, this term elicits images of political, social, and economic equality for men and women. To others, this term elicits images of man-hating women plotting to steal power from men. As PhD student Victoria Parker (Wilfrid Laurier University) points out in her talk entitled “Diverging Definitions: How the Conceptualization of “Feminism” Engenders Dislike and Obscures Common Ground Across Party Lines” at the SPSP Annual Convention, these diverging definitions are problematic.

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Do Women Enjoy Sex in the Absence of Orgasm?

A lady frolics in the sunshine carrying a dozen colorful balloons

Is sex only pleasurable if we experience an orgasm, or can people still enjoy sex in the absence of an orgasm? Popular media often presents an orgasm as the ultimate goal of sex and the defining feature of a satisfying sexual experience, yet in reality, many women have difficulties orgasming consistently (or at all) during sex. This discrepancy might suggest that many women are not satisfied with their sexual experiences, but it could also suggest that other aspects of sex are pleasurable above and beyond “the big O.”

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More is More: Variety in Conceptualizations, Behaviors, and Spending may Boost Happiness

An older couple hikes across a mountain with smiles on faces

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” According to this quote from the Dalai Lama, happiness comes as a result of our behaviors. But what behaviors lead to the greatest happiness and well-being? In the symposium on happiness, “Get Happy: Perspectives on Experiences and Conceptions of Happiness,” researchers shared insights from a number of studies suggesting how specific thoughts and behaviors contribute to happiness and well-being.

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