Disclaimer: Spoilers for the film Hereditary present throughout this piece! I have seen hundreds of horror films; in fact, I even began my graduate school personal statement on the topic. As a shameless horror fan, I am often asked, with perplexed and disgusted looks, “Why?” I am fascinated by the psychological processes —decision making, sensory… Read more »
In 2015, IU’s Department of Psychology and Brain Science (PBS) began a Clinical Psychological Science Certificate program for undergraduates, through which students interested in clinical psychology can learn the foundations of the field, participate in PBS research, and gain internship experience with local community partners. Although many departments offer internships, the main goal of the… Read more »
Why do we like music? Music is interwoven into almost every aspect of our lives. We hear it at the grocery store and in every single video we watch. We listen to it when we exercise, and we pay boatloads of money to go see our favorite artists in concert. We love all kinds of… Read more »
As fall transitions into winter, all animals, including humans, must acclimate to colder weather, shorter days, and less sunlight. In many northern latitudinal regions across the globe, winter is often characterized by overcast skies and snowy days, in which little to no sunlight reaches life on the ground. Colloquially, some people report having the “winter… Read more »
Even for non-researchers, it is important to be informed about the various initiatives that change the way we do science and, ultimately, the way scientists choose to spend government dollars. In the wake of the 10-year anniversary of RDoC’s inception [1], I would like to unpack this commonly misunderstood acronym that is popping up in… Read more »
Dear BRAVO TV, I have been a regular viewer of your series of shows entitled “The Real Housewives of [Insert City Here because, truthfully, I watch them all]” since it first aired in 2006 featuring Orange County. As a student of psychology, I love watching the housewives – seeing how other people engage in various… Read more »
Dr. Yvonne Lai is well known for her work at IU’s Gill Center for Biomolecular Science. However, she and her collaborators are also making waves in the business world with the growth of their startup company Anagin Inc., a promising pharmaceutical venture located in Indianapolis. Dr. Lai’s research focuses on novel drug therapies for post-traumatic stress… Read more »
Following the school shooting in Florida at the end of February, President Trump advocated for the re-establishment of “mental asylums”, also known as psychiatric hospitals, citing a much-needed improvement of the mental health system and as a solution to gun violence in America. In order to contextualize the President’s claims, in this blog post, I’ll… Read more »
There are currently more individuals diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) in jails and prisons in the United States than in hospitals [1]. Deinstitutionalization (explained in the next paragraph), changes in sentencing policy, the war against drugs and mass incarceration have all contributed to the dramatic increase in the number of mentally ill who are… Read more »
Imagine your friend, Alex, has bipolar disorder. Alex feels like the medication he has been taking gives him headaches and that getting high on pills works better, and he chooses to stop taking it as a result. Very soon, Alex’s symptoms begin to come back. To you he seems anxious and maybe even impulsive, but… Read more »
