Michigan State University - Department of Psychology

This month's Access Champion is Michigan State University - Department of Psychology faculty Rebecca Campbell. Her research focuses on sexual assault, violence against women and children, and the impact on victims' psychological and physiological well-being. Dr. Campbell talks with us about the impact of her research and the communities of women it helps to serve. The full story: https://spr.ly/604701KqL #MSUSocialScience #MSUPsychology

Meet Amaya Elliott, a senior psychology major at Michigan State University. She’s a recent PURI Award winner which has helped to fund her research in the Prenatal Stress Study with Dr. Levendosky. Amaya met with us to talk about her research on the experience of mothers during pregnancy, what sparked her curiosity to learn more, and who has helped her throughout her research journey! Learn more about Amaya here: https://lnkd.in/gVmF4jMc #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #PSYSpartan #MSUStudent

The InnovateGov program provides a one of a kind opportunity for our students to do real, impactful work on the most critical social problems in the City of Detroit. On this #GiveGreenDay, consider supporting MSU's most vital resource: talented and motivated students. Learn more and support: https://spr.ly/60430EKS3 #MSUSocialScience MSU Political Science

For the first-time ever, a team of researchers examined weekly stress across 27 weeks of pregnancy to pinpoint when it most affects a newborn’s stress response and temperament! “Prenatal stress has a well-established link to negative health, including mental health, outcomes in children and adults, but most studies conclude that the biggest effects are on girls. Our study found that not to be the case. It’s in fact, just different timing,” said Alytia Levendosky, lead investigator of the study and professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology. The study found periods of higher sensitivity to stress in both mid and late gestation but found that girls and boys had differing patterns of sensitivity. #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #PrenatalStress #MentalHealth #MSUHDFS

A group of Michigan State University graduate students are bringing their expertise as clinical psychologists to the community, making mental health resources more accessible. Each year, this student led committee focuses on different initiatives to address emerging needs and concerns. This year, the committee is specifically focused on psychoeducation for local agencies and parents, as well as advocacy work to address food insecurity. “A favorite experience of mine was presenting at Gilda's Club Grand Rapids. We were able to tailor our presentation directly to the needs of the caregivers of people with cancer. Being able to engage with them directly was really special,” said Grace Anderson, student co-chair of the committee and third-year clinical science graduate student. Through their work, these graduate students are addressing mental health needs, supporting underserved groups, and influencing future generations of psychologists! ???? #MSUPsychology #ClinicalScience #GradStudents #MentalHealth

Meet Albiona Beka: a third-year psychology major and cognitive science minor. She's part of Dr. Mark Becker's Attention & Perception lab and also serves as an executive board member for the Albanian American Student Organization. “I’ve always been interested in the human mind, even back in middle school. My interest started with a desire to help people, specifically those that struggle with mental health conditions. This curiosity led me toward psychology. As for cognitive science, I wanted to grasp more of an understanding of the underlying mechanisms that allow our brain to carry out everyday functions, which I believe is vital to know when aiding people with mental health conditions or disorders.” #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #PSYSpartan #MSUStudent

If you’re using a fitness tracker, Dr. Kaston D. Anderson Jr. recommends setting clear intentions and knowing why you are using it. “What do we want to gain from the information it will give us? What do the metrics say about our own self-worth?” Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dFBcruXD #MSUPsychology #HealthPsychology #SocialPsychology

Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Hoff on being named an APS Rising Star! ?

Do people living with schizophrenia in Michigan feel that they are in control of their actions and the outcomes of those actions? Dr. Henry Cowan, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, is asking those questions and more. Thanks to funding through the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) and their Research Partners Program, Dr. Cowan will be using both lab-based measures and life story interviews to best capture real world relevance in people’s lives. “The more we can do to help the public understand the experiences of people living with a diagnosis like schizophrenia, the more we can fight against the stigma. We can observe things in the lab about the disease, but what does that actually mean in the lives of the people affected? It’s a powerful way to fight the idea that a person can be reduced down to a label.” #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #ClinicalScience #PsychologyResearch #SchizophreniaResearch

Congrats to our graduate students who presented their research at this year’s Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) conference! With over 3,500 attendees, they gained valuable experience in sharing their work with a broad and diverse population! A few other highlights from the conference included meeting up with friends and colleagues (a special shoutout to our former postdoc Rebekka Weidmann, Ph.D. and alums Drs. Jeewon Oh and Mariah Purol, Ph.D.!) and seeing the mountains in Denver! Scroll through to see some photos from the conference. ?? #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #SocialPsychology #PersonalityPsychology #SPSP2025