Michigan State University - Department of Psychology

What voices aren’t being heard in research? If you’ve worked with Dr. Kaston D. Anderson Jr., you have likely heard this question.?Anderson, an associate professor of psychology, focuses on communities that do not have adequate access to services and who are often excluded socially, economically or politically. “These individuals deserve to have their voices heard in research and the scientific community as well,” Anderson says. “I’m a firm believer that everyone is an expert in their own lived experience.” Learn more about Dr. Anderson and his research here: https://lnkd.in/gZSrJhxm ?? #MSUPsychology #BehavioralHealthPsychology #MSUSocialScience

Shoutout to PSY doctoral candidate Bobicheng Zhang on being named the Educator of the Month from the Graduate School! Very well deserved! ?? In his writeup, Beau shares how he learned to refrain from making assumptions about students to foster an inclusive learning environment, as well as the importance of maintaining a good routine to prevent burnout. Find the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gR7Ur4-E #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience

Meet psychology major Isabella Reda, a 3rd year who plans on graduating this spring. From participating in the Adolescent Diversion Program to being the treasurer for the Psychology Club, Isabella has worked hard to get involved and figure out her path at MSU and beyond! ?? “My experience with ADP has been incredibly impactful. It’s brought out a range of emotions, but in the most rewarding and meaningful way. Seeing firsthand the positive impact of supporting my kid has been nothing short of transformative, and I’m so glad to be part of a team that’s making a difference in the community.” Learn more about Isabella’s experience with the Adolescent Diversion Program, her job at Community Mental Health, and who has helped her along her journey: https://lnkd.in/gmN7Hw_6 #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #AdolescentDiversionProgram #LansingCommunity #ExperientialLearning

Psychology Major ?? Ecological-Community Psych PhD Alumna ?? MSU Social Work Assistant Professor ?? 2025 Outstanding Faculty Award Winner ?? We're so proud of the good work that Dr. Ashlee R. Barnes-Lee, Ph.D. is doing! Read the full story here from the MSU School of Social Work: https://lnkd.in/gNsHpaH2 #MSUSocialSciences #MSUPsychology

New research alert! A study, led by Dr. Alexander Johnson, challenges established theories of what dopamine does – and opens new avenues for understanding dopamine’s role in the brain! “Our findings were surprising based on our prior understanding of dopamine’s function. We typically don’t tend to think of dopamine being involved in the level of detailed informational and memory processing that our study showed. It’s a violation of what we expected, revealing that dopamine’s role is more complex than previously thought,” said Dr. Johnson. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gvTDgvhg #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #Dopamine #BehavioralNeuroscience #PsychologyResearch

Congratulations to Dr. Allison Costello on earning a PhD in Psychology! ?? Dr. Costello’s research area is Behavioral Neuroscience with a dissertation that used a combination of behavioral, pharmacological, and molecular approaches to reveal sex-specific behavioral and neural responses in sleep/wake, depression-like behavior, as well as neuroplasticity and neuroinflammatory markers to light and to orexin. Her findings support the hypothesis that the orexinergic system mediates the effects of ambient light on mood, and identifies the orexinergic system as a novel therapeutic target in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Congrats again, Dr. Costello! ?? #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #PhDGrad #BehavioralNeuroscience

Congratulations to Dr. Jo Alanis Barker on earning a PhD in Psychology! ?? Dr. Alanis Barker’s research area is Organizational Psychology with a dissertation that focuses on the overqualification experiences of immigrant workers in the United States, one population that is particularly affected by overqualification. In this work, a model of perceived overqualification was built that investigated feelings of relative deprivation, or the sense that one is deprived of something compared to others, as well as the impact of factors unique to the immigrant experience, such as acculturation. Through this research, Dr. Alanis Barker aimed to identify strategies organizations and individuals can adopt to reduce the negative consequences of perceived overqualification. Congrats again, Dr. Alanis Barker! ?? #MSUPsychology #MSUSocialScience #PhDGrad #OrganizationalPsychology #IOPsychology

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