VCU home page
VCU Psychology Department
Previous
Next
brain

Are mindful people better at regulating their emotions?

Emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, and so on often need to be "regulated" for us to behave in healthy, adaptive ways. How can people better regulate their emotions when stressed? read more...

homework

Can we help children with ADHD succeed in school?

Adolescents with ADHD often experience significant problems in school, such as failing grades and low achievement test scores. Can we predict these problems before they occur? read more...

cigars

Why do African American youth trade cigarettes for cigars?

Many youth perceive cigars to pose fewer health risks than cigarettes. But, is this true? read more...

webcam

Are cultural issues important in rehabilitation medicine?

Many health problems and disabilities disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities. But what can rehabilitation specialists do to change that? read more...

mom_daughter_counseling

Is religious counseling effective?

Many religious people say they want religious counseling. But is it effective? And, if it is not available, is secular counseling less effective for religious people than religious counseling? read more...

Events

Regularly Scheduled Research Talks

Positive Psychology Research Group
Mondays 4:00-5:00
810 W Franklin St., rm 106 (dissertation room)

Speakers are psychology faculty, counseling psychology graduate students, or outside speakers. Contact Dr. Ev Worthington for the latest information about speakers.

Social Psychology Under Discussion (SPUD), research talks
Fridays 12:00-1:00
820 W Franklin St., rm 203

Speakers are social psychology graduate students or outside speakers. Contact Rob Goodman for the latest information about speakers and locations.

Outside Speakers and Other Department Events

gradPsychology Department Diploma Ceremony
Saturday, May 12, 7:30
VCU Siegel Center
1200 West Broad Street

The Department of Psychology's diploma ceremony for undergraduate and graduate degree recipients is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the VCU Siegel Center, located at 1200 West Broad Street.

In addition to the Department of Psychology diploma ceremony, we encourage you to attend VCU Commencement on May 12, at 10 a.m. at the Richmond Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh Street. View the VCU Commencement web site for further information.

myersThe Scientific Pursuit of Happiness
Thursday, March 29, 7:00-8:00 PM
VCU Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballrooms

Hope College social psychologist, Dr. David Myers, will explore the things that do, and surprisingly don't, predict people's feelings of well-being. Does happiness favor those of a particular age or sex? Does wealth enhance well-being? Does it help to have certain traits? to have close friends or be married? to have an engaged religious faith? New studies explode some myths and reveal the marks of happy lives.

hoytGender bias in employment contexts: The role of political ideology and gender role salience
Friday, March 30, 12:00-1:00
820 W Franklin St., rm 203

University of Richmond associate professor of leadership studies and psychology, Dr. Crystal Hoyt, will present on her gender bias research. Gender role expectations have been shown to play a prominent role in employment-related gender prejudice. The perceived mismatch between gender role expectations and perceptions of what is required to effectively fulfill the job role has been shown to result in gender-based discrimination (Eagly, 2004; Eagly & Karau, 2002; Fiske & Lee, 2008; Heilman, 2001). This research tested the role of both situational and dispositional factors in influencing the nature of these biased responses. Specifically, this work tested and supported the prediction that when the traditional female gender role is made salient during employment decision-making episodes, individuals who support the gender role status quo, conservatives, discriminate against women in employment decisions whereas individuals who actively reject the status quo, liberals, show favor toward female candidates. Furthermore, this research suggests that these different patterns of bias are driven by relative adherence to or rejection of traditional gender roles by conservatives and liberals. This work theoretically contributes to a role incongruity interpretation of gender workplace prejudice by taking into consideration both situational and dispositional factors. Additionally, it has important practical significance for helping to identify and understand employment bias.

serpellCultural parameters of early childhood literacy socialisation: commonalities and contrasts between the cities of
Lusaka and Baltimore.
Monday, April 2, 10:00-11:30
Student Commons, Forum Room

Dr. Robert Serpell, a Visiting Assistant Professor in our department and Professor of Psychology at the University of Zambia, will be giving a talk TBA. Dr. Serpell’s publications include four books -- Culture’s influence on behaviour (Methuen, 1976), Mobilizing local resources in Africa for persons with learning difficulties or mental handicap (NFPU, 1984), The significance of schooling (Cambridge, 1993), and Becoming literate in the city (Cambridge, 2005), and several peer-reviewed articles in a wide range of scholarly journals. Professor Serpell’s primary research interests are in cultural aspects of human development, intelligence, multilingualism, literacy, assessment and intervention services for children with disabilities and their families, and educational curriculum development, with special attention to cultural context, and to the region of sub-Saharan Africa. He is an NICHD-funded scientist and has been recognized internationally for his work on the emergence of literacy in diverse sociocultural contexts. Formerly Director, University of Zambia’s Institute for African Studies (1977-83); Director, Graduate Studies program in Applied Developmental Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, USA (1989-2001); and Vice-Chancellor, University of Zambia (2003-2006).

Archive Fall 2011

Department Brown Bag Series
Mondays 11:30-12:30
University Student Commons, Forum Room

Speakers are psychology faculty. Contact Jen Elsworth with any questions about speakers.

Positive Psychology Research Group
Mondays 5:00-6:00
810 W Franklin St., rm 106 (dissertation room)

Speakers are psychology faculty, counseling psychology graduate students, or outside speakers. Contact Dr. Ev Worthington for the latest information about speakers.

Social Psychology Under Discussion (SPUD), research talks
Fridays 12:00-1:00
820 W Franklin St., rm 203

Speakers are social psychology graduate students or outside speakers. Contact Rob Goodman for the latest information about speakers and locations.

tuckPositive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, October 24, 10:00 AM
810 W Franklin St, Room 106 Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Eleanor Wertheim, Professor of Psychological Science at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, will be giving a talk titled, "Applying a collaborative problem-solving approach to resolving conflict: From interpersonal to United Nations contexts."

Dr. Wertheim has taught in and co-facilitated a variety of residential programs for UN staff, international diplomats and representatives of NGOs, organised by UNITAR and co-sponsored by the International Peace Institute (formerly International Peace Academy).

VCU Psychology Department Veteran's Reception
Monday, November 7, 5:00-6:30
Richmond T. Robertson Alumni House, 924 W Franklin St.

Please join us as we honor our colleagues & students at a Veteran's Reception. View the news story.

Psychology Research Internship Recruitment Event
Tuesday, November 15, 2:00-3:30
806 W Franklin St. (White House) lobby

The VCU Department of Psychology will be hosting a recruitment event for interested Psychology undergraduates looking to take a PSYC 494 internship course. Professors, graduate students, and current undergraduates in the department will be present to answer any questions you may have about current research they are doing. Any Psychology major who is interested in getting involved in a research internship should stop by for what is sure to be a fun and informative event!

We look forward to your participation!

burnettePositive Psychology Research Group Presentation
Monday, November 21, 5:00-6:00
810 W Franklin St, Room 106 Dissertation room (first floor)

Dr. Jeni Burnette, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond, will be giving a talk titled, "Mindsets matter: Implicit theories predict self-regulation across applied contexts."

In this talk, I integrate self-control theory (Carver & Scheier, 1998) with an implicit theory perspective (Dweck & Leggett, 1988) to elaborate on self-regulation and goal achievement across applied contexts. This framework conceptualizes self-regulation in terms of three crucial processes: goal setting, goal operation and goal monitoring. I report seven studies using a range of methods (e.g., self-report, experimental manipulations, and an implicit theory intervention), achievement contexts (e.g., academics, leadership, dieting) and populations (e.g., college students, individuals who are categorized as overweight or obese). Across studies, incremental beliefs—belief that attributes are malleable and, consequently, that one is not “stuck” in a low-achieving state—promote self-regulatory strategies that buffer against the adverse effects of challenges and setbacks on goal achievement. Conceptualizing findings within self-control theory allowed for an integration of findings from diverse achievement contexts and provided a framework for generating well-defined directions for future inquiry.

 
> View 2010-2011 Events