The September/October <em>Observer</em>: Behavior and Climate

Observer > 2023 > September/October

362023Volume 36, Issue5September/October 2023

The September/October Observer: Behavior and Climate
Psychological science examines our cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to a changing climate.

Presidential Column

Wendy Wood
University of Southern California
APS President 2023 - 2024
All columns

In this Issue:
The Limitless Applications of Psychological Science

About the Observer

The Observer is the online magazine of the Association for Psychological Science and covers matters affecting the research, academic, and applied disciplines of psychology. The magazine reports on issues of interest to psychologist scientists worldwide and disseminates information about the activities, policies, and scientific values of APS.

APS members receive a monthly Observer newsletter that covers the latest content in the magazine. Members also may access the online archive of Observer articles going back to 1988.

Featured

How Climate Shaped Our Minds—and How It Might Still Save Us from Climate Change

Over generations, cultures including those in Yazd, Iran, develop customs, habits, and values that are adapted to water scarcity.
Global Science Requires Greater Equity, Diversity, and Cultural Precision 

Three authors discuss the discrepancy between espoused ideals for a global science and implicit biases that perpetuate unequal visibility and representation in psychological science.
Unleashing the Power of Emotional Responses for Pro-Environmental Action

Engaging in pro-environmental behavior can trigger spillover effects, creating a ripple of positive changes in individuals and their communities.
Scientific Storytelling for the Current Climate

Achieving almost any of the world’s major climate interventions will require collective action. Stories are among the most universal, scalable approaches to convincing others to embrace these collective efforts.
Up-and-Coming Voices: Behavior and Climate

Four researchers share their research related to behavior and climate.

Up Front

The Limitless Applications of Psychological Science

“I think there's never been greater interest in and relevance and importance of translating rigorous research and academic scholarship for practitioners. There are significant gaps in helping business people—leaders and managers—access research-based insights in a digestible and systematic format.”  Michael Fenlon, PhD, Partner and Chief Future of Work Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) In my last Observer column, I described the employment landscape for psychology PhDs. At graduation, only about 50% take academic jobs. Many of those are short-term, with about 40% postdocs and 10% faculty positions.

APS Spotlight

APS Teaching Fund Showcase: Psychological Detective Activity Boxes

Image above: The 2023 Psychological Detective Activity Box.

Practice

Teaching: Why the Bias Blind Spot Matters and How to Reduce It

We often recognize bias in others but rarely in ourselves. Teaching students about the bias blind spot can help them increase their self-knowledge and reduce interpersonal conflicts.
Teaching: The Perils of Post-Event Identification

Eyewitness memory is susceptible to distortions that can lead a witness to mistakenly identify an innocent suspect as a perpetrator. Teach students about the challenges inherent in identifying a face from a video image.

First Person

Careers Up Close: Kimin Eom on Keeping the Faith in Sustainability Research

Assistant professor at Singapore Management University Kimin Eom discusses his research into prosociality, maintaining morale, and helping others build on their successes.
Student Notebook: Tips and Tricks for International Students’ Survival in a Foreign Land

“The good news is that most international students have an ultimately positive experience, just as I have,” says Doroteja Rubez in this column. “Here are my suggestions for other international students—as well as their allies.”
Back Page: Bringing Climate Change Home

Norman D Henderson Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies at Oberlin College Cindy Frantz discusses her research into humans’ relationship with the natural world, promoting sustainability, and developing strategies that can help generate support to addressing climate change.

More From This Issue

People Generalize Expectations of Pain to Conceptually Related Tasks

Avoiding experiences associated with pain can be an adaptive behavior, but generalized avoidance can become problematic, even potentially culminating in disability.
Water-Scarce Cultures Value Long-Term Thinking More Than Their Water-Rich Neighbors Do

Even in modern environments with easy access to water, cultural responses shaped by historical water scarcity still influence individuals’ decision-making processes.
Understanding Childhood Adversity Across Time and Cultures

Podcast: Children have faced threats and deprivation at varied levels across time, favoring the ability to tailor development to different conditions. Researchers Willem Frankenhuis and Dorsa Amir discuss their findings.
Has Academia Become More Gender-Fair for Women? Findings From an Adversarial Analysis of Gender Bias

“Happily, the realities of today no longer support the belief that [STEM] jobs are pervasively biased against women.” But the findings come with caveats. New Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
Career Crossroads? How to Map Your Journey Beyond Academia

A wide range of companies, organizations, and government agencies need psychological scientists. Tips from insiders on how to navigate the journey.
Public May Overestimate Pushback Against Controversial Research Findings

Do researchers overestimate the risk that certain research findings will fuel public support for censorship, defunding, and other harmful actions?
Exploring the Future of Clinical Science Training

APS Fellow Ann Kring provides a breakdown of the Clinical Science Summit, where psychological scientists gathered to discuss methods to strengthen and improve clinical science for the generations to come.

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Others

Presidential Column

About the Observer

Latest Under the Cortex Podcast

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Disaster Response and Recovery

Environment and Climate Change

Featured

How Climate Shaped Our Minds—and How It Might Still Save Us from Climate Change

Global Science Requires Greater Equity, Diversity, and Cultural Precision

Unleashing the Power of Emotional Responses for Pro-Environmental Action

Scientific Storytelling for the Current Climate

Up-and-Coming Voices: Behavior and Climate

Up Front

The Limitless Applications of Psychological Science

APS Spotlight

APS Teaching Fund Showcase: Psychological Detective Activity Boxes

Practice

Teaching: Why the Bias Blind Spot Matters and How to Reduce It

Teaching: The Perils of Post-Event Identification

First Person

Careers Up Close: Kimin Eom on Keeping the Faith in Sustainability Research

Student Notebook: Tips and Tricks for International Students’ Survival in a Foreign Land

More From This Issue

People Generalize Expectations of Pain to Conceptually Related Tasks

Water-Scarce Cultures Value Long-Term Thinking More Than Their Water-Rich Neighbors Do

Understanding Childhood Adversity Across Time and Cultures

Has Academia Become More Gender-Fair for Women? Findings From an Adversarial Analysis of Gender Bias

Career Crossroads? How to Map Your Journey Beyond Academia

Public May Overestimate Pushback Against Controversial Research Findings

Exploring the Future of Clinical Science Training

Presidential Column

About the Observer

Latest Under the Cortex Podcast

Trending Topics >

Featured

Up Front

APS Spotlight

Practice

First Person

More From This Issue

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