-
Psychological Interventions for the Treatment of Chronic Pain in Adults
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 22, Number 2)Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) Some people experience pain that persists for an extended time or even for their entire lives. Chronic pain has negative consequences beyond physical suffering, also affecting well-being, emotional functioning, and overall quality of life. The high prevalence of chronic pain, its undertreatment, and its societal burden make chronic pain a serious public-health concern. In this issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 22, Issue 2), Mary A. Driscoll, Robert R. Edwards, William C. Becker, Ted J. Kaptchuk, and Robert D.
-
The Curious Construct of Active Learning
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 22, Number 1)Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) Active learning has become a ubiquitous construct in education—particularly undergraduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, despite its prevalence, active learning remains an unclear construct. Different researchers and educators may have different definitions of what active learning is and which activities foster active learning and improve learning outcomes. In this issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 22, Issue 1), Doug Lombardi, Thomas F.
-
Citizens Versus the Internet: Confronting Digital Challenges With Cognitive Tools
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 21, Number 3)Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) The Internet is an indispensable and global virtual environment in which people constantly communicate, seek information, and make decisions. The architecture of this digital environment influences people’s interactions with it. Despite many advantages of this architecture, it is also responsible for some negative outcomes, such as the spread of misinformation, rising incivility in online interactions, the facilitation of ideological extremisms, and a decline in decision autonomy.
-
Persistence and Fade-Out of Educational Intervention Effects: Mechanisms and Potential Solutions
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 21, Number 2)Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) Time-limited experiences such as educational interventions may have long-lasting effects and alter a person’s life trajectory, but in some instances, their effects are short-lived. Understanding the factors that influence and contribute to the persistence and fade-out of interventions can improve theories of human development and help to create meaningful interventions, with implications for practice and policy. In this issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 21, Issue 2), Drew H. Bailey, Greg J. Duncan, Flávio Cunha, Barbara R. Foorman, and David S.
-
Education and Cognitive Functioning Across the Life Span
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 21, Number 1)Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) Education appears to affect cognitive ability, but it might not directly attenuate declines in cognition associated with aging. However, education can influence cognitive functioning in the elderly by contributing to enhanced cognitive skills that emerge in early adulthood and persist into older age. Therefore, fostering educational attainment appears to have great potential for improving cognitive ability in early adulthood and reducing public-health burdens related to cognitive aging and dementia.
-
Psychological Assessment in Legal Contexts: Are Courts Keeping “Junk Science” Out of the Courtroom?
Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 20, Number 3) Read the Full Text (PDF, HTML) Psychological tests, tools, and instruments are widely used in legal contexts to help determine the outcome of legal cases. These tools can aid in assessing parental fit for child custody purposes, can affect the outcomes of disability proceedings, and can even help judges determine whether an offender should go to prison, remain incarcerated, or be exempt from death penalty. In this issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Volume 20, Issue 3), Tess M. S. Neal, Christopher Slobogin, Michael J. Saks, David Faigman, and Kurt F.
