Psychological Science Convention in Chicago: Music in the Mind, Mental Health, Learning, and More

More than 4,000 psychological scientists, academics, clinicians, researchers, teachers, and administrators from 85 countries will gather in Chicago for the Association for Psychological Science’s 24^th annual convention May 23-27, 2012 at the Sheraton Chicago.

A concert with a former guitarist from the Black Eyed Peas and a five-time Grammy Award winning bassist will share the stage with musically talented scientists to discuss and explore music and the mind. Scientists will also present cutting-edge research on topics including: autism, ADHD, and the newest clinical treatments for mental health disorders; questions of incivility, ideology, and attitudes in politics; and the latest findings in decision-making science.

The theme of the 2012 Convention is Diverse Perspectives, and in a concerted effort to call attention to the importance of diversity in psychological-science research, the Keynote Address and the Presidential Symposium will feature distinguished speakers who will discuss the role of race and culture in scientific inquiry.

Does Mental Health Differ Among Ethnic Groups?
Keynote Address: ‘The Masquerade of Racial Group Differences in Psychological Sciences’
Thursday, May 24, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Chicago Ballroom VI &VII

Distinguished psychological scientist James S. Jackson from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor will open the convention with his keynote address. Jackson is well-known for his research on how culture influences our health during our lives, attitude changes, and social support. His research has also highlighted how racial discrimination can affect physical and mental health as well as treatments. His talk will focus on racial group disparities in psychological science research. These disparities are common, and widely accepted, but Jackson will discuss how researchers should take a closer look at these ‘easy’ assumptions of racial group differences. He will use the Environmental Affordances Framework of Health Disparities to demonstrate that these racial disparities are ‘fundamentally only a masquerade.’

How Culture, Values, and Geography Drive Science
Presidential Symposium: ‘Diverse Perspectives: Who Owns Science?’
Friday, May 25, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Chicago Ballroom VI &VII

APS President Douglas L. Medin, from Northwestern University, will chair the Presidential Symposium ‘Diverse Perspectives: Who Owns Science?’ A respected cognitive psychologist, Medin will set aside his research interests in decision making and categorization for one night to discuss his interest in the role of diversity in science as well as how scientific practice is influenced by culture. He will be joined by four elite researchers known for their research on diversity issues.

Known for her studies of resiliency and identity in diverse communities, Margaret Beale Spencer, from the University of Chicago, will discuss ways to improve research through better approaches for capturing people’s every day experiences in the research process. She will begin the symposium with her talk, titled ‘Advancing Grounded Portrayals of Human Development for Diverse Communities: The Advantages of Systems Theory and Mixed-Method Approaches for Challenging Stagnant Science.’

Helen E. Longino, from Stanford University, will speak on ‘Science, Diversity, and Objectivity.’ A prominent philosopher who has written extensively on the significance of values and social interactions in the practice of science, Longino will discuss scientific inquiry as a social endeavor. She will present the philosophy behind the social aspects of science and also discuss the implications of values in science and scientific objectivity.

Richard A. Shweder, from the University of Chicago, will draw from his forty years of experience as a cultural anthropologist to discuss contrasting views of the role of geographical and cultural aspects in behavioral science research. His talk, ‘Fundamentalism in Mainstream Psychology Versus Other Big Currents: Cultural Psychology, For Example,’ will cover two major currents of mainstream psychology: cognitive science and cultural psychology.

Megan Bang, University of Washington, will finish out the symposium with her talk ‘Seeing Relational Epistemologies and Impacts on Cognition: Toward Improving Science Education for Native Youth.’ As an educational psychologist who has conducted many studies on culture, cognition, and development, especially in Native American communities, Bang will share some of her findings on relational epistemologies, which are ways that knowledge is exchanged between people. More specifically, she will focus on cross-cultural differences in attention to content and reasoning. Bang will also share how her findings have been incorporated into learning environments in Native American Communities and discuss how her research could be used to enhance learning.

Rules and Rewards Don’t Make Us Wise — And What Does
Bring the Family Address: ‘Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing,’
Saturday, May 26, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Chicago Ballroom VI &VII

According to psychological scientist Barry Schwartz, Swarthmore College, “America is broken.”  In a talk designed not for other scientists but for families and the local public, Schwartz will discuss how institutions are currently organized in the United States and how changes can be made to encourage more ‘practical wisdom’ or the will to do the right thing. Supported by his many years of researching decision making in the context of economics, Schwartz will demonstrate how rules undermine skill development and overreliance on incentives has undermined the will needed to nurture practical wisdom.

This Is Your Mind on Music

For a symposium that moves to a different beat, the convention will feature the cross-cutting theme program Music, Mind, and Brain. Music is sound — structured, organized sound. Yet it has surrounded us, moved us, and echoed in our memories throughout the history of our species. Three of the world’s leading psychologists and neuroscientists in the study of music, and one of the world’s leading musicians, will discuss the psychological systems and “orchestra of brain regions” through which music enriches our lives.

Why Our Minds Groove to a Beat
Whether it’s reggaeton, house, salsa, or bluegrass, one thing is clear: People love moving to the beat of music. And growing evidence suggests that the ability to perceive beats and move in synchrony might be unique to humans and just a few other species because of a particular network in the brain. Drawing from his research on music and rhythm, Aniruddh Patel of the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, will explain how this brain network operates, why it may have evolved over time, and what it means for us in the real world.
Saturday, May 26, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Sheraton Ballroom IV
Aniruddh Patel, Senior Fellow in Theoretical Neurobiology, Neurosciences Institute — [email protected]

Five Decades of Top Hits: Memories Are Made of This….
Don’t worry — the bass that is pounding from your teen’s speakers today may not be his favorite forever. Recent research from Carol Krumhansl’s lab suggests that college students may actually prefer the songs of yesteryear over more recent Top 40 hits. Carol Krumhansl, of Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, studies how the brain produces perfect pitch and what happens to thinking and emotion when we hear music. In her talk, she’ll detail results of her recent research showing that people have a remarkable memory for music — that they can recall details such as a song’s name and artist, peg songs correctly to a musical era, and decipher the more subtle elements of style and emotion.
Saturday, May 26, 12:50 PM – 1:35 PM
Sheraton Ballroom IV
Carol Krumhansl, Professor of Psychology, Cornell University — [email protected]

Are Musicians Born or Made?
Why do some people become musical virtuosi while others can’t carry a tune? Daniel Levitin of McGill University in Canada is interested in understanding how people become expert performers, composers, and even listeners of music. In this talk, he’ll review research on the various factors that seem to influence musical ability, from old-fashioned practice to complex genetics. Along the way, he’ll examine Ericsson’s finding that musicians spend about 10,000 hours practicing to reach expert levels and he’ll delve into the results of psychobiographical interviews to understand how both nature and nurture contribute to musical expertise.
Saturday, May 26, 1:50 PM – 2:35 PM
Sheraton Ballroom IV
Daniel Levitin, Professor and James McGill Chair in Psychology, McGill University — [email protected]

Music, Mind, and Brain Panel Discussion
Victor Wooten, a five-time Grammy winner, is a founding member of the super-group Béla Fleck & the Flecktones. He was voted one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top Ten Bassists of All Time in 2011. Wooten will join Patel, Krumhansl and Levitin to investigate the interplay between music, mind, and brain in a panel discussion.
Saturday, May 26, 2:40 PM – 3:25 PM
Sheraton Ballroom IV
For interviews with Wooten, please contact Michelle Roche of Michelle Roche Media Relations at 706-353-3244 or [email protected]

Because talking about music simply isn’t enough, Victor Wooten will also be featured in a concert during the Saturday Night Reception, starting at 7:00 PM on May 26 in the Ballroom Promenade. Wooten will share the stage with award-winning folk, country, and blues singer-songwriter Dale Boyle, former Black Eyed Peas guitarist Kevin Feyen, psychophysiology researcher Robert W. Levenson, neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin, and psychology doctoral student Bianca Levy.

Autism, ADHD, and Children’s Learning

On a more serious note, many researchers at the APS Convention will be exploring critical issues in learning, ADHD, and autism. Leaders in the field studying attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, learning, and childhood development will present the latest in psychological science research that will shed light on treatment options, disorder management, memory, and school performance.

Current Directions in ADHD Research
Four experts on ADHD will present current research, and discuss future directions for treating and assessing the disorder in the cross-cutting symposium Current Directions in ADHD Research. Howard Berenbaum from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Arnaud Rey from Aix-Marseille University, France will moderate the session.
Friday, May 25, 10:30 AM – 11:50 AM
Chicago Ballroom X

Inference-Making Difficulties Among Children With ADHD
Children with ADHD typically have great difficulty in both following and creating linear narratives. What does this reveal about the disorder and how can the creation of narratives actually address some of the problems that these children encounter in school? Richard S. Milich from the University of Kentucky has focused on this subject and will discuss the academic difficulties of children with ADHD and how they are connected to the difficulty that they have in creating coherent narratives.
Richard S. Milich, Professor of Psychology, University of Kentucky —[email protected]

Norephinephrine and ADHD
The brain chemistry of children with ADHD will be discussed by Tiago V. Maia from Columbia University. What neurotransmitters are involved in producing the cognitive and behavioral symptoms that characterize this disorder? No one knows for sure, but by using a computer simulation of the role of norepinephrine in attention, these researchers found that low levels of norepinephrine produce many of ADHD’s symptoms.
Tiago V. Maia, Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurobiology, Columbia University — [email protected]

Integrating Common Cognitive Phenomena in ADHD
The part of our brain that keeps us organized, that helps us prioritize various situations with order and agility is known as executive function. One characteristic of children with ADHD is that the part of their brain responsible for executive functioning is compromised. As a result, when they should react with speed and clarity, they respond slowly and with uncertainty. But executive function is not simply a single process. By isolating response times into different components, Cynthia Huang-Pollock from Pennsylvania State University teases out the connections between poor executive function performance and the response times. This connection can lead to new understanding about ADHD and may lead to new strategies for treating the disorder.
Cynthia Huang-Pollock, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University  — [email protected]

Medicating Kids: ADHD and the Controversy Over Stimulants
Why and how did ADHD become the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder among children and adolescents, as well as one of the most controversial? In trying to answer these questions, Rick Mayes from the University of Richmond integrates analyses of the political, historical, educational, social, economic, and legal aspects of ADHD and stimulant pharmacotherapy.
Rick Mayes, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Department of Political Science, University of Richmond — [email protected]

Are We Overmedicating America’s Children? Psychosocial, Pharmacological, Combined, and Sequenced Interventions for ADHD
In his SSCP Distinguished Scientist Award Address, William E. Pelham from Florida International University asks tough questions about treatment for children with ADHD. Medication is the primary treatment for 90% of children who suffer from ADHD, with only 10% relying on behavioral modification. William E. Pelham from Florida International University will explore the complicated issue of ADHD medication versus behavior modification. Pelham will address ADHD medications’ long term safety and effectiveness.  Many children are not just treated with one medicine, but receive a cocktail of different drugs, some to address attention, others to address hyperactivity, still others to address the side effects of the drugs. He will explain the current state of medication, based on comprehensive review of recent studies. Medicine is not the only treatment option, however, and may not be the best.  He will examine the limitations of medication and the benefits of employing behavioral intervention before using stimulant medication.
Friday, May 25, 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
Chicago Ballroom IX
William E. Pelham, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Florida International University — [email protected]

Two leading researchers will address convention attendees about autism.

New Directions in Early Detection and Intervention in Autism
Early intervention is critical in addressing autism spectrum disorders. Geraldine Dawson, a professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Chief Science Officer at Autism Speaks will talk about early intervention and promising new studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorders. She says these studies have provided valuable insights into very early development of autism and new screening tools for identifying infants at risk for autism spectrum disorders. She will discuss the state of the science and future directions in early detection and intervention, with a focus on the infant-toddler period.
Friday, May 25, 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Sheraton Ballroom III
Geraldine Dawson, professor of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks — [email protected]

How Applied Behavior Analysis Is Making a Difference: A Look at Effective Early Intervention Treatment for Children With Autism
Learning for children with autism can be a serious challenge. Sheila Jodlowski of Hudson Valley Behavioral Solutions will examine how Applied Behavior Analysis is an effective methodology to teach children with autism and other developmental disabilities.  She will discuss data collected during the early intervention programs of three young children diagnosed with developmental delays who went from 10 hours per week of this instruction to 30 hours per week. Compared to other children receiving 10 hours or less of ABA, these children demonstrated dramatic differences in rates of learning and skill acquisition.
Saturday, May 26, 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM
Superior
Sheila Jodlowski, Director, Hudson Valley Behavioral Solutions — [email protected]

In the area of learning, three researchers will offer very different insights into learning and performance.

The Suprising Power of Retrieval Practice in Improving Retention: From the Lab to the Classroom
Memory is essential in all sorts of learning, especially when coming up with answers to exam questions. Usually, measuring the ability to come up with the answers to test questions can be seen as a way to measure memory. But little attention is paid to how working memory can actually be changed by the process of retrieving the answers to questions in a test situation. The processes that our minds go through to dredge up the answers may be as significant as the answers themselves. It almost doesn’t matter if the answer is right or wrong, the way that the answer is arrived at can exert large positive effects on future tests. Henry L. Roediger, III, from Washington University in St. Louis, will discuss how the power of retrieval is as evident in the classroom as in the lab and may have important consequences for educational practice.
Friday, May 25, 9:00 AM – 9:50
Sheraton Ballroom III
Henry L. Roediger, III, Professor of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis — [email protected]

Academic Performance Under Stress
Why do some people thrive while others fail in high-stakes situations? Why do poor performances occur just when students are set on doing their best? What cognitive and neural processes drive less-than-optimal outcomes when the pressure is high? In her talk, Sian L. Beilock of the University of Chicago will discuss behavioral and brain imaging work examining how students’ knowledge and general cognitive abilities interact with social and emotional factors (for instance, a student’s fear of test taking) to influence performance in academic arenas such as math. From kindergarten through graduate school, testing not only measures performance but often determines destiny. A deeper understanding of the complicated mix of brain wiring, cognition, society and emotions can potentially lead to higher levels of performance in a testing situation.
Saturday, May 26, 10:30 AM – 10:55
Ontario
Sian L. Beilock, Association Professor of Psychology, University of Chicago —[email protected]

Texting = Epic Fail: Empirical Evidence that Text Messaging During Class Disrupts Comprehension of Lecture Material
Teachers, show your students what they’re missing when they text during your lecture. Many students believe that they are “good” multitaskers whose learning is not hindered, but Tara T. Lineweaver and Amanda C. Gingerich from Butler University provide empirical evidence that texting during class disrupts comprehension of lecture material. They will also present an in-class demonstration that instructors can use to reveal multitasking-induced impairment.
Thursday, May 24, 2:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Colorado
Amanda C. Gingerich, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Butler University — [email protected]
Tara T. Lineweaver, Associate Professor of Psychology, Butler University — [email protected]

Understanding and Promoting Mental Health

In addition to addressing specific disorders such as autism, many researchers at the convention will be discussing overall approaches to mental health. Thanks to advances in many areas of psychological science, from addiction to zoophobia, scientists can evaluate existing treatments for mental health issues, design new and better approaches for interventions, and discover which biological factors promote mental health.

Scientists will discuss the current state and future questions in clinical psychological science.

Facial Behavior in Diverse Contexts: Emotion, Deception, and Psychopathology
What’s in a Face?
Research from various areas of psychological science suggests that there’s more to learn from a person’s face than we might think. In this symposium, researchers will explore the different ways that our faces can reveal information about our mood, our mental health, and even our ability to tell a credible lie. Erika Rosenberg of the University of California, Davis, will present research that uses facial behavior as a way of measuring differences in sadness responses to visual scenes. Jeffrey Cohn of the University of Pittsburgh will discuss research that looks at facial expression as a possible indicator of symptom severity in outpatients with depression. And Gregory Shelley of Kutztown University will present research that suggests that people’s value orientations may influence the facial expressions they make when they lie, affecting the believability of those lies.
Friday, May 25, 10:30 AM – 11:50 AM
Michigan
Erika Rosenberg, Consulting Scientist, University of California, Davis — [email protected]
Jeffrey Cohn, Professor of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh — [email protected]
Gregory Shelley, Professor of Psychology, Kutztown University — [email protected]

Technology-Based Treatment Approaches for Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
As the demand for high-quality mental health treatment options increases, researchers have started to explore whether one-on-one sessions with a mental health professional are the only way to receive effective treatment. This symposium highlights the growing evidence for technology-based delivery of mental health interventions for substance use and mental health disorders. Kathleen Carroll from the Yale School of Medicine will present research on a computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy program that is showing promise as an effective, longer-lasting, and less costly way to treat individuals with substance dependence. Mary Brunette from the Dartmouth School of Medicine will discuss computerized decision support systems as an effective means of promoting smoking cessation treatment. Dror Ben-Zeev from Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center will highlight the use of mobile devices as a way to monitor substance use and symptom presentation and deliver interventions for individuals with schizophrenia. And Robert Evans from Google will discuss the various ways that mobile platforms can be used to research diverse topics ranging from employee wellness to allergy management, mood tracking, and eating behavior change.
Friday, May 25, 10:30 AM – 11:50 AM
Huron
Kathleen Carroll, Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine — [email protected]
Mary Brunette, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Dartmouth School of Medicine — [email protected]
Dror Ben-Zeev, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Dartmouth School of Medicine — [email protected]

The Paradox of Reverse Mental Health Disparities: Reduced Risk Among Ethnic Minorities
Despite persistent physical health disparities by race, Latino and Black Americans actually show lower risk for several psychiatric disorders when compared to White Americans. In this symposium, three researchers from the University of Miami will examine various sources of evidence for factors that might explain the paradox of reverse mental health disparities. Lauren Smith will discuss how transactional theory can help us to understand how stress and coping vary among both individuals and groups. Casta Guillaume will present research on the unique coping techniques that may mitigate psychological risk for Black Women. And Lilly Kofler will examine the relationships between race, gender, and coping style and maladaptive behaviors such as drinking alcohol for non-addicted people.
Friday, May 25, 1:00 PM – 2:20 PM
Huron
Lauren Smith, Doctoral Student, University of Miami — [email protected]
Casta Guillaume, Doctoral Student, University of Miami — [email protected]

Pain, Fear, and Suffering
Pain-related fear is thought to play an important role in the way people experience chronic pain and disability. This symposium brings together new insights from experimental research on pain-related fear and avoidance and their impact on people’s lives. Ann Meulders from the University of Leuven, Belgium will present new research that examines how fear of movement-related pain can generalize to unique movements. Petra Karsdorp of Utrecht University and Maastricht University will explore the hypothesis that goals unrelated to pain-avoidance may play a role in motivating performance during painful tasks. Katja Wiech of the University of Oxford will present new findings from neuroimaging studies on the neural mechanisms that may modulate pain. And Marlies den Hollander of Maastricht University will discuss the potential of Graded Exposure in Vivo as a treatment to reduce pain-related fear in patients with chronic pain.
Sunday, May 27, 10:30 AM – 11:50 AM
Ontario
Ann Meulders, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Leuven — [email protected]
Petra Karsdorp, Postdoctoral Researcher, Utrecht University — [email protected]
Katja Wiech, Research Associate, University of Oxford — [email protected]
Marlies den Hollander, Doctoral Student, Maastricht University —  [email protected]

A Multi-Disciplinary Look at Psychological Well-Being After the Tuscaloosa Tornado
Natural disasters can have a devastating impact on people’s well-being. In this symposium, four researchers from the University of Alabama will investigate the factors that may explain why some exposure to a tornado compromises mental health for some but not others. John Lochman will present research on children’s behavioral, emotional, social, and psychophysiological functioning both before and after exposure to a tornado. James Hamilton will discuss depression as a possible moderator of the risk and resilience factors that are associated with post-disaster outcomes. Nicole Muscanell will examine data that suggest that use of Facebook may lead to greater stress and negative affect after experiencing a tornado. And Rosanna Guadagno will explore gender differences in college students’ well-being following a tornado.
Sunday, May 27, 12:00 PM – 1:20 PM
Ontario
John Lochman, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama — [email protected]
James Hamilton, Associate Professor, University of Alabama — [email protected]
Nicole Muscanell, Doctoral Student, University of Alabama — [email protected]
Rosanna Guadagno, Assistant Professor, University of Alabama — [email protected]

Science and Practice in 2012 and Beyond
For more than 60 years, clinical psychologists have attempted to integrate science into practice for the benefit of the public. David Barlow of Boston University will discuss the considerable progress that has been made and the many barriers to dissemination and implementation that still exist.
Saturday, May 26, 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Chicago Ballroom IX
David Barlow, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Boston University — [email protected]

The Origins, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Neuroticism: Back to the Future
APS Award Address
The diagnosis of neuroticism disappeared in 1980 when it was eliminated from the DSM. But commonalities among neuroticism, anxiety, mood, and emotional disorders remain. In this talk, David Barlow of Boston University proposes a new way to diagnose and treat these related disorders.
Friday, May 25, 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
Sheraton Ballroom III
David Barlow, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Boston University — [email protected]

Politics, Civility, and Ideology

We are political animals and it all starts in our brains. Psychological science gives us unique insights into an election year’s intensity and questions of political incivility, political ideology, political attitudes and brain structure, our genes and our political orientation, and emotional influences on decision making. These and many more panels, lectures, workshops and symposia will be featured throughout the convention.

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The Righteous Mind: How Moral Psychology Can Explain Par of the Political Mess We’re In
Incivility and partisan gridlock are not unique to our time, but they have gotten worse since the early 1990s. In this talk, Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion will show how recent findings in moral psychology, combined with a dash of political science, can help us understand what has happened in the United States that renders the national government increasingly unable to act in an efficient and effective way.
Saturday, May 26, 12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
Michigan
Jonathan Haidt, Professor of Social Psychology, University of Virginia — [email protected]

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Political Ideology ‘From the Bottom Up’: Origins, Manifestations, Consequences
Five experts in neuroscience and psychological science will meet to discuss new findings about the way our brains and minds deal with political ideology.  John Jost from New York University will discuss his own research on the genetic origins, manifestations and social consequences of ideology.  He will also moderate the session.
Saturday, May 26, 1:30 PM – 2:50 PM
Michigan
John T. Jost, Professor of Psychology, New York University — [email protected]

Political Attitudes and Brain Structure
More than ideology divides liberals and conservatives. In fact, substantial differences exist quite literally in the way that they think and the way that their brains are structured. Geraint Rees will discuss the findings from his MRI studies of liberal and conservative brains.
Geraint Rees, Deputy Head of the University College London Faculty of Brain Sciences — [email protected]

Genetic and Environmental Sources of Left-Right Political Orientation: The Roles of Personality, Assortative Mating, and Generation-Specific Context Effects
What alchemy of influences is at play in determining whether someone’s political orientation veers to the left or to the right?  Opinions and beliefs are one thing, but as it turns out, genetics and environmental forces can play an even more significant role in shaping those opinions and beliefs. Christian Kandler will present the findings of his research on the genetic material of mothers and fathers and how their personality traits affect their children’s political leanings.
Christian Kandler, Research Associate, Bielefeld University, Germany —[email protected]

Ideological Asymmeties in the Political Expression of Needs for Certainty and Order
A number of factors — namely an individual’s values and beliefs, the characteristics of their social environments, their ability and willingness to use political information — all interact to shape perceptions of the political world, the politicians, the issues, the values.  Christopher Federico from the University of Minnesota will discuss how the great disparity in status among various social and ethnic groups expresses itself in how they each behave politically. Sometimes in very counterintuitive ways.
Christopher Federico, Associate Professor of Psychology and Political Science University of Minnesota — [email protected]

Political Ideology and Global Warming: The Dismissal of Climate Change by Conservative Americans
In some ways, given all the scientific evidence supporting the phenomenon, it is surprising that there is a debate at all about whether or not global warming is occurring.  But as we have seen, many conservatives dismiss climate change as a mere liberal fantasy. Why has this debate become so polarized? Using insights from sociological and political science scholarship Oklahoma State University professor Riley Dunlap, will examine the political ideology and global warming and the dismissal of climate change by conservative Americans.
Riley E Dunlap, Regents Professor of Sociology, Oklahoma State University —[email protected]

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! and How We Make Them

Wouldn’t it be nice if all our decisions were the results of clear, rational, deductive reasoning? Of course they rarely are. A full range of emotions influence decision-making and experts in the field will look at fear and our transportation decisions following 9/11, psychic numbing and genocide and the effect of emotions on risky choices.

Emotional Influences on Decision Making
Ben R. Newell from the University of New South Wales will moderate the panel discussion. His research has shown that the best way to understand how and why decisions are made is in the context of the learning that precedes them and the feedback that follows them.
Saturday, May 26, 9:00 AM – 10:20 AM
Ontario
Ben R. Newell, Associate Professor, Psychology Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales —  [email protected]

Dread Risk: Terrorism & Bicycle Accidents
After the 9/11 attacks, many people decided that they would prefer to take the extra time to drive somewhere than risk their lives on an airplane. Subsequently, research argued that, in fact, the switch from airplanes to cars actually resulted in 1500 more fatalities. After the bombing of the London Subway in July 2005 that killed approximately 50 people and injured hundreds, Peter Ayton compared fatalities on the subway with fatalities of bicycle riders. In this session he will discuss the 9/11 research in the light of his own findings.
Peter Ayton, Professor of Psychology, City University of London — [email protected]

The More Who Die, The Less We Care: Psychic Numbing and Genocide
Most people are caring and will do whatever they can to help someone who might be suffering. And yet, when we hear about genocide and other mass atrocities, why is it so difficult to experience outrage or the same simple human empathy? One mechanism involves “psychic numbing”, the experience of almost indifference that is the response to statistics about mass murders or genocides.  Paul Slovic will examine the mechanisms for our intuitive moral feelings and discuss how they cannot be trusted to motivate proper action against events that are at once so horrifying and yet so difficult to apprehend.
Paul Slovic, Professor of Psychology, University of Oregon — [email protected].

Complex Risky Choice and Emotions
A decision can make us happy or sad. It can make us feel as if we gained something or lost something of value. How do these emotions affect — both directly and indirectly — choices that might be considered risky.  Choices that are especially complex, yielding multiple outcomes with all sorts of gains and losses will be discussed by John W. Payne from Duke University. Neuroscience has offered new insights into the way the brain functions when faced with complex decisions, and this will be one component of his presentation.
John W. Payne, Professor of Management, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University — [email protected]

Other Sessions of Interest

Special Event
Meet the Editor of Clinical Psychological Science: Alan E. Kazdin
Thursday, May 24, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Ballroom Promenade

SSCP Presidential Address
Teach Your Students Well: Mentoring Doctoral Students to Be Clinical Scientists in the 21st Century
Friday, May 25, 4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Chicago Ballroom IX
Richard G. Heimberg

Culture as Treatment for American Indian Mental Health Problems: Pursuing Evidence Through Community Collaborations
Saturday, May 26, 2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
Missouri
Joseph P. Gone

Self-Regulation of Effort: Adaptive and Maladaptive Processes
Sunday, May 27, 12:00 PM – 1:20 PM
Chicago Ballroom VIII
Chairs: Sander L. Koole, Guido Gendolla

Disaster, Response, and Recovery Theme Program
Understanding and Building Resilience in At-Risk Populations
Friday, May 25, 9:45 AM – 10:25 AM
Sheraton Ballroom IV
Silvia H. Koller

ACPN Workshop: Introduction to Neuropsychological Assessment
Thursday, May 24, 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Missouri
Patricia A. Pimental

Costs and Benefits of Trauma Research: Implications for Institutional Review Boards
Friday, May 25, 9:00 AM – 10:20 AM
Huron
Chair: Elizabeth A. Yeater

Organizational Efforts to Disseminate and Implement Empirically Supported Interventions in Health Care Systems
Thursday, May 24, 1:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Chicago Ballroom VIII
Co-organized by the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS) and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP)
Chair: Lea R. Dougherty

Redefining Clinical Science Training: Progress Report on the Delaware Project
Thursday, May 24, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Chicago Ballroom VIII
Chair: Varda Shoham