Psychology in an Economic World

Poverty, wealth, and their cognitive, emotional, and neurochemical consequences dominated the discussion in the opening integrative science symposium at ICPS. Moderated by Daniel Cervone, who co-chairs the program committee for the event that kicked off March 12 in Amsterdam, scientists representing psychology, economics, and sociology shared a wealth of research findings on the various ways socioeconomic status correlates with brain development, decision-making, and emotional well-being. Sociologist Jürgen Schupp of the German Institute for Economic Research detailed the manifold psychological concepts that should factor into the development of relevant social and economic indicators. And psychological researchers Martha J. Farah, (University of Pennsylvania), Cynthia García Coll (Carlos Albizu Universidad-San Juan, Puerto Rico), and Eldar Shafir (Princeton University), discussed studies showing a significant link between economic disadvantages and cognitive functioning, behavior, and academic achievement.