Psychology Newsletter
December 2015
NEW Spring 2016 Psychology courses!
PSY 313 Drugs and the Brain:
Humans have used mind-altering drugs for thousands of years. These mind altering drugs come in many forms, ranging from common drugs such as caffeine, Adderall, and alcohol, to illicit drugs such as LSD and heroin. Advances in neuroscience and psychology have greatly expanded our capacity to understand how drugs alter neural circuits and how these alterations affect decision making, perception, and memory. This course will explore the connection between drugs, brains, and cognition and incorporate recent discoveries in neuroscience, biochemistry, and psychology. The course will be a combination of lectures and discussion of recent brain and behavior related science news and readings from instructors and students.
Despite the general improvement in national health, racial/ethnic health disparities remain a growing challenge in the United States. The Center for Disease Control reports that racial/ethnic minorities generally suffer higher incidence of most health challenges including infectious diseases, infant mortality, asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and earlier mortality compared to non-minorities. These disparities are caused by a combination of individual, genetic, and social/environmental risk factors (Olden & White, 2005). Advances in psychological science are helping to understand how these factors influence risk and contributing to interventions to improve health for all. The aim of this course is to move beyond a discussion of who is affected to a more focused look at the causes of health disparities. This course represents an integration of Psychology, Medicine, Epidemiology, Social Work, and Public Health with the clear emphasis on the contributions of psychological science. Throughout, the biopsychosocial model (BPS: Engel, 1977) will serve as the core model for organizing and guiding the discussion. The course is organized into 4 principle domains: 1) Orientation and the epidemiology of health disparities, 2) the biopsychosocial approach to understanding the determinants of health disparities 3) examination of disparities and processes within specific groups, and 4) psychosocial interventions and future directions.
December 2016 College of Science Commencement Ceremony
Psychology Research Assistants Wanted!
Dr. Daniel Sullivan’s cultural-existential psychology lab is seeking assistants to help carry out research for independent study credit during Spring 2016. Our studies focus on people’s needs for meaning, self-esteem, and secure relationships; what happens when these needs are undermined (e.g., negative emotions like anxiety and guilt); and individual as well as cultural differences in the types of things people find important and threatening in life. In addition to these topics, we are also generally interested in cultural and religious differences, as well as how differences in technology (e.g., using computers vs. face-to-face interaction for learning and relationships) influence psychological processes. If you are interested in working as a research assistant on these topics, please contact Roman Palitsky at romanp@email.arizona.edu, Peter Leavitt at pleavitt@email.arizona.edu, or Isaac Young at isaacyoung@email.arizona.edu
Aging and Cognition Lab
Graduate students in the Aging and Cognition Lab are looking to fill research assistant positions for motivated undergraduates looking to further their research experience. Several positions are open, with duties varying from data coding to testing older adult participants. Commitment is at least 2 semesters, and course credit is possible. Email Suzanne at smoseley@email.arizona.edu for more information.
Take UA Psychology Classes in Italy!
Psy 352 Personality Psychology
Psy 365 Cultural Psychology
Psy 383 Health Psychology
To see the full listing of courses offered, check out their website!! http://arizonainitaly.org/
To apply, click here. If you have more questions, contact Lindsay Downs at lmdowns@email.arizona.edu!
UA Winter Session Classes
Apply: 2016 Latino Mental Health Research Training in Mexico
The online application is now open for the NIH/NIMHD-funded Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training program (MHIRT) which we refer to as the Latino Mental Health Research Training Program. The last day to submit an application is February 1, 2016. Undergraduate and pre-doctoral level students who are interested in conducting mental health research in Mexico during the summer of 2016, and who meet the following criteria, are encouraged to apply:
- 3.0 GPA or better
- Research career orientation
- Excellent Spanish language oral and written skills
- Background in statistics
- Undergraduates with junior or senior class standing for 2015-2016 academic year, post-baccalaureate/master level degree students, and pre-doctoral level students.
- U.S. citizen, non-citizen national (generally persons born in outlying possessions of the U.S.), or a permanent resident (i.e., possess a currently valid Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551, or other legal verification of such status)
- From a group underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences, specifically, Black or African American, Latino/Hispanic American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- Low-income individuals, meaning those whose annual income is below the low-income threshold line. This includes those who have qualified for Federal assistance programs or received loans or scholarships for those in financial need. These loans include: Health Professional Student Loans, and Loans for Disadvantaged Student Programs. These scholarships include any that are awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the category Scholarships for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need. Refer to the website below to determine if you or your family fall below the low-income threshold line. http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-research
- From a rural area or from rural backgrounds. Refer to the website below to determine if you come from a rural area or background. https://www.raconline.org/am-i-rural
Interested undergraduate and pre-doctoral level students meeting criteria should visit our website:
Psychology Advising
How to Make an Advising Appointment
Advising appointments can be scheduled by going to https://sbs.arizona.edu/advising/student
Advisors:
Liz Sandoval-Marchand – Students with last names A-D (esandmar@email.arizona.edu)
Keri Bishop – Students with last names E-L and HONORS (kerib@email.arizona.edu)
Christy Ball – Students with last names M-R (christyw@email.arizona.edu)
Shelley Bernstein – Students with last names S-Z (shelleyb@email.arizona.edu)
Email: mbb-psycinfo@email.arizona.edu
Website: http://psychology.arizona.edu/advising
Location: 1503 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, United States
Phone: (520)621-7439