What is the meaning of life? Depends on your politics
Researchers find that conservatives, more so than liberals, find their lives are meaningful or have purpose.
It’s Friday the 13th: Are you feeling unlucky?
From numbers to colors, superstitions vary dramatically from culture to culture. For this Friday the 13th, USC Dornsife faculty trace what we share and how we differ in what we believe brings us good luck — and bad.
Law, psychology expert helps the littlest witnesses have their day in court
🔊 Audio story: For 20 years, Thomas Lyon has been studying how to best interview child witnesses. Now he’s making a difference in their court cases, too.
Unique corps makes volunteering for scientific research easy, speeding studies
The Healthy Minds Research Volunteer Corps at USC enlists potential research participants of varying racial and socioeconomic backgrounds from across the greater Los Angeles area.
Pink for boys and blue for girls: the colorful history of things designed for kids
Whether it’s clothes, toys, books or schools, the designs tell students a lot about marketing and childhood.
What really causes workplace stress? USC study aims at a more productive society
Shrikanth Narayanan leads a team focusing on sleep quality, self-assessed work performance and social interaction among Keck Medicine of USC nurses.
Lessons from hide-and-go-seek: Game unlocks the secret workings of children’s minds
🔊 Audio story: Henrike Moll’s research shakes up long-held beliefs about what makes kids tick. Want to play?
Psychology, social work spark the dreams of a drag performer
Alum sees personal strength where others perceive weakness, which leads to professional opportunities.
Novelist explains how psychology honed his writing
USC Dornsife alumnus, professor and best-selling author tells how his work as a clinical psychologist turned him into a successful crime writer.
Love makes the world of giving go ’round
USC Marshall team studies love, compassion, hope and pride, finding that only one of those emotions boosts charity for international causes.
Digital game designed to motivate students is under development
Grant awarded to turn research-based program into a project that boosts a student’s academic success.
How to make successful New Year’s resolutions
USC Dornsife’s John Monterosso has some ideas — and makes a case for rethinking well-intentioned resolutions that sap pleasure from your life.
Can you tell if your therapist has empathy?
New software developed by researchers detects a person’s ability to understand or share feelings in therapy sessions.
What do perceptions say about our world views?
USC Dornsife psychologist examines how our minds perceive the world around us — and how those perceptions can differ from reality.
New software system developed to analyze online communication
Bridging the fields of psychology and computer science, USC expert brings state-of the-art techniques to the social sciences.
Antonio Damasio and Hanna Damasio receive honorary degrees from the Sorbonne
The USC professors accept the honors in Paris, where they deliver a lecture on neuroscience.
In memoriam: Stephen Madigan, 73
The notable scholar of cognition, memory and the study of human intelligence was a dedicated teacher and mentor whose career at USC Dornsife spanned 46 years.
Researchers design a study to track gratitude
The testimonies of Holocaust survivors help scientists map the brain circuitry of their subjects.
Unexpected moments make people better thinkers, study finds
If life unfolds as expected, we don’t have to think, which liberates our cognitive capacity. But there’s a downside to that.
If the going gets tough, when should the tough give up?
Perseverance is essential for success, but researchers caution that ‘gritty’ individuals need to know when to quit.
Finding fulfillment at work: Is it love at first sight or a cultivated passion?
Scientists find either approach can provide a sense of well-being.
Children left behind can overcome adversity
Findings by USC and China researchers could apply to youngsters in bad situations anywhere.
How to reap the rewards of failure
USC study shows failure is a rewarding experience when the brain has a chance to assess its options and mistakes.
Something’s literally fishy: Study finds fish smell makes us suspicious
USC and Michigan researchers find the odor makes us more likely to second-guess misleading information and scrutinize it instead of accepting or ignoring it.