Category Archives: Health: Psychology

Whats New in the World of Psychology? These Press Releases, will keep you up to date on all things Psychology related.

Health: Psychology

CONCEPT Continuing Professional Studies at Palo Alto University Offers Online Learning for Summer Training Institute

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CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University logo

Our Summer Training Institute is a rewarding opportunity for mental health professionals and we’re grateful for the expert lineup we have planned for this year’s workshop series in conjunction with the American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology.


PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB)

CONCEPT Continuing Professional Studies at Palo Alto University (PAU) will host virtual workshops for its Summer Training Institute on Police and Public Safety Psychology due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This series of workshops for mental health and allied professionals allows participants to receive specialty training on police and public safety psychology topics from the safety and convenience of their own homes while earning live continuing education credit. All workshops will be held virtually—online in real-time—June 15-19, 2020.

Summer Training Institute is an annual workshop series offering continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists, clinical social workers and counselors. Workshops are led by internationally renowned experts in their fields. The 2020 series offers online professional training focused on police and public safety psychology and is ideal for mental health professionals who seek board certification in this discipline or want to add it as a specialty to their practice. Participants will learn about evidence-based practices in police and public safety psychology that demonstrate useful research outcomes and real-world applications.

Example courses include Evaluations of Police Suitability and Fitness for Duty, Ethical Dilemmas and Complex Relationships in Police & Public Safety Psychology and Wellness Resiliency and Suicide Prevention Practices in Police and Public Safety Psychology. Participants can select as few as one and up to five professional online day-long training workshops, which are approved for continuing education credit by NBCC, CPA, APA and ASWB.

“Our Summer Training Institute is a rewarding opportunity for mental health professionals,” said Patricia Zapf, Vice President of CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University, “and we’re grateful for the expert lineup we have planned for this year’s workshop series in conjunction with the American Board of Police and Public Safety Psychology.”

The online training format ensures that professionals can receive the CE units they need to maintain licensure despite the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will receive live CE credit and will be able to communicate in real-time with presenters and other participants by using their cameras and microphones to share questions or comments.

Mental health professionals interested in attending the Summer Training Institute are encouraged to sign up online at concept.paloaltou.edu or call 650-433-3899 for more information. Prospective participants may also mail inquiries to CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, Calif. 94304.

CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University in Palo Alto, Calif. provides mental health professionals with continuing education opportunities that help them increase their skills, deepen their knowledge and gain practical experience to advance their careers. Professional training programs are offered for individuals and groups in a number of convenient formats, and classes can be taken individually or bundled for specialization or board certification.

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Health: Psychology

Noted Psychotherapist’s Prescription For Dealing With Coronavirus (COVID-19) Anxiety and Stress

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LONG BEACH, Calif. (PRWEB)

Dr. Gerald Fishkin, A 50+ year practicing psychotherapist in Long Beach, CA, shares his advice for how you can stay safe and sane during this pandemic. His hopes are that this information will bring us all together and help one another during troubling times.

Stop catastrophizing, awfulizing, panicking, dreading and anticipating the future in an irrational or negative way. Get present and stay present in your thinking.

2. Every day have a task, have a plan, and stop watching the media. Having a plan and looking forward to something on a daily basis gives us a sense of hope, especially when we’re not dwelling on the present that we have no control over any way. Because in reality, the only thing we have control over is our attitude. If our attitude is rational, then our feelings about our situation will be healthy, rational and hopeful as well.

3. It’s been said that humor is the universal solvent against the abrasive elements of life. This does not mean being Pollyanna to what’s going on around us, but we have to maintain a sense of rationality. This crisis will end, and when it does, I hope each of us has learned something about this gift that we call life.

4. Having current information is important, but don’t compulsively watch the news. You’re going to find that your anxiety and blood pressure will rise.

5. Prayer and having the spiritual connection is really important and especially now when our sense of hope is threatened. Prayer, like meditation, gives us connection to a higher power. Because of social distancing, people are even praying at home through the Internet. Brilliant.

6. Exercise is very important and especially when we are homebound or in self mandated quarantine. No one wants to feel helpless or be quarantined – we were raised in freedom and we expect it, so watch your anger and frustration levels. The emotions of fear and hope cannot exist at the same time, so which one do you choose? Quarantine does not have to mean that you are homebound. Get out, take a walk. Walk your dog, offered to walk your neighbor’s dog, or walk your imaginary dog. It doesn’t matter, just get out of your living space so you can get some fresh air and clear your

head.

7. Consider taking an Internet class or program, or visit cultural websites such as museums, galleries or travel websites, which can be very engaging. You might visualize and plan your next vacation– the net effect is to get you out of your current and fearful thinking and into something fun. It doesn’t cost any more. Check out the classes offered on The Great Courses website.

8. Cell phone digital addiction is okay when you can live your regular life. In self-isolation or enforced quarantine, you don’t know what to do with yourself. This outcome was inevitable and your reactions to it show how out of balance your life is. Use this time to learn or experience something new.

9. For the many of you that are forced to work at home and whose daily life and routine have been upended, you’ll need to learn how to deal with working in isolation, which if not dealt with effectively can lead to boredom, fear, restlessness, and frustration. Mental health is a growing issue in the United States, and it’s one that can be made worse by isolation. A recent report from Cigna Health Company found that 75% of younger workers—those in the millennial or Gen Z groups — feel isolated at work. And that’s when they are in the office. Not surprisingly, the potential for loneliness, anxiety, and depression is even more significant for those who work alone at home. There’s a sense of loneliness that can be exaggerated.

That may mean someone who is usually anxious may find themselves paralyzed with fear when away from the office. Or a lonely person may dip into depression. In either case, their output could slow to a crawl.

Self-isolation can be scary if you don’t have the support network to help. So begin to develop a support network now. Also, the best functional approach for working at home is to spend 45 minutes on a task and taking a 15 minute break.

10. The social behaviors of some, fortunately not all individuals in our culture have been very disappointing and amazing at the same time. On the one hand, there are hoarders who believe they have to get as much as they can now, while depriving others of daily necessities.

Everybody needs to take a deep breath and understand there’s nothing wrong with our delivery supply chains and warehouses which are all full. Stores are being restocked daily. Remember one thing, hoarding leads to rationing, and we don’t want that at any cost.

On the other hand, I have seen strangers offering to help strangers. I have lived in my community for 39 years and I am now getting flyers on my doorstep from our young neighbors offering assistance such as food shopping, walking a dog, getting medication if necessary. I’ve never seen anything like it before and I’m so grateful for what these young neighbors are doing. By the way, I have a no-cost, low-cost solution for hand sanitation. Here it is, a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol.

© Gerald Loren Fishkin, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.

You can contact Dr. Gerald Fishkin on his website: drgeraldfishkin.com

Press release distributed by SocialtyPro

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Health: Psychology

PsychTests.com Launches The “Pandemic Resilience Test” To Assess Grit And Ability To Cope With The COVID-19 Pandemic

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Sample question from the Pandemic Resilience Test

The free Pandemic Resilience Test assesses factors that improve a person’s chances of getting through a crisis with their psychological health intact.

There have many bright sides to this pandemic, and this is what people need to focus on right now.


MONTREAL (PRWEB)

PsychTests launches a free test to help people cope with the fallout of the COVID-19 calamity in terms of mental health and psychological well-being. The “Pandemic Resilience Test” evaluates a number of traits and skills that play an important role in people’s response to adversity, and offers loads of helpful, down-to-earth advice on how to manage the stress and fear stirred up by the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Pandemic Resilience Test, developed by the psychometric specialists at PsychTests, evaluates nine factors, eight of which can act as a protective psychological “shield” against the emotional upheaval caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

The test offers an overall resilience score, along with scores and narrative results for the following scales:

1. CURRENT STRESS LEVEL: Assesses a person’s stress level as it relates to the current pandemic.

2. DEALING WITH AMBIGUITY: Assesses a person’s ability to cope with the unknown.

3. LOCUS OF CONTROL: Assesses a person’s perceived sense of control over his or her circumstances, and life in general.

4. PERSPECTIVE: Assesses a person’s ability to step back from a situation and see the big picture.

5. CRITICAL THINKING: Assesses a person’s ability to think rationally about a subject.

6. COPING SKILLS: Assesses whether a person makes it a habit of using healthy, adaptive strategies to deal with stress.

7. HARDINESS: Assesses a person’s ability to remain resilient, and to bounce back from hardship.

8. COMMUNITY VALUES: Assesses the degree to which a person shows good will towards his or her fellow human beings during a crisis.

9. COMMON SENSE: Assesses a person’s ability to apply practical and intuitive knowledge that is not necessarily related to formal education.

The Pandemic Resilience Test also offers practical tips that people can apply immediately, including mindfulness and deep breathing techniques, tips on how to avoid making fear-based decisions, and strategies to channel negative emotions.

“Pandemics are not a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 virus has spread exceptionally quickly, completely blindsiding the general population and medical experts alike,” explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests. “Many of us still can’t wrap our heads around what’s going on. This generates a lot of confusion, stress, and fear, because we don’t know what to expect, or even what tomorrow will bring. As a result, it’s very easy for people to get caught up in an emotional wave, to lose perspective, and to act out of fear. You need only look at the store shelves where the toilet paper used to sit to understand this. People should absolutely take the current circumstances seriously, but giving way to panic is not the way to go.”

“Thankfully, there are many bright sides to this pandemic, and this is what people need to focus on right now. Look for the silver lining in everything. For example, this time in isolation has compelled us to re-think our priorities, and has reminded us that health is far more valuable than wealth. It has brought people together despite social distancing, and allowed us to reestablish a bond with family and neighbors, and to reconnect with ourselves. Now more than ever, we encourage people to use this time of isolation for personal development. Hone your self-awareness, re-evaluate your values and goals, work on your emotional intelligence, and learn new and more effective coping skills. We have a golden opportunity to come out of this pandemic much wiser and stronger than ever before.”

To schedule an interview with Dr. Jerabek, go here: https://calendly.com/ilonajerabek/15-min-consultation-with-dr-ilona-jerabek (15-minute interview or less) or https://calendly.com/ilonajerabek/30-min-meeting-with-dr-ilona-jerabek (30-min interview).

The free Pandemic Resilience Test can be taken from this link: https://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/4106

This test is also available free of charge to all ARCH Profile clients (ARCH Profile is a professional psychological testing platform for employers/companies, coaches, and therapists) who can offer it as a screening and personal development tool to employees and clients. Businesses can request a free demo for this or other assessments from ARCH Profile’s extensive battery here: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1

To learn more about psychological testing, download this free eBook: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/personality-tests-in-hr

About PsychTests AIM Inc.

PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com).

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Health: Psychology

Palo Alto University Commits to Serving the Needs of Older Adults

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PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB)

Palo Alto University, Northern California’s leading school of psychology and counseling, joins the Age-Friendly University Global Network, a global group of colleges and universities committed to meeting and serving the needs of older adults.

“It is exciting that Palo Alto University has joined the Age-Friendly University Global Network,” shared Palo Alto University Professor Lisa M. Brown, Ph.D., ABPP. “Given PAU’s commitment to under-served and marginalized communities, using AFU’s 10 principles to further our ongoing efforts to address the needs of a rapidly aging population makes perfect sense.”

In becoming an age-friendly university, Palo Alto University endorses AFU’s 10 principles that will provide guidance for PAU’s age-friendly programs and policies. The principles are as follows:

1. To encourage the participation of older adults in all the core activities of the university, including educational and research programs.

2. To promote personal and career development in the second half of life and to support those who wish to pursue second careers.

3. To recognize the range of educational needs of older adults.

4. To promote intergenerational learning to facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages.

5. To widen access to online educational opportunities for older adults to ensure a diversity of routes to participation.

6. To ensure that the university’s research agenda is informed by the needs of an aging society and to promote public discourse on how higher education can better respond to the varied interests and needs of older adults.

7. To increase the understanding of students of the longevity dividend and the increasing complexity and richness that aging brings to our society.

8. To enhance access for older adults to the university’s range of health and wellness programs and its arts and cultural activities.

9. To engage actively with the university’s own retired community.

10. To ensure regular dialogue with organizations representing the interests of the aging population.

PAU’s emphasis on cultural competency, its diverse program and its undergraduate and graduate degree offerings in both on-campus and online degree formats uniquely position the school to address older adult students interested in changing careers, promoting personal development or exploring leadership opportunities.

“It’s our responsibility as leaders to commit to meeting the diverse needs of our society, regardless of age,” said Palo Alto University President Maureen O’Connor. “Educating students who are providing mental health care to older patients is an active form of social justice. I feel proud to have Palo Alto University be a member of the Age-Friendly University Global Network as their principles are well aligned with PAU’s core values.”

To learn more about Palo Alto University’s commitment to the needs of older adults, visit http://www.paloalto.edu. Interested parties can also call 650-433-3828 or send postage to 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304.

About Palo Alto University

Palo Alto University (PAU) is dedicated to improving the human condition through excellence in teaching, research and scholarship in the fields of psychology and counseling. With an unwavering commitment to diversity and the communities it serves, PAU offers doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s programs, as well as hands-on clinical training. A private, non-profit university, PAU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

PAU was founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP), an independent, professional school and was first accredited in 1986 by the WASC and has been continuously accredited since then. PGSP re-incorporated as Palo Alto University in August 2009. For more information, visit https://www.paloaltou.edu.

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Health: Psychology

Drug, Anti-drug Antibody Inform Personalized Decisions in Gastroenterology & Rheumatology, Upcoming Webinar Hosted by Xtalks

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Xtalks Life Science Webinars

Biologic drugs are prime candidates for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) because they are very expensive, relatively few, subject to wide pharmacokinetic variability, and unfortunately, significant primary and secondary failure rates.


TORONTO (PRWEB)

Biologic drug therapies have proven to be precious in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and other immune-mediated diseases — due to not only their high financial cost but also their finite number and variable longevity. Approved biologic drugs to treat inflammatory bowel disease and/or rheumatoid arthritis include monoclonal antibodies against integrin (vedolizumab and natalizumab), interleukin 12 and 23 (ustekinumab), and TNF (infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, certolizumab, etanercept and the biosimilars, infliximab-abda and infliximab-dyyb).

Biologic drugs are prime candidates for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) because they are very expensive, relatively few, subject to wide pharmacokinetic variability, and unfortunately, significant primary and secondary failure rates. As these biologic drugs comprise a staggering healthcare cost (Humira®, Remicade®, and Stelara® gross $31 billion in 2018), we consider how the use of these precious medications might be optimized by biologic therapeutic drug monitoring.

The clinical value of therapeutic drug monitoring is predicated on the existence of a parallel relationship between measurements of drug (or antibody) in patient sample and outcomes. In the case of biologic drugs, therapeutic drug monitoring also implies the detection and quantitation of anti-drug antibodies. The anti-drug antibody measurement together with the concomitant free drug level provides critical pharmacokinetic and immunogenic assessment that cannot be otherwise be ascertained clinically.

Here, we discuss the application of biologic therapeutic drug monitoring to inform and expedite personalized clinical decision-making, such as:


  • Patient-specific dose titrating to target or maximally beneficial concentrations

  • Diagnosing of immunogenicity

  • Determining co-therapies and biologic switching

  • Improving longevity of therapy

  • Reducing drug waste and overall healthcare costs

  • Supporting proactive management

Furthermore, recent data show that some patients with secondary failure due to immunogenicity may recapture clinical response as a result of treating away existing anti- drug antibodies.

The live session takes place on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at 1pm EDT with guest speakers Dr. Jane Yang, Director of Medical Science at Esoterix Laboratory Services and Dr. Kelly Chun, Vice President and Scientific Director of Esoterix/Endocrine Sciences (Esoterix Laboratory Services and Esoterix/Endocrine Sciences are part of the LabCorp Specialty Testing Group).

For more information or to register for this event, visit Biologic Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Drug, Anti-drug Antibody Inform Personalized Decisions in Gastroenterology & Rheumatology.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

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Health: Psychology

Oak Health Center Welcomes Dr. Vania Manipod to the Team

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Dr. Vania Manipod

Dr. Vania Manipod


FULLERTON, Calif. (PRWEB)

Oak Health Center, Southern California’s premier comprehensive mental health outpatient care organization, is pleased to welcome Dr. Vania, Manipod, D.O., to its Fullerton office. Dr. Manipod is certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry.

In addition to her experience as a general psychiatrist, Dr. Manipod brings her experience as a writer, speaker, and medical expert. She has been featured in various publications and TV shows, and has built an international following on social media through her blog (freudandfashion.com) and Instagram (@freudandfashion).

Dr. Manipod believes in a holistic approach to psychiatry that incorporates psychotherapeutic techniques, diet, and lifestyle, in addition to medication management, when indicated. Dr. Esther Park, co-founder of Oak Health Center, said “We are very blessed to have Dr. Manipod join us in our mission at this critical time, when COVID-19 has been such a traumatic and anxiety-inducing experience for so many people.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Manipod, patients may call the Oak Health Center Fullerton office at 714-706-0206 or send an email to contact@oak.care

More information about the growing Oak Health team is available at https://www.oak.care/our-team

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Health: Psychology

What BioSignals Can Tell You About Group Dynamics

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biofeedback, stress, counselling

Thought Technology Synergy Solution

The Synergy Solution was designed as a simple, attractive, and entertaining solution for data monitoring and self-regulation training for two users.


MONTREAL (PRWEB)

Family counsellors, marriage/couples therapists, and those interested in group dynamics can monitor users’ bio signals to provide rapid insight into their perceptions of events. Imagine if a couple’s counsellor could see the impact one partners’ words might have on the other. What if they could measure the level of engagement of each individual in the therapeutic process, then tailor their methods to encourage responsiveness and discourage “fight” responses before they start?

This example is just one of the many applications of the new Synergy Solution software used in combination with Thought Technology’s wireless eVu TPS® sensor that collects and analyses physiological data. Applied to a single finger, the wireless sensor measures three stress metrics: skin conductance, heart rate variability, and temperature and displays the collected data on screen in real-time. With this information, clients can practice self-regulation with competitive or cooperative settings/games and will learn to better cope with stress and enhance resilience.

The Synergy Solution was designed as a simple, attractive, and entertaining solution for data monitoring and self-regulation training for two users. The suite consists of 3 easy-to-understand recording sessions:

Data Monitoring – which allows the clinician to examine feedback from various modalities and draw their own observations.

Cooperative Biofeedback Self-Regulation Training – in which subjects practice self-regulation as a group. All users have their own specific threshold-based training goal. Individual feedback is given to each user when achieving their individual goal, and global feedback is given when all users achieve their goals simultaneously.

Competitive Biofeedback Self-Regulation Training – in which subjects learn and practice self-regulation via feedback that regards everyone as competing individuals. All users have their own specific threshold-based training goal. Individual feedback is given to the user when achieving their goal.

Synergy Solution is also ideal for sport psychologists, coaches, and performance therapists that work with teams of athletes. Training two individuals simultaneously saves time and allows the trainer to tap into the innate competitiveness of elite athletes using the competitive training mode. Corporate or wellness coaches that run courses on stress management and performance may wish to train colleagues in cooperative sessions, while clinicians in private practice may want to challenge their clients to outperform them at a self-regulation task to create a motivating and fun environment.

About Thought Technology Ltd.

Founded in 1975, Thought Technology is the world’s leading biofeedback and physiological instrument manufacturer. Its products are used as an essential part of many therapeutic treatments and clinical assessment protocols in over 85 countries and are used by tens of thousands of clinicians in thousands of medical institutions.

Always supportive of new research and development ideas, Thought Technology Ltd. has encouraged a number of special interest groups and clinicians to create cutting edge applications for its instrumentation. Thought Technology Ltd. equipment is now being used in telemedicine, web-based monitoring and biofeedback, sports training, research in human-machine interface, physiology-driven multimedia environments and virtual reality. Constantly striving to improve the quality of the products and services, TTL has obtained, and maintains, ISO 13485, and CE certification for the organization and products.

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Health: Psychology

New Alliance Academy Announces Availability of Additional Electives for Students

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student at New Alliance Academy working on her art project

Additional Electives Added to the Curriculum at New Alliance Academy

“The programs offered at New Alliance Academy give our students a deeper understanding of themselves while setting them up for success on their journey to adulthood.” – New Alliance Academy Administration


PARAMUS, N.J. (PRWEB)

In addition to the rigorous academic basic instruction at New Alliance Academy, the school has added a large variety of additional electives to their curriculum which is greatly appreciated by students and their families. These additional electives include Rosetta Stone and Duolingo courses that are individualized, self-paced, interactive and aligned with state standards. These online courses are blended with face-to-face, one-to-one mentoring to provide a new technology-rich way of learning. Languages offered include Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese.

In addition to the electives discussed above, when students find a topic of special interest, New Alliance Academy offers the empowering chance to engage in deeper exploration facilitated by an academic mentor. Special interest topics have included psychology, sociology, and life management skills. Service to the school and the larger community is encouraged and facilitated by the staff. New Alliance Academy is known for its ability to meet both the emotional and the academic needs of its students to prepare them for a post-secondary school life that is successful and productive.

About

New Alliance Academy in Paramus, NJ is a high school for teenagers who experience acute psychological distress. New Alliance Academy provides a full educational curriculum that addresses the emotional and academic needs of its students in a day school setting. The school integrates educational and ancillary therapeutic services, expertly crafted and delivered in one location. These therapeutic services are designed to eventually facilitate the adolescent’s return to a least restrictive educational setting as soon as they are ready. Students gain a deeper understanding of themselves by receiving the tools they need to move forward in their education and in life.

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Health: Psychology

UMD Researcher, Collaborators Identify Biological Bases of Revenge

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Michele Gelfand

UMD Professor Michele Gelfand

“[This is] a new and important finding that could help explain how conflicts escalate—and become contagious from individuals to entire groups,” said co-author and Distinguished University Professor Michele Gelfand.


COLLEGE PARK, Md. (PRWEB)

Researchers Identify Biological Basis of Revenge

Brain Scans Reveal Relationship-Building Response among Groups United by Threats

Acts of conflict and revenge appear to have biological bases, according to an experimental study by Chinese researchers and University of Maryland psychology professor.

Published in the journal eLife, the new study found that when members of a group observe one of their own being hurt by a member of another group, a complex brain response is activated. The biological response includes a release of oxytocin, the so-called “love hormone,” which is linked to empathy and plays a role in relationship building between individuals and within groups.

Subsequent imaging of group members’ brains showed that they experienced common neurological activity that predicted a desire to seek revenge on members of the other group.

“They didn’t just want revenge against the individual who hurt their in-group member, but against the other outgroup members who weren’t originally involved in the conflict,” said study co-author Distinguished University Professor Michele Gelfand. “That’s a new and important finding that could help explain how conflicts escalate—and become contagious from individuals to entire groups.”

Gelfand—who is widely known for research into how groups react to outside threats—approached study senior author Shihui Han, a neuroscientist at Peking University and world expert on the mechanisms of empathy, with the idea of applying his empathy research to look at revenge. “How would you like to take your work on empathy to the dark side—to study revenge”, she asked him in a meeting in Beijing.

The experiment involved creating groups of test subjects in a laboratory. Members of one group were shown images of a compatriot feigning pained reactions to electric shocks from members of another group in the context of a game. Separately, a control group observed one of its members receiving shocks at the discretion of a computer, rather than a member of another group.

Those who witnessed shocks being administered by a member of another group experienced a release of oxytocin, measured in saliva. FMRI scans showed that levels of oxytocin predicted enhanced medial prefrontal cortex activity that correlated to a later urge to administer painful electric shocks to members of the other group.

Members of the control group who witnessed computer-administered shocks did not experience the same responses, or seek to take revenge against the other group.

Gelfand, who developed what she termed the “tightness-looseness” theory to explain how groups with varying strengths of social norms and behavioral restrictions respond differently to outside threats and other stimuli, said she hopes to expand the study to include other cultures to learn what is universal and culture-specific regarding the neurobiology of revenge.

“Is that same neurobiological pathway as strong in a place like the United States, where we have a ‘looser,’ more individualistic culture? That is one question I hope to pursue,” Gelfand said.

Ultimately, findings from this current study and related future studies could be used as a basis to study intractable conflict around the globe.

“Across history, we see this behavior where conflicts escalate across time to include people who were never involved in the conflict,” Gelfand said. “You may not even have been alive for a conflict, but simply hearing a story about how an out-group member harmed your in-group member could potentially activate that neurobiological pathway that predicts revenge-seeking behavior—something we want to investigate in the future.”

Contact: Laura Ours, lours@umd.edu, 301-405-5722

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Health: Psychology

CONCEPT and Continuing Professional Studies at Palo Alto University Opens Registration for Summer Training Institute on Police & Public Safety Psychology

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“This will be the perfect opportunity for individuals who are looking to grow and expand their practice with comprehensive professional training,” said Patricia Zapf


PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB)

CONCEPT, the Continuing & Professional Studies Division of Palo Alto University, announced that registration is now open for the 2020 Summer Training Institute. This program will feature five days of mix-and-match workshops led by internationally recognized experts in Police and Public Safety Psychology from June 15-19, 2020.

Mental health professionals planning to add a police and public safety specialty to their practice or who are working toward becoming board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in the Police and Public Safety Psychology (PPSP) specialty will benefit from exposure to evidence-based training on best practices, relevant research outcomes and clinical applications. In addition, this opportunity will strengthen attendees’ knowledge, skill set and expertise and serve to elevate their practice.

Throughout the week, attendees will dive deep into the following topics during these workshops: Evaluations of Police Suitability and Fitness for Duty, Foundational and Functional Competencies in PPSP, Ethical Dilemmas and Complex Relationships in PPSP and much more. The experts leading these workshops boast notable accolades and are engaging presenters and leaders in the field. “This will be the perfect opportunity for individuals who are looking to grow and expand their practice with comprehensive professional training,” said Patricia Zapf, vice president for Continuing and Professional Studies and Founder of CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University. “[We] are immensely excited to host the Summer Training Institute in conjunction with the American Board of Police & Public Safety Psychology (ABPPSP), and look forward to equipping attendees with the tools they need by disseminating knowledge directly from the field’s most notable experts.”

For those who cannot travel to join the workshops in person at the San Francisco Bay Area location, virtual attendance is available via ZOOM and electronic copies of all online training program materials will be distributed.

Interested parties can register for this event online individually or as a group. Individuals registering for all five days can receive $250 off their registration with the promo code PPSPWEEK. For more information, call 650-433-3899 or visit our Summer Training Institute page here. To learn more about CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University, visit the campus at 1791 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304.

CONCEPT Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University offers post-graduate training programs for mental health and allied professionals and continuing education as approved sponsors by APA, CPA, ASWB, and NBCC. These programs cover a variety of topics, including criminal forensic mental health and training for correctional professionals. With offerings both online and in-person, training can be completed on a personalized schedule and at a tailored pace.

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