ANN ARBOR—Before the new school year begins, here’s a pop quiz for parents of middle-school children: What do you do when your child brings home a bad report card? A. Lecture the child. B. Restrict her activities, such as participating in sports or clubs. C. Create a home environment that stimulates learning. Parents who want… Continue reading Harsh parenting strategies undermine learning
Project: Research Center for Group Dynamics
Leaders who can read the crowd do better
Ann Arbor—Performers call it “reading the crowd” or “sizing up the audience.” However you put it, new research from University of Michigan professor Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks shows this skill, which he calls emotional aperture, isn’t just important for performers. It can define your success as a business leader. He and a team of colleagues built on… Continue reading Leaders who can read the crowd do better
Simple equation: Moms talking math to preschoolers equals knowledgeable kids
ANN ARBOR—Preschool children improve their math skills when their mothers talk to them about math during meal times. The new study by researchers at the University of Michigan and Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile offers insight for parents on fostering their children’s math skills through discussions at home. “By knowing the type of math input… Continue reading Simple equation: Moms talking math to preschoolers equals knowledgeable kids
Passive Facebook use undermines how a person feels
ANN ARBOR—Using Facebook only to scroll through your news feed or browse other people’s profiles can have a negative impact on your well-being, says a University of Michigan researcher. Ethan Kross, U-M associate professor of psychology, and colleague Philippe Verduyn of the University of Leuven in Belgium, examined how passive versus active Facebook use affects… Continue reading Passive Facebook use undermines how a person feels
Richard Gonzalez directs ISR Research Center for Group Dynamics
ANN ARBOR—Richard Gonzalez was appointed Director of the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR), effective Jan. 1, 2015. Gonzalez will serve a five-year term. He succeeds ISR research scientist Jerome Johnston, who plans to retire soon after almost 48 years at the Institute. “Rich is well… Continue reading Richard Gonzalez directs ISR Research Center for Group Dynamics
Mothers’ education significant to children’s academic success
ANN ARBOR—A mother knows best—and the amount of education she attains can predict her children’s success in reading and math. In fact, that success is greater if she had her child later in life, according to a new University of Michigan study. Sandra Tang, a U-M psychology research fellow and the study’s lead author, said… Continue reading Mothers’ education significant to children’s academic success
Smith and colleagues find aging satisfaction linked to preventive health screenings
This piece reports on findings by Jacqui Smith and colleagues Eric Kim, Kyle Moored, and Hannah Giasson that seniors who are comfortable with aging are more likely than their counterparts to get preventive screenings, including cholesterol tests, colonoscopies, pap tests and mammograms, and prostate exams. In their report, the authors hypothesize on the reason for… Continue reading Smith and colleagues find aging satisfaction linked to preventive health screenings
U-M’s James Jackson to serve on NSF National Science Board
ANN ARBOR—President Obama announced his intention to appoint University of Michigan social psychologist James Jackson to the National Science Board of the National Science Foundation. Jackson, director of the U-M Institute for Social Research, was one of six new members Obama tapped to join the policymaking body, which advises congress and the president on science… Continue reading U-M’s James Jackson to serve on NSF National Science Board
Program for Black Americans holds its first official reunion
Family reunions play an important role in the Black community, so it was fitting that the University of Michigan Program for Research on Black Americans called its June 20 event a family reunion rather than an academic conference. In fact, it was a bit of both. Established in 1976 at the U-M Institute for Social… Continue reading Program for Black Americans holds its first official reunion
How to give ourselves advice as good as we give others
ANN ARBOR—Most of us find it easier to be wise about other people’s problems than our own. But a new study identifies a simple way to close this gap. The research, conducted by social psychologists Igor Grossmann at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and Ethan Kross at the University of Michigan, shows that the… Continue reading How to give ourselves advice as good as we give others