News from the SPSSI Policy Blog

Scientific Integrity: Politicized and Scientized

FAP Publishes Report on LGBT Bullying

The Genius of Science

Policy Events in Washington

On the Hill: A look at News from the US Congress

May 18: Senate Judiciary Committee, hearings to examine improving efficiency and ensuring justice in the immigration court system. More information and video of hearing can be found here.

Introduced May 19: S. 1038: A bill to extend the expiring provisions of the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 until June 1, 2015, and for other purposes. More on S. 1038.

Introduced May 16: S. 1005: A bill to provide for parental notification and intervention in the case of a minor seeking an abortion. More on S. 1005.

Introduced May 13: H.R. 1891: To repeal ineffective or unnecessary education programs in order to restore the focus of Federal programs on quality elementary and secondary education programs for disadvantaged students. More on H.R. 1891.

Introduced on May 13: H.R. 1903: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants to local educational agencies to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to pursue studies and careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. More on H.R. 1903.

Introduced on May 11: S. 952: A bill to authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term United States residents and who entered the United States as children and for other purposes. More on S. 952.

Heads Up!

Coming up on May 23: Senate Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, hearings to examine labor trafficking in troubled economic times, focusing on protecting American jobs and migrant human rights. More information can be found here. This hearing is being organized by SPSSI James Marshall Scholar, Angel Colón Rivera.

Coming up on May 24: House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement, hearing on legislation providing for the detention of dangerous aliens. More information can be found here

Coming up on May 25: House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Overisight and Investigations, hearing on UN Climate Talks and Power Politics: It's Not about the Temperature. More information can be found here.

Psychology and Social Issues in the News

The APA has put together a special issue of American Psychologist for May/June on Psychology and Global Climate Change.

The Long Term Health Effects of anit-LGBT Bullying: Overview of a new study released by the Family Acceptance Project on the long-term health effects of anti-LGBT bullying and victimization.

Allen L. Edwards Psychology Lectures: The University of Washington has put together a series of video lectures that focus on the development of behavior and includes work from several SPSSI members.

A Look at Social Cohesion: A wide range of SPSSI scholarship is drawn from in a briefing on Immigration, Diversity and Social Cohesion at the University of Oxford Migration Observatory

The Global Impact of SPSSI: ASAP article on torture and interrogation in Turkish health magazine, Amedya.

Creating Closeness on a First Date: Dating website eHarmony gives advice on how to enhance connectedness on the first date, citing research from SPSSI member Arthur Aron.

Public Peace Intellectuals and Public Opinion: Professor Paul Kimmel’s article on peace-building in JSI covered by the Nonviolent Action Network.

To Err is Human; to Forgive, Divine: eHarmony uses research by SPSSI member Katherine Carnelley to look at the benefits of forgiveness.

Encouragement Boosts Minority Student Success: MIller-McCune looks at how encouragement helped increase succes in college classes for African Americans, based on research by SPSSI members Walter and Cohen.

Not My Concern: Discover looks at how choices cause us to be less concerned about public good and more focused on what is beneficial for us, includes research from SPSSI member Hazel Markus.

Could the Olympics be a catalyst for inter-cultural discord?
SPSSI members, Chiu, Hong, and Chao's new study on the the Olympics and cultural differences in the BPS Research Digest

Need Therapy? A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Former APA President and SPSSI member Dorothy Cantor on the growing preponderance of women in the psychiatric and psychological professions in the New York Times.

Further Resources

Find out what other organizations are doing on these issues

LGBTQ Issues
Family Acceptance Project
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
The Human Rights Campaign

Environmental Issues
Environmental Defense Fund
The Sierra Club

Other Resources
Immigration Policy Institute
Immigration Policy Center
Center for American Progress

This policy update is a brand new product. Please send comments and suggestions to SPSSI Policy Coordinator, Alex Ingrams at aingrams@spssi.org.

 Stay Connected With SPSSI!