Policy news from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

News from the SPSSI Policy Blog

Event report: Ending the Iraq War and Strengthening U.S. National Security

Psychology and Social Issues in the News

Scientists Decry Spanish Cutbacks
Austerity measures go too far says Michele Catanzaro in Nature News.

Does ‘No Such Thing As Bad Publicity’ Apply To Psychologists?
In Psychology Today SPSSI member Pamela Rutledge considers some of the issues psychologists face when appearing in the mass media.

Less Paperwork, More Research: Improving Federal Grant Policies
The U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy is working with universities to plan reductions to adminsitration and complience costs for federal grants.

Can’t Help Myself: ‘The Power of Habit,’ by Charles Duhigg
SPSSI member Tim Wilson reviews Charles Duhigg's newest book on the negative and positive potential of human habit in the New York Times.

The Importance of Friendship
The blog Peer-reviewd by My Neurons looks into the work of members Cohen and Walton on how friendship networks affect educational achievement.

Why Interacting with a Woman Can Leave Men "Cognitively Impaired"
Featuring the work of member Jennifer Richeson on how racial prejudice can influence cognitive processing in Scientific American.

When the Facts Don't Matter
Slate looks into possible reasons for the persistent myth that same-sex parenting is bad for children.

Does White Identity Predict Positive or Negative Attitudes Towards Diversity?
SPSSI member Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton writes in Psychology Today about how and when strength of ethnic identity affects attitudes to diversity.

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

Introduced on March 6: H.Res. 573: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. More on H.Res. 573.

March 7: House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, hearing entitled "Cybersecurity: The Pivotal Role of Communications Networks". Watch the video here.

Introduced March 7: H.R. 4154: SAVE Native Women Act. More on H.R. 4154.

Introduced on March 8: S. 2177: A bill to strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
More on S. 2177.

Introduced on March 8: H.R. 4190: To enhance criminal penalties for straw purchasers of firearms. More on H.R. 4190.

Introduced on March 8: H.R. 4169: Sudan Peace, Security, and Accountability Act of 2012. More on H.R. 4169.

Introduced on March 13: S. 2188: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a national standard in accordance with which nonresidents of a State may carry concealed firearms in the State. More on S. 2188.

March 14: Appropriations Committee hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2013 for the United States Agency for International Development. Watch the video here.

March 14: Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearings to examine ending homelessness among veterans, focusing on Veterans' Affairs progress on its five year plan. Watch the video here.

Further Resources

Find out what other organizations are doing on these issues

Academic Freedom and human rights
>> AAAS
>> Amnesty International
>> Union of Concerned Scientists
>> The Human Rights Council

Immigration Issues
>> Immigration Policy Institute
>> Immigration Policy Center
>> Center for American Progress

SPSSI fact sheets and policy statements
>> Immigration and Minorities
>> Statement on the Psychological Consequences of Unemployment
>>Other Issues