Cover leading social and personality psychologists in San Diego

SPSP invites members of the press to cover the latest advancements in the growing fields of personality and social psychology. Researchers from top universities across the globe will present at nearly 100 sessions covering substantial topics impacting cultures and communities. Guests from government, industry, and media will add to the discussion on select panels.

SPSP communications staff is able to arrange for one-on-one interviews between reporters and compelling researchers that can lead to new science sources and story ideas. More than 3,500 personality and social psychologists attend this international event.

A sampling of scheduled symposia includes:

• Finding the Right Balance between Friend and Foe - Adam Galinsky, author of the book Friend & Foe, will lead a panel on separating friend from foe. The panel will focus on perspective-taking, which can reduce prejudice and increase social coordination but can also lead to increased competition, egocentrism, and unethical behavior. How can we use perspective-taking most effectively?
• How Can Social Psychology Contribute to Policy - With President Obama's recent executive order directing federal agencies to use behavioral science in policy design, SPSP 2016 President Wendy Wood hosts a discussion—featuring Dick Thaler, co-author of the bestseller Nudge, among others —- focused on how the development of science-based policy can improve the world. More on this session can be found here.
• The Age of Digital Social Interactions: Can Technology Compete with In-Person Communication? - Evidence suggests that text messages and social media can have positive effects on social relationships, yet the benefits often fail to match in-person interactions. Researchers from the University of British Columbia will discuss the positive versus negative effects of technology on social relationships and well-being.
• The Promise and Limits of Empathy - Empathy is fragile, yet it drives moral behavior. Jamil Zaki, Director of Stanford's Social Neuroscience Lab, will lead a discussion on the limits of empathy and how its limits can be overcome. Also on the panel, Yale's Paul Bloom, will make the case against empathy, arguing that it can seduce us into directing charity misguidedly, and can even be a source of violence. Bloom's writing has been featured in The Atlantic, and Zaki recently wrote about his work in a New Yorker piece, "When Cops Choose Empathy."

More information:
meeting.spsp.org/

Provided by Society for Personality and Social Psychology