Society & Psychology

Carry-on, Carry-all: The psychology of overpacking, spring cleaning, & sentimental value

April 13, 2026 by

Advice for the overly-sentimental to embrace spring as a season of movement, reflection, and renewal — or just to practice packing light.
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Upside Down physics – The science behind “Stranger Things”

January 30, 2026 by

Foundations in science and physics exist at the very core of the Netflix's hit show “Stranger Things," demonstrating to audiences for over a decade that our universe may be "stranger" than we care t...
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Simply Stated: 4 psychologist-approved methods to savor your summer

July 31, 2025 by

Summer is a season of competing priorities: a narrow window to rest, recharge, and hustle, resulting in feelings of perpetual business and "time pressure" that make the months feel even faster. But by...
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The power of reminiscing: Nicole Albada highlights the value of ‘remember when’ for memory retention

March 16, 2025 by

On Feb. 26, Nicole Albada delivered a lecture on “Personal Memories and Successful Aging” as part of the Aging and Longevity Lecture Series at the Direct Relief facility in Goleta.
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SBIFF 2025: “Walk with Me” navigates Alzheimer’s disease

February 20, 2025 by

Among the 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s lineup of feature films was “Walk With Me,” a film covering the lived experience of people with neurodegenerative diseases as well as t...
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This May Help: Maintaining agency and preserving mental well-being amidst political uncertainty

January 16, 2025 by

For professor Erin Khuê Ninh, this collective emotional response to political inequities was heightened by the recent election and became the decisive catalyst for launching This May Help.
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Simply Stated: Are electronic forms of note-taking really superior?

November 14, 2024 by

After a day spent cramming material for a class you know you went to but cannot seem to recall anything from, you may be left wondering: are electronic forms of note-taking really the most effective w...
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Simply Stated: Can AI predict politics? Investigating the mathematics of election forecasting

November 5, 2024 by

Despite the overwhelming surplus of election predictions, many voters remain skeptical about whether it’s even possible to interpret the current political landscape through a scientific perspective....
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UCSB hosts collegiate California Workshop on Evolutionary Social Science

May 23, 2024 by

UC Santa Barbara hosted the annual California Workshop on Evolutionary Social Science for the first time since 2018 from May 3-5. 
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UCSB study finds perceived discrimination against bisexual people linked to relative social status

February 22, 2024 by

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have found that, while often experiencing more discrimination than other sexual orientation minority groups, people who identify as bisexual are rarely considered to ha...
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Love advice from UCSB Human Sexuality professors

February 17, 2024 by

UC Santa Barbara sociology professors Janice Baldwin and John Baldwin’s love story began in an unexpected twist of fate — a blind date, or as they fondly recall it, a "fixed-up blind date."
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Finding Focus: UCSB researchers develop customizable app to strengthen attention skills and minimize mind wandering

January 25, 2024 by

In an age where our attention is considered a new currency, a constant barrage of distractions make focusing on what’s important to us an endless challenge. Finding Focus, a new mobile app developed...
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Simply Stated: Why do holiday lights make us happy?

December 23, 2023 by

A walk around Isla Vista during the month of December reveals the community glowing under holiday lights and decorations. From the shining Christmas tree on Embarcadero del Norte and Pardall Road to t...
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Simply Stated: Do we really have free will?

November 30, 2023 by and

When you decided to read the Science & Tech section of the Daily Nexus today, was it really a choice? Or is this action, and every action you have ever taken, predetermined? Hard determinists woul...
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Simply Stated: Curious about curiosity? Why do we seek answers?

August 26, 2023 by

Curiosity, the trait concerning an individual’s propensity to seek new information, is highly variable. How does it shape the lifelong journey of learning? Is it university students' best learning a...
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