Psychological Science, Department of

Ayoung mother struggling to make ends meet, cried when she received newborn diapers and wipes.  One young father stated that he could now purchase the tummy time toy that he desperately wanted for his baby. Many young parents struggle financially. Being able to access free diapers allows them to purchase food or pay a bill that they weren't sure they'd be able to get to that month. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, one in two U.S. families are in need of diapers. This...

Walking campus this fall, you might’ve seen some peculiar sights. On Front Campus, student groups were moving on and off tarps, touching and calling out numbers. Students were seen building tall towers, piece-by-piece with plastic piping. On the walkway between Arts & Sciences and Beeson Hall, groups moved slowly, tightly gripping brightly-colored bandanas and balancing cups of water. These activities are being used in Dr. Lee Gillis’ senior capstone class “Experiential Therapies.”...

Story and award photo developed by University Communications. When Dr. Danielle Davis, ’14, came to Georgia College & State University, she majored in psychology so she could become a therapist.  “I always knew I wanted to help people in some way,” she said. Then, Davis discovered her love for research. The culmination of her undergraduate research led to several research posters she co-authored and presented at local and regional conferences. Her work was so impressive, she won the...

They say eyes are windows to the soul. But can emotions be understood only by looking in someone’s eyes? A group of Georgia College & State University Psychology majors attempted to see if that’s true. This year, students in Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang’s Social Emotional Research Lab returned to Baldwin County’s Early Learning Center (ELC) to provide emotional coaching for 3- to 5-year-olds. The work is especially important for children who spent much of their early years looking at masked...

Story, video and photos developed by University Communications. Cynthia Wahl Adkins, ’97, ’98, is the first female to serve as division director of Investigations for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Hired with the GBI at just 26 years old, see how her career progressed with her goal to help people coupled with her psychology classes at Georgia College & State University's Graduate School.  

Dr. Cedric Howard, ’94, who was Georgia College & State University’s (GCSU) commencement speaker in 2017, has been named one of the “Top 10 Inspiring People in Education” by CIO Views Magazine. And all for good reason. As vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services at the University of Northern Colorado, Howard impacts the lives of students every day. “I like my role because I'm able to change the trajectory of not just the lives of students, but their families,” Howard...

Georgia College senior psychology major Rachel McQuinn opened her mind to new career possibilities she never considered before. At her summer internship, she cares for patients at the Bradley Center’s Intake Center of St. Francis Hospital—a psychiatric residency in Columbus, Georgia.  “When I chose this internship, I felt like it was going to be a part of psychology that I never let myself explore,” she said. “I thought I would personally carry people’s struggles home with me, but...

Moral courage is the fortitude to take actions for moral reasons despite the risk of adverse consequences. It’s a trait often developed through personal hardships and challenges. It is driven by empathy and compassion for others and a desire to stop injustice or pain.  It’s not just the recognition of a moral challenge and choosing how to act morally, but also following through to create change. Moral courage does not have to change the world. Sometimes the greatest acts change the...