How do adolescents’ social experiences interact with biological development to shape their health and well-being? My colleagues and I address this question with multiple longitudinal studies of brain, behavior, and adjustment. We also work to integrate developmental science into policies, practices, and public discourse that impact young people. In the Adolescent Development Lab at UCLA,…
Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Vickie Mays for being appointed by UCLA to the Presidential Chair in Health Equity and Mental Health. Dr. Mays’ illustrious career and her innumerable contributions make her the ideal recipient for this chair.
Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Annette Stanton for being selected to receive the Nathan W. Perry, Jr. Award for Career Service to Health Psychology from the Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38). The award honors individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to the Society for Health Psychology and/or the field of health psychology, nationally…
Congratulations to the nearly 1,400 students who participated in the Psychology Undergraduate Commencement Celebration this year!
The Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes is available for students to review to plan Fall quarter schedules. The Psychology Department is also excited to offer new Fall 2025 Enrollment Workshops to provide enrollment assistance to departmental majors (Psychology, Psychobiology, and Cognitive Science). To receive assistance with planning your Fall quarter schedule, please attend an enrollment…
Congratulations to Profs. Idan Blank, Alicia Izquierdo, Jesse Rissman, and Andrew Wikenheiser for receiving 2025 Undergraduate Research Week Faculty Mentor Awards. These awards honor the considerable dedication of UCLA faculty who consistently and enthusiastically serve as effective mentors to undergraduate students involved in research or creative inquiry.
Congratulations to Professor Janet Tomiyama for being one of three faculty to receive an inaugural Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring from the Division of Graduate Education. The award recognizes faculty who have shown an outstanding commitment to mentoring and supporting graduate students.
What drives people to make certain decisions—and why do motivations vary? My lab studies the cognitive and neural mechanisms of motivation and value-based choice. We are especially interested in how people weigh costs and benefits in decisions that impact themselves and others. In my lab, we take a multidisciplinary approach that integrates experimental behavioral economics,…
Congratulations to Associate Professor Amanda Montoya for being appointed to the Center for Open Science (COS) Board of Directors. She will serve a three-year term from 2025 to 2027. More information is available at the COS website.
How can psychological science better inform altruistic efforts to improve society and the lives of future generations? I strive to contribute to the theoretical foundations for such research by asking fundamental questions about rationality and altruism, as well as moral decision-making and moral learning. Many societal decisions are based on economic theories built on a…