Michael J. Bernstein

... Turns out, the stress over finding time to write was apparently part of the problem. =)

2/2

Again, no regrets at all but this is honestly better than I expected it to be. I just feel so invigorated. For the last few years, I really felt like I lost my love of writing (not a negative experience just much less positive than it had been).... 1/n

Nope! You use it or lose it at PSU. So I didn't have to start my clock over but the rules at PSU are that once tenured, you can get one every 6 years, so I am taking one semester right now and then won't be eligible for another until Fall 2032/Spring 2033.

I won't let another one of these pass.

I am on my first ever sabbatical (I kept pushing my first back for service related reasons & I have no regrets but it got pushed back so far that I'm now one year past when I could have taken my second sabbatical).

I have written more in the past 6 weeks than I have in the prior two years. 😁

Should you text or meet face-to-face to have a conversation? Our research shows greater benefits when talking in-person. If it is necessary to text, have more intimate conversation when possible.

New paper lead by @cmleckfor.bsky.social is out in @josoperrel.bsky.social now: doi.org/10.1177/0265...

Crowded convention hall with attendees viewing academic posters displayed on boards at a professional event.

SPSP is now offering five types of stipends to help cover registration fees related to the SPSP 2026 Annual Convention!

Learn more about each registration below and be sure to submit your application before September 18 at 11:59 PM PT!

More info: ow.ly/Pl6L50WMa2Z

THANK YOU, BOTH!

I have the vaguest of memories that someone (perhaps associated with SPSP) gathered a collection of job materials from people on the job market which could be shared with people going on the market? Am I crazy? Any ideas on where these might be?

@spspnews.bsky.social, #SocialPsych

Jim Sidanius, Trailblazer in Social Dominance Theory, Added to SPSP Heritage Wall

#ICYMI: Jim Sidanius, widely regarded as one of the foremost social and political psychologists of his generation, is the newest addition to SPSP's Heritage Wall. Please join us in celebrating his contributions to our field.

Learn more: ow.ly/Zeo850WpSvX

SPSP Member Spotlight Alison Jane Martingano University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

✨ SPSP Member Spotlight time! Meet Alison Jane Martingano, who's doing fascinating work on empathy and creating VR measures to move beyond self-reports. She also hosts a great podcast (Psychology and Stuff) and has the coolest temperature-tracking knitting project.

🔗: ow.ly/Ei4050Wa3M5

a man in a suit is sitting in a chair reading a book and says i 'd prefer to see a change ALT: a man in a suit is sitting in a chair reading a book and says i 'd prefer to see a change

Ever wonder if people can change? New work by Jinseok Chun & Michael North show moral fixedness (beliefs that moral traits change less than competence or warmth) really is fixed! We assume morality reflects a person's core more than other traits!

I don't know how many times this needs to be said: there is no winning with these people. If you're willing to sell your soul to try and appease them, then I'm sorry but you deserve whatever they do to you.

"I volunteer because conferences are a place where people can find belonging within our science and I volunteer in ways which helps people find that sense of community." - Michael Bernstein, Penn State University - Abingdon

It's #NationalVolunteerWeek! Today, we're spotlighting @michaeljbernstein.bsky.social of Penn State - Abingdon. For Michael, helping to plan the SPSP Annual Convention means fostering a sense of community and belonging in our field.

Learn how to get involved with SPSP today: ow.ly/A2lr50VGhWu

U of Michigan @umich.edu set aside funds from central to support researchers with unexpected disruption in federal funding for up to 6 months.

Are any other institutions doing this? Seems like a good move.

#Medsky #NIH #federalfunding #researchfunding 🧪

record.umich.edu/articles/uni...

#SocialPsych #PsychSky (cause I forgot to include these on the initial post).

@jexpsocpsych.bsky.social is happy to announce its first Call for Papers for the Special Issue entitled, "Current Directions in Social Dilemmas Research!" You can read all about it at the link below. Submissions are due Nov 30th. Please share with your networks!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...

@jexpsocpsych.bsky.social is happy to announce its first Call for Papers for the Special Issue entitled, "Current Directions in Social Dilemmas Research!" You can read all about it at the link below. Submissions are due Nov 30th. Please share with your networks!
www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...

If you're going to #SPSP2025, please consider coming to our Friday symposium on false political pessimism!

Join us for our SPSP symposium! We present research on responses to personal, blatant, systemic, and historical racial prejudice. Featuring 3 in-person talks & a recorded session from Keith on Whova.
#SPSP2025

Does smartphone use make people feel lonelier? Or does loneliness predict smartphone use?

We combined experience sampling data with smartphone usage data to examine the bidirectional association between well-being and smartphone use over time.

Published in @apajournals.bsky.social Emotion!
🧵 👇

If you attend @spspnews.bsky.social annual convention next week, check out this panel organised by Drs. @jessiesun.bsky.social & Dale Shaffer-Morrison.

The panel consists of academics who have worked in at least 2 countries. I'll be there to represent US to UK perspective. Will be candid as usual.

Pssst.... @jexpsocpsych.bsky.social just accepted its first proposal in 2025 for a Special Issue. I cannot wait to share more details!

If YOU are interested in talking about what goes into guest editing a special issue, email me any time!

#socialpsyc

Update: You can buy gum in bulk. One step closer to camel-time.

Checking to see if you can buy gum in large quantities through procurement.

Just found out we can buy a camel through our procurement website and I have so many questions including why, what department needs this, what does a camel eat for regular meals, what kind of treats do they like, and what is the weight capacity for riding a camel cause I don't want to hurt it.

Giving access to SSNs, other data on government employees to non-employees like Musk is a violation of 5 USC 552a, and carries with it a penalty of $1000 per person whose data was accessed. We are building a case. Govt employees who want to participate should contact me directly

Just looked and @dunnhappylab.bsky.social already has 6 people signed up! I only have one.

As an ostracism researcher, this is too close to home...

😥

@spspnews.bsky.social

Are you a relatively newish PhD looking for mentorship and going to be at SPSP2025? Sign-up for mentoring tables here! I am doing one on "Mentoring primarily undergraduate students and involving undergraduate students in research!"

www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EAB...