Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

These effects were weaker for Palestinian and Scottish speakers, suggesting the reaction was tied to the broader political relationship, not simply hearing a non-native speaker use Arabic. Language doesn’t just communicate intentions, it can carry social and political meaning.

New work by @HalabiSlieman coming soon! We assume speaking someone’s native language builds connection. But in conflict settings, language can carry different meanings. Across 2 studies, Palestinians reacted more negatively to a Jewish-Israeli speaker using Arabic than Hebrew...

Read 📖 the actual science by Esther Kang and Arun Lakshmanan here! @BristolUni @UBuffalo sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Online, we don’t always learn the info—we learn the people. When you connect with others, your brain shifts from remembering content → remembering who knows what. Especially for high working-memory folks: 👉 I don’t need to remember this—I know who to ask phys.org/news/2026-05-s…

Read the actual science by @anurada_ , Kelton Travis, Kristina Castaneto, Tiara Cash, and Lara Aknin @SFU ⬇️ sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Saying “thank you” isn’t just manners, it shapes behavior. This write up features JESP work out of @SFU showing that receiving gratitude boosts feelings of social worth, making people more likely to help! vegoutmag.com/lifestyle/d-ps…

Read the actual science by @BoglarkaNyul, Inna Ksenofontov, Alexandra Fleischmann, and Rotem Kahalon! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

When women are labeled “intimidating,” it may reflect social expectations more than behavior. This write up features JESP research showing “brilliance” is seen as less typical in women—so the same competence can be judged differently. ma-grande-taille.com/en/societe/fem…

Read the actual science out of @Cornell and @USC here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Do “two wrongs make a right”? 🤔 New JESP research featured here by MSN suggests people judge rude behavior more leniently when it’s a response to someone else’s rudeness than when it starts the conflict. msn.com/en-us/news/tec…

Read the actual science here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Why do we form stereotypes? Diane Pecher et al. found that memory plays an important role: People confuse individuals who look similar and reconstruct their memory based on unfounded statements about groups. This happened even when these individuals are friendly looking aliens!

Can’t wait to see all of the new science at #spsp2026! Remember to think of JESP as a home for your work! See you in Chicago!

Read the actual science by Yphtach Lelkes, Jon Krosnick, David Marx, Charles Judd, & Bernadette Park here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Anonymous reviews don’t just “free people to be honest” they can amplify negative emotion. Past work in our journal shows anonymity increases stronger negative reactions, which skews evaluations. Something to keep in mind when browsing Rate My Professor! pepperdine-graphic.com/rant-students-…

Read the actual science here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

A simple nod of agreement can lock in first impressions. Across 4 studies brief social verification made evaluations of job applicants more consistent and stable. Shared reality doesn’t just feel real—it consolidates what we think. Matteo Masi, @Gerrit37719904 & Gerald Echterhoff

Read the actual science here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Moral framing has long been proposed as a way to shift attitudes. Marlene Voit @MTwardawski & Mortiz Fischer tested this with conservatives who are often skeptical about climate change and found it didn’t work. Thus, there are understudied limits of moral reframing.

Read the actual science here! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

New work Mohamed Hussein, Zakary Tormala, & S Christian Wheeler shows that when political issues become identity-relevant, people favor radical candidates. Identity—not just policy—drives polarization. @Columbia @Stanford psypost.org/linking-person…