Sydney Petrasic ’21 (neuroscience) presented “Intellectual Humility: Connections to Reasoning, Cognitive Attitudes, and Irrational Beliefs” at the 2022 Eastern Psychological Association Conference in New York City. Petrasic’s presentation was the result of student-faculty research with Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, and psychology majors Margaret Mailey ’24, Jordan Stum ’23, Molly Faron ’23 (psychology and sociology), Sydney Fitzgerald, and Ashley Dotey ’21. The researchers found that “Conspirational beliefs were correlated with being overconfident in one’s intellectual skills—but not with logical reasoning ability.”

Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, presented “Grit: Connections to Self-Esteem, Self-Worth, Cognitive Processing, and Aging” at the 2022 Eastern Psychological Association Conference in New York City during spring break. Dr. Manza’s presentation, produced through a student-faculty research project with Julia Gabriel ’22 (psychology), Mallory Anderson ’22 (psychology), Samantha Paradise ’22 (psychology), Sophie Stranick ’24 (psychology and criminal justice), Shelby Anderson ’21 (psychology), and Amber Kintzer ’21, M’22 (psychology and master of business administration), noted that “High levels of grit were related to having positive self-esteem/worth, strong habits of mind, good metacognitive awareness, and aging.”

Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, presented two sessions with students and alumni at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference in Boston, Mass. In the first, he presented with Ashley Doty ’21, Shelby Anderson ’22, Gina Ebersole ’20, and Sydney Petrasic ’22. In the second, Dr. Manza presented with Rebecca McIlhenny ’20, Molly Gavin ’20, Misty Snyder ’20, Bailey Harper ’22, and Mallory Anderson ’23.

Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, was quoted in a Lebanon Daily News story regarding an unsolved murder from half-a-century ago. He was interviewed Daniel Walmer ’10 and discussed how the moral attitudes of the time could have affected the investigation.

Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, had an extensive interview, “Here’s what Netflix’s Wild Wild Country doesn’t explain about cult leaders: An expert discusses how they seduce and control their followers,” published on The Verge website. The story was picked up worldwide, including as far away as China and the United Arab Emirates.

The New York Times included expert advice from Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, in “Can a Fitness Tracker Help You Run A Better Race.” Dr. Manza also happens to be an ultramarathoner.

Ok, not everywhere, but in quite a few media outlets… Dr. Lou Manza’s, chair and professor of psychology, recent article on Charles Manson – and his followers in particular – “Exploiting the Human Need for Emotional Comfort,” was published in numerous media outlets nationwide. Dr. Manza explored the connections between “Manson ‘family,’ such as Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel, and how they become drawn to leaders of cult-like organizations.”

Dr. Lou Manza, chair and professor of psychology, was quoted in a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, This Life: In the wake of Las Vegas tragedy, are our prayers enough?