“Researchers learn the social function of babies’ babbling,” featuring work conducted by Dr. Rachel Albert, LVC assistant professor of psychology, was published in the Cornell Chronicle. Dr. Albert, who earned her Ph.D. from Cornell, performed the research with Dr. Jennifer Schwade, senior lecture in psychology at Cornell, and Dr. Michael Goldstein, associate professor of psychology at Cornell. According to the article, the scientists “recorded and recombined the vocalizations of 40 nine-month-olds and their mothers, using a ‘playback paradigm,’ widely used in animal studies, to assess how specific forms of sounds and actions by infants influenced parental behavior.”

Keely Jac Collins, Esq., ’03 has been named a partner in the King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul Law Firm (KingSpry) in the Lehigh Valley. Collins, psychology, is a specialist in employment, education, and municipal law.

“The social functions of babbling: acoustic and contextual characteristics that facilitate maternal responsiveness,” co-authored by Dr. Rachel R. Albert, LVC assistant professor of psychology, and Dr. Jennifer A. Schwade and Dr. Michael H. Goldstein, co-directors of the Behavioral Analysis of Beginning Years (B.A.B.Y.) Laboratory at Cornell University, was published in Development Science, a leading journal in developmental psychology.

By having mothers react to audio-visual examples of babies babbling, the authors determined that vocal maturity and infant gaze influence how mothers perceive and respond to infant vocalizations. The researchers conclude that “An important function of prelinguistic vocalizing may be to elicit parental behavior in ways that facilitate the infant’s own learning about speech and language.”

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.”

Rebecca Light ’16, a psychology and sociology double major, was named a social worker at Lancaster Cancer Center Ltd. According to the Central Penn Business Journal, “she will counsel patients with their cancer-related concerns and provide education and guidance on supportive services.”

Jonathan Lutz ’97, political science and psychology, was hired Nov. 6 as associate director for the Associated Petroleum Industries’ Pennsylvania division. He previously was executive director for the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Thomas Weik ’64, president and chief information officer for Weik Capital Management Inc., was recently interviewed in the Reading Eagle regarding his firm, friendship with Warren Buffett, and love of playing bridge. In the article, “The Conversation: Thomas W. Weik,” Weik, a psychology graduate, also spoke about how his firm grew to include employees worldwide, including from Croatia and Nepal.

Dr. Kyle Ward ’09, assistant professor of criminal justice and the University of Northern Colorado, was recognized for his research program, which looks to increase connections between prison inmates and their children. Dr. Ward, a criminal justice and psychology double major at LVC, started a program to study how incarceration affects parenting.

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?