News

Professor Simone Schnall contributed to the Cambridge Dictionary entry for “parasocial,” which has been named Word of the Year 2025. She discusses how parasocial connections reflect evolving patterns of social interaction in the digital age in a video produced by Cambridge Dictionary.

Professor Simone Schnall’s recent paper on how aesthetic experiences shape higher-order thinking has received widespread media attention. The research was highlighted by BBC News, the Templeton Religion Trust, Nice News Science, and Cambridge University’s Research Stories. 

Dr Emily McKendrick presented her recent study at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology's Annual Convention in Denver. Her study explored attention restoration and construal level theory in a museum environment.

Rosemary Chandler-Wilde presented a poster at The McDonald Institute's Annual Heritage Fair, introducing the lab's Higher Values project titled 'Higher Values: Aesthetic Experience, Transcendence and Prosociality'.

Dr Jasmina Stevanov's article was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology in December 2024.To view this article, please click here.

Dr Ryan Doran, published an article titled 'Motivational Internalism and Disinterestedness' in the British Journal of Aesthetics.To view this article, please click here.

We are delighted to announce that Professor Simone Schnall was shortlisted for the 2024 Student-Led Teaching Awards. A big thank you to all the students who voted!

Professor Simone Schnall gave a talk about possible psychological consequences of use of AI chatbots for social companionship at the Social AI Policy Forum at Jesus College.At the forum, Simone Schnall and Rosemary Chandler-Wilde joined groups of academics, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals to discuss and present their thoughts on future po…

Listen to this episode of Artery, a podcast on Art, Authorship and Anthropology, featuring Dr Elzė Sigutė Mikalonytė and Edoardo Chidichimo.