LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
@jjtogans.bsky.social
Social psychologist and assistant professor @ Lafayette College
Studying the psychology of indulging in guilty pleasures and other ambivalent experiences
https://sites.lafayette.edu/togansl/
Studying the psychology of indulging in guilty pleasures and other ambivalent experiences
https://sites.lafayette.edu/togansl/
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Great article about the psychology of guilty pleasures by my colleague @jjtogans.bsky.social at Lafayette College! 🎉
psyche.co/ideas/guilty...
psyche.co/ideas/guilty...
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation | Psyche Ideas
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
psyche.co
November 18, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Great article about the psychology of guilty pleasures by my colleague @jjtogans.bsky.social at Lafayette College! 🎉
psyche.co/ideas/guilty...
psyche.co/ideas/guilty...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Struggling to find peer reviewed evidence in support of spending all of your money on going to festivals and gigs? Let us help... doi.org/10.1002/casp...
w/ @profjohndrury.bsky.social @hannaeldarwish.bsky.social Danielle Evans, Fiona Green
w/ @profjohndrury.bsky.social @hannaeldarwish.bsky.social Danielle Evans, Fiona Green
November 13, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Struggling to find peer reviewed evidence in support of spending all of your money on going to festivals and gigs? Let us help... doi.org/10.1002/casp...
w/ @profjohndrury.bsky.social @hannaeldarwish.bsky.social Danielle Evans, Fiona Green
w/ @profjohndrury.bsky.social @hannaeldarwish.bsky.social Danielle Evans, Fiona Green
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Do your hands talk when you do? 🗣️✋
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Talking with Our Hands: Duke Study Reveals How Culture Shapes Our Gestures
You are having dinner with friends, and the conversation is lively. Do your hands join the chat, or do they stay focused on your knife and fork?
trinity.duke.edu
November 11, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Do your hands talk when you do? 🗣️✋
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Want to help with autism research? The Social Experiences of Loneliness of Autistic Adults (SELA) Project at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute is forming a Community Council of autistic adults (ages 18–35) to help guide a 5-year study on loneliness and social connection. Info in flyer and alt-text.
November 6, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Want to help with autism research? The Social Experiences of Loneliness of Autistic Adults (SELA) Project at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute is forming a Community Council of autistic adults (ages 18–35) to help guide a 5-year study on loneliness and social connection. Info in flyer and alt-text.
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Some @theguardian.com coverage! Women use exclamation marks 3x more than men—not from extra joy, but to avoid sounding unfriendly 😬 Online, neutrality reads as hostility, so warmth is outsourced to punctuation!! BUT it boosts likability and can hurt credibility
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Exclamation marks! Why do women use them three times as much as men?
It’s the punctuation that can make you seem warmer and more agreeable – but also much more compliant and lacking in analytical thinking
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Some @theguardian.com coverage! Women use exclamation marks 3x more than men—not from extra joy, but to avoid sounding unfriendly 😬 Online, neutrality reads as hostility, so warmth is outsourced to punctuation!! BUT it boosts likability and can hurt credibility
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Ambitious new study finally out! 🚨 Here’s the lightning version. bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
<em>British Journal of Psychology</em> | Wiley Online Library
Does moving to a new environment change people's cultural thought style? We tracked the cultural thought style of 1462 university students at 18 sites over time after they moved across China for coll....
bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Ambitious new study finally out! 🚨 Here’s the lightning version. bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New research finds that conservatives tended to endorse moral absolutism, whereas liberals tend to endorse moral relativism.
Moral absolutists are more likely to support banning practices they deem immoral psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
Moral absolutists are more likely to support banning practices they deem immoral psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
October 12, 2025 at 1:02 PM
New research finds that conservatives tended to endorse moral absolutism, whereas liberals tend to endorse moral relativism.
Moral absolutists are more likely to support banning practices they deem immoral psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
Moral absolutists are more likely to support banning practices they deem immoral psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
It is often assumed that conformity is higher in collectivist cultures. In our new study that just came out in JCCP, we show that emotional conformity is actually higher in individualistic cultures, replicating earlier findings across 28 nations journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Which Cultural Dimensions Predict Variations in Emotional Conformity? An Extension of Vishkin et al. (2023) Across 28 Nations - Peter B. Smith, Alexander Kirchner-Häusler, Lusine Grigoryan, Vivian Miu...
Despite being a classic social psychology topic, cultural variability in conformity has only been examined systematically in the last few decades. Vishkin et al...
journals.sagepub.com
October 9, 2025 at 7:23 PM
It is often assumed that conformity is higher in collectivist cultures. In our new study that just came out in JCCP, we show that emotional conformity is actually higher in individualistic cultures, replicating earlier findings across 28 nations journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Read the actual science here! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
From ostracized to pleased: How fair and unfair social exclusion activates schadenfreude
People sometimes derive pleasure from the misfortune of others. Here, we investigate social ostracism as a multifaceted trigger of this complex emotio…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Read the actual science here! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
🤔New research highlights a persuasion paradox: using many arguments can make a person seem more like an expert, increasing persuasion, but it can also make them appear to have greater persuasive intent, decreasing persuasion.
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/1u2Q50X2erC
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/1u2Q50X2erC
September 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM
🤔New research highlights a persuasion paradox: using many arguments can make a person seem more like an expert, increasing persuasion, but it can also make them appear to have greater persuasive intent, decreasing persuasion.
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/1u2Q50X2erC
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/1u2Q50X2erC
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
had a ton of fun working on this poll with @today.yougov.com about the songs that everybody knows the lyrics to, the generational anthems are super neat
www.numlock.com/p/numlock-su...
www.numlock.com/p/numlock-su...
September 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
had a ton of fun working on this poll with @today.yougov.com about the songs that everybody knows the lyrics to, the generational anthems are super neat
www.numlock.com/p/numlock-su...
www.numlock.com/p/numlock-su...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
To prevent Ps from pasting (GPT-generated) responses to your text entry Qualtrics question, disable pasting.
Add this code to the OnReady section of your question's javascript:
jQuery("#"+this.questionId+" .InputText").on("cut copy paste",function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
});
Enjoy!
Add this code to the OnReady section of your question's javascript:
jQuery("#"+this.questionId+" .InputText").on("cut copy paste",function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
});
Enjoy!
August 13, 2025 at 3:17 PM
To prevent Ps from pasting (GPT-generated) responses to your text entry Qualtrics question, disable pasting.
Add this code to the OnReady section of your question's javascript:
jQuery("#"+this.questionId+" .InputText").on("cut copy paste",function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
});
Enjoy!
Add this code to the OnReady section of your question's javascript:
jQuery("#"+this.questionId+" .InputText").on("cut copy paste",function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
});
Enjoy!
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
That's because newer music sounds like shit.
The older we get, the fewer favorite songs we have, study shows. Via @sciencex.physorg #sociology #Music 🎵📻🎼🎧🎙️
The older we get, the fewer favorite songs we have, study shows. Via @sciencex.physorg #sociology #Music 🎵📻🎼🎧🎙️
The older we get, the fewer favorite songs we have, study shows
Do you think that Spotify's suggestions for new music are getting stranger all the time? It may be because of you. In a unique study, 15 years of listening data shows that musical taste becomes more…
phys.org
September 10, 2025 at 12:15 AM
That's because newer music sounds like shit.
The older we get, the fewer favorite songs we have, study shows. Via @sciencex.physorg #sociology #Music 🎵📻🎼🎧🎙️
The older we get, the fewer favorite songs we have, study shows. Via @sciencex.physorg #sociology #Music 🎵📻🎼🎧🎙️
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Do you sometimes feel torn when making decisions, like whether to eat unhealthy food or recycle? This is called felt ambivalence: a psychological discomfort from having mixed feelings about something. Check out our new work to know how people resolve such conflicts: doi.org/10.1016/j.je... 🧠💥 1/10
Redirecting
doi.org
September 1, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Do you sometimes feel torn when making decisions, like whether to eat unhealthy food or recycle? This is called felt ambivalence: a psychological discomfort from having mixed feelings about something. Check out our new work to know how people resolve such conflicts: doi.org/10.1016/j.je... 🧠💥 1/10
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Bottom line: Tightness mattered for mask use during the Covid pandemic (and after!). Tightness is a characteristic of cultures AND situations. Both matter. Mask use could explain why tight cultures had fewer deaths on average: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1... @sagepublishing.bsky.social
August 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Bottom line: Tightness mattered for mask use during the Covid pandemic (and after!). Tightness is a characteristic of cultures AND situations. Both matter. Mask use could explain why tight cultures had fewer deaths on average: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1... @sagepublishing.bsky.social
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
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...
New paper lead by @cmleckfor.bsky.social is out in @josoperrel.bsky.social now: doi.org/10.1177/0265...
August 28, 2025 at 1:32 PM
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...
New paper lead by @cmleckfor.bsky.social is out in @josoperrel.bsky.social now: doi.org/10.1177/0265...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Did I finish all my summer research? No.
But did I get a jump on new projects? Also, no.
BUT: am I ready for the semester to begin next week? Extremely no
But did I get a jump on new projects? Also, no.
BUT: am I ready for the semester to begin next week? Extremely no
August 19, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Did I finish all my summer research? No.
But did I get a jump on new projects? Also, no.
BUT: am I ready for the semester to begin next week? Extremely no
But did I get a jump on new projects? Also, no.
BUT: am I ready for the semester to begin next week? Extremely no
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
In a study of naturally occurring ostracism experiences: After experiencing ostracism, people initially prioritize withdrawal and prosocial coping responses. Prosocial responses increase overtime. Anti-social responses were relatively rare
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
August 18, 2025 at 1:25 PM
In a study of naturally occurring ostracism experiences: After experiencing ostracism, people initially prioritize withdrawal and prosocial coping responses. Prosocial responses increase overtime. Anti-social responses were relatively rare
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
📣 New registered report in @nathumbehav.nature.com with Ivan Soraperra, @jonathanschulz.bsky.social, and Shaul Shalvi: rdcu.be/eAcMA
With data from 7,978 participants in 20 countries, we find that information about negative externalities promotes prosociality, especially in guilt-prone individuals.
With data from 7,978 participants in 20 countries, we find that information about negative externalities promotes prosociality, especially in guilt-prone individuals.
Guilt drives prosociality across 20 countries
Nature Human Behaviour - This Registered Report of 7,978 people in 20 countries found that guilt and information about consequences drive prosocial behaviour. Guilt-prone individuals gave more when...
rdcu.be
August 18, 2025 at 10:43 AM
📣 New registered report in @nathumbehav.nature.com with Ivan Soraperra, @jonathanschulz.bsky.social, and Shaul Shalvi: rdcu.be/eAcMA
With data from 7,978 participants in 20 countries, we find that information about negative externalities promotes prosociality, especially in guilt-prone individuals.
With data from 7,978 participants in 20 countries, we find that information about negative externalities promotes prosociality, especially in guilt-prone individuals.
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
August 14, 2025 at 1:24 AM
As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
For folks course prepping, I wanted to give a quick plug for my recent pub in PSPB on the psychology of guilty pleasures. The research is a great example of discrete emotion theory and self-conscious emotions, but would also work well for discussing self-presentation, dissonance, and norms.
July 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
For folks course prepping, I wanted to give a quick plug for my recent pub in PSPB on the psychology of guilty pleasures. The research is a great example of discrete emotion theory and self-conscious emotions, but would also work well for discussing self-presentation, dissonance, and norms.
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Big cities are vibrant hubs of culture, but why exactly is that? Now out in @natcomms.nature.com, we analysed music listening patterns of over 2.5 million people and demographics to examine mechanisms driving cultural diversity. With @researchdeezer.bsky.social @norijacoby.bsky.social
Highlights ⬇
Highlights ⬇
June 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Big cities are vibrant hubs of culture, but why exactly is that? Now out in @natcomms.nature.com, we analysed music listening patterns of over 2.5 million people and demographics to examine mechanisms driving cultural diversity. With @researchdeezer.bsky.social @norijacoby.bsky.social
Highlights ⬇
Highlights ⬇
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New paper out from the Self & Motivation Lab on Safety and Threat in the Environment Perceptions (STEP). The STEP scale assesses people's overall, gut-level impressions of any given space and uniquely predicts engagement, interest, & desire to recruit others
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Perceptions of Safety and Threat in the Environment: The STEP Scale - Lora E. Park, Deborah E. Ward, Kristin Naragon-Gainey, Elizabeth A. Canning, Nicole Koefler, Zaviera A. Panlilio, Valerie Vessels,...
The Safety and Threat in Environment Perceptions (STEP) scale assesses perceptions of environments as safe (welcoming, inclusive) or threatening (critical, inti...
journals.sagepub.com
July 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
New paper out from the Self & Motivation Lab on Safety and Threat in the Environment Perceptions (STEP). The STEP scale assesses people's overall, gut-level impressions of any given space and uniquely predicts engagement, interest, & desire to recruit others
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
(please share widely!) With the start of August quickly approaching, I wanted to announce that the usual slack for fellow people on the Psych Academic Job Market for the coming cycle has been activated. If you are interested, feel free to fill out this form to join!
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
Psych Academic Job Market Slack Interest Form
forms.gle
July 29, 2025 at 2:27 PM
(please share widely!) With the start of August quickly approaching, I wanted to announce that the usual slack for fellow people on the Psych Academic Job Market for the coming cycle has been activated. If you are interested, feel free to fill out this form to join!
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...
forms.gle/2DBgs8S1fktS...