Sam Pratt
@sampratt99.bsky.social
Psychology PhD student at UCLA 🐻 learning about morality, politics, and consciousness
Pinned
Sam Pratt
@sampratt99.bsky.social
· Mar 11
New paper in early publication at Annual Review of Psychology: @kurtjgray and I review how the mind makes sense of morality.
We argue that morality is fundamentally tied to perceptions of harm/victimhood/suffering and discuss how to understand and bridge moral/political divides
We argue that morality is fundamentally tied to perceptions of harm/victimhood/suffering and discuss how to understand and bridge moral/political divides
Reposted by Sam Pratt
⚖️ New paper in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences!
Legal decisions hinge on who counts as a victim — but our judgments are biased & hard to change. We propose solutions: victim impact statements, funding restorative justice, & acknowledgments for exonerees.
Legal decisions hinge on who counts as a victim — but our judgments are biased & hard to change. We propose solutions: victim impact statements, funding restorative justice, & acknowledgments for exonerees.
February 9, 2026 at 4:23 PM
⚖️ New paper in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences!
Legal decisions hinge on who counts as a victim — but our judgments are biased & hard to change. We propose solutions: victim impact statements, funding restorative justice, & acknowledgments for exonerees.
Legal decisions hinge on who counts as a victim — but our judgments are biased & hard to change. We propose solutions: victim impact statements, funding restorative justice, & acknowledgments for exonerees.
Reposted by Sam Pratt
I started reading up on the whole "loneliness pandemic" narrative because this seems like a literature where the age-period-cohort problem may be relevant (or maybe it isn't?).
Here's data from Australia (HILDA), average agreement with the statement "I often feel very lonely" (SD of ca. 1.8).>
Here's data from Australia (HILDA), average agreement with the statement "I often feel very lonely" (SD of ca. 1.8).>
January 15, 2026 at 1:24 PM
I started reading up on the whole "loneliness pandemic" narrative because this seems like a literature where the age-period-cohort problem may be relevant (or maybe it isn't?).
Here's data from Australia (HILDA), average agreement with the statement "I often feel very lonely" (SD of ca. 1.8).>
Here's data from Australia (HILDA), average agreement with the statement "I often feel very lonely" (SD of ca. 1.8).>
I am crowdsourcing divisive TV episodes for a study on moral disagreement. If you know of episodes that make for heated conversation, please complete the form below and pass it on!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Help Me Find the Ultimate TV Argument
The Goal: I am designing a psychology study about how our brains handle disagreement. I am looking for specific TV episodes that divide viewers into two opinion camps—a story where two reasonable peop...
docs.google.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:51 PM
I am crowdsourcing divisive TV episodes for a study on moral disagreement. If you know of episodes that make for heated conversation, please complete the form below and pass it on!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Sam Pratt
Looking for hands-on psychology research experience? We've compiled summer programs, internships, and opportunities specifically for undergraduates.
Explore the full guide: https://ow.ly/sWBj50XT9SM
Explore the full guide: https://ow.ly/sWBj50XT9SM
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Looking for hands-on psychology research experience? We've compiled summer programs, internships, and opportunities specifically for undergraduates.
Explore the full guide: https://ow.ly/sWBj50XT9SM
Explore the full guide: https://ow.ly/sWBj50XT9SM
It's that time of year - lots of people are hunting for postbacc research jobs and aren't sure where to start. Below are some helpful resources I compiled from my experience. Please feel free to share with others!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Postbacc Psychology Job and Career Resources.docx
Psychology Resources for Post-Baccalaureate Jobs, Graduate School, and Career Planning Finding a postbaccalaureate research job in psychology can be time-consuming, difficult, and mysterious. This…
docs.google.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:30 PM
It's that time of year - lots of people are hunting for postbacc research jobs and aren't sure where to start. Below are some helpful resources I compiled from my experience. Please feel free to share with others!
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
There is def reason to worry about impact of LLMs in science, but one benefit they've already had is eroding the heuristic that complex writing = good writing
LLMs can mask a bad idea with elegant writing, which makes complexity a bad signal of quality.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
LLMs can mask a bad idea with elegant writing, which makes complexity a bad signal of quality.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
January 3, 2026 at 8:25 PM
There is def reason to worry about impact of LLMs in science, but one benefit they've already had is eroding the heuristic that complex writing = good writing
LLMs can mask a bad idea with elegant writing, which makes complexity a bad signal of quality.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
LLMs can mask a bad idea with elegant writing, which makes complexity a bad signal of quality.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
I’m taking grad level social psych and am noting examples of social/personality psych directly influencing society. Any other favorite examples?
-Good Samaritan laws (bystander effect)
-Mass marketing/political messaging (Yale Approach)
-Personality traits (Allport)
-Dating apps (similarity effect)
-Good Samaritan laws (bystander effect)
-Mass marketing/political messaging (Yale Approach)
-Personality traits (Allport)
-Dating apps (similarity effect)
November 22, 2025 at 6:42 PM
I’m taking grad level social psych and am noting examples of social/personality psych directly influencing society. Any other favorite examples?
-Good Samaritan laws (bystander effect)
-Mass marketing/political messaging (Yale Approach)
-Personality traits (Allport)
-Dating apps (similarity effect)
-Good Samaritan laws (bystander effect)
-Mass marketing/political messaging (Yale Approach)
-Personality traits (Allport)
-Dating apps (similarity effect)
Pleased to share our paper Sending Signals: Trigger Warnings and Safe Spaces is an Editor’s Choice paper in JEP:A 🥳
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Pleased to share our paper Sending Signals: Trigger Warnings and Safe Spaces is an Editor’s Choice paper in JEP:A 🥳
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Why do some health choices seem like moral issues 💉😷 whereas others are personal preferences 🦷🧘?
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Why do some health choices seem like moral issues 💉😷 whereas others are personal preferences 🦷🧘?
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Nobel prizes are out, did anyone else get honorable mention?
October 7, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Nobel prizes are out, did anyone else get honorable mention?
New post about the signals that trigger warnings and safe spaces send to students in SPSP blog👇
September 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
New post about the signals that trigger warnings and safe spaces send to students in SPSP blog👇
Introducing the Words Can Harm Scale: a measure of the belief that words can cause psychological harm.
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
September 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Introducing the Words Can Harm Scale: a measure of the belief that words can cause psychological harm.
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
✍️ New Preprint:
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
September 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
✍️ New Preprint:
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
People often rely on their own judgment over the "wisdom of the crowds" when making tough decisions (e.g., "which school should I attend?")
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
August 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM
People often rely on their own judgment over the "wisdom of the crowds" when making tough decisions (e.g., "which school should I attend?")
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
New study finds that as birth rates have declined, we've started spending more on pets.
And across several studies, dog lovers often prioritized dogs over people in moral dilemmas 🐶 > 🙍
And across several studies, dog lovers often prioritized dogs over people in moral dilemmas 🐶 > 🙍
Study 1: National spending on pets is strongly negatively correlated with the birth rate (r = -.93; controlling for GDP). This replicated at the county level.
Less babies born = more 💸 spent on pets, which may suggest a caregiving trade-off.
Less babies born = more 💸 spent on pets, which may suggest a caregiving trade-off.
August 25, 2025 at 4:33 PM
New study finds that as birth rates have declined, we've started spending more on pets.
And across several studies, dog lovers often prioritized dogs over people in moral dilemmas 🐶 > 🙍
And across several studies, dog lovers often prioritized dogs over people in moral dilemmas 🐶 > 🙍
A new study seems to show that right-leaning participants care more about left-leaning causes than right-leaning ones 🤯
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
August 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
A new study seems to show that right-leaning participants care more about left-leaning causes than right-leaning ones 🤯
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
People are averse to "doubling back": in a virtual reality maze game, over half (56%) of participants chose a longer route over a more efficient route when the efficient option required them to "double back", effectively undoing their previous progress.
August 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
People are averse to "doubling back": in a virtual reality maze game, over half (56%) of participants chose a longer route over a more efficient route when the efficient option required them to "double back", effectively undoing their previous progress.
Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos:
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
August 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos:
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
Our recent paper on trigger warnings was covered by @psypost.bsky.social . You can read the article at the link below.
Professors who use safe space language seen as more caring—and more authoritarian
Professors who use safe space language seen as more caring—and more authoritarian
A new study finds that safe space statements can make students feel more comfortable and open in the classroom—but also make instructors seem more liberal and authoritarian. Trigger warnings, by contrast, had no meaningful impact on students’ perceptions.
www.psypost.org
August 7, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Our recent paper on trigger warnings was covered by @psypost.bsky.social . You can read the article at the link below.
Feeling mixed feelings on my last day as lab manager in the
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
August 1, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Feeling mixed feelings on my last day as lab manager in the
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
Reposted by Sam Pratt
This week's Science to Impact symposium at Ohio State hosted experts in all kinds of science communication!
Grateful to have helped organize this event and heard from these minds in one room. 🧠 🧪
Grateful to have helped organize this event and heard from these minds in one room. 🧠 🧪
August 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
This week's Science to Impact symposium at Ohio State hosted experts in all kinds of science communication!
Grateful to have helped organize this event and heard from these minds in one room. 🧠 🧪
Grateful to have helped organize this event and heard from these minds in one room. 🧠 🧪
55-70% of people followed an arbitrary rule (e.g., wait at a stoplight until a cross disappears) even when 1) nobody is watching, 2) they would get money for breaking the rule, and 3) breaking the rule harms nobody
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM
55-70% of people followed an arbitrary rule (e.g., wait at a stoplight until a cross disappears) even when 1) nobody is watching, 2) they would get money for breaking the rule, and 3) breaking the rule harms nobody
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
New paper in JEP Applied:
Why do so many instructors use trigger warnings or announce that their classroom is a "safe space"?
We find that these practices send important signals about the instructor's intentions, values, and political commitments.
@apajournals.bsky.social
Why do so many instructors use trigger warnings or announce that their classroom is a "safe space"?
We find that these practices send important signals about the instructor's intentions, values, and political commitments.
@apajournals.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 2:56 PM
New paper in JEP Applied:
Why do so many instructors use trigger warnings or announce that their classroom is a "safe space"?
We find that these practices send important signals about the instructor's intentions, values, and political commitments.
@apajournals.bsky.social
Why do so many instructors use trigger warnings or announce that their classroom is a "safe space"?
We find that these practices send important signals about the instructor's intentions, values, and political commitments.
@apajournals.bsky.social
Very cool experience giving a talk at the YMCA summer camp I attended in New Hampshire from age 9-16. I spoke about the youth mental health crisis and how summer camps can provide boys and young men with a sense of belonging.
June 19, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Very cool experience giving a talk at the YMCA summer camp I attended in New Hampshire from age 9-16. I spoke about the youth mental health crisis and how summer camps can provide boys and young men with a sense of belonging.