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.
🚨 It's published! 🚨 This is the big one. 100 cultures, 12,000 people, 108 researchers. Why people (and our most-used surveys) get collectivism wrong and how to fix it. www.nature.com/articles/s41... @natureportfolio.nature.com
September 16, 2026 at 12:34 AM
🚨 It's published! 🚨 This is the big one. 100 cultures, 12,000 people, 108 researchers. Why people (and our most-used surveys) get collectivism wrong and how to fix it. www.nature.com/articles/s41... @natureportfolio.nature.com
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Is doomscrolling bad for you?
A meta-analysis of 42 studies (N=46,912) finds that consuming short-form videos is linked to increases in inattention & impulsivity; reductions in working-memory span & self-regulation; elevations in anxiety, depression & stress; and a surge in addiction symptoms.
A meta-analysis of 42 studies (N=46,912) finds that consuming short-form videos is linked to increases in inattention & impulsivity; reductions in working-memory span & self-regulation; elevations in anxiety, depression & stress; and a surge in addiction symptoms.
August 28, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Is doomscrolling bad for you?
A meta-analysis of 42 studies (N=46,912) finds that consuming short-form videos is linked to increases in inattention & impulsivity; reductions in working-memory span & self-regulation; elevations in anxiety, depression & stress; and a surge in addiction symptoms.
A meta-analysis of 42 studies (N=46,912) finds that consuming short-form videos is linked to increases in inattention & impulsivity; reductions in working-memory span & self-regulation; elevations in anxiety, depression & stress; and a surge in addiction symptoms.
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Psychological Science special issue call 📣
Ever had your research denigrated bc it's "only descriptive", "what's the mechanism though?" and "but what are the theoretical implications?"
Now has come your time to shine. Send your best descriptive work!
www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...
Ever had your research denigrated bc it's "only descriptive", "what's the mechanism though?" and "but what are the theoretical implications?"
Now has come your time to shine. Send your best descriptive work!
www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...
August 27, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Psychological Science special issue call 📣
Ever had your research denigrated bc it's "only descriptive", "what's the mechanism though?" and "but what are the theoretical implications?"
Now has come your time to shine. Send your best descriptive work!
www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...
Ever had your research denigrated bc it's "only descriptive", "what's the mechanism though?" and "but what are the theoretical implications?"
Now has come your time to shine. Send your best descriptive work!
www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Looking to fit more quality time with your partner into a busy schedule? Binging your favorite tv show (and talking about it together) might be more helpful than you think!
Learn more: https://ow.ly/k5mz50ZyXq7
Learn more: https://ow.ly/k5mz50ZyXq7
August 12, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Looking to fit more quality time with your partner into a busy schedule? Binging your favorite tv show (and talking about it together) might be more helpful than you think!
Learn more: https://ow.ly/k5mz50ZyXq7
Learn more: https://ow.ly/k5mz50ZyXq7
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
🧵 New paper out in JPSP: Morality Cut Both Ways.
Can reading facts make you moralize an issue — or lose a moral conviction? We ran 6 studies, 4,464 participants. The results were surprising. 👇
#MoralPsychology #Attitudes. @icedteas.bsky.social 1/8
Can reading facts make you moralize an issue — or lose a moral conviction? We ran 6 studies, 4,464 participants. The results were surprising. 👇
#MoralPsychology #Attitudes. @icedteas.bsky.social 1/8
June 24, 2026 at 5:38 PM
🧵 New paper out in JPSP: Morality Cut Both Ways.
Can reading facts make you moralize an issue — or lose a moral conviction? We ran 6 studies, 4,464 participants. The results were surprising. 👇
#MoralPsychology #Attitudes. @icedteas.bsky.social 1/8
Can reading facts make you moralize an issue — or lose a moral conviction? We ran 6 studies, 4,464 participants. The results were surprising. 👇
#MoralPsychology #Attitudes. @icedteas.bsky.social 1/8
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New preprint, Asian American mythology and pathways to solidarity by Chyei Vinluan, Iseul Cha-ju, and Daniel Sanji
It's about how model minority mythology acts as a barrier to solidarity within Asian ethnic groups and btwn Asian and other marginalized groups.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
It's about how model minority mythology acts as a barrier to solidarity within Asian ethnic groups and btwn Asian and other marginalized groups.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
May 8, 2026 at 3:32 AM
New preprint, Asian American mythology and pathways to solidarity by Chyei Vinluan, Iseul Cha-ju, and Daniel Sanji
It's about how model minority mythology acts as a barrier to solidarity within Asian ethnic groups and btwn Asian and other marginalized groups.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
It's about how model minority mythology acts as a barrier to solidarity within Asian ethnic groups and btwn Asian and other marginalized groups.
osf.io/preprints/ps...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Texting daily with a random human peer is more effective at reducing loneliness than texting with a highly supportive chatbot.
Next time you feel lonely reach out to a human, any human.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Next time you feel lonely reach out to a human, any human.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
March 13, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Texting daily with a random human peer is more effective at reducing loneliness than texting with a highly supportive chatbot.
Next time you feel lonely reach out to a human, any human.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Next time you feel lonely reach out to a human, any human.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
Come see my poster! I’ll be discussing my dissertation studies examining the effect of changing norms and demographics on belonging for advantaged groups. 1:30 in the Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Precon! #SPSP2026
February 26, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Come see my poster! I’ll be discussing my dissertation studies examining the effect of changing norms and demographics on belonging for advantaged groups. 1:30 in the Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Precon! #SPSP2026
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
📊 Sometimes belonging comes down to a checkbox. Our new paper in PSPB led by Brenda Straka finds that the way Latino identity is formatted on demo forms, especially the traditional two-question census format, can subtly undermine feelings of inclusion and belonging
news.illinois.edu/study-demogr...
news.illinois.edu/study-demogr...
Study: Demographic forms can undermine sense of belonging in Latino Americans – News Bureau
news.illinois.edu
February 13, 2026 at 2:25 PM
📊 Sometimes belonging comes down to a checkbox. Our new paper in PSPB led by Brenda Straka finds that the way Latino identity is formatted on demo forms, especially the traditional two-question census format, can subtly undermine feelings of inclusion and belonging
news.illinois.edu/study-demogr...
news.illinois.edu/study-demogr...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New short out this week 🤗.
When in solitude, our attention tends to turn inward. Social life provides structure for many people’s daily activities, so when we are alone that structure is reduced, freeing spaces for thoughts and emotions. Then, what happens next? m.youtube.com/shorts/QpsVg...
When in solitude, our attention tends to turn inward. Social life provides structure for many people’s daily activities, so when we are alone that structure is reduced, freeing spaces for thoughts and emotions. Then, what happens next? m.youtube.com/shorts/QpsVg...
Why emotions can feel stronger in solitude
YouTube video by Solitude Lab
m.youtube.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:56 AM
New short out this week 🤗.
When in solitude, our attention tends to turn inward. Social life provides structure for many people’s daily activities, so when we are alone that structure is reduced, freeing spaces for thoughts and emotions. Then, what happens next? m.youtube.com/shorts/QpsVg...
When in solitude, our attention tends to turn inward. Social life provides structure for many people’s daily activities, so when we are alone that structure is reduced, freeing spaces for thoughts and emotions. Then, what happens next? m.youtube.com/shorts/QpsVg...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
"Our analyses highlight that the United States and other English-speaking countries are not the most individualist cultures in the world...Instead, Northwest European countries rank highest on measures of individualism."
New work by @pakaliyski.bsky.social et al.
dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp...
New work by @pakaliyski.bsky.social et al.
dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp...
December 14, 2025 at 12:29 AM
"Our analyses highlight that the United States and other English-speaking countries are not the most individualist cultures in the world...Instead, Northwest European countries rank highest on measures of individualism."
New work by @pakaliyski.bsky.social et al.
dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp...
New work by @pakaliyski.bsky.social et al.
dx.doi.org/10.1037/pspp...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New paper with Esha Naidu and Emmy Reilly! As U.S. campuses grow more diverse, what really matters isn’t just who is on campus—it’s how universities shape interactions. Randomized roommates when supported with institutional backing can strengthen belonging
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Random Roommates, Broader Minds: Why Higher Ed Should Invest in Intergroup Contact - Sarah E. Gaither, Esha S. Naidu, Emily B. Reilly, 2025
As U.S. campuses grow more diverse, university policy choices determine whether cross-group encounters produce connection or division. Drawing on decades of int...
journals.sagepub.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
New paper with Esha Naidu and Emmy Reilly! As U.S. campuses grow more diverse, what really matters isn’t just who is on campus—it’s how universities shape interactions. Randomized roommates when supported with institutional backing can strengthen belonging
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
December 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by LaCount JJ Togans, Ph.D.
New paper alert!
"Public Speakers With Nonnative Accents Garner Less Engagement" -- now out in Psych Science!
This is my first graduate student's first first-author paper (and it was her first-year project).
Short THREAD on the results:
"Public Speakers With Nonnative Accents Garner Less Engagement" -- now out in Psych Science!
This is my first graduate student's first first-author paper (and it was her first-year project).
Short THREAD on the results:
December 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New paper alert!
"Public Speakers With Nonnative Accents Garner Less Engagement" -- now out in Psych Science!
This is my first graduate student's first first-author paper (and it was her first-year project).
Short THREAD on the results:
"Public Speakers With Nonnative Accents Garner Less Engagement" -- now out in Psych Science!
This is my first graduate student's first first-author paper (and it was her first-year project).
Short THREAD on the results:
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...