Jessie Sun
@jessiesun.bsky.social
Assistant prof. at WashU enthusiastically researching personality, well-being, and morality. Vegan effective altruist, Brazilian Zouk addict, opera singer, climber.
Reposted by Jessie Sun
🚨 SynthNet is out 🚨
Researchers propose new constructs and measures faster than anyone can track. We (@anniria.bsky.social @ruben.the100.ci) built a search engine to check what already exists and help identify redundancies; indexing 74,000 scales from ~31,500 instruments in APA PsycTests. 🧵1/3
Researchers propose new constructs and measures faster than anyone can track. We (@anniria.bsky.social @ruben.the100.ci) built a search engine to check what already exists and help identify redundancies; indexing 74,000 scales from ~31,500 instruments in APA PsycTests. 🧵1/3
November 26, 2025 at 11:42 AM
🚨 SynthNet is out 🚨
Researchers propose new constructs and measures faster than anyone can track. We (@anniria.bsky.social @ruben.the100.ci) built a search engine to check what already exists and help identify redundancies; indexing 74,000 scales from ~31,500 instruments in APA PsycTests. 🧵1/3
Researchers propose new constructs and measures faster than anyone can track. We (@anniria.bsky.social @ruben.the100.ci) built a search engine to check what already exists and help identify redundancies; indexing 74,000 scales from ~31,500 instruments in APA PsycTests. 🧵1/3
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Happy to share our latest study published in PNAS.
Using data from 274,316 French students, we find that lower-SES students are less likely to wait for better university offers, even when waiting would lead to more prestigious or better-fit programs.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using data from 274,316 French students, we find that lower-SES students are less likely to wait for better university offers, even when waiting would lead to more prestigious or better-fit programs.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Waiting time during admission procedures increases social inequalities in higher education | PNAS
Many domains in life require people to wait to access better outcomes, such as waiting
in line to access prized tickets for a show, waiting to obta...
www.pnas.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Happy to share our latest study published in PNAS.
Using data from 274,316 French students, we find that lower-SES students are less likely to wait for better university offers, even when waiting would lead to more prestigious or better-fit programs.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Using data from 274,316 French students, we find that lower-SES students are less likely to wait for better university offers, even when waiting would lead to more prestigious or better-fit programs.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
November 21, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Students applying for grad school, or reaching out to professors. I have an important piece of advice for you: STOP DOING THIS 👇 (a thread) #STEM #PhD #gradschool #academictips
Reposted by Jessie Sun
ZPID Trier: Junior professorship (W1-equivalent) Psychological Metascience (with tenure-track to W2 LBesG-equivalent) (f/m/d) leibniz-psychology.onlyfy.jobs/job/10kku5n7 #Stellenangebot
Junior professorship (W1-equivalent) Psychological Metascience (with tenure-track to W2 LBesG-equivalent) (f/m/d)
leibniz-psychology.onlyfy.jobs
November 25, 2025 at 11:42 AM
ZPID Trier: Junior professorship (W1-equivalent) Psychological Metascience (with tenure-track to W2 LBesG-equivalent) (f/m/d) leibniz-psychology.onlyfy.jobs/job/10kku5n7 #Stellenangebot
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Social psych friends, please help me out with a class discussion by responding to the following (and sharing):
What do you see as the biggest challenge for social and personality psychology in the immediate future? What should we as a field be doing better than we are now?
What do you see as the biggest challenge for social and personality psychology in the immediate future? What should we as a field be doing better than we are now?
November 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Social psych friends, please help me out with a class discussion by responding to the following (and sharing):
What do you see as the biggest challenge for social and personality psychology in the immediate future? What should we as a field be doing better than we are now?
What do you see as the biggest challenge for social and personality psychology in the immediate future? What should we as a field be doing better than we are now?
Reposted by Jessie Sun
📊New research finds that Americans widely support institutions and policies designed to provide political representation for future generations, though they often underestimate the support of their peers for these initiatives.
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/Ml6z50Xw1OX
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/Ml6z50Xw1OX
November 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
📊New research finds that Americans widely support institutions and policies designed to provide political representation for future generations, though they often underestimate the support of their peers for these initiatives.
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/Ml6z50Xw1OX
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/Ml6z50Xw1OX
Reposted by Jessie Sun
I mentioned this approach to a colleague who does research on the use of AI in education. She replied, “Guess what some students do in this situation. They prompt ChatGPT to write a report on the subject and an accompanying report explaining how and why the first report is wrong.”
November 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
I mentioned this approach to a colleague who does research on the use of AI in education. She replied, “Guess what some students do in this situation. They prompt ChatGPT to write a report on the subject and an accompanying report explaining how and why the first report is wrong.”
Reposted by Jessie Sun
I think it's hard to overstate how much Simine has changed research practices and standards in psychology for the better, despite at times massive resistance from powerful parties with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Very well deserved award imho 🥳
Congratulations to @simine.com well deserved winner of the Einstein Foundation Individual Award for Promoting Quality in Research 2025 🎉 www.einsteinfoundation.de/en/media/pre...
November 24, 2025 at 11:03 AM
I think it's hard to overstate how much Simine has changed research practices and standards in psychology for the better, despite at times massive resistance from powerful parties with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Very well deserved award imho 🥳
Reposted by Jessie Sun
🏆 Individual: @simine.com, psychologist at @unimelb.bsky.social & editor-in-chief of Psychological Science, is recognized for pioneering methodological rigor, reproducibility & collaborative research, driving initiatives such as @improvingpsych.org & the journal Collabra @ucpress.bsky.social. (2/5)
November 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM
🏆 Individual: @simine.com, psychologist at @unimelb.bsky.social & editor-in-chief of Psychological Science, is recognized for pioneering methodological rigor, reproducibility & collaborative research, driving initiatives such as @improvingpsych.org & the journal Collabra @ucpress.bsky.social. (2/5)
Reposted by Jessie Sun
It’s really hard to defend industry academic collaborations with meta as earnest, if they’re internally burying evidence of harm.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
November 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
It’s really hard to defend industry academic collaborations with meta as earnest, if they’re internally burying evidence of harm.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
5 years ago, I wrote about doing Christmas but not Santa with my kids. The gist is that Santa-fied Christmas doesn't sit well with me for a few reasons, including because of how lies can undermine kids' trust in their parents.
Well, funny story about that... 1/🧵
www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...
Well, funny story about that... 1/🧵
www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...
The Real Problem With the ‘Naughty List’
Kids’ presents are determined by their families’ resources, not their behavior—but Santa teaches otherwise.
www.theatlantic.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:46 PM
5 years ago, I wrote about doing Christmas but not Santa with my kids. The gist is that Santa-fied Christmas doesn't sit well with me for a few reasons, including because of how lies can undermine kids' trust in their parents.
Well, funny story about that... 1/🧵
www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...
Well, funny story about that... 1/🧵
www.theatlantic.com/family/archi...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Horrific use of psychological testing, up there with the 20th century's worst practices: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Greenlandic families fight to get children back after parenting tests banned
The Danish government has banned the use of parental competency tests on Greenlandic families after decades of criticism.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Horrific use of psychological testing, up there with the 20th century's worst practices: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
All the ways the next generation gives me a lot of hope. A thread/
November 22, 2025 at 4:43 PM
All the ways the next generation gives me a lot of hope. A thread/
Reposted by Jessie Sun
My wife was sexually harassed by Miles Hewstone as a phd student. He was still asked to review her (and other women he harassed) for jobs and promotions. This is so fucked up.
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
November 20, 2025 at 3:55 PM
My wife was sexually harassed by Miles Hewstone as a phd student. He was still asked to review her (and other women he harassed) for jobs and promotions. This is so fucked up.
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Thankfully, she and many other women testified against him and something was finally done. This is her take on his case:
Reposted by Jessie Sun
I'm excited to share that I’ll be reviewing PhD applications this cycle for students interested in working with me starting Summer/Fall 2026.
I’m especially looking for applicants excited about research on trust/persuasion, responses to historical harm, addressing inequality, and/or mindsets.
I’m especially looking for applicants excited about research on trust/persuasion, responses to historical harm, addressing inequality, and/or mindsets.
November 20, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I'm excited to share that I’ll be reviewing PhD applications this cycle for students interested in working with me starting Summer/Fall 2026.
I’m especially looking for applicants excited about research on trust/persuasion, responses to historical harm, addressing inequality, and/or mindsets.
I’m especially looking for applicants excited about research on trust/persuasion, responses to historical harm, addressing inequality, and/or mindsets.
Reposted by Jessie Sun
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
November 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
New paper with @jzberman.bsky.social finally out!
📈Most people are interested in improving themselves, but why do they show less interest in improving moral traits? New research suggests that this is because they believe nonmoral improvements have a bigger impact on their well-being.
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/E6zX50XuYGh
Read more in #PSPB: ow.ly/E6zX50XuYGh
November 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
New paper with @jzberman.bsky.social finally out!
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Problem is: Neither our work culture nor our education culture incentivizes deep learning. Instead, we're incentivized to economize--to learn only what's needed to finish the task or get the answer right on the test.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Problem is: Neither our work culture nor our education culture incentivizes deep learning. Instead, we're incentivized to economize--to learn only what's needed to finish the task or get the answer right on the test.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
So, people use ChatGPT, even when they know they could learn more by other means.
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Man, I hadn't thought about this as a consequence of LLM use. The first "theory of everything" I ever received was in grad school and I suspect it was probably because I was early in the alphabet at MIT. That one didn't strike me as reflecting any particularly disordered thinking... <1/n> 🧵
I am by no means a prominent public intellectual, but my inbox is increasingly filled with messages from people who have been convinced by sycophantic chatbots that they have discovered revolutionary theories that entirely upend our scientific understanding of the universe.
November 21, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Man, I hadn't thought about this as a consequence of LLM use. The first "theory of everything" I ever received was in grad school and I suspect it was probably because I was early in the alphabet at MIT. That one didn't strike me as reflecting any particularly disordered thinking... <1/n> 🧵
Reposted by Jessie Sun
There is something intensely bleak about students using gAI in an assignment asking them to respond to a text about enslaved people--so sad.
Students are being misled into stripping themselves of the ability to read, write, think by our own universities and Big Tech
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
Students are being misled into stripping themselves of the ability to read, write, think by our own universities and Big Tech
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
November 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
There is something intensely bleak about students using gAI in an assignment asking them to respond to a text about enslaved people--so sad.
Students are being misled into stripping themselves of the ability to read, write, think by our own universities and Big Tech
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
Students are being misled into stripping themselves of the ability to read, write, think by our own universities and Big Tech
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
🚨🚨 NEW Assistant professor position at Northeastern! Do you study sound/language/music + brain + health? Apply! We're so excited to add a new faculty member to our community! Please post widely, we begin reviewing apps Dec 15!
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
Assistant Professor in Music, AI and Brain Health
About the Opportunity About the Opportunity: The College of Arts, Media and Design (CAMD) at Northeastern University invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Music, AI and Brain ...
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:37 AM
🚨🚨 NEW Assistant professor position at Northeastern! Do you study sound/language/music + brain + health? Apply! We're so excited to add a new faculty member to our community! Please post widely, we begin reviewing apps Dec 15!
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/careers/job/...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
How do we make sense of scientific literature that is growing explosively to the point where no-one could read all the relevant papers, and is contaminated with fraudulent and LLM-generated papers? I think that science isn't currently equipped to deal with this, and we need to. #science #metascience
November 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
How do we make sense of scientific literature that is growing explosively to the point where no-one could read all the relevant papers, and is contaminated with fraudulent and LLM-generated papers? I think that science isn't currently equipped to deal with this, and we need to. #science #metascience
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Job posting alert! Open Science Specialist at the University of Calgary (in Canada!) #job #OpenScience careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/1704502...
Specialist, Open Science, Research Services in
Calgary,
AB,
...
Specialist, Open Science, Research Services in
Calgary,
AB,
...
careers.ucalgary.ca
November 19, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Job posting alert! Open Science Specialist at the University of Calgary (in Canada!) #job #OpenScience careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/1704502...
Reposted by Jessie Sun
Humans are bad at big numbers. Which makes it easier for billionaires (and trillionaires) to get away with hoarding wealth. Because most people just can't comprehend how much money that is.
So, I appreciate this WaPo effort to help people visualize what ridiculous amounts of wealth really mean.
So, I appreciate this WaPo effort to help people visualize what ridiculous amounts of wealth really mean.
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Humans are bad at big numbers. Which makes it easier for billionaires (and trillionaires) to get away with hoarding wealth. Because most people just can't comprehend how much money that is.
So, I appreciate this WaPo effort to help people visualize what ridiculous amounts of wealth really mean.
So, I appreciate this WaPo effort to help people visualize what ridiculous amounts of wealth really mean.