Welcome

For over 125 years, our department has been a leader in psychological research and graduate training. Building on an extraordinary history, the department today embraces a broad, interdisciplinary vision of modern psychological science. We invite you to browse our website to learn about our faculty and our research, the Ph.D. program, and undergraduate teaching. We hope this website successfully communicates our efforts to push the boundaries of our science to impact the larger world around us.

  • New PBS Building Rendering
  • Professor Michelle Voss
  • Graduate Student Kelsey Spalding
  • A student in the Hank Virtual Environments Lab
  • Iowa City #4 best place to live in the U.S. (Livibility), Iowa City is the #1 best overall state in the nation (U.S. News)
  • Professor Paul Windschitl
  • New PBS Building - Inside Rendering

Research Spotlight

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Darcy Waller gets wired up

Study Finds That a Surprise Stimulus Helps People Stop an Action

Imagine reaching to pet your cat, and it hisses at you. How does your brain take stock of the sound and communicate with your body to pull back your hand?

Neuroscientists are interested in how the brain communicates with the motor system to help your body stop an action. This communication is vital because it helps us avoid surprises and react to potentially dangerous or unforeseen circumstances.

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Undergraduate Profiles

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences provides undergraduate students with the unique opportunity to work alongside faculty in their research labs. These research opportunities greatly enhance the experience of many undergraduate students, while also preparing them for their future careers. Here, we showcase a few of the many student-faculty research projects in Psychology. These profiles were written by Mallory Mileham, an undergraduate double major in Psychology and Journalism.

Carolyn Lapsey

Carolyn Lapsey | Faculty Mentor: Grazyna Kochanska

Carolyn Lapsey first became interested in psychology when she took a psychology course in high school. She didn't know at the time that a few years down the road she would find a way to combine her interest in psychology with her love for children. In May 2015, Lapsey graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in social work and human relations. 

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