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David Amodio

@davidamodio.bsky.social

2.8K followers 780 following 150 posts

Social Psychology Prof at University of Amsterdam. Prejudice & social cognition using experimental, computational, neuro, & AI approaches.

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · May 12

I’m thrilled to share my new paper on impression formation & updating in @natrevpsychol.nature.com!

In it, I argue that impression formation is fundamentally a learning process. And as such, theories of impression formation should be based on mechanisms of learning and memory.

Some key take-aways:

A learning and memory account of impression formation and updating - Nature Reviews Psychology

Impression formation occurs when a perceiver infers another person’s traits, goals and preferences and forms an attitude towards that person. In this Perspective, Amodio describes the unique and inter...

www.nature.com

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · 10d

Happy birthday, and CONGRATS on the (very well-deserved) tenure vote!!

Reposted by David Amodio

Jon Freeman @freemanjb.bsky.social · 19d

New findings from my lab in Nature Communications suggest that racial stereotypes can lead the brain's perceptual system to temporarily "see" weapons where they don't exist.

Led by: @dongwonoh.bsky.social

Paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Mary Lewis @profmarylewis.bsky.social · 29d

Wow. And this is the kind of study that will likely lose funding in our current moment. www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Though boys and girls scored similarly on math aptitude tests before starting first grade, the researchers found that it only took four months of formal instruction for a gender gap to emerge. Even after teachers began introducing math a year earlier, this result held true, and kindergarten boys started to score higher than their female counterparts.
"What's causing these differences?" Spelke asked. "We don't know the answer at all, but I think we now have good reason to believe that whatever is causing them is taking place in the schools."
Researchers found that the difference between boys and girls' math scores only narrowed during the pandemic, when in-person instruction at schools stopped and students returned home for online education.

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · 29d

I had a fantastic time at the Computational Social Cognition Summer School at U of Birmingham!

What an amazing resource & opportunity for students.

Thanks to organizers @drjocutler.bsky.social Lei Zhang and @thepsychologist.bsky.social & the speakers, instructors, and students!

Jo Cutler @drjocutler.bsky.social · Sep 2

Today's the day we welcome over 80 participants, instructors & keynote speakers from all over the world to @uob-sop.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social for the Computational Social Cognition (CSC) Summer School with @leidenpsychology.bsky.social @unileiden.bsky.social

#CSC2025
www.compsoccog.com

CSC 2025

www.compsoccog.com

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Lupita Nihongo @otsumamiboy.bsky.social · Aug 13

A huge part of the Republican playbook is to break otherwise beneficial social services and then point to their brokenness as evidence that those things are bad actually so they can justify privatizing or abolishing it. They are very good at doing this because they do it across all sectors.

Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · Aug 12

I cannot emphasize enough that the playbook being used against mRNA vaccines (and vaccines in general) is IDENTICAL to the playbook used to restrict voting rights after the 2020 election: actively sow public distrust, then cite the distrust you sowed as an independent reason for your desired policy

Opinion | Jay Bhattacharya: Why the NIH is pivoting away from mRNA vaccines

As a vaccine for broad public use, mRNA technology has failed to earn the public’s trust.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Aug 7

Well, this is a huge Executive Order power grab...

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

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Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

www.whitehouse.gov

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Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · Jul 26

This is perfect.

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jul 22

RIP Ozzy ✌️

Ozzy was my first real concert when I was 14. My ears are still ringing.

Culture Crave 🍿 @culturecrave.co · Jul 22

Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jul 22

Stephen Colbert is a national treasure!

My career peak was when he devoted a whole segment to our paper on scarcity & race perception on The Colbert Report (!) And of course he nailed it.

Sadly it's not on youtube anymore, but it's on AppleTV (Season 10, Episode 119, on June 16, 2014).

David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jul 22

Ah, yes—2014! I'll fix that

Reposted by David Amodio

Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson @copperbae.bsky.social · Jul 20

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Aaron J. Waltke @goodaaron.bsky.social · Jul 18

I can confirm the PBS Passport is a very good deal for $5/month or $2.50/month if you do yearly.

Thousands of hours of top notch content. NOVA is great. The new Ken Burns doc on Leonardo da Vinci is excellent.

You can sign up at the link below!

www.pbs.org/passport/lea...

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Jeni Kubota @jenikubota.bsky.social · Jul 15

🎉New paper out @Psychological Review on the neuroscience of intergroup contact🎉

Led by the fantastic @margaretrwelte.bsky.social ‬and Jas Cloutier!

@apajournals.bsky.social @spspnews.bsky.social @sansmeeting.bsky.social #PsychSciSky #SocialPsyc #AcademicSky

psycnet.apa.org/record/2026-...

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Society for Personality and Social Psychology @spspnews.bsky.social · Jul 11

🌟 Jim Sidanius has been added to the SPSP Heritage Wall! His social dominance theory revolutionized how we study intergroup relations & inequality. A brilliant theorist, master teacher, and mentor who shaped our field over 44 years.

Learn more about his work and legacy: ow.ly/pj7A50WnLfB

Jim Sidanius, Trailblazer in Social Dominance Theory, Added to SPSP Heritage Wall

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jul 11

Congratulations @page-gould.bsky.social!

Joel Le Forestier @joelleforestier.bsky.social · Jul 10

She is far too un-self-promoting to do this herself, so I'm shouting out *THE* Elizabeth Page-Gould (@page-gould.bsky.social) for winning the SESP Career Trajectory Award!

Liz is the reason they had to invent the high-warmth/high competence quadrant. She is such a gem and so damn deserving of this.

Elizabeth Page-Gould recognized with Career Trajectory Award from the Society for Experimental Social Psychology

The Society for Experimental Social Psychology has recognized Elizabeth Page-Gould with a Career Trajectory Award in recognition of uniquely creative and influential scholarly productivity.

www.psych.utoronto.ca

Reposted by David Amodio

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · Jun 27

“If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” needs to be added to high school civics curriculums.

University of Virginia
President Resigns
Under Pressure From Trump Administration

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · Jun 27

... www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

www.nytimes.com

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Ali Cohen @aliocohen.bsky.social · Jun 25

Seeking WV scientists! My dad (a non-scientist who works with scientists) is leading a FABBS delegation to discuss NIH funding with Senator Capito in August and needs to build the delegation. Please reach out and I’ll put you in touch with him! CC @standupforscience.bsky.social

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 25

Science story about termination of terminations...

www.science.org/content/arti...

Following court order, NIH ceases new terminations of politically sensitive grants

After a judge told agency to restore hundreds of killed grants, NIH backs off plans to cancel more existing projects

www.science.org

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · Jun 25

NIH BREAKING NEWS NIH BREAKING NEWS

Hearing from multiple sources that an email went out late yesterday afternoon

Effective immediately: Please do not terminate any additional grant projects. Please pull back all grant projects that are in the cue to be terminated.

two men in suits and ties are waving their hands in a room

ALT: two men in suits and ties are waving their hands in a room

media.tenor.com

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jun 22

Quite a distinguished list!

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Niv Reggev ניב רגב نيڤ ريچيڤ @nivreggev.bsky.social · Jun 20

🎉 New face database just dropped!
The Israeli Face Database (IFD) is a massive, diverse, and richly annotated set of facial images — now published in Behavior Research Methods.
Thread 🧵👇

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Stephan Lewandowsky @lewan.bsky.social · Jun 19

I am privileged to announce the publication of the Anti-Autocracy Handbook: sks.to/autocracy 1/12

The Anti-Autocracy Handbook: A Scholars' Guide to Navigating Democratic Backsliding

The Anti-Autocracy Handbook is a call to action, resilience, and collective defence of democracy, truth, and academic freedom in the face of mounting authoritarianism. It tries to provide guidance to ...

sks.to

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Sylvia Perry @sylviapperry.bsky.social · Jun 18

I'm an Associate Editor at Current Directions in Psychological Science and I have a new Special Issue call on Intergroup Allyship. Proposal submissions are due by July 18. Please share widely!
www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...

Call for Manuscript Proposals: Special Issue on Intergroup Allyship

Current Directions in Psychological ScienceEditor: Dr. Sylvia PerryIntergroup allyship–referring to actions taken to support, advocate for, or stand in solidarity with members of marginalized groups b...

www.psychologicalscience.org

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David Amodio @davidamodio.bsky.social · Jun 18

Americans in Amsterdam protesting in front of the US consulate on Museumplein!