Volume 56, Number 19    January 12, 2009         

Facial formations
A Jan. 5 article in the Sydney Morning Herald featured research by Professor of Psychology David Matsumoto that found facial expressions may be innate, not learned. By examining facial features of sighted and blind athletes, Matsumoto found that sighted and blind athletes used the same muscles to create a "social smile," on the silver medal podium. "Losers pushed their lower lip up as if to control the emotion on their face and many produced social smiles," Professor Matsumoto said. "It's possible that in response to negative emotions, humans have developed a system that closes the mouth so that they are prevented from yelling, biting or throwing insults."

Recalling history
In a Jan. 4 Daytona News Journal article, Professor of Political Science Robert Smith commented on the life of Mary McLeod Bethune, who was part of the Black Cabinet during Franklin Delano Roosevelt's terms as presidency. "The Black Cabinet in Roosevelt's administration had hardly any collective influence on the president," Smith said. "They were able, through Mrs. Bethune, to have some influence on Mrs. Roosevelt and have her say some things to the president."

Acceptance research
Research by Caitlin Ryan of the Cesar Chavez Institute's Family Acceptance Project was featured in a Dec. 29 Washington Post article. Ryan and other researchers at the Family Acceptance Project found that parents who reject their LGB child may increase the odds that their child will experience depression, engage in risky sexual practices or attempt suicide. Ryan said many parents are confused about the right steps to take when faced with a  LGB child. "They have this adolescent who is very sad, very depressed," she says, "and they remember that he once was a happy little boy."

For more media coverage of faculty, staff, students, alumni and programs, see SF State in the News.

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Last modified Jan. 12, 2009 by University Communications.