The Social Thinker

How we think about ourselves and others

Melissa Burkley, Ph.D. is a professor of social psychology at Oklahoma State University. See full bio

November 4, 2009

Why Don’t We Help? Less Is More, at Least When It Comes to Bystanders

On October 24th, 2009, as many as 20 witnesses watched as a 15 year old girl was brutally assaulted and raped outside a homecoming dance in Richmond, CA. Read More

September 25, 2009

Pop and Prejudice: How Modern Prejudice is Depicted in our Pop Culture

Humans are fascinated by prejudice, and our interest in this topic can easily be seen in our films, television shows, books and plays. Some movies and TV shows attempt to address the issue of prejudice head-on (e.g., Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, American History X). Read More

August 26, 2009

Jon & Kate Plus Kate: Do Women Prefer Already Attached Men?

Unless you've done your very best to shield yourself from all forms of media for the last few months, you have likely heard about the dissolving marriage between Jon & Kate Plus Eight stars Jon and Kate Gosselin. And you likely know that a contributing factor to their divorce was Jon's alleged affairs with several women, including another Kate (Kate Major). Read More

July 21, 2009