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UC Riverside psych professor Kate Sweeny ’02 to speak on campus February 19


Last updated February 10, 2015

By News administrator

Psychology professor Kate Sweeny ’02 of the University of California, Riverside, will present “The Waiting is the Hardest Part: Sweeny_APSUnpacking the Experience of Uncertain Waiting Periods” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 19, at Furman University’s Johns Hall 101.

Waiting for uncertain news, such as the outcome of a job interview or medical test, is a common and often stressful experience. Sweeny will describe findings from a program of research demonstrating the challenges and opportunities posed by this type of uncertainty. She will present evidence suggesting that waiting is more difficult in some ways than facing bad news; that waiting is bad for a person’s health; that waiting is a dynamic experience that changes over the course of a waiting period; and that not all waiting periods are created equal.

Her work also provides insight into strategies that reduce and sometimes exacerbate the distress associated with waiting, as well as strategies that can enhance the thrill of victory and ease the agony of defeat when the moment of truth finally arrives.

Sweeny is an associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Furman University and her master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

The event is part of a special colloquium series hosted by Furman University’s Psychology Department. For information, contact the Psychology Department at (864) 294-2205.

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