**This site was relevant to the 2013 preconference. Please see the 2014 preconference site for registration for this year's preconference.**

Preconference Theme

The aim of this pre-conference is to examine the reciprocal relationship between health and psychology at a number of different levels of analysis. Our speakers will present research that covers the diverse ways in which social and personality factors influence health, and health influences social and personality factors.

We are fortunate to have Sheldon Cohen, Annette Stanton, Howard Leventhal, Vicki Helgeson, Traci Mann, and Naomi Eisenberger who will all present cutting-edge research at the intersection of social, personality and health psychology.

This year's pre-conference will also feature a Social Status and Disparity Round Table moderated by William Klein. Leading researchers Belinda Campos, Sheldon Cohen, Brenda Major, John Pachankis, and Michelle Stock will discuss the importance of considering SES, status, and disparity in health research. There will also be a discussion of different approaches to assessing status (from differing perspectives) and the strengths and implications of each.

And back by popular demand: the Data Blitz. Graduate students will have two minutes and two slides to present one of their research findings. For the first time, we are also offering $500 travel awards to two graduate students for outstanding data blitz submissions.

Finally, this year we will have two excellent lunch time events: First, a mentoring session for trainees who will have the opportunity to get advice from experts in the health psychology field. Next, we will have a talk and demonstration by Louise Hawkley who will show us examples of psychophysiology research methodologies in health psychology using Mindware.

This is the third Social, Personality and Health pre-conference organized by the Social Personality and Health Network. See the 2011 schedule and event photos and the 2012 schedule.

We have also put together a list of health-related posters and symposia that would be great to check out at the rest of SPSP.

The cost of the preconference will be $70 for graduate students and $100 for post-docs/faculty. This includes a continental breakfast and a buffet lunch.

The NCI-sponsored keynote speaker will be Dr. Sheldon Cohen, presenting “Social Relationships & Health: What we know and what we wish we knew.” Sheldon Cohen is the Robert E. Doherty Professor of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Cohen's work focuses on the roles of stress and social support systems in health and well-being. During the last 25 years, he has been studying the effects of stress, affect, and social support on immunity and susceptibility to infectious disease. His experimental laboratory work focuses on establishing the hormonal pathways that may link psychological states to alterations in the immune system, while his correlational work focuses on identifying neuroendocrine, immune, and behavioral pathways that link stress, personality, and social networks to disease susceptibility. His classic work has been published in top scientific journals (e.g., JAMA, NEJM), and he has received numerous honors ranging from the APA‘s Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology (2004), the APS James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Research, the APA Division 38 Award for Outstanding contribution to Health Psychology, and numerous other honors.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013
7:00-10:00pm	SPHN Get-Together		Get a drink and meet a new colleague!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Time	Speaker		Topic
7:30-8:15am			Registration and Continental Breakfast Begins
8:15-8:30am	Alex Rothman, Sally Dickerson, Sarah Pressman		Opening Remarks, SPHN Update and News
8:30-9:00am	Vicki Helgeson		Communal Coping and Adjustment to Chronic Disease
9:00-9:30am	Naomi Eisenberger		Health neuroscience: Using the brain to understand the links between social ties and health
9:30-9:50am	Data Blitz I and Award Presentation
9:50-10:05am	Break
10:05-10:35am	Traci Mann		Using nudges and subtle health messages to promote vegetable eating
10:35-11:05am	Annette Stanton		I second that emotion: The place of emotional expression in coping with chronic disease
11:05-11:35am	Howard Leventhal		Cognitive-Behavioral Mechanisms Underlying the Common Sense of Health Behaviors: The Common-Sense Model (CSM)
11:35-11:45am	Morning Question Time		Opportunity to ask questions to any of the morning speakers and have a discussion.
11:45am-1:20pm	Lunch and Lunchtime Activities		11:45am-12:45pm Lunch and Grad Student Mentoring Tables 12:45-1:20pm Psychophysiology Demonstration with Louise Hawkley using Mindware
1:25-1:30pm	John Updegraff		SPHN Anthem
1:30-2:40pm	Round Table Moderated by Bill Klein	Belinda Campos Sheldon Cohen Brenda Major John Pachankis Michelle Stock	Different Psychological Approaches to Status Related Health Disparities
2:40-3:10pm	Data Blitz II
3:10-3:20pm	Break
3:20-4:20pm	KEYNOTE SPEAKER Sheldon Cohen		NCI-Sponsored Keynote Address Social Relationships & Health... What we know and what we WISH we knew
4:20-4:30pm	Sally Dickerson & Sarah Pressman		Closing Remarks

Data Blitz

The data blitz provides an opportunity for graduate students to share findings with an audience of interested researchers. Each presentation lasts only 2 minutes, and is a great way for students to alert colleagues to their ideas and work. If you are interested in participating in the data blitz, please send a title and brief abstract (200 words or less) to Sally Dickerson (sdickers@uci.edu) by 11/28/2012. You must be registered for the pre-conference to participate in the data blitz.

Travel Awards

We are excited to offer $500 travel awards to 2 graduate students on the basis of outstanding data blitz abstracts. To be considered for a travel award, please email a CV along with your data blitz submission by 11/28/2012 and indicate your interest in the travel award in your email.

1st Annual SPH Pre-Pre-Conference Mixer!

You asked for it, so we provided it! Among the rave reviews of last year's pre-conference was an outcry for more time to socialize with each other. So join us this year for the 1st Annual SPH Pre-Pre-Conference Mixer! It will be held the night before the pre-conference at The District, a casual neighborhood bar just blocks from the convention center. If you're new to the SPH pre-conference, we would be delighted to get to know you, and if you're an old-timer, there's a lot of catching up to do.

So come join your fellow SPH graduate students and faculty as we enjoy free appetizers and yummy drinks. Just because we'll be talking about health on Thursday doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little unhealthy behavior on Wednesday. In fact, we think it justifies it.

See you there!

Your hosts: Janet Tomiyama, Jeff Hunger, and Traci Mann

Wednesday, January 16th, 7-10 pm
The District (www.districtnola.com)
711 Tchoupitoulas Street
Google walking directions from convention center here.

The Social Personality and Health Network will be sponsoring a 5K walk/run on Friday, January 18th at 6:30 AM. Click here for an entry form.