Gender Bias in Special Issues: Evidence from a Bibliometric Analysis

Even though the majority of psychologists are women, they are outnumbered by men in senior academic ranks. One reason for this representation bias in academia is that men favor other men in decision-making, especially when the stakes are high. We tested the possibility of such bias in a bibliometric analysis, in which we coded editors' and authors' gender in regular and special issues, the latter considered of higher scientific prominence. We examined all special issues from five prominent scientific outlets in the fields of personality and social psychology published in the 21st century. Altogether, we analyzed 1,912 articles nested in 93 sets comprising a special issue and a neighboring regular issue treated as a control condition. For articles published in special (but not regular) issues, when there were more men editors, more men first-authored and co-authored the work. This pattern suggests how gender bias can be perpetuated within academia and calls for revising the editorial policies of leading psychology journals

Keep Nice and Carry On: Effect of Niceness on Well-Being

Practicing acts of kindness is beneficial to one's well-being, but is simply being nice to others also beneficial? In a correlational Study 1 (N = 497), self-reported behavioral niceness was positively correlated with happiness, self-satisfaction, relationships satisfaction, life meaning, and negatively correlated with depression. In two experimental studies, a one-day online intervention involving acting nicely (Study 2; N = 482) and recollecting one’s nice behavior (Study 3; N = 317) resulted in higher mood, self-satisfaction, relationships satisfaction, and life meaning. The present findings suggest that acting in a nice manner, that is, in a warm and friendly way, toward others in everyday situations can promote one’s well-being. Practicing niceness also promoted subsequent voluntary nice behavior