Don’t forget! WSC 2026 (Oslo, Norway and online) abstract submission deadline for oral presentations (10 mins) and conference sessions (1 hour) is 31st January.

Poster abstracts will be accepted until 31st May.

More information: https://weightstigmaconference.com/2025/12/23/wsc-2026-oslo-norway-and-online-abstract-submissions-open/

Submit your abstract: https://weightstigmaconference.com/abstract-submission/

FYI.

Proposal deadline: 12 Jan 2026

Manuscript submission deadline: 13 Jul 2026

More information: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/73298/the-11th-annual-weight-stigma-conference-from-weight-stigma-to-size-and-weight-inclusiveness-and-liberation

Special issue editors: Lily O’Hara, Trish Cain, Jessica Lee, Fiona Willer

Background

FYI.

In an era saturated with media content, this special issue will curate a diverse range of papers that investigate the social psychological processes underlying both beneficial and harmful effects of entertainment narratives.

Guest editors:

Asst. Prof. Kristi Costabile – Iowa State University, USA

Prof. Melanie Green – SUNY, Buffalo, USA

Special issue information:

Deadline for manuscript submission: 15 June, 2026.

Entertainment narratives (i.e., stories found in entertainment media) are pervasive and consumed across an expanding variety of narrative modes such as podcasts, role-play games, and social media. Recent reports indicate that U.S. adults spend more than 12 hours a day consuming entertainment media (Nielsen, 2020). As media consumption has skyrocketed, interpersonal interaction has plummeted (Sigman, 2009), making the study of entertainment narratives particularly timely to developing a full understanding of how social influences affect our emotions, cognition, and behavior.

Research indicates that entertainment narratives are not merely shallow hedonic experiences; rather, entertainment narratives can have meaningful effects on their audiences (e.g., Costabile, Shedlosky-Shoemaker, & Austin, 2020; Oliver & Raney, 2011). For example, narrative exposure has been shown to increase empathy for outgroup members (Igartua & Cachon-Ramon), provide knowledge about situations of which audiences have little experience (Gasser, Dammert, & Murphy, 2022), and shift audience perspectives on social issues (Green & Brock, 2000). Additionally, narratives can meet belongingness needs (Gabriel & Schneider, 2024) and sustained fiction reading can improve social cognition skills (Mar, 2018). Research on entertainment narratives examines both content and processes central to social psychology such as empathy, attitudes, misinformation, memory, emotion regulation, and intergroup behavior (Green & Gabriel, 2025). Given the current unprecedentedly easy access to narrative entertainment media and its expanding modes of consumption (e.g., in transit; during class, at restaurants) and modes of narrative (e.g., social media shorts, actual-play role playing games), this special issue examines emerging perspectives on the role of entertainment media in the social world.

In an era saturated with media content, this special issue will curate a diverse range of papers that investigate the social psychological processes underlying both beneficial and harmful effects of entertainment narratives. We welcome experimental research as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses that advance our understanding of how entertainment media shape individuals and communities. Submissions might address factors such as media content, accuracy, trustworthiness, context, and delivery mode; they could explore traditional formats (e.g., novels, films), emerging platforms (e.g., social media stories, role-playing games), or narrative excerpts; they might examine outcomes related to affect, cognition, or behavior; and they might examine the roles of culture or individual differences, and the broader social or community-level impacts of narrative media.

We encourage researchers who are interested in submitting to the special issue to carefully review the JESP aims and submission requirements, see journal’s author guidelines. In particular, JESP papers typically include more than one study and focus on experimental work. Submissions are expected to make contributions to the field of social psychology, and open science practices (e.g., preregistration) are highly recommended. We will review manuscripts as they are received, with a closing date of the call for manuscripts on June 15, 2026.

Manuscript submission information:

Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://www.editorialmanager.com/jesp/Default.aspx

Please select “VSI: Social Psychological Perspectives” when submitting your manuscript to this special issue and indicate the actual article type in the cover letter.

FYI. Reposting from Facebook Fat Studies group, posted by Gemma Gibson:

FYI.

Social Cognition. Call for Papers: Special Collection

Indomitable Science: Social Cognition Scholarship amid Disruption

Deadline for Letters of Intent: October 15, 2025

(https://bit.ly/4mlowtf)  

Guest Editors:

Galen Bodenhausen, PhD (galen@northwestern.edu)
Jacqueline Chen, PhD (jacqueline.chen@psych.utah.edu)
Franki Kung, PhD (fkung@purdue.edu)

Social cognition examines the mental processes involved in perceiving, interpreting, and responding to the social world. Social cognition approaches have been applied to many issues of societal importance, such as stereotyping and prejudice, misinformation, sexuality, inequality, environmental conservation, broadening participation and fostering belonging in schools and organizations, and promoting minority and global health and well-being, among others. Despite recent political interference and de-prioritization of these topics by some funding agencies and national governments, advancing scientific understanding of the mental processes underlying these issues–and their potential solutions–remains an indispensable and impactful scientific pursuit for the betterment of society. 

To support the ongoing scientific efforts, we invite submissions on research areas recently de-prioritized and/or de-funded that address or discuss how social cognition approaches can aid in the understanding of these critical societal issues. We recognize that recent changes in funding priorities have caused substantial disruption to many research programs. In response, we welcome a broad range of contributions, such as: 

• Theoretical or conceptual papers that generate social cognitive predictions, frameworks, and models;
• Opinion or perspective pieces that critically examine the implications of funding changes and/or propose new directions, practices, and recommendations for the fields; 
• Empirical studies with preliminary data, especially where data collection has been interrupted or continued data collection is currently infeasible due to resource, technical, or timing constraints;
• Standard multi-study manuscripts with empirically derived conclusions.

We invite submissions from all over the world from individuals and teams who have been impacted directly or indirectly by these disruptions. 

Considering the aim of this collection, submissions are asked to address the following within the body of their manuscript: (1) the societal importance of the research topic, (2) the documented or theorized role of social cognitive processes in the phenomena of focus, (3) any disruptions to the research program due to external factors (e.g., funding cuts or policy shifts), and (4) priorities for future research in light of these challenges. The intended audience is researchers of all career stages who study these topics who can learn from these ideas, results, and conclusions despite the recent disruptions. In keeping with the journal’s focus on broadening inclusion and participation in social cognition research, submissions should also consider efforts to address these challenges through composition of the authorship team, consideration of the audience, topics for application, and/or accessibility of resources (see editorial here).

To align editorial and author visions, we will employ a two-tier review process. Namely, we first invite Letters of Intent (maximum 500 words) summarizing the planned contribution and how it will address the criteria described above. We welcome authors to contact us (see email above) regarding the potential suitability of a manuscript before submitting a Letter of Intent. The guest editors of the collection will then invite full submissions based on their review of the Letters of Intent. Authors invited to submit will also be asked to serve as peer reviewers alongside those selected through traditional methods. 

The expected timeline of the collection is as follows:
 October 15, 2025 – Letters of Intent due; submit via https://bit.ly/4mlowtf.
  November 15, 2025 – Authors contacted for invited full submissions
  May 1, 2026 – Full submissions due (can be submitted earlier)
  June 15, 2026 – Reviews due
  July 15, 2026 – Review decisions sent to authors
  September 15, 2026 – Revised manuscripts due
  October 15, 2026 – Final manuscripts due to journal
  Calendar Year 2027 – Collection published

Only five days until the 11th Annual International Weight Stigma Conference begins. It’s getting so exciting.

Over 200 online and in person delegates will experience a bumper program that features four stimulating keynote presentations, 28 cutting edge oral presentations, nine engaging workshops and seminars, one scintillating panel discussion, and 30 spectacular posters.

If you’ve already registered, we look forward to welcoming you.

If you haven’t, there’s still time to join what promises to be a fabulous event. Bursaries are available to cover the registration fee for people with financial needs.

All sessions are available online and in person, and will be recorded for all delegates to access after the conference.

Are you following the conference on Instagram? We have some fantastic posts on weight stigma that you can like and share.

If you’re coming to the conference in person, come a day early and enjoy the free activities at the Fat Joy Festival, also being held at Griffith University Gold Coast. Find the Fat Joy Festival on Instagram, Facebook, and Eventbrite.

See you soon

Lily

2025 Conference Chair

There are less than four weeks to go until the long weekend of fat liberation, weight and size inclusiveness, and bringing down weight stigma. You may know about the International Weight Stigma Conference, you may even be presenting or already registered, but if you’ll be on the Gold Coast, Australia in early July, you need to know about both events.

On Saturday 5 July, the Public Health group at Griffith University is hosting the inaugural Fat Joy Festival, which will provide opportunities for joy, connection, and being in community for people with larger bodies. This community festival will include sessions on fat joy on the screen and in poetry, crafting workshop, dance class, friendship making, panel discussion, and a flea market featuring clothing, accessories, arts and crafts for people with larger bodies. ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program will record the panel discussion on the radical practice of fat joy for broadcast on radio and online.

Although it may sound confronting, the term “fat” has been reclaimed by the size and weight inclusive and fat liberation movements as a neutral descriptor rather than a pejorative term. We recognize that not everyone is comfortable with using the term fat to describe themselves or others, but we have chosen to use in the festival it as part of broader efforts to challenge weight stigma and enhance inclusivity and liberation, in a similar way to other communities who have chosen to reclaim descriptors used to try and hurt them.

Why a fat joy festival? Evidence shows that fat people face widespread exclusion from joyful opportunities due to societal stigma, systemic bias, and structural barriers. The Fat Joy Festival will actively counter these barriers by fostering a sense of community, representation, and belonging for fat people. This community-based health promotion event aims to enhance health and wellbeing by addressing some of the social determinants of health inequity for people with larger bodies.

The Fat Joy Festival is free to attend thanks to the support of sponsors, and fat allies are welcome. Register your attendance here. Find the Fat Joy Festival  on Facebook and Instagram.

From the community health promotion event on Saturday, we transition to a professional development event on Sunday 6 July and Monday 7 July, when the Public Health group hosts the 11th Annual International Weight Stigma Conference. Weight stigma is present in almost every aspect of society and negatively impacts health, wellbeing, social, and economic outcomes. Only by addressing weight stigma can we hope to reduce the significant inequities that people with larger bodies face and create more weight and size inclusive health systems and society.

This year’s conference presents the largest program ever, and promises to be an inspiring and transformative event, bringing together national and international keynote speakers and experts, advocates, and professionals to discuss groundbreaking research, strategies, and solutions for addressing weight stigma and enhancing weight and size inclusiveness. ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program will also record the panel discussion on reimagining weight and size inclusive health services and public health for broadcast on radio and online.

Go to conference site to register. The conference is a not for profit event and provides a limited number of bursaries that cover the registration fee are available for those with financial need. Find the Weight Stigma Conference on Instagram.

Finally, I would also like to request your assistance in helping others learn about these events by forwarding this post to your colleagues, networks, friends, and family.

I hope to see you at one or both events.

Lily O’Hara

Chair of the Fat Joy Festival and Weight Stigma Conference

The 11th Annual International Weight Stigma Conference is now on Instagram. Follow us for more information and repost to spread the word.

The Info for Delegates page has been updated to include information on travel and accommodation. Delegates can access a 12% discount on accommodation at Ruby Gold Coast Apartments by CLLIX at Surfers Paradise or Marine Quarter Apartments by CLLIX at Southport. The rate can be accessed from 3 – 10 July.

If you are attending the conference in person, the Info for Delegates page now includes details about the closest airports and transport to the conference venue and accommodation on the Gold Coast. Note that the venue is the Gold Coast, which is south of Brisbane. It is NOT in Brisbane.

The conference program is very close to being finalized, and will include 28 oral presentations across 7 sessions, 8 workshop or symposium sessions, 1 panel discussion, 1 book launch, at least 25 poster presentations, and many fabulous conversations. Submissions for poster presentations are open until 20 June so there’s still time to submit your abstract. Be sure to read the abstract submission guidelines before you submit.

If you have not yet registered and are a member of any of the following organizations, you can access a $50 discount on the standard registration fee: Association for Weight and Size Inclusive Medicine (ASWIM), NAAFA (POD members), Weight Inclusive Research and Education (WIRED), Size Inclusive Health Australia (SIHA), Dietitians Australia or a staff or student at Griffith University. Contact your organization for the discount code to use when registering. For Griffith University staff and students, contact me for the code.

The day before the Weight Stigma Conference will be the inaugural Fat Joy Festival. This event will offer joyful activities including a dance class, craft workshop, speed socializing, Yay Scales, fat joy on film, and a panel discussion on the radical practice of fat joy. The festival will also be held at Griffith University Gold Coast, so come a day early and participate in a day of fat joy. Follow Fat Joy Festival on Instagram and Facebook for more details.

Warm regards

Lily

Chair of the Weight Stigma Conference