News
Transition Year students tackle real-world issues at PsychSlam
- 70 transition year students competed in psychology competition at UCC.
- TY students investigated challenges using evidence-based psychology practice.
More than 70 Transition Year students from across Munster took part in PsychSlam 2025, an annual psychology and science communication competition hosted by UCC School of Applied Psychology, with the final taking place on Friday, 16 May.
Now in its tenth year, PsychSlam gives students the opportunity to explore psychology not just as an academic subject, but as a powerful tool for understanding and addressing everyday challenges. This year’s event focused on how psychology can help counter misinformation - especially around mental health - in the age of TikTok, Snapchat, and other fast-moving social platforms.
“Today’s competition is the result of weeks of hard work, curiosity, and collaboration. Our Transition Year students have gone beyond simply learning about psychology, they’ve found ways to explain it, question it, and connect it to real-world issues that matter to them. PsychSlam isn’t just an event; it’s a platform for sparking a lasting interest in psychology and showing young people the power of evidence-based thinking,” Dr Marica Cassarino, UCC School of Applied Psychology, said.
Over the course of the day, student teams presented their research on stage, tackling topics ranging from the psychology of altruism to the reasons why people enjoy horror films, nature immersion to the psychology of praise. Across their presentations, they made complex psychological research accessible, engaging, and relevant to a general audience.
Winners and highlights
Kinsale Community School took home the top prize with their project examining whether parents should praise their children. The judges commended the group for “an excellent display of content, clarity and charisma through a winning performance that made a complex scientific topic accessible and fun - a fantastic combination of psychology and science communication.”
Second place went to Ballincollig Community School for their project on the psychological effects of nature immersion and the power of forest bathing. Third place was awarded to Christ King Girls Secondary School, who investigated how to fight misinformation in the digital age.
The Audience Choice Award went to Cork Life Centre for their presentation exploring how Snapchat affects young people, highlighting both the benefits and downsides of social media use.
Finalists included Bishopstown Community School, Presentation Secondary School Mitchelstown, St Aloysius' College Carrigtwohill, and St Brigid's Secondary School Killarney.
Learning through collaboration
Since its launch in 2015, PsychSlam has involved more than 1,200 Transition Year students, giving them a chance to develop skills in teamwork, research, and science communication. It also offers a unique opportunity to work alongside UCC psychologists, researchers, and undergraduate mentors from the BA in Applied Psychology.
UCC students play a key role in supporting the TY teams, guiding them through the research process and helping bring their ideas to life. It’s a collaborative experience that benefits both groups—giving younger students early exposure to university-level thinking, while helping undergraduates build mentoring and communication skills.
This year’s PsychSlam team included Prof. Samantha Dockray, Dr Gillian Murphy, Ms Catherine O'Sullivan, Dr Clodagh Butler, and Dr Marica Cassarino from UCC School of Applied Psychology.
For more information visit the about PsychSlam page.