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UrduExplaining the meaning of “scientific consensus” may counter false beliefs about the safety of genetically modified foods. This same approach, however, is less effective in convincing skeptics that climate change is real and caused by humans
Tag: Psychological Science
Predicting a riot: Social inequality leads to vandalism in experiments
Social inequality can incite collective violence in an experimental setting, finds a new study by UCL researchers.
Rates of infectious disease linked to authoritarian attitudes and governance – study
According to psychologists, in addition to our physiological immune system we also have a behavioural one: an unconscious code of conduct that helps us stay disease-free, including a fear and avoidance of unfamiliar – and so possibly infected – people.
The Littlest Linguists: New Research on Language Development
How do children learn language, and how is language related to other cognitive and social skills? Psychological scientists have researched these questions for many decades. Here’s a look at some recent research (2020–2021) on language development published in the journal Psychological Science.
National Institute of Justice funds UCI evaluation of new Orange County Jail program
Irvine, Calif., Aug. 24, 2021 – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the University of California, Irvine are partnering to determine whether changing the jail experience can improve outcomes for young men upon their release.
Stressed Teens Benefit from Coping Online, but a Little Goes a Long Way
An adolescent’s day can be filled with a dizzying array of digital technologies. For many teenagers, being online is a way to pass the time and communicate with friends. Cell phones and social media can also help teens cope with stressful events—as long as they strike the right balance between spending time online and pursuing other coping activities.
APS Podcast: Can Coping With COVID Make Things Worse?
How people respond to health threats can influence their own health and, when people are facing communal risks, even their community’s health. This interview explores how reducing fear may jeopardize health behaviors.
The Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic May Contribute to Outbreaks of Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment
The sometimes-violent antigovernment demonstrations that erupted during 2020 and 2021 were fueled in part by the spread of extremist ideologies, conspiratorial thinking, and a criminal-justice system that disproportionately targets racial minorities. New research published in the journal Psychological Science also puts some of the blame for civil unrest and political violence on the psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leader Effectiveness May Depend on Emotional Expression
Women leaders must often battle sexist stereotypes that label them “too emotional” for effective leadership.
UCI-led meta-analysis identifies hypertension medications that help ward off memory loss
Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2021 — A large-scale meta-analysis led by University of California, Irvine researchers provides the strongest evidence yet of which blood pressure medications help slow memory loss in older adults: those that can travel out of blood vessels and directly into the brain. The findings, published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, will be of interest to the 91 million Americans whose blood pressure is high enough to warrant medication, as well as the doctors who treat them.
A ‘Nudge’ May Not Be Enough to Counter Fake News Online
Can people learn to better identify fake news about COVID-19—and if so, would they be less likely to share that fake story with others? Perhaps, but it may take more than simply priming them to think more critically beforehand.
FRIDAY, MAY 21: Expert Panel on Policing and Racism, Insights from Psychological Science
A panel of experts in psychological science will present the latest research on racial bias and police encounters. Journalists are invited to attend this one-hour panel presented by the Association for Psychological Science. WHEN: Friday, May 21, 2021; 2:30 p.m. EDT WHERE: Via Zoom (link will be provided to registered journalists); register at [email protected] TOPICS WILL INCLUDE: …
Policing and Racism, Insights from Psychological Science: Expert Panel
On May 21, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) will convene a panel of experts on policing and racism to discuss the latest scientific data and share insights into the factors behind racial bias during police encounters. Journalists are invited…
Little to No Increase in Association Between Adolescents’ Mental Health Problems and Digital Technology Engagement
A new study suggests that over the past 30 years, there has been little to no increase in the association between adolescents’ technology engagement and mental health problems. The study also urges more transparent collaborations between academia and industry.
Toddler TV Time Not to Blame for Attention Problems
It’s a common belief that exposure to television in toddlerhood causes attention-deficit problems in school-age children—a claim that was born from the results of a 2004 study that seemed to show a link between the two. However, a further look at the evidence suggests this is not true.
The Psychological Science of Racism: Expert Panel for Journalists: March 31; 2 p.m. EDT
The Association for Psychological Science will present an expert panel on the psychological science of racism on Wednesday, March 31, at 2 p.m. EDT. This live virtual event is open to journalists and editors from the international news media. Panelists…
Opinions and Attitudes Can Last When They Are Based on Emotion
Researchers have found that emotionality—the degree to which an attitude is based on feelings and emotions—can create enduring opinions, shedding new light on the factors that make attitudes last.
Why an Early Start Is Key to Developing Musical Skill Later in Life
Is there, as some have suggested, a developmental period early in life when the brain is especially receptive to musical training? The answer, according to new research published in the journal Psychological Science, is probably not.
Smiling sincerely or grimacing can significantly reduce the pain of needle injection
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 1, 2020 — The coming of winter means cooler temperatures, shorter days and flu shots. While no one looks forward to a vaccination, a study led by the University of California, Irvine, has found that either a sincere smile or a grimace can reduce the pain of a needle injection by as much as 40 percent. A genuine, or Duchenne, smile – one that elevates the corners of the mouth and creates crow’s feet around the eyes – can also significantly blunt the stressful, needle-related physiological response by lowering the heart rate.
Memories of Past Events Retain Remarkable Fidelity Even as We Age
Even though people tend to remember fewer details about past events as time goes by, the details they do remember are retained with remarkable fidelity, according to a new study. This finding holds true regardless of the age of the person or the amount of time that elapsed since the event took place.
The Psychological Science of Voting: Backgrounder Information
APS Research Topic on Voting: Researchers unravel the mystery of voting behavior, including why people vote in seemingly unpredictable or illogical ways.
Study links rising stress, depression in U.S. to pandemic-related losses, media consumption
Irvine, Calif., Sept. 18, 2020 – Experiencing multiple stressors triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic – such as unemployment – and COVID-19-related media consumption are directly linked to rising acute stress and depressive symptoms across the U.S., according to a groundbreaking University of California, Irvine study. The report appears in Science Advances, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
APS Media Tip Sheet: September 2020
Topics in this issue: People with blindness have a refined sense of hearing; First-ever review of gender parity within psychological science; Friendly and open societies supercharged the early spread of COVID-19
Your In-laws’ History of Drinking Problems Could Lead to Alcohol Issues of Your Own
A study of more than 300,000 couples in Sweden finds marriage to a spouse who grew up exposed to parental alcohol misuse increases a person’s likelihood of developing a drinking problem.
Health and Happiness Depend on Each Other, Psychological Science Says
New research adds to the growing body of evidence that happiness not only feels good, it is good for your physical health, too.
Stemming the Spread of Misinformation on Social Media
New research reported in the journal Psychological Science finds that priming people to think about accuracy could make them more discerning in what they subsequently share on social media.
Racism: Further Considerations from Psychological Science
Commentary by Ludmila Nunes, PhD, of the Association for Psychological Science on existing body of knowledge on racism from the perspective of psychological science.
Psychological Science and COVID-19: Conspiracy Theories
Expert commentary from Karen Douglas, professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, UK, whose research focuses on beliefs in conspiracy theories. Why are conspiracy theories so popular? Who believes them? Why do people believe them? What are some of…
National institute awards $20 million in renewed funding to forensic science center
Irvine, Calif., May 18, 2020 – The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded $20 million in renewed funding to the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence, an interdisciplinary group of more than 60 participants at the University of California, Irvine and five other U.S. institutions of higher education.
From Voldemort to Vader, Fictional Villains May Draw Us to Darker Versions of Ourselves
New research published in the journal Psychological Science shows people may find fictional villains surprisingly likeable when they share similarities with the viewer or reader.
APS Backgrounder Series: Psychology and COVID-19
Through an ongoing series of backgrounders, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) is exploring many of the psychological factors that can help the public understand and collectively combat the spread of COVID-19. Each backgrounder features the assessments, research, and recommendations of a renowned subject expert in the field of psychological science.
Repeated novel coronavirus media exposure may be linked to psychological distress
Irvine, Calif., March 23, 2020 – While government officials and news organizations work to communicate critical risk assessments and recommendations to the public during a health crisis such as the new coronavirus pandemic, a related threat may be emerging, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine: psychological distress resulting from repeated media exposure to the crisis.
APS Journal Research Related to Epidemics: Publicly Available Online
The Association for Psychological Science has made previously published journal research pertaining to epidemics and related health issues publicly available.
Media Invited to APS 2020 in Chicago, the ‘World Summit’ of Psychological Science
Thousands of scientists, educators, and students will gather in Chicago, May 21-24, to share the latest discoveries in the science of psychology during the Association for Psychological Science (APS) 2020 Convention.