English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduRodolfo Cortes Barragan, research scientist the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), and Andrew Meltzoff, co-director of I-LABS and professor of psychology, recently co-authored a study in Nature Scientific Reports showing a link between the ability to see the stars unblocked by light pollution and an interest in astronomy.
Tag: Psychology
Feet First: AI Reveals How Infants Connect with Their World
Researchers explored how infants act purposefully by attaching a colorful mobile to their foot and tracking movements with a Vicon 3D motion capture system. The study tested AI’s ability to detect changes in infant movement patterns. Findings showed that AI techniques, especially the deep learning model 2D-CapsNet, effectively classified different stages of behavior. Notably, foot movements varied significantly. Looking at how AI classification accuracy changes for each baby gives researchers a new way to understand when and how they start to engage with the world.
New study reveals which men are most likely to commit sexual assault
Do you respect your date’s refusal? Research from the Psychology Department at Binghamton University, State University of New York sheds light on which men might choose to ignore a lack of consent and why.
People prefer working with higher-paid colleagues
When given the choice, people prefer to collaborate on work projects with higher-paid colleagues, but they want to hire subordinates with a lower pay history than theirs, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Play it Forward: Lasting Effects of Pretend Play in Early Childhood
As the school year revs up, a renowned child developmental psychologist highlights the robust benefits of pretend play on cognitive, social, and emotional development in children and cautions how “learning through play” has changed with the demands of contemporary society. Given natural selection’s shaping of childhood for the acquisition and refinement of species-adapted social-cognitive skills – much through pretend play – he says it’s unfortunate that modern culture is ignoring the evolved wisdom of how best to educate young children.
Hopelab Names Inaugural Cohort of Six HBCU Researchers to Drive Black Youth Wellness Initiatives
In the context of the increasing focus on mental health and equity in our society, Hopelab, a leader in advancing these outcomes for young people, is excited to announce the selection of six researchers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as recipients of its inaugural Translational Science Fellowship.
What will it take to make mental health coverage and care better?
New mental health parity rules from the federal government aim to address issues with access and insurance coverage, but multiple experts from the University of Michigan say more effort is needed.
Banning Friendships Can Backfire: Moms Who ‘Meddle’ Make Bad Behavior Worse
Bad behavior often occurs away from home, leading parents to blame and limit contact with peers. However, a new study shows that banning friendships can backfire, worsening behavior instead of improving it.
How Hope Beats Mindfulness When Times Are Tough
A recent study finds that hope appears to be more beneficial than mindfulness at helping people manage stress and stay professionally engaged during periods of prolonged stress at work. The study underscores the importance of looking ahead, rather than living “in the moment,” during hard times.
Physical health has its yardsticks. Mental health is still searching for the right ruler
A national initiative led by the National Institutes for Mental Health is now underway to find figurative “rulers” that can accurately measure and compare the quality of the various mental health treatments available.
Scientific consensus can strengthen pro-climate attitudes in society
Climate scientists have long agreed that humans are largely responsible for climate change. A new study, co-led by Bojana Većkalov from the University of Amsterdam and Sandra Geiger from the University of Vienna, finds that communicating the scientific consensus about climate change can clear up misperceptions and strengthen beliefs about the existence and the causes of climate change. The team surveyed over 10,000 people from 27 countries on 6 continents. The study has just been published in the renowned journal Nature Human Behaviour.
Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brain
We use the word ‘love’ in a bewildering range of contexts — from sexual adoration to parental love or the love of nature. Now, more comprehensive imaging of the brain may shed light on why we use the same word for such a diverse collection of human experiences.
MSU study finds placebos reduce stress, anxiety, depression — even when people know they are placebos
A study out of Michigan State University found that nondeceptive placebos, or placebos given with people fully knowing they are placebos, effectively manage stress — even when the placebos are administered remotely.
The Medical Minute: Leaving the nest for college ― transition for students, parents
Saying good-bye to a child headed out on their own for the first time can be loaded with tears. But you can make the transition less painful for everyone. A Penn State Health expert discusses how to make the college drop-off healthy and rewarding.
‘Baby Talk:’ Decoding How Children’s Vocal and Cognitive Cues Sway Adults
In infancy, caregivers rely on facial expressions and vocal cues to understand a baby’s needs and emotions, as babies do not use language. A new study shows that while facial expressions are important, they are less effective than vocal and cognitive signals. Adults are more focused on a child’s voice when assessing emotional states and helplessness, but use cognitive content, such as reasoning abilities, to gauge intelligence. When a child’s vocal immaturity conflicts with advanced cognitive abilities, caregivers prioritize vocal cues for emotional needs and cognitive cues for intelligence, highlighting how different cues influence judgments in early childhood.
Unlocking the mind: The fascinating psychology of Olympic athlete, fan rituals
Body paint, mismatched socks, hidden knick-knacks — what do they have in common when chasing glory on the biggest stage? In the competitive world of sports, where every move matters, athletes often turn to rituals and superstitions to find comfort and boost confidence. These unique habits can also extend to fans.
Sometimes it hurts to think
If somebody complains that it hurts to think, they may be onto something, as mental exertion appears to be associated with unpleasant feelings in many situations, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
The experts behind the athletes share the science of high performance
As the Olympics draw inspiration and wonder into how athletes manage to achieve such a high level of success and skill, a new podcast series is serving up useful insights into what it takes to optimise performance in sports.
Sipping Alcohol in Early Adolescence May Contribute to Personality Changes and Depression
Children who try alcohol may experience mental health and personality effects as they transition to early adolescence. An analysis of alcohol sampling behavior in children ages 9 to 14, published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that children who had poor response inhibition and increased alcohol sipping behaviors might be more likely to have accelerated changes in personality traits and depression scores over time. The study suggests that even minimal alcohol experimentation in early adolescence may influence later alcohol use as well as personality and mental health issues.
APA journal addresses racism in psychology
As a discipline, psychology prides itself on helping people improve their lives. However, the field of psychology has had a long history of committing harm against people of color, and psychologists must work to dismantle racism within the field, according to a special issue of the American Psychological Association’s journal American Psychologist.
Good Timing: UNLV Study Unravels How Our Brains Track Time
Ever hear the old adage that time flies when you’re having fun? A new study by a team of UNLV researchers suggests that there’s a lot of truth to the trope.
Narcissism decreases with age, study finds
People tend to become less narcissistic as they age from childhood through older adulthood, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. However, differences among individuals remain stable over time — people who are more narcissistic than their peers as children tend to remain that way as adults, the study found.
High ceilings linked to poorer exam results for university students
Ever wondered why you performed worse than expected in that final university exam that you sat in a cavernous gymnasium or massive hall, despite countless hours, days and weeks of study? Now you have a genuine reason – high ceilings.
Facial recognition linked to close social bonds, not social butterflies
Do you have trouble recognising faces, or do you never forget a face? The better you are at facial recognition, the more supportive relationships you are likely to have, regardless of your personality type.
AI Recognizes Athletes’ Emotions
Using computer-assisted neural networks, Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Duisburg-Essen have been able to accurately identify affective states from the body language of tennis players during games. For the first time, they trained a model based on artificial intelligence (AI) with data from actual games.
Families on the space–time continuum: Conceptualizing and measuring temporal and spatial dimensions
Abstract Objective In this article, I propose a new approach to study the opportunities and challenges for low-income families through a focus on two key dimensions of family life: time and space. I show how the interaction of these two…
Ketamine, anesthetics for depression let anesthesiologists and psychiatrists collaborate on new treatments
Ketamine is emerging as a powerful tool to treat depression, and other anesthetics such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas) are also showing promise. As the established experts in using these medications to sedate patients during surgery or other procedures, anesthesiologists…
Benefits of failure are overrated
The platitude that failure leads to success may be both inaccurate and damaging to society, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Q&A: Social Media and Youth Mental Health Expert Sarah Domoff
ALBANY, N.Y. (June 4, 2024) — New York State legislators are poised to pass new regulations designed to limit the ways social media companies use algorithms to target content shared with young users. The proposed legislation focuses on features of…
Food for thought: Study links key nutrients to slower brain aging
Scientists have long been studying the brain with a goal of aiding healthier aging. While much is known about risk factors for accelerated brain aging, less has been uncovered to identify ways to reduce cognitive decline.
Why do we overindulge?
If you tend to do other things or get distracted while eating dinner, you may be running the risk of over-consuming everyday pleasures later, possibly because the distraction caused you to enjoy yourself less, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Getting out of the political echo chamber
Civilized political debates may seem increasingly out of reach as democracies across the world face rising polarization, but people still want to discuss issues with people they disagree with – especially those who present themselves as balanced and willing to seek solutions that work for everyone or open to learning new information, according to two studies published by the American Psychological Association.
Join Us for a Research Sharing Session on Neurocognitive & Dyslexia
The Faculty of Psychology at Chulalongkorn University cordially invites everyone to join a Research Sharing Session on “Neural Sensitivity and Facilitation in Visual Word Processing of Typical and Dyslexic Readers” presented by Prof. Dr. Urs Maurer from the Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year according to the National Institute of Mental Health. During Mental Health Awareness Month in May, UC San Diego Health mental health experts are available to discuss a wide range of…
CSUF Grad from Zimbabwe Aims to Improve Access to Mental Health Services
Psychology grad Joshua Bhasera, an advocate for mental health, found his calling at Cal State Fullerton, diving into psychology while becoming a force for positive change.
Q&A: UW research shows neural connection between learning a second language and learning to code
New research from the University of Washington shows the brain’s response to viewing errors in both the syntax (form) and semantics (meaning) of code appeared identical to those that occur when fluent readers process sentences on a word-by-word basis, supporting a resemblance between how people learn computer and natural languages.
Fighting impostor syndrome: Binghamton University researcher aims to help students struggling with self-doubt
Psychology lecturer focused on countering negative mindset
People think ‘old age’ starts later than it used to, study finds
Middle-aged and older adults believe that old age begins later in life than their peers did decades ago, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Psychologist develops digital mental health program for children of divorce
A lecturer in psychology at Binghamton University, State University of New York has created a program named Children of Divorce – Coping with Divorce (CoD-CoD) to help youth develop better coping skills through their parents’ separation.
People who use willpower alone to achieve goals, resist temptation, deemed more trustworthy
People who use willpower to overcome temptations and achieve their goals are perceived as more trustworthy than those who use strategies that involve external incentives or deterrents – such as swear jars or internet-blocking apps – according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Americans are bad at recognizing conspiracy theories when they believe they’re true
New research shows this was true both for people who self-identified as liberal and conservative
Your unsupportive partner is physically stressing you out, new research reveals
Couples feel more understood and cared for when their partners show positive support skills – and it’s evidenced by levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body – according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
UWF team wins first place at 2024 Southeastern Psychological Association quiz bowl
Congratulations to the UWF undergraduate student team who won the first quiz bowl challenge at the 2024 Southeastern Psychological Association Annual Meeting!
Mayo Clinic Responde: Benefícios do voluntariado para a saúde
PREZADA, MAYO CLINIC: A minha vizinha se aposentou recentemente, e tenho tentado convencê-la a ser voluntária na biblioteca comigo. Ela não está convencida, através dos meus relatos, de que ajudar o próximo faz nos sentir bem.
Mayo Clinic Responde: beneficios del voluntariado para la salud
PRECIADA, MAYO CLINIC: Mi vecina se jubiló recientemente, y he estado tratando de convencerla de que sea voluntaria en la biblioteca conmigo. Ella no está convencida, a través de mis relatos, de que ayudar al prójimo nos hace sentir bien. ¿Puede compartir con nosotros otros beneficios que obtenemos al dedicar nuestro tiempo y energía a una causa?
Middle-aged Americans lonelier than European counterparts
Middle-aged adults in the U.S. tend to report significantly higher levels of loneliness than their European counterparts, possibly due in part to weaker family ties and greater income inequality, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Study Shows An Anti-Racist School Program Didn’t Stress Out Kids
A new study of how high school students respond to a program designed to increase the frequency and quality of conversations about race in school finds that the anti-racist intervention did not cause stress or feelings of alienation among study participants.
It’s Not Just You: Young People Look, Feel Older When They’re Stressed
A new study finds younger adults look and feel older on stressful days – but only on days when they also feel they have relatively less control over their own lives.
Living in violent neighborhoods affects children’s brain development
Living in neighborhoods with high levels of violence can affect children’s development by changing the way that a part of the brain detects and responds to potential threats, potentially leading to poorer mental health and other negative outcomes, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Preventing tragedy: FSU expert examines suicidal motives in mass shootings, terrorism
By: Amy Walden | Published: February 21, 2024 | 9:21 am | SHARE: According to the Gun Violence Archive, the United States reported 656 mass shootings in 2023. When it comes to understanding and preventing tragedies such as murder-suicides, mass shootings and terrorism, some may question why assailants in these cases are motivated to kill.