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.
Tag: Psychology
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.
Burnout: identifying people at risk
It is not uncommon for people to “hit the wall” at work and experience burnout for short or long periods of time.
Being Kind is Good for Your Health: It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week
Kindness can have a positive effect on both recipients and givers. February 11-17 is designated as Random Acts of Kindness Week. Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17. Stephen G. Post, PhD, director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and…
Older adults rely more on trust in decision making. It could open them up to scams.
Elderly adults lose billions to financial scams by people they trust every year. New psychological research suggests this vulnerability could be linked to older adults’ overreliance on initial impressions of trustworthiness.
Love is more complex than ‘5 love languages,’ says expert
The ‘5 Love Languages’ popularized by Gary Chapman often get brought up when discussing relationships, but this Valentine’s Day one Virginia Tech psychologist suggests taking a different approach to fostering and nurturing high-quality, loving relationships. To understand Louis Hickman’s perspective, it’s important to also understand the love languages.
Monkey see, monkey do: how sideline sports behaviours affect kids
For children’s sports, there’s no doubt that parents are essential – they’re the free ferry service, the half-time orange supplier, and the local cheer squad. But when it comes to sideline behaviour, some parents can behave badly, and when this happens it’s often a case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’.
Surprising new evidence on happiness and wealth
Global polls typically show that people in industrialized countries where incomes are relatively high report greater levels of satisfaction with life than those in low-income countries.
Q&A: Helping robots identify objects in cluttered spaces
Robots in warehouses and even around our houses struggle to identify and pick up objects if they are too close together, or if a space is cluttered.
Study Finds There Are Easy Things We Can Do to Cope With Traumatic Loss
A new study finds there are simple activities that help people improve their mood and emotional well-being on a day-to-day basis after the traumatic loss of a loved one.
Hiring the most qualified candidate might be unfair
Both liberals and conservatives are more likely to believe that merit-based hiring is unfair after learning about the impacts of socioeconomic disparities, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.
Oral health indirectly influences subjective psychological well-being in older adults
Researchers have found that oral condition affects psychological well-being through its influence on nutritional status and environmental characteristics.
Psychologist Calls Attention to Social Media as a Public Health Hazard
In New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City speech, he discussed protecting kids’ mental health in the face of excessive social media usage. Dr. Anthony Anzalone, a clinical psychologist at Stony Brook Medicine, also agrees that social media…
Stress in America 2023: A nation grappling with psychological impacts of collective trauma
U.S. society appears to be experiencing the psychological impacts of a collective trauma in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a new survey by the American Psychological Association. Psychologists warn that a superficial characterization of life being “back to normal” is obscuring the post-traumatic effects on mental and physical health.
Want to achieve your goals? Get angry
While often perceived as a negative emotion, anger can also be a powerful motivator for people to achieve challenging goals in their lives, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Virtual meetings tire people because we’re doing them wrong
New research suggests sleepiness during virtual meetings is caused by mental underload and boredom. Earlier studies suggested that fatigue from virtual meetings stems from mental overload, but new research from Aalto University shows that sleepiness during virtual meetings might actually be a result of mental underload and boredom.
fMRI study finds correlated shifts in brain connectivity associated with overthinking in adolescents
A new study from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, University of Utah and University of Exeter (UK) substantiates previous groundbreaking research that rumination (overthinking) can be reduced through an intervention called Rumination-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RF-CBT).
‘I’d rather not know’: Why we choose ignorance
When given the choice to learn how their actions will affect someone else, 40% of people will choose ignorance, often in order to have an excuse to act selfishly, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Researchers blow whistle on forensic science method
If forensic experts have access to a suspect’s gun, they can compare the microscopic markings from discarded shell casings with those found at a crime scene. Finding and reporting a mismatch can help free the innocent, just as a match can incriminate the guilty. But new research reveals mismatches are more likely than matches to be reported as “inconclusive” in cartridge-case comparisons.
Companies may benefit from transparency about racial diversity efforts
Companies that reveal their struggles to increase racial diversity in their workforces are perceived as more trustworthy and committed to diversity than companies that remain silent, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
FSU clinical psychologist honored with APA Award recognizing educators’ contributions to the future of the field
A Florida State University clinical psychologist has been recognized with a national award for inspiring the next generation of psychology professionals to make a difference.
FSU researcher uncovers how stereotypes about brilliance shape women’s decisions to study psychology or philosophy
By: Patty Cox | Published: September 21, 2023 | 11:53 am | SHARE: Even though women in high school and college tend to outperform men academically, they still internalize the stereotype that brilliance is more linked to men.
Eureka Baby! Groundbreaking Study Uncovers Origin of ‘Conscious Awareness’
Fundamental questions of agency – acting with purpose – have perplexed some of the greatest minds in history including Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Now, human babies provide groundbreaking insight into the origins of agency.
Take the money now or later? Financial scarcity doesn’t lead to poor decision making
When people feel that their resources are scarce – that they don’t have enough money or time to meet their needs – they often make decisions that favor short-term gains over long-term benefits. Because of that, researchers have argued that scarcity pushes people to make myopic, impulsive decisions.
The sounds of a song can tell us what it is about
Can you tell what a song is used for when it is not in your language or from your culture? A new study finds that worldwide, people are pretty good at recognizing when an unfamiliar song is used for dancing, soothing babies, or healing sickness.
Worries about artificial intelligence, surveillance at work may be connected to poor mental health
Employees’ concerns about the use of artificial intelligence and monitoring technologies in the workplace may be negatively related to their psychological well-being and lead them to feel less valued, according to a survey from the American Psychological Association.
Alcohol makes you more likely to approach attractive people but doesn’t make others seem better looking: Study
It’s “liquid courage,” not necessarily “beer goggles”: New research indicates that consuming alcohol makes you more likely to approach people you already find attractive but does not make others appear more attractive, according to a report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Enter Sandman: Study shows dreams spill over into the workplace and can be channeled for productivity
Studies show that on any given morning, about 40 percent of the working population recalls its dreams. New research from Casher Belinda, assistant professor of management at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, shows that when dreams are first recalled, people often draw connections between their dreams and waking lives, and the connections they draw alter how they think, feel and act at work.
Formerly depressed patients continue to focus on negative
People who have recovered from a major depressive episode, when compared with individuals who have never experienced one, tend to spend more time processing negative information and less time processing positive information, putting them at risk for a relapse, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Virginia Tech psychologist offers tips for parents and schools to help address bullying
The start of a new school year can be exciting, but for some students it comes with fear and anxiety – especially for those who are victims of bullying. According to Virginia Tech psychologist Rosanna Breaux, about 1 in 4 children experience bullying in elementary school. “The hurtful behavior can happen in a variety of ways – physical, verbal, or social,” says Breaux.
New research: Political attitudes did not change during COVID-19 pandemic
A new study from researchers at Michigan State University and Tilburg University found that Americans’ political attitudes did not change significantly during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, contrary to what many expected. Mark Brandt, a researcher and associate professor of psychology at MSU, shares what these findings could mean.
Research Details Perils of Not Being Attractive or Athletic in Middle School
Life is harder for adolescents who are not attractive or athletic. New research shows low attractive and low athletic youth became increasingly unpopular over the course of a school year, leading to subsequent increases in their loneliness and alcohol misuse. As their unpopularity grows, so do their problems.
Study finds people expect others to mirror their own selfishness, generosity
Research from the University of Illinois shows that a person’s own behavior is the primary driver of how they treat others during brief zero-sum-game competitions, carrying more weight than the attitudes and behaviors of others. Generous people tend to reward generous behavior and selfish individuals often punish generosity and reward selfishness – even when it costs them.
Psychology graduate explores human preferences when considering autonomous robots as companions, teammates
With the fierce debate broiling over the promise versus perceived dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous robots, Nicole Moore of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has had a study published in the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) that is especially timely.Titled, Stakeholder Preferences for an Autonomous Robot Teammate, Moore’s research focuses on user-held preferences: specifically, which factors in autonomous robot design are the most preferable to their human counterparts, and whether these criteria vary according to the ways the technology is applied.
Robot preachers get less respect, fewer donations
As artificial intelligence expands across more professions, robot preachers and AI programs offer new means of sharing religious beliefs, but they may undermine credibility and reduce donations for religious groups that rely on them, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
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Multicultural Psychology Consultation Team promotes culturally responsive care in hospital system
The synergistic epidemics of COVID-19, racial injustice, and health inequities have prompted patients and communities to press harder for culturally responsive health care. In Harvard Review of Psychiatry (HRP), published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer, members of the originating Multicultural Psychology Consultation Team (MPCT) describe how they’re delivering culturally responsive mental health treatment while promoting inclusive health care workplace environments.
APA poll reveals toxic workplaces, other significant workplace mental health challenges
A new survey from the American Psychological Association revealed that 19% of workers say their workplace is very or somewhat toxic, and those who reported a toxic workplace were more than three times as likely to have said they have experienced harm to their mental health at work than those who report a healthy workplace (52% vs. 15%).
Belief in animals’ capacity for emotion linked to better health and welfare
Working equids whose owners believe in their capacity to feel emotion have significantly better health and welfare outcomes than those whose owners do not, according to new research by the University of Portsmouth and international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary.
$1.5 Million Donation Supports Research on Effects of Psychedelic DMT on the Brain
A gift of $1.5 million from Eugene Jhong will help launch a new research program within the UC San Diego Psychedelic and Health Research Initiative to learn more about the biological and psychological effects of DMT in humans.
Journal highlights contributions of Black psychologists
Despite historical strides and the important perspectives Black psychological researchers offer to their field, the contributions of Black psychologists have been left out of many foundational teachings in psychology, according to the journal American Psychologist.
Babies talk more around man-made objects than natural ones
A new study, led by the University of Portsmouth, suggests young children are more vocal when interacting with toys and household items, highlighting their importance for developing language skills.
High-quality child care contributes to later success in science, math
Children who receive high-quality child care as babies, toddlers and preschoolers do better in science, technology, engineering and math through high school, and that link is stronger among children from low-income backgrounds, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Chula Psychologist Recommends Mindsets for Aging Gracefully
What is the Aging Gracefully concept? How can one face aging gracefully? Chula Psychology lecturer has the answers for those who are entering the aging society to have confidence in their physical and mental health.
Loneliness, insomnia linked to work with AI systems
Employees who frequently interact with artificial intelligence systems are more likely to experience loneliness that can lead to insomnia and increased after-work drinking, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Children with attention, behavior problems earn less money, have less education, poorer health as adults
Children who struggle with attention and behavior problems tend to end up earning less money, finish fewer years of school and have poorer mental and physical health as adults, compared with children who don’t show early attention and behavior problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
The psychological challenges of rural living
People who endure the daily hassles of big cities often romanticize life in the country. But rural living is not necessarily the carefree, idyllic experience that many people imagine, said Emily Willroth, an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Willroth co-authored a study in the Journal of Personality suggesting that people in rural areas face unique challenges that may shape their personalities and psychological well-being.