Researchers at Ohio State University found that a psychological therapy significantly relieved depressive symptoms and reduced markers of inflammation in breast cancer patients. The study published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that treating depression can also lead to less inflammation, highlighting the importance of including psyc...
Researchers found that people cling to their dreams until they're clearly shown the consequences of failure. The study involved students who were told varying levels of threat to their new dreams, with those receiving the strongest threat experiencing higher self-doubt and anxiety, leading them to drop their dream.
A Kansas State University study found that employees who are engaged in their work experience better moods and more satisfaction at home. The researchers tracked 67 extension agents over two weeks to determine the relationship between daily work engagement and work-to-family facilitation.
The APA task force identified numerous psychological barriers to climate change action, including lack of urgency and behavioral feedback. To overcome these barriers, the task force recommends using financial incentives, environmental regulations, and energy-efficient technology to spur people into action.
A new study from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that historically based blockbuster movies can be a double-edged sword when it comes to helping students learn and retain information. When film clips were consistent with textbook material, correct recall increased by 50%, but misinformation from the film led to false recall...
The Latino/a population is projected to triple by 2050, leading to a significant increase in cancer diagnoses. Improvements are needed in knowledge and access to services, particularly for breast and cervical cancers among Latinas.
Research by Nansook Park and Christopher Peterson highlights the importance of experiencing positive emotions, having close interpersonal relationships, and finding meaning in life. The authors suggest that psychology has made progress in understanding human problems but still lacks a formula for achieving a good life.
Research reveals that childhood adversity is associated with diminished neural activity in brain regions involved in processing rewards. This finding suggests a potential link between childhood trauma and depression symptoms such as apathy and low motivation.
A University of Denver study found that couples living together before engagement are more likely to struggle, with a higher chance of getting divorced. The researchers also discovered that couples who lived together before engagement reported lower marital satisfaction.
A study found that individuals sensitive to rejection based on their physical appearance are more likely to be interested in cosmetic surgery. The study, conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo, examined the role of appearance-based rejection sensitivity among men and women's interest in cosmetic surgery. Participants who...
Tel Aviv University researchers found that 50% of happiness is genetically determined, with positive psychology exercises improving participants' happiness levels by up to 30%. The study aims to bridge the gap between psychology and clinical medicine, exploring physical benefits of mental well-being.
The study analyzed 184 research studies and found that the Implicit Association Test has significant predictive validity in social behavior, especially in areas like interracial behavior. The test's greater validity than self-reports suggests its value in understanding the roots of discrimination.
Researchers found that individuating novel objects with unique names enhances holistic processing, a hallmark of face-like expertise. This technique can be learned quickly and applied to other objects, indicating that expert-level recognition is not solely the result of extensive practice.
A new study found that 14-year-olds with greater family obligation reported fewer depressive symptoms by 16, suggesting a protective effect against depressive symptoms. This strong family bond may provide teenagers with a sense of security during adolescence and beyond.
A new study by Washington University in St. Louis found that cell phone ringtones can be distracting in classrooms, impairing recall and learning. Students who experienced ringing phones performed 25% worse on course content tests, even after the ringtone had stopped.
A new study by researchers at the University at Buffalo found that pressure to be 'attractive' provokes negative outcomes, particularly in women. Women who felt they needed to look attractive were more fearful of appearance-based rejection than their peers.
Research by Kansas State University psychologists found that 45% of workers reporting hostility had no definite plans to leave their current job, while 59% indicated they either liked or disliked it. This contradicts the common assumption that hostile work environments lead to employee turnover.
Researchers found that engaged workers are not necessarily committed to their organization. Engaged employees require resources to perform well and may leave if they don't receive necessary support. Managers must balance pressure from bosses with motivating and keeping employees engaged.
A new study by University of Pittsburgh researchers found that moderate alcohol consumption increases mind-wandering, while reducing the likelihood of noticing it. This impairment affects an individual's ability to realize their mind has wandered, known as meta-consciousness.
Researchers at Harvard University found that only species capable of vocal mimicry, such as parrots, can keep a beat, implying an evolutionary link between the two capacities. These birds' movements were more aligned with musical beats than expected by chance, suggesting they synchronized with the rhythm.
Studies found that illusionary relationships with TV characters can give people real pleasure, reducing feelings of loneliness and rejection. The research suggests that technologies like TV shows and video games can fulfill human needs for belongingness.
The inaugural issue of Ecopsychology, a new peer-reviewed online journal, chronicles the transdisciplinary endeavor of ecopsychology and its role in advancing psychological practice in an ecological context. The journal examines the link between human health, culture, and environmental issues.
A new study published in the British Journal of Psychology found that consuming alcohol did not affect how men judged the age of women. In fact, researchers found that young females are typically viewed as being older than they actually are. However, make-up and alcohol consumption did have an impact on attractiveness ratings, with you...
Researchers found that comparing different solution methods enhances students' understanding of math concepts and improves their flexibility in solving equations. This approach is more effective than comparing problems solved using the same method.
A study by University of Denver researchers found that ninety percent of couples experience a decrease in marital satisfaction once the first child is born. Couples who had been married longer or had higher incomes tended to have fewer marital problems related to having a baby.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology found a classroom-based intervention reduced violent TV viewing among first- through fourth-grade children by 18%. The intervention, called The REViEW Project Curriculum, also decreased students' identification with violent superheroes.
Researchers found that genetic variants impact stress response differently in men and women. Women carrying the BDNF Val/Met genotype were shown to have a lower cortisol response than men with the same genotype, while men with the Val/Val variant exhibited higher cortisol levels.
A new study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that teams with a 'socially distinct newcomer' are more likely to solve problems successfully. The key factor is not the newcomer's skills or knowledge, but their ability to shake up the group dynamic and create discomfort among team members.
A University of Pennsylvania psychology study found that individuals who identify as visual learners activate the visual cortex when reading words, while verbal learners convert pictorial information into linguistic representations. The study uses functional magnetic resonance imaging technology to scan the brain.
A new study suggests that when individuals share an identity with a group, they automatically feel positively toward members of that group, regardless of race. This effect was observed just minutes after participants joined a mixed-race group and even without meeting fellow members personally.
A new study by psychologists at the University of Georgia reveals that minority employees feel less committed to their work when white employees promote colorblindness. In contrast, when white workers champion multiculturalism, minority peers feel more connected to their jobs.
Researchers found depressed individuals correctly identified more negative beans than non-depressed peers, but struggled with positive beans. The study suggests depressed people may have a bias against learning good information, which could impact treatment.
A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology found that daily exercise for 20-40 minutes significantly improved depressive symptoms and self-esteem in overweight children. The researchers noted a dose response benefit, with more exercise leading to greater benefits.
A study published in Psychology & Marketing found that when people have too many similar options, they are more likely to leave a store without making a choice. The researchers suggest that this phenomenon, known as the 'choice overload effect,' can affect people's ability to decide in certain situations.
Researchers have identified two key brain regions responsible for forming first impressions, including the amygdala and posterior cingulate cortex. These regions process emotional and value-based information to form a quick and lasting impression of others.
A study published in Psychology and Aging found that older adults can regulate emotions more efficiently than young adults, allowing them to perform better on memory tasks. This ability helps older adults maintain quality of life by minimizing the negative impact of emotions.
A new study by psychologists found that TV ratings for kids' shows don't reflect the aggressive content, with cartoons containing higher levels of physical violence than general audiences. The researchers argue that ratings should be improved to address indirect aggression, a type of harm that is non-physical and often overlooked.
Research shows doodling while listening can significantly improve memory recall, with participants recalling an average of 7.5 names of people and places compared to 5.8 non-doodlers. Doodling helps maintain focus on the main task without affecting performance.
Researchers used fMRI scans to study the connection between loneliness and brain activity. The study found that lonely individuals showed reduced activity in the ventral striatum, a region associated with rewards, when viewing pleasant settings. In contrast, non-lonely individuals showed increased activity in this region.
A psychology study finds that spending money on life experiences boosts well-being and satisfaction for both individuals and those around them. Experiences, such as meals out or theater tickets, satisfy higher-order needs like social connectedness and vitality, leading to longer-term happiness.
A study found that participants cooperated more often when playing for a higher numeric reward, such as 300 cents, rather than an equivalent economic value. This challenge traditional assumptions about decision-making and has implications for fields like politics and finance.
A new study by San Francisco State University Psychology Professor David Matsumoto found that facial expressions of emotion are innate and not learned. The research shows that sighted and blind individuals use the same facial expressions in response to emotional stimuli.
A study published in Personnel Psychology reveals that executives' underwater stock option portfolios are more likely to lead to voluntary turnover. Increasing the value of these portfolios can reduce the odds of turnover by substantially, suggesting that firms may need to consider alternative retention strategies.
A study published in Psychology of Women Quarterly found that employees who were sexually harassed reported lower levels of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job performance. The study analyzed data from 89,382 people and found that younger employees were more affected by sexual harassment.
A recent study published in Psychology and Health suggests that attending religious services regularly can reduce the risk of death among post-menopausal women by approximately 20 percent. The researchers found that even after controlling for other factors such as social support and lifestyle choices, the improvements in mortality rate...
Researchers found that social networking sites intensify the ability to present oneself in a positive light, allowing users to explore different aspects of their personality. This can lead to increased individualism and narcissism as users sculpt their profiles.
Researchers found that a night's sleep restored abilities lost after 12 hours of training, and protected memory against loss over the next day. Sleep consolidation may help in learning language processes and eye-hand skills.
A groundbreaking study reveals that the color red makes men feel more amorous toward women, with no effect on female perceptions. The research confirms what many women have long suspected - that men's preferences are driven by primal instincts.
A study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that conventional photos of smiling, clean children are less effective at aiding the search for missing kids. The researchers suggest showing both 'clean' and 'dirty' pictures to increase recognition chances.
Parents of a child with ADHD nearly twice as likely to divorce by age 8 compared to parents without ADHD. Marriages involving children with ADHD ended sooner than those without ADHD.
Researchers found that groups boasting about their status are actually insecure, while those focusing on individual efforts have high social standing. The study's findings have implications for understanding political rallies and football games.
Researchers Ara Norenzayan and Azim Shariff found that religious people are more likely to engage in prosocial behaviour when it enhances their reputation or when religious thoughts are freshly activated. This study suggests that religion played a vital role in the rise of large, stable societies by encouraging cooperation and trust.
A new Iowa State University study found that mothers' self-fulfilling effects on their children's alcohol use are rooted in the power of positive thinking and self-verification theory. The research suggests that if moms help their teens develop a positive self-view, it can limit their chances of using alcohol.
Researchers at Northwestern University found that avatars in virtual worlds respond to social cues, revealing racial biases, similar to real-world behavior. The study employed door-in-the-face and foot-in-the-door techniques to demonstrate the effects of social influence on avatar behavior.
A new study in International Studies Review uses social psychology to understand Japan's nuclear restraint, finding that persuasion, identification, and conformity are key factors. The research suggests that Japan's faith in the NPT is rooted in its desire to be seen as a successful state, rather than a deterrent.
Students who scored high on measures of courage, empathy and honesty were less likely to report cheating in the past or intend to cheat in the future. They also reported feeling more guilt if they cheated compared to those who rationalized their behavior.
A study by UC Davis researchers found that high school students in metropolitan China prioritize good relations with peers over parents for self-esteem. High school is a challenging period for Chinese adolescents due to intense academic pressures from parents.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital linked genetics to brain reward circuitry and preference, revealing a connection between gene variants and brain activity. The study used brain imaging, genetics, and experimental psychology techniques to identify a correlation between the CREB1 gene variant and brain structure activity.
A study by University of British Columbia and Stanford University researchers found that foreign threats can encourage tolerance for diversity domestically while leading to intergroup conflict internationally. Americans endorsed multiculturalism as a domestic policy and assimilation as a foreign policy after the 9/11 attacks.
Researchers analyzed ancient magic tricks to gain insights into human psychology, revealing the power of misdirection and illusion in shaping our perceptions. The study's findings have long-term implications for fields like human-computer interfaces, where understanding attention and perception is crucial.