Researchers found that older adults are just as socially satisfied as younger counterparts, contrary to conventional wisdom. The study suggests that older adults' perception of their experiences brings them more satisfaction, enabling them to find uplift in everyday life.
A new model, C.O.P.E., aims to reduce burdens on both professions by facilitating reciprocal collaboration between clinicians and members of the clergy. The approach recognizes mental illness as a chronic disease and provides a continuum of care, whether individuals are functional or in need of treatment.
Researchers found that Amazonian indigenous culture, despite limited education and experience with maps, spontaneously placed numbers on a line in a compressed, logarithmic function. This suggests that humans have a universal predisposition to relate numbers to space, but with culturally variable mappings.
Researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center presented on two studies at the 2008 National Conference on Child Health Psychology. The first study explored parent-teen communication in Latino families, finding that issues like religion and gender roles impact risky behaviors. Another study found that weight control treat...
Researchers found that official apologies can create a perception of remorse, but their effectiveness in promoting forgiveness is limited. The study suggests that intergroup apologies should be considered as part of a long process of reconciliation rather than a magic solution to heal past wounds.
A new study reveals that attractive women's preferences for partners are influenced by their own physical attractiveness, calibrating their standards across multiple characteristics. Women seek a balanced combination of good genes, resources, parenting proclivities, and emotional commitment in their partners.
Researchers found that college-age students quickly associate Blacks with apes than Whites, even without stated prejudices. This implicit linkage can impact judgments on African American suspects and defendants.
New MSU study finds that prenatal testosterone exposure may protect against anorexia and bulimia in females, with those exposed to male twins showing lower risk. The findings suggest a biological link between testosterone and eating disorders.
Research by Oscar Ybarra and colleagues found that social interaction enhances intellectual performance, suggesting that 'social interaction exercises' cognitive processes measured on tasks. People reap cognitive benefits from socializing, experiencing relatively immediate cognitive boosts.
Researchers at Northwestern University found that physical attractiveness is equally important for both men and women, while earning power also plays a significant role. The study suggests that people may not know what they initially value in a romantic partner, leading to discrepancies between stated preferences and actual choices.
Children as young as 4 years old can use explanation to help them learn and apply what they've learned to other tasks. Listening to an adult's response without providing answers helps children develop critical thinking skills.
Research published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin reveals that associating Asian-Americans with positive qualities increases feelings of threat, leading to more negative attitudes. The study's findings highlight the importance of considering the costs of ethnic stereotypes on perceptions of other groups.
A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that people consistently favor the underdog to win, regardless of scenario. The researchers propose that this is because underdogs evoke a sense of fairness and justice, as well as the perception that they put forth more effort.
A new study from Harvard University reveals that brain systems in older adults are less coordinated than those in younger individuals, even if there is no Alzheimer's disease present. This decline affects the way different brain regions communicate and process information.
Researchers at Kent State University investigate middle-school students' ability to judge their own learning, finding that overconfidence is a major issue. To address this, the team develops a 'study buddy' tool that combines accurate monitoring with effective schedules of learning.
A pilot program at the University of Cincinnati has shown promising results in curbing alcohol abuse among college students who turn to drinking to cope with social anxiety. The program uses motivational interviewing and behavioral therapy to help students manage their anxiety and reduce hazardous drinking behaviors.
Research explores how imagining performances from first-person and third-person perspectives affects motivation. Third-person perspective was found to increase motivation to succeed, especially when envisioning success.
A recent study by Western psychology graduate student Ben Bowles and professor Stefan Köhler found that the feeling of familiarity during recognition relies on a distinct brain mechanism. This insight sheds light on how memory is wired in the human brain, with implications for understanding memory deficits in neurology, including Alzhe...
A University of Oregon study found that close friendships involving deviant topics can predict future problem behavior. The research suggests that peers play a significant role in shaping outcomes, and that bonding over deviant values can exacerbate antisocial behavior.
Lisa Feldman Barrett, a BC psychology professor, has developed a 'conceptual act' model that explains emotions as conceptual acts, challenging traditional views of emotions and their role in mental and physical health. Her research aims to shape a new paradigm for the scientific study of emotion.
Researchers found that preschoolers can perform impressive perspective-taking feats by tracking a character's mental perspective in narrative. Five-year-olds successfully pointed to the cow in the thought-about location, while three-year-olds only looked at the physical location.
A five-year study led by Lehigh University's College of Education identified effective nonmedicinal strategies to decrease aggressiveness and improve behavior in preschoolers with ADHD. The 'Project Achieve' study showed a 17-percent decrease in aggression and a 21-percent improvement in social skills for parents, while teachers saw a ...
Aging does not seem to affect people's ability to judge their own learning of text materials, according to a new study. Researchers found that older adults can regulate their learning more effectively if they have accurate self-evaluation skills.
A Northwestern University study found that participants who forecasted a breakup's impact actually felt less distress than expected. Those most in love were the biggest offenders, exaggerating their emotional pain. The research suggests people tend to be more resilient than they think, and recover from breakups sooner than predicted.
Researchers found that emotional events can be hard to intentionally forget, even when trying to block off unwanted memories. The study's results suggest that emotion places limits on mental control and can undermine intentional forgetting.
Researchers at UC Davis found that 3- and 4-year-olds can think about their own thinking, using pictures to communicate uncertainty. This suggests that young children are more introspective than previously thought, with implications for human development and traits.
Researchers at the University of Illinois explore how people manage romantic relationships through simulated online dating scenarios. The study found that a participant's attachment style is a good predictor of their pattern of choices, with highly insecure individuals more likely to interpret negative actions and choose in kind.
A growing number of researchers in the U.S. and abroad are critical of a government-funded report that found no correlation between meditation and improved health. The report's analytical strategy was deemed haphazard and ad hoc, and relevant studies were excluded from the findings.
A new study by Dr. John Updegraff and colleagues found that tailored health messages are more effective when matching an individual's motivational orientation, leading to favorable attitudes and behavior change. Strong messages create more positive outcomes than weak ones, particularly for approach-oriented individuals.
A study published in Science debunks the popular stereotype that females use more words than men, revealing both sexes use an average of 16,000 words per day. The research used a digital voice recorder to track daily interactions over eight years and analyzed transcripts from nearly 400 university students.
A new study by Iowa State University researchers found that wives exhibit greater situational power and domineering behaviors during problem-solving discussions in marriage. The study of 72 married couples revealed that wives were more likely to draw favorable responses from their husbands, indicating a healthy marriage dynamic.
A recent study by Dr. Amy Kroska at Kent State University reveals that patients' perceptions of mental illness can exacerbate their condition and hinder employment opportunities. The research highlights the importance of addressing stigma and promoting positive self-image among mentally ill individuals.
Research found that anger can increase participants' analytical thinking, yet is often driven by mental shortcuts. The study suggests that angry individuals can process information analytically, but are influenced by cognitive biases.
Researchers found that children can solve large number problems without mastering place value or addition facts, using their natural sense of number to perform approximations. This talent can be built upon in the classroom to enhance interest and understanding in elementary mathematics.
Research at University of Chicago found that stereotype-induced math anxiety undermines working memory and spills over into other academic areas. Girls who experience math-related worries may struggle with verbal portion of standardized tests after taking a math test.
A study by Carnegie Mellon psychologist Brooke Feeney found that providing support to a partner can lead to greater independence and healthy risk-taking in relationships. The 'dependency paradox' discovery has important applications for couples' counseling, according to Feeney.
Research on targeted interventions suggests meaningful change is possible in key aspects of personality. Carol Dweck's keynote address presents an array of studies on the mechanisms underlying change and proposes a view of personality that encompasses these shifts.
A study by researchers at New York University's Departments of Psychology found that the neural process for acquiring fears through social observation is similar to that of direct experience. The brain's amygdala plays a critical role in both processes, indicating that observing others' emotional states can evoke empathic responses and...
Research by Ellie Parker and Adrian Furnham found that viewers are less able to recall advertised products during programmes with high sexual content. Women were particularly put off by sexual content, while men recalled brands more effectively.
A long-term study at MU found that individuals from alcoholic homes retain higher levels of neuroticism and psychoticism, increasing the risk of alcohol dependency. The researchers monitored participants' personality traits over two decades, revealing a decrease in emotional stability for those with family histories of alcoholism.
A UCSB study found evidence of a nonconscious mechanism in the human brain that identifies genetic siblings based on cues guided by hunter-gatherer ancestors. This mechanism regulates feelings of altruism and aversion to incestuous relations, suggesting natural selection played a role in its evolution.
Research published in Psychological Science suggests psychologists are adopting improved statistical practices, using more graphs with error bars to report their research and estimating effect sizes. The shift signals a step forward in data interpretation, leading to better conclusions.
Researchers discovered that nonconscious exposure to a significant person's name can cause individuals to act in defiance of their partner's or boss's wishes. People with high levels of reactance tend to be more resistant to these influences.
Researchers found that people prefer waiting for monetary rewards over consumable ones due to the constant utility of money. This preference is due to inconstancy of desire for goods like beer, candy, and soda. The study has implications for savings, investments, and decision-making processes.
A study using fMRI reveals a significant overlap between brain regions used for remembering the past and envisioning the future, suggesting a strong connection between these cognitive processes. The findings provide new insights into how our minds prepare for challenges by relying on vivid recollections of past experiences.
A study by Carnegie Mellon University Psychology Professor Sheldon Cohen confirms that happy people are less likely to become ill when exposed to a cold virus. The researchers found that positive emotions such as happiness, optimism, extraversion, feelings of purpose in life, and self-esteem provide protection against infectious illness.
Dr. Paule Miquelon wins Seligman Award for her research on the relationship between hedonism and eudemonism, which suggests individuals who pursue goals through personal choices experience better physical health. The John Templeton Foundation awarded her with a $1000 cash grant and travel expenses to present her research.
A recent study found that victims of childhood abuse tend to transfer their feelings towards their abusive parent to new people, leading to negative reactions. This 'transference' can affect adult relationships and highlight the importance of understanding the long-term impact of childhood trauma.
A Florida State University study found that kids with realistic perceptions of social acceptance are better equipped to handle negative feelings, reducing depressive symptoms. The researchers discovered a self-perpetuating cycle where inaccurate perceptions lead to depression, and depression worsens accuracy.
Research suggests that women's appreciation for their body is key to adopting better eating habits. According to the study, intuitive eaters reported higher levels of self-acceptance and less time spent thinking about appearance. This finding contradicts common messages that some degree of body dissatisfaction is healthy.
Researchers found that longer train trips lead to increased physiological and psychological stress, as well as impaired task completion. Commuter stress affects human health and well-being, with over 100 million Americans experiencing daily stress due to their commute.
Researchers found that playing violent video games for 20 minutes can cause people to become less physiologically aroused by real violence. Participants who played violent games had lower heart rates and skin responses while watching footage of people being beaten, stabbed, and shot.
University of Chicago scientists found that people unconsciously modulate their voices to convey additional information beyond words. They can compress words to indicate meaning and adjust pitch to describe motion, making conversations more comprehensible.
A recent study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that people are more likely to help those within their own group, rather than outsiders. The research suggests that feelings of empathy play a crucial role in determining our willingness to assist others.
A new study found that juries are more likely to hand down death sentences to defendants with stereotypically black features when the victim is white, but not in cases involving black-on-black homicide. The study controlled for nonracial factors and suggests jurors equate stereotypical black features with degree of criminality.
Researchers found that people tend to consume a single unit of food when served in a small portion, despite the actual quantity being larger. This 'unit bias' helps explain how environmental factors influence eating habits and may contribute to obesity.
A recent study found that men tend to gauge their partner's sexual interest before women do, with men's ratings of women influenced by physical attractiveness but not agreeableness. Women, on the other hand, rated their male partners higher on both physical attractiveness and agreeableness.
Australian researchers found that caffeine consumption increases agreement with persuasive arguments by boosting systematic processing of the message, leading to better argument recall. This effect could have applied implications in various daily interactions, such as listening to advertisements or attending business meetings.
A study found that when participants shared negative attitudes about someone else, they felt closer to a stranger with the same dislike. In contrast, those who learned they shared positive attitudes with another person felt less connected. This research challenges traditional views of gossip and its impact on relationships.
Researchers found that students with high-risk attitudes are more likely to experience harm from their drinking. To mitigate this, they recommend limiting drinks, using self-protective strategies, and having low-risk attitudes.