Researchers at the University of Surrey challenge common misconceptions about habits, suggesting they are mental links between situations and actions. Forming new habits can help, but doesn't guarantee success; instead, strategies like avoiding triggers or replacing bad habits with good ones can increase chances of long-term change.
A study by Ohio State University professor Scott Hayes found that incorporating five-minute exercise breaks into lectures can improve students' attention, motivation, and peer engagement. Students reported positive impacts on their course enjoyment and even designed creative exercise sessions, such as a 'picking apples' theme.
Empathic concern in children develops between 6-18 months, influenced by parental sensitivity and social interactions. The study reveals that caregivers' behavior plays a crucial role in shaping their child's ability to feel empathic concern for others.
Researchers found that our brain processes vision in a rhythmic manner, increasing sensitivity during steps and decreasing it. This discovery has implications for understanding human behavior, decision-making, and potential applications in sports science and diagnostics.
A recent US study challenges the notion of a replication crisis in psychology, arguing that flawed intuition and low power in replication studies are to blame. The researchers propose using formal models to estimate expected replication rates, rather than relying on intuitive assumptions.
The Digital Media Overuse Scale (dMOS) is a new tool that measures digital media addiction, providing clinically relevant scores across various domains. Researchers found that overuse is typically reported in one or a few domains only, with social media being a significant concern.
A study shows pigeons tackle complex problems using associative learning and error correction, similar to AI models. Researchers used an AI model to replicate the pigeons' behavior, finding strong evidence for the similarities between pigeon and AI learning mechanisms.
A new study found that people who viewed career goal failures as a steppingstone to new opportunities never lost self-esteem, while those who thought their failures left them worse off showed a drop-off in self-esteem. The study suggests that people should approach failure in a way that can help them learn and grow.
A new study from Iowa State University researchers reveals that mismatches are more likely than matches to be reported as 'inconclusive' in cartridge-case comparisons. This can lead to innocent people being 'defenseless' against wrongful convictions, according to experts.
A new study found that ChatGPT-4 can generate highly accurate personal narratives based on stream-of-consciousness thoughts and demographic details. The AI model was used in conjunction with therapists to guide patients toward healthier thoughts and behaviors, suggesting a potential tool for improving therapeutic approaches.
A study by University of Illinois researchers found that individuals' own behavior influences their expectations and treatment of others. Generous people tend to reward generous behavior, while selfish individuals punish generosity. This research has practical relevance to social interactions and decision-making.
A recent study by Iowa State University researchers found that individual student scores were slightly higher but consistent with in-person, proctored exams when taking online, unsupervised exams. The results hold true across different academic disciplines, class sizes, and test styles, indicating the validity of these assessments.
A new study published in Developmental Psychology found that encouraging Latinx adolescents of Mexican origin to embrace their ethnic pride and cultural values can significantly improve psychological well-being. The study, led by UC Davis researchers, suggests that cultural preservation can help youth cope with adversity and racism.
Research in rats suggests that loss of immune cells late in gestation may factor into the onset of maternal behavior. Depletion of microglia, a type of immune cell, sped up care for rat newborns in non-mom female rats.
A new study by VCU researcher David Chester found that aggression is not always the product of poor self-control, but rather can be the result of successful self-control to inflict greater retribution. The study argues for a more nuanced view of aggression and challenges common interventions aimed at reducing violence.
A University of Arizona study found that creative individuals are more likely to engage with their thoughts during downtime, using association and free-flowing ideas. This allows them to generate innovative concepts and enjoy idle time without feeling bored.
A new study of French preschool children reveals differences in engagement opportunities linked to social class, suggesting that early childhood education is not maximizing its potential as an equalizing force. Low-SES students spoke less frequently and for less time compared to high-SES students.
A study found that fatigued law enforcement officers have difficulty collecting information that could bring justice to victims. Researchers linked sleep deprivation to increased resistance from interviewees, decreased ability to establish rapport, and difficulties in managing emotions.
A recent LMU study found that the Covid-19 pandemic had a predominantly negative impact on families' emotional well-being, despite temporary recoveries. Parental stress was a major factor in this decline. Conversely, a strong parent-child relationship acted as a resilience factor to mitigate these effects.
A new study developed a mathematical innovation model grounded in psychology to predict adoption trends for new products. The model divides people into four categories: innovator, early adopter, majority, and laggard, and suggests that each group looks for specific properties of adoption trends to inform their purchasing decisions.
Researchers found that first-person photos best represent physical experiences, while third-person photos depict deeper meanings. People intuitively choose perspective for self-representational goals, affecting photo satisfaction and personal motives.
A new study by University of Illinois researchers found associations between dozens of features that promote brain and cognitive health in older adults. The analysis combined data on nutrient intake, brain structure, and cognitive function, revealing clusters of traits that work together to support healthy aging.
A new study by NYU researchers found that infants excel at spotting motivations driving human actions, while state-of-the-art AI models struggle. By comparing infant and machine intelligence on a series of tasks, the researchers shed light on the limitations of current AI systems.
A study by Ohio State University found that children as young as 4 years old utilize a brain network, known as the multiple demand network, to tackle difficult cognitive problems. This network enables focus, memory management, and problem-solving skills, similar to those seen in adults.
A new psychology study from the University of Sydney found that both gay men and heterosexual men prefer masculine-presenting gay men for high-status roles, suggesting feminine gay men may face implicit discrimination in the workplace. This study highlights internal bias and potential discrimination against feminine-presenting gay men.
Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a new procedure to improve eyewitness lineup accuracy and detect suspect guilt or innocence. The 'rule out' procedure adds confidence questions to standard lineups, allowing witnesses to provide more valuable information about their decision.
The UCF project, Project CENTRAL, aims to enhance collaboration between special education and school psychology using research-based practices. Scholars will receive enhanced education and preparation in a two-year program, addressing the state's critical shortage of high-quality professionals.
A study conducted at Ohio State University found that performing acts of kindness led to improvements in life satisfaction and reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms. The intervention was more effective than other therapeutic techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy, in making participants feel more connected to others.
Researchers used a neural network model to study how brain regions interact during sleep. They found that the hippocampus and neocortex work together to convert fleeting information into long-term memory. The findings suggest that alternating between REM and slow-wave sleep stages is crucial for strong memory formation.
Clinical psychologists need new ways to understand and confront the fear of losing control, which is an understudied construct. Adam Radomsky's research suggests that a deeper understanding of what leads to a client's choices can help therapists make better ones in the future.
A new study found that children's attention wandered to all parts of a screen while completing a task, but this helped them notice important things when the task unexpectedly changed. Adults, on the other hand, quickly focused their attention on one feature and missed important clues.
A new study published in Journal of Applied Social Psychology found that wearing a mask has no effect on the ease, authenticity, friendliness of conversations. Participants reported minimal difference in interactions between masked and unmasked individuals, suggesting masks do not impair most social interactions.
Professor Gary Latham of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management has been recognized with the Dave Ulrich Impact Award for his groundbreaking research on goal setting and its impact on human resource management. His work has significantly advanced the field, with hundreds of academic and practitioner articles published.
Research by Swansea University found that an optional wellbeing science module significantly improved university students' feelings of wellbeing. The study demonstrated the beneficial impact of strategically designed modules on student wellbeing during challenging times, including the Covid pandemic.
Researchers discovered that search results yield male-dominated output despite neutral searches, promoting gender bias and potentially affecting hiring decisions. Exposure to such outputs influences perceptions and decisions, reinforcing societal inequalities.
Researchers identify four bases of anti-science beliefs: distrust in scientific sources, group identity, conflicting messages, and cognitive style. Politicization and social media amplify these factors, making it harder for people to accept scientific evidence. Strategies like acknowledging valid concerns and finding common ground can ...
Researchers found that consumers prefer to buy human-shaped food, such as gingerbread men, due to anthropomorphization. However, people do not like eating these products because it seems immoral, according to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.
A massive global study of social distancing motivations has yielded new insights into the effectiveness of different styles of messaging. Autonomy-supportive messages that encouraged personal agency were found to be more effective in influencing individuals' behaviors than controlling or shaming messages.
A new study by University of Illinois researchers found that people who stare at themselves during online conversations experience a decline in mood. Alcohol use exacerbated this effect. The study used eye-tracking technology to examine the relationship between mood, alcohol, and attentional focus during virtual social interaction.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found that people learn from incidental exposure to new objects, making them ready to learn. Participants who were exposed to unfamiliar creatures earlier on learned the differences between them more quickly during explicit learning than those who received no prior exposure.
A study published in the Australian Journal of Psychology found that people with certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression, may display behaviors that are commonly associated with deception. These behaviors, including gaze aversion and flat affect, can lead to unfair judgments in the criminal justice system...
A new study by NYU researchers found that neoliberal policies and institutions are associated with a preference for greater income inequality across over 160 countries. The analysis, which spanned 25 years (1995-2019), suggests that economic systems can shape human psychology to favor higher levels of income inequality.
A new study found that newborn brains are already organized into functional networks, with five networks operating at birth. Individual variability in these networks may be related to genetic differences and could have implications for behavior in adults.
A study found that lung cancer patients coped better with the pandemic, showing lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to healthy individuals. The strength needed to face their disease helped them cope more effectively with COVID-19 fears.
Researchers found that people who were in a sad mood improved more quickly when they used a mood-improving method that they were told was their strongest skill. This approach helped participants regain confidence and persistence, leading to better results.
A new study from Ohio State University suggests that giving social support to others is essential for boosting one's health. The research found that people who were available to provide social support experienced lower inflammation levels, whereas those who only received support did not show the same benefits.
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology has identified specific facial features that can be used to distinguish children's faces from adult faces. These features include the shape of the nose and eyebrows for adult faces and the eye, jawline, and nasal bone for child faces.
Researchers at VCU used fMRI to examine brain activity of couples experiencing intimate partner aggression, finding a unique brain signature in the medial prefrontal cortex. The study also found that blunted activity in this region predicted real-world acts of intimate partner violence.
A University of Kansas study examined three key cognitive functions in teaching writing to Hispanic English learners, revealing word retrieval skills, verbal language skills, and working memory are crucial for success. The research highlights the negative effects of a lack of bilingual education on these students' writing abilities.
A study of over 1,000 mothers estranged from their adult children found that nearly 80% believed an ex-husband or child's mental health issues were responsible for the estrangement. The results highlight a disconnect between mothers' and children's reasons for the rift, suggesting a need to consider differing perspectives when trying t...
Researchers analyzed idle thoughts for 10 minutes to capture patterns of thinking, revealing a link between ruminative thinking and depression. Participants who scored high on a rumination questionnaire experienced negative thoughts that lasted longer than positive thoughts.
Researchers at VCU found a clear preference for immediate revenge in six experiments with over 1,500 participants. Participants who ruminated on past provocations or had antagonistic traits showed a shift towards delayed-but-greater revenge.
Researchers found that subtle differences in perception during late-teen years predicted hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis later in life. Early perceptual distortions included heightened awareness of sound or color, uncertainty about body boundaries, and feelings of the world tilting.
Research from Georgia State University psychology researchers shows that twins produce fewer gestures and use language less than their singleton peers. However, when one child lags behind in gesture, the other tends to lag as well, suggesting a close link between gesture and speech in early development.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and Yale found that free online courses teaching principles of positive psychology can enrich lives, reporting greater mental health benefits than a comparable course without exercises.
A new study by the University of Limerick reveals that a person's immune system directly affects their long-term risk of death, with conscientious individuals showing lower levels of interleukin-6 leading to increased longevity. The research provides insight into the biological mechanisms underlying personality traits and mortality risk.
Research suggests that acne can leave lasting psychological scars, particularly for women and adolescents with darker skin, affecting self-esteem and mental health. A new study calls for a comprehensive approach to treating acne, integrating psychology and dermatology.
A new study found that religious individuals employ cognitive reappraisal and coping self-efficacy, two psychological strategies linked to reduced anxiety and depression symptoms. The research suggests a convergence between science and religion in promoting well-being and resilience.
New research finds that people tend to moralize COVID-19-control efforts, overlooking associated costs. The level of support differs between liberals and conservatives.
The Honesty Project will investigate the science of honesty, examining what predicts honesty in various situations and how it affects relationships and institutions. Researchers aim to develop ways to foster honesty in daily life, despite the consequences of dishonesty being often met with resignation.