The American Psychological Association's special issue explores the importance of psychology in promoting healthy aging, preventing dementia, and ensuring retirement security. Researchers examine the impact of ageism, financial exploitation, and family dynamics on older adults' well-being.
The new journal Occupational Health Science will focus on research related to worker safety, health and well-being. The journal will publish leading-edge research on behavioral, social and psychological aspects of occupational health.
Researchers found that environmental influences like parenting style are relevant factors in toddlers' self-control by age 3. The study, published in Developmental Psychology, used twin research and laboratory-based protocols to measure inhibitory control.
UM College of Arts & Sciences psychology researchers found associations between specific dopamine genes and initiating joint attention in high-risk siblings. Early levels of joint attention have been linked to later ASD symptoms, suggesting that dopamine genes may help explain differences in early communication.
A new UCLA psychology study suggests that the brain combines sound and vision using different mechanisms, which can influence how well people perform tasks. Researchers found that people's vision frequently influences their hearing when trying to identify specific locations of sounds and flashes of light.
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that fear of death is a significant factor in people's reluctance to invest in annuities during retirement. Researchers discovered that individuals who were asked about their own mortality were 50% less likely to choose an annuity compared to those not asked about their ...
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology suggests that incorporating rough textures, such as sandpaper, into fundraising materials can increase donations. Participants who touched sandpaper were more willing to donate to lesser-known charities due to increased empathy.
A recent study found that high standards in marriage improve satisfaction only in strong marriages, while eroding relationships in less strong marriages. Couples who work well together are better able to meet higher standards and show high satisfaction, whereas those who don't work well together do poorly on both fronts.
A psychology study from New York University found that Whites living in areas with lower interracial exposure have a harder time categorizing mixed-race faces and show greater prejudice against them. This bias arises from unstable visual processing of racially ambiguous faces, which translates into negative biases.
A study found that gamers playing violent video games recalled 51% fewer corporate brand names than those playing the same game with nonviolent goals. The study also discovered that when players' goal is killing, they notice little else - including corporate brands.
A new study by Caltech researchers finds that experimental economics studies have a high replication rate of 61%, indicating that published results are reliable. The success of replication is linked to sample size and p-values, suggesting good methodological practices in the field.
A consortium of 270 scientists found that more than half of psychology studies couldn't be replicated due to methodological issues and statistical errors. Reanalysis of the data by Harvard professors reveals that the original study's conclusions are unwarranted, as the replicators made significant mistakes in their methodology.
A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that pre-school children prefer to share with a friend who already has an abundance of stickers than with a stranger. The results suggest that social relationships take precedence over fairness as a motivation for sharing behavior.
A UCLA psychology study concludes that many people oppose same-sex marriage due to perceived promiscuity among gay individuals, threatening their own marriages and way of life. The researchers measured attitudes and found a strong association between gay couples and the concept of promiscuity.
The study found that many types of disability are underrepresented in psychology classes, including chronic health and physical disabilities. To address this, researchers recommend reworking course content to include more diversity and examples of different disabilities.
A new study by Wellesley College and University of Kansas researchers suggests people are drawn to those who share similar values, attitudes, and personality traits from the start. The findings could lead to a shift in understanding relationship formation and suggest that social influence may be limited when partners are already similar.
A new study combining computer science, moral psychology, and sociology found that concerns about purity are the best predictor of social distance between people. The research team analyzed over 731,000 tweets and behavioral experiments to determine how five basic moral values affect social connections.
Researchers at University of Bath found that life transitions like moving house can provide a window of opportunity to instill better environmental behaviors, such as recycling and energy use. The study suggests that targeted interventions during these times are more effective than blanket campaigns.
A study published in Neuron reveals that different types of memories, including episodic and habitual ones, drive our future behavior. Episodic memories are linked to brain activity in the hippocampus, while habitual memories rely on the striatum, which guides attention in novel situations.
New research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found an almost even split between people who value their time or money, with prioritizing time associated with greater happiness. The study, which included over 4,600 participants, also found that older people were more likely to prioritize their time.
A recent study published in Body Image found that mothers who discussed their own weight concerns with their daughters were more likely to encourage healthy habits. The study suggests that avoiding conversations about weight altogether may be the best approach for promoting long-term well-being.
Researchers at Rice University and Ohio State University found that chronic inflammation is linked to depression, with concentrations of inflammatory markers CRP and IL-6 elevated by up to 50% in patients. Activities like yoga, meditation, NSAIDS, and exercise can help treat depression caused by chronic inflammation.
An experimental study found that an imbalanced gender ratio affects views about casual sex, with women more willing to engage in casual sex when they outnumber men. Men, on the other hand, tend to place less importance on casual sex and be more open to long-term commitment when there are more women than men.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that people are quicker to find a hard-to-see person in an image when the directions mention a prominent landmark first, as opposed to last. The researchers also discovered that listeners prefer to use these landmarks as 'mental bookmarks' to speed up the process.
Researchers found that door holders who made a high effort were more likely to receive reciprocation, with recipients saying "thank you" more often. The study also showed that small favors can inspire reciprocal acts, but verbal thanking and helping are not inherently correlated.
A new study by researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington found that straight women place more trust in gay men's dating advice due to fewer ulterior motives. Women are also more likely to form close friendships with gay men in competitive dating environments.
A new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that children taking ADHD medications experience significant sleep problems, including delayed sleep onset and poor quality sleep. The researchers recommend frequent monitoring by pediatricians and consideration of behavioral treatments to minimize these adverse effects.
Research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found no significant link between frequent sex and happiness after one sexual encounter per week. Instead, maintaining an intimate connection with a partner is key to overall happiness.
A recent study published in Psychology and Aging suggests that depressive symptoms continue to increase throughout old age, contrary to previous studies which only examined the issue up to age 85. The research found that levels of physical impairment, medical conditions, and death's approach significantly contribute to these increases.
A University of Virginia psychology study shows that apologies are crucial even in childhood, repairing relationships despite not easing hurt feelings. Children who received an apology shared more stickers and felt better when helped rebuild a knocked-over tower.
The University of Oklahoma Institute for Study of Human Flourishing aims to advance the science of virtue and improve the flourishing of OU students and all Oklahomans. The Institute is launching various programs, including a Common Read program and Camp IMPACT, to promote character development and civic engagement.
A large-scale study published in Frontiers in Psychology found the NeuroCognitive Performance Test (NCPT) to be a reliable and valid measure of cognitive performance. The NCPT assesses various cognitive domains, including working memory, reasoning, and attention, with good test-retest reliability and sensitivity to age-related changes.
A new study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that psychological distance plays a key role in determining attraction, particularly in matters of relative performance. Men preferred women who were smarter than them in hypothetical or distant situations, but became less attracted to them when they were phys...
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that varying pause times before the starting gun can result in significant differences in finishing times among athletes. The researchers propose introducing a warning step to ensure all athletes are ready before the start, and even suggest computerized procedures to minimize human error.
New research suggests that jurors may support an insanity defense if they believe a defendant has a genetic explanation for their actions, but also view them as a persistent threat. The study found that participants were more likely to support a diminished capacity defense and believed the defendant had less control over their actions.
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that exposure to putrescine, a chemical compound produced by dead bodies, increases vigilance and readiness for either escape or aggressive behavior. The researchers believe this discovery may help determine the sensory and brain pathways involved in chemosensory threat detection.
A recent study by City College of New York researchers found that burnout and depression are closely linked among public school teachers. The survey of 1,386 teachers revealed that 86% of those experiencing burnout also met criteria for depression.
A Norwegian study found that men are most jealous of sexual infidelity, while women are more jealous of emotional infidelity. This difference may be due to evolutionary psychology factors, such as paternity insecurity and the need for men to invest resources in their children.
Barry Edelstein, a renowned geropsychologist, has been recognized with the GSA's Distinguished Mentorship in Gerontology Award. He is known for fostering excellence and making a major impact through his mentoring, inspiring students and colleagues across various fields.
A new method has been developed to reclaim lost instructional time in elementary schools by making transitions fun and engaging. The system, called Keep Busy and Carry On, resulted in an average of 39 extra minutes a week of instruction, equivalent to 2.6 extra hours per month.
A University of Leicester study found that high-risk and impulsive offenders require extra support to complete rehabilitation programs, with non-completers exhibiting higher levels of non-planning impulsivity. The research suggests that these offenders may benefit from additional pre-programme work or ongoing support during the program.
A study by Concordia University researchers found that kids with good theory of mind skills selectively learn from accurate individuals, not just those who appear physically strong. This suggests that children's learning abilities are more complex than previously thought.
A comprehensive review of strategies to reduce prolonged sitting found that targeting exercise was less effective than directly decreasing sitting time. Promising interventions included sit-stand desks, tracking sitting time, and setting individual goals.
Research by University of Sussex psychologists shows that valuing consumerist values can lead to a negative downward spiral, worsening peer relations and mental health. In contrast, friendly and helpful behavior is associated with increased popularity.
Participants focused on inherent traits, rather than external factors, as explanations for wealth disparities. Simple explanations can alleviate feelings of uncertainty and anxiety, leading people to see societal disparities as fair.
Researchers aim to identify morally exceptional individuals through competitions, conferences, and research projects to foster moral attributes. The project's goal is to understand the psychological, cultural, and spiritual factors that contribute to moral excellence.
Northwestern researchers identify infants' ability to group objects by name as predictor of later language development, highlighting importance of early talking to young children.
A recent massive study, conducted by over 270 researchers on five continents, reported that independent researchers could replicate less than half of the original findings. This challenges the validity of some scientific findings and highlights the difficulty in achieving reproducible results.
Researchers successfully replicated 95 of the original experiments but could only reproduce results in under half of the cases. The study's findings suggest that initial evidence strength is a key predictor of replication success, and that surprising effects are generally harder to replicate.
A study co-authored by Queen's University professor Stanka Fitneva found that the replicability rate for psychology research is lower than expected. The researchers' most important finding was that less than half of their studies produced the same findings as the original study, suggesting that publication bias may be a major issue in ...
Research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found that single people with high 'avoidance social goals' were equally happy whether single or in a relationship. In contrast, those with low avoidance goals who prioritized relationships experienced lower happiness when single. The study analyzed over 4,000 New ...
A new study published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found that white American citizens who believe in a common group identity are less racist toward immigrants and more likely to donate their time and money to help them integrate. This research suggests that acceptance of immigrants as equal members of society hi...
A team of Penn State researchers, led by Ping Li, has been awarded a nearly $1 million grant to investigate how readers comprehend science texts. The project aims to capture cognitive and brain representations during and after reading, with implications for STEM education.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are developing a new approach called machine teaching, which uses sophisticated mathematics to model human learners and devise the best possible lessons. This method has immense potential to impact education by providing optimal, personalized lessons for students in various fields.
Research found that parents' frequent help with math homework exacerbates children's math anxiety, leading to lower math achievement. Math attitudes play a crucial role in determining children's success, and parents' own anxiety can be a significant factor.
Research from the University of Chicago found that parents' math anxiety can undermine children's math achievement and increase their own math anxiety when providing frequent help with homework. The study suggests that adults' attitudes toward math play an important role in determining their children's academic success.
Researchers found that reminding skeptics about the importance of vaccines and the risks associated with not being vaccinated can change their attitudes positively. The study tested three groups of participants and showed that even the most skeptical individuals were influenced by the intervention.
A new study finds that perfectionistic concerns can lead to stress, burnout, and health problems. In contrast, perfectionistic strivings, which involve setting high standards and working towards goals, may help maintain a sense of accomplishment and delay burnout.
A study by psychologists at Plymouth University found that parents of children and adolescents consistently misjudge their happiness. The researchers attribute this to an 'egocentric bias' where parents rely heavily on their own feelings to assess the family unit's happiness.
Research from University of Toronto psychologists explores how self-other overlap affects relationships, finding those with high overlap protect their partner from comparisons and maintain positive perceptions.