Awareness of mortality increases support for heroic figures and punitive policies. Psychological research reveals how 'mortality salience' can bias voters toward emotions over rational decision-making, leading to polarization and demonization of opposing views.
A recent review article examines how gender roles and stereotypes have shaped our understanding of sex and relationships, concluding that many assumptions are unfounded. The study aims to debunk myths and highlight the social factors driving human behavior in intimate settings.
Studies followed children from 6 months to age 3, finding that those who would later develop autism exhibited distinct behaviors at 12 months, including joint attention and imitation issues. Early intervention techniques are being developed to address these signs, with promising early results.
A new study suggests that politeness strategies can cause confusion about the meaning of statements, especially in sensitive or high-stakes situations. This confusion can have negative consequences for safety and security, as well as decision-making in corporate culture.
A new study published in Psychological Science explains how motivation drives groups to behave in a particular manner. The research found that a threat to American identity influences how Americans respond to the symbolic building of a mosque near Ground Zero.
Research suggests that illusory memories can enhance survival by providing extra protection against predators. Additionally, these false memories can also contribute to improved problem-solving skills and a more optimistic self-concept. Memory illusions are seen as an adaptive mechanism, essential for human psychological well-being.
A literature review found that people's judgments of others' moral wrongdoing are influenced by their physical state, with exposure to cleanliness improving moral perceptions. Additionally, using soap can alleviate post-decision doubt and reduce feelings of guilt associated with negative experiences.
Researchers argue that context, including conceptual information and cultural background, significantly influences facial emotional perception. Studies show that people can accurately perceive emotions only when context is provided, highlighting the limitations of relying solely on facial expressions.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that individuals with a growth mindset exhibit different brain activity when making mistakes, leading to better post-error adjustments. Those who believe intelligence is fixed show reduced brain activity and difficulty bouncing back from errors.
A recent brain-imaging study challenges the historical understanding of dyslexia by showing that children with reading difficulties have the same brain difficulty in processing sounds regardless of their IQ. This finding could change the way educators help poor readers, as all can benefit from the same interventions.
Researchers discover that six-month-old babies recall the existence of objects even when hidden from view, but not their details. This discovery sheds light on how young brains process object information.
Researchers found that the increase in intelligence during adolescence can be largely attributed to improvements in mental speed. The study analyzed data from over 6,900 teenagers and discovered that older teens performed better and worked faster on cognitive tests.
The article argues that the US needs an educational system that supports talented children better. Academically talented young people need mental skills training like athletes and artistic performers to handle pressure and success. The current system rarely provides such opportunities.
A study in Psychological Science found that self-compassion uniquely predicts good outcomes for individuals going through a divorce. Self-compassion, including kindness towards oneself, recognition of common humanity, and the ability to let painful emotions pass, can promote resilience and positive outcomes.
A new study found that Dutch voters tend to think people who don't cast a ballot support their own party. This phenomenon allows voters and politicians to exaggerate the influence or size of their own party. The researchers suggest that this occurs due to social validation and a desire to promote one's party's success.
A new study finds that children raised in poverty who have nurturing mothers are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome and experience health problems in adulthood. The study suggests that maternal nurturance plays a crucial role in reducing and managing childhood stress, ultimately promoting healthier outcomes for these children.
Infants use 'statistical learning' to predict future events and find boundaries between movements. This skill is crucial for learning words, and researchers believe it begins as early as 7-9 months old.
A new study found that people's 'no' responses can reveal hidden memories, suggesting everything we see may make its way into our memory
Several prominent scientists respond to a call for rethinking the current approach to mental health care, highlighting innovative programs like those developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The authors emphasize the need to reduce the burden of mental illness in the United States through improved treatment and accessibility.
A recent study investigates how individuals respond to unexpected and unsettling events, suggesting that different threat-reduction approaches can be adaptive in various situations. The researchers propose a new framework for understanding responses to such events, highlighting the importance of considering individual perspectives on t...
A recent study found that when people have been recently sick, they are more likely to pay attention to and avoid others who might make them sick. This activation of the behavioral immune system is independent of conscious worries and is linked to a faster response in avoiding potentially contagious individuals.
A study by Yale University cognitive psychologists found that intense focus on objects can distort perception of where things are in relation to one another. Participants in the experiment reported the attended objects as closer together than they really were, while the other objects were seen as farther apart.
A new study of 54 nations found that more progressive taxation is associated with greater personal well-being and life satisfaction. The researchers analyzed data from the Gallup Organization and found that citizens in nations with more progressive taxes reported having more satisfying experiences and fewer discomfiting ones.
Researchers recruited participants from Germany and Portugal to rate pictures of a composite face, finding that the average face perceived as 'typical European' differed significantly between the two groups. The study's findings have implications for racial profiling and suggest that people may use mental shortcuts when thinking about ...
A study found that breast-feeding mothers are more likely to display aggression when threatened, with lower blood pressure levels. This increased courage is believed to be linked to the reduction of stress response in these women.
A new study by Adam Grant found that healthcare professionals are more likely to wash their hands when reminded of the importance of keeping patients safe. The sign with a patient-focused message increased soap and gel use by 33% and hand-washing rates by 10%. This challenges prevailing wisdom on safety messages.
A study by Elaine M. Wong and colleagues found that CEOs with wider faces relative to their face height had significantly better firm financial performance. However, the effect was mitigated when top management teams took a simplistic view of the world. Companies where managers saw complexity, the CEO's face shape was less important.
People with declarative memory impairment have trouble making common ground in conversation due to their inability to form new declarative memories. In the study, participants with amnesia looked equally at two elephants, showing no benefit from earlier conversations.
A study of 1,625 people across 15 countries found economic inequality is a stronger predictor of self-enhancement than individualism or collectivism. This suggests that competition and unequal resource distribution can lead to increased self-inflation.
Research shows that older decision makers trounce their younger counterparts due to improved ability to evaluate options, develop strategies, and utilize pre-frontal cortices. This increased wisdom enables them to make more rational choices in complex environments.
A new study found that four-year-olds can differentiate between individuals who provide accurate information due to independent knowledge and those who rely on external help. This skill allows children to seek out trustworthy sources, enabling more effective learning.
Research finds speaking and understanding speech use same areas of the brain, with no involvement of motor regions when listening, contradicting previous assumptions. The study suggests that language-related problems may not always be independent, and offers new avenues for treatment.
A new study demonstrates the benefits of self-affirmation in improving relational security and social behavior for insecure people. Participants who completed a self-affirmation task showed improved relationships and behaviors over two months.
Researchers find that our brains process groups of similar characteristics in a sequential manner, with limitations on perceiving multiple groups at once. This illusion has implications for the design of complex graphic systems and our understanding of ordinary vision.
Research highlights acceptance's importance to humans, while rejection leads to poor physical and mental health. DeWall recommends seeking support after rejection to cope with its negative effects.
A study found that narcissistic leaders inhibit the free exchange of information, leading to poorer decision-making outcomes. Narcissism is not a trait beneficial for everyday leadership in organizations.
People from lower classes have fundamentally different ways of thinking about the world than people in upper classes. Lower-class individuals are better at reading other people's emotions and act altruistically. In contrast, wealthier people don't read others' emotions as well and hoard resources.
Researchers found that playing videogames allows people to try on different identities, reducing negative emotions and increasing motivation. The study suggests that games enable players to act as their ideal selves, leading to improved self-esteem and enjoyment.
Research on pet ownership has produced conflicting results, with some studies suggesting positive health outcomes but others finding none. Herzog argues that methodological problems and lack of rigorous study design contribute to these inconsistencies.
Researchers discuss the function of mirror neurons in humans, including their limited role in understanding speech and unexpected capabilities in understanding minds, particularly in individuals with autism. The study clarifies the limits of mirror neuron functions in humans.
Recent research reveals oxytocin's role in promoting approach-related emotions, including envy and gloating, which could have implications for psychiatric treatments. Oxytocin's effects on social behavior are more complex than previously thought.
Research from Northwestern University finds that many Americans assume behavior is a product of personal choice, fostering the belief that opportunities are equal and gender barriers no longer exist. This framework, known as 'opting out,' can lead to a vicious cycle where women underestimate discrimination and overestimate their own ag...
New research suggests that women and men perceive risks differently, with women taking more social risks and men taking more financial risks. This difference is partly due to differences in how familiar individuals are with different situations.
A new cognitive neuroscientific study challenges traditional models of working memory, introducing a 'multiple-component framework' that considers different capacities operating simultaneously. This framework has practical implications for education and interventions for aging or brain damage.
People with bipolar disorder experience excessive positive emotions, even in neutral situations, which can lead to reckless behavior and relationship problems. This persistent positivity may serve as an early warning sign for relapse.
A new article models work engagement as a cyclical process, where high-quality performance boosts engagement, which in turn increases productivity. Job resources, such as social support and autonomy, are essential for worker satisfaction and workplace effectiveness.
A new study found that people associate small numbers with short time intervals and large numbers with longer intervals, indicating a brain-wide connection. This association affects how individuals perceive time, with larger numbers leading to slower time perception.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that the opportunity to exercise control through choices activates the brain's reward areas. This suggests that choice may be an adaptive behavior, as it recruits reward-related brain circuitry. The research highlights the importance of perceived control in psychological well-being a...
In a study published in Psychological Science, researchers found that goalies are more likely to dive right when their team is behind and under time pressure. This bias may be due to biological factors, such as the brain's tendency to go towards the right side.
Researchers found that 4-month-old babies associated sounds with larger and smaller objects, indicating an early capacity for conceptual development. The study used nonsense syllables and visual stimuli to test the babies' perception of physical properties of speech.