Researchers found that domestic chickens have a significant preference for consonant sounds, which may be an innate auditory preference. This finding challenges the notion that aesthetic tastes are solely learned behaviors and highlights the importance of distinguishing among sounds in the natural environment.
Researchers investigated biological motion perception in a new study, finding that local motion cues are essential for direction discrimination. The visual system uses these cues to infer global structure and detect living beings, independent of shape or size.
A study found that meditation training can lead to changes in brain activity even with short practice time, suggesting its potential benefits. After five weeks of meditation, participants showed greater activity in the left frontal region of the brain in response to subsequent meditation attempts.
Researchers found that controlling motivational interventions can actually increase prejudice, while autonomy-based approaches lead to less prejudice. The study suggests a focus shift from requirement to emphasis on the benefits of diversity and equality for both groups.
A new study published in Psychological Science finds that people use two main strategies to regulate their emotions: distraction and reappraisal. When faced with low-intensity negative emotions, individuals tend to reappraise the situation by thinking through it, while high-intensity emotions trigger a distracting response.
Researchers discovered that certain emotions can boost the sharing of stories and information. In experiments, students who felt anxious or amused were more likely to share content than those who felt sad or content. The study's findings have implications for companies and organizations looking to use social media effectively.
Researchers found that when people are reminded of money, they perceive mimicry as a threat to their personal freedom, leading them to respond antagonistically. This could have important implications for social bonding and forming interpersonal relationships.
A new study published in Psychological Science reveals that life experiences significantly influence the set points for anxiety and depression. Researchers used a large sample of over 12,000 twins to show that environmental factors have a lasting impact on mood stability.
A new model from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management suggests that power, intoxication, and anonymity can inspire both heroism and hedonism. The researchers argue that disinhibition can reveal an individual's true motives and shape behavior.
A study investigated the role of uncertainty in human associative learning, finding that people pay more attention to unfamiliar cues. The researchers discovered that when a cue's reliability is uncertain, it becomes more predictive and leads to faster learning.
A new study published in Psychological Science concludes that female bosses who exhibit 'queen bee' behavior are not inherently nasty, but rather a response to a difficult, male-dominated work environment. The study found that only women with strong gender identities at work resist helping other women rise through the ranks.
A novel study capitalizes on binocular rivalry to test metacognition of visual imagery. Participants rated vividness and effort for imagined patterns, which emerged as dominant patterns during the display. This suggests that our evaluations of mental imagery are directly related to performance in perceptual tasks.
Researchers found that successful testing improves memory performance in all three types of memory: cue, target, and associative. The study suggests that repeated retrieval practice boosts memory, regardless of the type of memory being tested.
A new study by Taoli Zhang and colleagues found that Chinese people fluent in English quickly translate Chinese words into English without conscious thought. This suggests a strong connection between languages stored in the bilingual brain.
Researchers found that when people use summary perception to perceive general properties of objects, they are unable to learn relationships between the objects. On the other hand, when there are relationships to be learned, people are worse at perceiving general properties.
A new study published in Psychological Science finds that a wide gap between the richest and everyone else leads to feelings of unfairness and diminished well-being. The researchers analyzed data from the General Social Survey and found that income disparity, not just poverty, affects happiness levels.
A study of male rhesus macaques found that they steer clear of red-clad humans and steal food from the other tray, indicating an aversion to red. The researchers believe this reflects an evolutionary adaptation reflecting our species' social nature.
A new study found that psychology majors' median starting salary of $35,300 is well below the average for college graduates. Advanced degrees also do not seem to improve earnings in this field.
Researchers found that syntax rules, which govern word order in language, also apply to mathematical equations and may be universally applicable. The study used structural priming, a cognitive process where past structures influence future ones, to demonstrate this connection.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that attention and awareness are distinct mental states. The researchers used the phenomenon of visual pop-out to demonstrate that people can pay attention to a stimulus without being aware of it, especially when distracted.
A new study by University of Wisconsin professor Martha Alibali and colleagues reveals that body movements significantly impact problem-solving. Participants who were restricted from using their hands or feet used abstract, mathematical strategies more often than those with free movement.
A new study suggests people with depression struggle to turn their attention away from bad thoughts due to difficulties with working memory. Researchers found that individuals with depression took longer to reorder words in reverse order, especially when the words had negative meanings.
A new study published in Psychological Science suggests that specific personality traits contribute to being a good judge of attractiveness. Men who are more promiscuous tend to accurately predict a woman's interest, while women who are agreeable make men feel comfortable and increase the likelihood of a repeat encounter.
A meta-analysis of 32 sport psychological studies found that self-talk improves sport performance, but different types of self-talk work better for different tasks. Instructional self-talk is more effective for fine skills, while motivational self-talk boosts confidence for endurance tasks.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that people from different cultures respond differently to thoughts of death. European-Americans tend to focus on protecting their sense of self, leading to harsher judgments towards those perceived as threats. In contrast, Asian-Americans are more likely to reach out to others an...
A study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science suggests that Four Loko's unique flavor profile may contribute to its high intoxication rate, rather than caffeine. The 'Four-Loko effect' highlights how unusual flavors can heighten the effects of alcohol, making it more potent.
A cognitive psychologist urges memory researchers to consider the complexity of human memory, arguing that simple experimental tasks can oversimplify its nature. He highlights the importance of involuntary reminding, which creates a coherent record of our interactions with the environment.
A study found that thinking about one's own death increases concern for society, motivating people to donate blood. Participants who thought about their mortality were more likely to take a pamphlet, regardless of the article they read, suggesting a personal connection with death can enhance altruistic behavior.
Children with psychopathic tendencies don't respond quickly to fearful faces, suggesting a deeper issue with processing threats. This suggests that addressing callous unemotionality may be more effective than teaching attention to fearful faces.
Researchers discovered that supportive mothering in toddlerhood and conflict resolution skills in adolescence predict becoming the stronger link in adult relationships. The study also showed that well-matching levels of commitment can lead to a more stable and benevolent partnership.
A longitudinal twin study found no correlation between early sexual initiation and later sexual risk-taking, contradicting the long-held assumption that waiting for sex until marriage reduces risk. The study suggests that genetic and environmental factors contribute to early sexual initiation and risk-taking.
A new review article outlines four ways in which happiness can be problematic, including the risk of disappointment and decreased happiness when pursuing it. The study also finds that excessive or inappropriately felt happiness can lead to negative consequences, such as reckless behavior and social problems.
A new study explores the reasons behind grandparents' investment in their grandchildren, revealing that this behavior may be a relic of the past but still beneficial. Grandparents provide financial resources, emotional support, and care for their grandchildren, potentially contributing to improved child development.
Researchers used a linguistic analysis tool to study 9/11 pager messages, finding that anger was not as widespread as initially thought. In reality, people expressed feelings of sadness, fear, and a desire for connection during the tragedy.
Researchers suggest that people's intimates and those who spend time with them know their personalities better than they do themselves. Meanwhile, strangers can also pick up on various cues like clothes, musical preferences, or Facebook postings about an individual.
A new review challenges the idea that holistic processing comes with expertise, finding that both novices and experts use holistic processing for different reasons. Researchers tested people in music, Chinese characters, and face recognition, revealing strategic and automatic processing.
Researchers suggest dependent individuals may exhibit proactive behavior to impress authority figures and maintain relationships. This new perspective offers a shift in how therapists treat dependent patients, focusing on turning unhealthy dependency into healthy one.
Research by Jennifer K. Bosson and Joseph A. Vandello finds that men's 'precarious' manhood is defined by achievements, not biology, making it vulnerable to social transgressions. This vulnerability leads to aggression as a way to restore manhood, with negative consequences on mental health.
A new review article suggests that people's broader goals of being active or inactive play a significant role in shaping their time spent on various activities. This inclination to do more, even if the task is trivial, can lead to unhealthy behaviors despite specific goals.
A new study uses long-term data to discover that the relationship between mood and alcohol use varies greatly among individuals. Adolescents with behavioral problems tend to drink more regardless of their mood, while those without behavioral issues exhibit a stronger link between depression and increased drinking when feeling down.
Psychologist E. Scott Geller advocates for a culture of safety that empowers workers to report hazards and encourages positive reinforcement over threats. He argues that root causes are complex and multi-factorial, and that listening to workers can lead to safer workplaces.
Research reveals that collaboration can both hinder and help memory, with 'collaborative inhibition' affecting recall for various tasks. This phenomenon is attributed to 'retrieval disruption,' 'social contagion of errors,' and the benefits of collaborative learning, including error correction and cross-cuing.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that people are willing to trade one source of control for the other. Researchers discovered that lacking power triggers a greater need for choice, while having an abundance of choice doesn't lead to striving for power. Having neither makes people distinctly dissatisfied.
A recent surge in reports of air traffic controllers falling asleep on the job highlights the need for drastic change to improve safety. Researchers suggest that changes such as extended breaks between shifts and mandatory rest periods could mitigate the problem.
Researchers found that readers who identify with fictional communities develop psychological affiliation, similar to real-life group affiliations. The study suggests that reading fulfills a deep psychological need for belonging.
A study found that frequent dietary supplement users engage in less exercise and more hedonic activities due to a sense of invulnerability. This 'curse of licensed self-indulgence' can lead individuals to make poor choices for their health, such as opting for fast food over organic meals.
A study published in Psychological Science found that individuals with different theories of intelligence evaluate their own learning differently. Entity theorists tend to disengage when faced with challenges, while incremental theorists believe more time and effort can lead to better results.
A study published in Psychological Science found that people's values and judgments are linked to their motor skills, with right-handers favoring the right side. The research used brain-injured patients and healthy volunteers to investigate how much time it takes for individuals to switch their preferences.
A study found that cultural differences in spontaneous trait inference, or inferring personality traits from behavior, are present in both behavioral and neural responses. This suggests that cultural influences shape our immediate responses to others' behaviors, rather than just intentional deliberate effort.
A study published in Psychological Science found that individuals' happiness is influenced by the relative value of their experiences, rather than their absolute value. Those who received a 'better' outcome reported equal levels of happiness, while those who received a less desirable outcome still experienced increased happiness as the...