Articles tagged with Behavioral Psychology
A new report from psychologists at the University of Bath highlights emerging tensions between groups who interpret social distancing guidelines differently. As lockdown measures ease, people are now negotiating social distancing on an interpersonal level, leading to challenges for those who want to maintain strict practices.
A study led by University College London found that elite athletes who adopted simple oral health measures reported reduced negative effects on performance related to poor oral health. The behaviour change programme improved oral health behaviours and reduced symptoms of gum inflammation, leading to improved sporting performance.
A new Health Affairs blog post proposes a three-part strategy to address the impact of sustained psychological and moral distress on healthcare workers. The plan includes prevention measures, building behavioral health treatment capacity, and managing long-term effects, in an effort to prioritize both physical and mental health.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that antiepileptic drug use is associated with a significantly higher risk of death among people with Alzheimer's disease. The increased mortality risk was observed even after controlling for comorbidities and other factors.
A new cybersecurity study found that people are more likely to fall for phishing scams because they underestimate their own risk and overestimate others', despite having access to base rate information. This self-enhancement bias can lead to a false sense of security and increase vulnerability to online attacks.
A study by Yale psychologists and economists found that people tend to misremember being more generous than they actually were when asked about past behavior. This faulty recall helps individuals maintain a positive self-image and can reduce the need for motivated reasoning.
A new study found that religious believers see God as encouraging people to treat others in a more universal manner, across different religious groups in Fiji and Israel. This suggests that religious belief can attenuate, rather than promote, religious tension.
A Rutgers University study found that cognitive behavioral therapy can help alleviate depression and improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease. The treatment was individually tailored to target negative thoughts and behaviors, resulting in improved mental health status for 40% of participants.
Researchers are investigating how individual factors influence engagement in preventative health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The yearlong study assesses preventative behaviors, social attitudes, and individual differences to inform future pandemics or viral threats.
Researchers at the University of Bonn found that toxic personalities who are socially adept can still succeed professionally due to their ability to deceive others. The study suggests that balancing personal traits with social skills is crucial for career advancement.
The study found that prefrontal corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons regulate behavioral style selection during stress. Activating these neurons promotes stress-resistant behaviors, while inhibiting them increases immobility and social avoidance.
A new Cal Poly study found that building healthy dietary, self-monitoring and psychological coping strategies are key to maintaining weight loss. People who reported losing an average of 50 pounds and keeping it off for over three years used more frequent strategies like setting daily food intake goals and recording what was eaten each...
Researchers found that pre-operative depression and anxiety can lead to poorer outcomes after hip surgery, including increased pain and slower recoveries. The study proposes screening for mental health issues before hip surgery to improve treatment outcomes.
A new study identifies financial infidelity as a real problem for consumers and companies, with secretive spending habits common among romantic partners. Retailers can boost sales by offering inconspicuous packaging and cash payment options to appeal to financially unfaithful shoppers.
Researchers introduce the concept of financial infidelity, defined as engaging in a financial behavior expected to elicit disapproval and intentionally failing to disclose it. The study's findings reveal that consumers prone to financial infidelity exhibit stronger preferences for secretive purchase options and concealing their actions.
A large-scale study has found a significant prevalence of 'chew and spit' eating behaviour among adolescent teenagers, with 12.2% of respondents reporting the behaviour. The study also links chew-and-spit to increased psychological distress, lower health-related quality of life, and associated disordered eating habits.
A study of over 1000 people aged 70 found that those who played non-digital games scored better on memory and thinking tests. Increasing game playing during their 70s also predicted maintaining certain thinking skills as they grew older.
Scientists outline 10 simple rules to ensure responsible use of computational modelling in behavioural sciences, avoiding common pitfalls and misinterpretations. The guidelines cover designing effective experiments, generating and validating models, and reporting on analyses.
A UCSF-led study reveals that three in four patients with anorexia nervosa experience some improvement, but only 21% achieve full recovery. Full recovery is predictive of permanent remission and is often linked to family-based treatment and holistic approaches to emotional well-being.
Researchers found that reflecting on past sacrifices made by others for future generations can increase a sense of moral obligation to protect the environment. However, this approach has limited impact in increasing pro-environmental attitudes or motivations, and may even evoke feelings of unworthiness.
New research challenges the common notion that choosing pleasurable foods like cake indicates a lack of self-control. Instead, it's about anticipated regret and long-term goals. The study suggests that consumers should abandon the idea of 'good' or 'bad' foods to exert self-control more easily.
A study by the University of Texas at Austin found that successful startups require leaders who both seek input and set boundaries with their team members. The researchers call this 'territorial-marking' behavior beneficial for startups. Leaders who establish limits signal their psychological investment, encouraging team members to inv...
A new project aims to investigate the genetic influences on behaviors, producing polygenic risk scores for individualized interventions. However, experts express concerns about the risks of misusing this research to justify social inequality.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland found that people with Alzheimer's disease who used antipsychotic drugs accumulated more hospital days over a two-year period. The study, based on the MEDALZ cohort, found that antipsychotic initiators had approximately eleven more hospital days per person-year compared to non-initiators.
A study published in Psychological Science found that individuals who make concrete plans to meet their goals, such as exercising, tend to engage in more physical activity. Those with high planfulness ratings went to the gym more frequently during a 20-week period compared to those with lower planfulness ratings.
A new study by Dolores Albarracin and Duo Jiang found that people with action-oriented goals are more likely to make purchases under time pressure. The research suggests that movement, whether walking or running, activates action-oriented concepts, promoting behavior change.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that a person's premarital views on uncommitted sex can negatively impact their marriage. Research suggests that individuals with unrestricted sociosexual behaviors and attitudes prior to marriage are more likely to experience marital dissatisfaction and dissolution.
A new study by Jack Goncalo reveals that creativity in the workplace can lead to self-disclosure, as employees share unique perspectives and ideas that reflect their personal preferences. This can make the creative act feel risky and consequential, particularly when sharing ideas with colleagues.
A digital program created by MIT researchers in collaboration with Keheala helped 4% of tuberculosis patients complete their treatment, compared to 13% in a control group. The interactive platform used behavioral-science insights and daily messages to motivate patients and reduce nonadherence.
Researchers found that wearing a bike helmet decreases the 'Frontal Midline Theta Power' in brain activity, indicating reduced cognitive control during risk decision-making. This suggests that wearing a helmet can influence behavior through subtle suggestions on a subconscious level.
A study found that an intervention increasing sense of social belonging reduced disciplinary incidents, failing grades and absences by 34%, 18% and 12%, respectively among middle-school students.
A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that individuals who overclaim their knowledge are more likely to vote against the establishment, with a 1.62 times higher likelihood for radical right voters. However, increased actual knowledge decreases this likelihood by 0.85 measurement points.
A study by Indiana University psychologists found that people's stated preferences for dogs don't always align with their chosen breed. The researchers surveyed 1,229 visitors to an animal shelter and discovered that only a few traits, such as age and playfulness, consistently influenced dog selection.
A new study published in the journal Behavior Therapy found that people with hoarding problems associate objects with positive memories, making it difficult to discard them. The researchers suggest that training individuals to respond differently to these memories could enhance cognitive-behavioral therapy for hoarding.
Passion in a relationship is crucial for intercourse frequency, according to a study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Women's attitudes to casual sex also play a major role, with those who differentiate between sex and relational aspects being more willing to compromise.
Researchers used digital footprints to determine personality traits and matched them with images, finding that extroverts preferred simple images featuring people, while open-minded individuals favored cool colors. The study showed that personalized ads could increase consumer interest and purchase intentions.
A new study found a correlation between strong feelings of responsibility and the development of OCD or GAD in American university students. The research identified three types of inflated responsibility, with personal blame and continued thinking having the strongest link to the disorders.
Researchers found that exposure to Spiderman and Antman movie excerpts reduces spider and ant phobia symptoms by 20%. The study suggests a new direction for positive exposure therapy, which may be an optimal solution for treating phobias. Marvel movies provide an accessible and enjoyable form of in-vitro exposure.
A recent study published in Nature Communications challenges prior research on moral decision-making by showing that people's moral behavior can shift depending on the context. The researchers identified four moral strategies: inequity aversion, guilt aversion, greed, and moral opportunism, which involves switching between these strate...
A study found that frequent police stops in ninth-graders led to higher engagement in delinquent behaviors over time. Proactive policing may unintentionally contribute to adolescent criminality, with psychological distress playing a key role.
Researchers found that young patients, those with certain medical conditions, and problematic eating habits were more likely to experience weight regain after bariatric surgery. Behavioral targets such as reducing sedentary behavior and promoting self-weighing can aid in limiting weight regain.
A University of Toronto study found that exposure to coffee-related cues can increase physiological arousal, leading to more alert and attentive thinking. The effect was stronger among Western cultures, suggesting a possible link between coffee consumption and arousal.
Researchers found that emphasizing peer group norms and social identities can encourage people to conserve water. In studies across Norfolk, 'ingroup norms appeal' messages increased water savings by 7-14 litres per shower and boosted sign-ups for a free retrofitting service.
Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä identified four moral identity statuses in Finnish leaders: achieved, foreclosed, diffused, and moratorium. An achieved identity is characterized by a clear, self-chosen value framework, while foreclosed identities are based on adopted values without critical evaluation. The study highlights t...
A Nigerian movie about corruption and a subsequent text-messaging campaign led to a record number of corruption reports from citizens in Nigeria. The two-part campaign generated 241 reports from 106 communities, with most people reporting bribes and embezzlement perpetrated by politicians and law enforcement.
A recent review study found that sit-stand desks can reduce sitting time and increase comfort, but physiological effects were mixed. To fully benefit from SSDs, workplaces need to understand proper usage and setup, including desk height, monitor height, and anti-fatigue mat use.
A new study published in JAMA found that nutritional supplements do not prevent depression, but lifestyle coaching to improve diet and eating behavior may reduce the risk. Participants who received a healthy dietary behavioral therapy experienced a reduction in depressive episodes when attending recommended sessions.
The MooDFOOD project found that daily intake of nutritional supplements cannot prevent depression. A healthy dietary pattern, typified by a Mediterranean style diet high in fruit and vegetables, may reduce the risk of developing depression.
A new Duke University study reveals that overweight individuals who tracked their daily food intake using a free smartphone app lost a significant amount of weight. The results showed that participants who consistently tracked their food and weight lost the most weight, highlighting the importance of compliance in successful weight loss.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition has found a significant link between poor diet quality and mental illness in California adults. The research revealed that those who consumed more unhealthy food were more likely to report symptoms of moderate or severe psychological distress.
Researchers outline four types of self-control strategies that go beyond sheer willpower to address pressing issues like obesity and educational underachievement. By changing the situation or thinking about it differently, individuals can exercise more effective self-control.
Research published by the American Psychological Association found that people who feel shame about a secret are more likely to think about it constantly. Shame is associated with feelings of worthlessness and powerlessness, whereas guilt focuses on remorse and regret.
A UBC researcher has developed a method to analyze behaviour change counselling sessions, enabling counsellors to identify what makes interventions work. By examining minute details of interactions between clients and practitioners, the new approach helps counsellors promote positive changes in their patients.
People tend to criticize others for using statistics to make judgments, yet they apply the same statistical approach when making their own judgments. The study found that participants viewed others' statistically-based judgments as unfair, inaccurate, and unintelligent.
A study by UC Berkeley found that married couples who aged show more humor and tenderness towards each other, leading to lower rates of defensiveness and criticism. The researchers tracked the emotional interactions over a period of 13 years, revealing an increase in positive behaviors like affection and enthusiasm.
A study found that 60-80% of people surveyed lied about their diet and exercise habits, and failed to disclose medically relevant information. This can lead to inaccurate medical advice and compromised health outcomes.
Researchers found that unexpected positive outcomes in cities, such as sports wins or sunny days, are correlated with a change in city mood and an increase in citizens taking risks like gambling. This effect is subtle but significant, with a predicted 2.5% increase in spending on gambling in reactive neighborhoods.
Patients hospitalized with cardiovascular disease are more likely to die within a year if they have low health literacy. The study considered social and behavioral factors such as physical activity, medication adherence, and perceived health competence, which were found to be significant predictors of mortality.
A series of studies suggests that showing people the consequences of their unhealthy behaviors may be more effective than retraining mental associations. Participants who had a health-related goal internalized the relationship between foods and consequences, leading to positive automatic evaluations and actual eating behavior changes.
A trial published by The BMJ found that employees who used sit-stand workstations reduced their sitting time by more than an hour a day over 12 months, with improvements in job performance, psychological health, and daily anxiety. The results suggest that displacing sitting with standing may have positive effects on work-related outcomes.