Articles tagged with Behavioral Psychology
The University of Texas at Arlington's MAVS ETA project provides GPS scanners to detect hidden tracking devices and other surveillance tools, helping survivors of domestic violence maintain safety. The project also educates advocates and survivors on TFA tactics and strategies for prevention and intervention.
Research found that physiological stress messengers noradrenaline and cortisol affect social behavior in different ways, promoting cooperativeness within groups and competition with outsiders. The study suggests a neurobiological explanation for the 'us versus them' mentality and increasing polarization in the world.
A study found that five-day-old newborns prefer watching videos of helpful actions over hindering ones, indicating an innate sense of social goodness. The research suggests that humans may be born with basic social preferences that shape moral understanding.
Researchers found that adults with autism perceive visual body information similarly to neurotypical adults, challenging long-standing assumptions about social difficulties in ASD. The study used fMRI to compare brain activity patterns in adults with autism and typically developing adults while viewing images of body parts.
Researchers developed a non-invasive questionnaire to identify children at risk of maltreatment, highlighting seven behavioral problem areas linked to maltreatment. The study found critical timing patterns and type of abuse matters, offering a more comprehensive approach to support maltreated children.
A comprehensive analysis shows that sports fandom stems from evolutionarily ingrained tendencies which enhance social unity and therefore survival. The study highlights the role of cognitive biases, emotional connections, and heuristics in sustaining fans' beliefs.
A study published in PLOS One found that childhood maltreatment speeds up biological aging and affects social behavior, particularly in reduced eye contact with human faces. This accelerated aging is linked to increased emotional and behavioral difficulties.
Researchers used Playmobil kits to facilitate discussions about women's experiences of menopause at work. Participants shared their symptoms and ideas for making work easier during menopausal times, highlighting the importance of social support and flexi time. The workshop provided a safe space for powerful and meaningful conversations.
Researchers challenge simplistic statements on food decisions, citing methodological flaws in a 2007 study. They propose defining food-related decisions in concrete terms and advocate for methodological pluralism to gain a realistic picture of people's everyday food choices.
A new book by UC Merced Professor Christopher Ojeda examines the emotional toll of politics on citizens, highlighting the dangers of disenfranchisement and its impact on mental health. The author offers practical advice for creating space for healthy engagement in democracy.
A new Swedish twin study found that genetics largely determine an infant's crying duration, with 50% of variation explained by genes at 2 months and 70% by 5 months. Environmental factors also play a role in infants' ability to settle during the first months of life.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that interacting with robots through social games makes them seem more human-like. The researchers used a box-shaped robot called Cozmo and found that participants who played games with it considered it more human-like, whereas those who interacted mechanically did not.
A new study by Ramesh Rao and colleagues found that subjective financial knowledge (SFK) has a significant impact on retirement readiness. People with higher levels of SFK are more likely to feel confident about their retirement savings.
Research found that video summaries in simpler language and presentation improve comprehension, but the 'easiness effect' increases perceived credibility and confidence in evaluation. The study suggests responsible strategies for science communication and optimizing video-based information transfer.
New research from Aston University suggests that parents can help promote healthy eating in their children by creating structure and independence around mealtime. The study recommends prioritizing health, maintaining a calm atmosphere during meals, and setting regular meal times to encourage supportive feeding practices.
A new study by Michigan State University found that people's personality perceptions of tattooed individuals are often inaccurate. Researchers discovered that those with quirky or wacky tattoos were accurately judged as open-minded and open to new experiences, despite not aligning with other traits.
A new study reveals that human-attributed responses are perceived as more supportive and emotionally resonant than identical AI-generated responses. Participants consistently rated 'human' responses as more empathic and satisfying, especially when emphasizing emotional sharing and genuine care.
Researchers found that firms set overly optimistic goals for the next period after missing their target, and surprisingly, this tactic often pays off. However, large institutional shareholders and female directors can restrain such behavior by demanding accountability and compliance with rules.
A study found that exposure to inaccurate ADHD-related content on TikTok significantly reduced students' accurate understanding of the disorder. Participants who viewed factually incorrect content showed lower accuracy in their ADHD knowledge but reported greater confidence in it afterwards, leading to increased motivation for treatment.
A new study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging found that individuals with remitted depression show increased habenula activity and reduced connectivity between the habenula and dopamine-producing regions, suggesting a heightened sensitivity to negative cues. This suggests that even after recove...
A new study by Boston University's Richard A. Currie explores the impact of workplace nosiness on employee performance and satisfaction. Researchers found that employees react to nosiness by pulling down their privacy boundaries, leading to higher stress levels and lower task performance.
A new study by psychologists, linguists, and policy experts reveals that policymakers and drinkers have different ways of framing alcohol consumption. The findings suggest that policies must reflect real-life behaviours and motivations to make a meaningful difference.
A new study found that providing households with simple, low-cost information about their drinking water quality increased the use of safe water practices by 26-48% in areas where many families rely on unsafe supplies. This approach has the potential to save lives at a lower cost than other public health programs.
Researchers have discovered that multimodal pain integration in the brain significantly enhances overall pain perception when participants are instructed on how to perceive the pain. The precuneus region of the brain plays a vital role in integrating pain information into a cohesive and intensified pain experience.
A study by Bayes Business School found that people are more concerned about violating the norm of waiting for others to be served than they are about others doing so. The research suggests that restaurants and dinner hosts could improve dining experiences by serving guests at the same time, reducing social awkwardness.
A study of 403 Italian adolescents suggests that low social support and a tendency to compare oneself to others are associated with an increased risk of problematic social media use. The longitudinal study found that these factors predict trajectories of adolescent social media use over time.
A new study found that people recycle 47% more bottles when offered a lottery-style refund, rather than the traditional 10-cent deposit return. This approach increases the thrill of possibly winning a big prize, making recycling more enjoyable and motivating.
Dr. John Oldham's contributions have fundamentally reshaped personality disorder classification, moving from rigid categories to a more nuanced dimensional system. His Alternative DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD) has marked the most significant epistemological shift in psychiatric diagnosis for decades.
The Brief Emotional Experience Scale (BEES) is a simple, short questionnaire designed to assess emotional health. It has been validated in a large-scale study involving over 7,000 participants and shows high accuracy and low stress for users.
A study found that psilocybin increased overall psychological well-being, including positive changes in religious practices and attitudes. Clergy who received psilocybin reported sustained improvements in their behavior and attitudes up to 16 months after treatment.
A new study reveals that fatal school shootings have far-reaching consequences, altering daily life and disrupting economies in affected communities for months. Anxiety about public safety drives a measurable decline in consumer activity, particularly in grocery stores and restaurants.
A new study found that multitasking involves both general abilities applicable across different situations and specific skills unique to each type of task. This explains the conflicting results in past studies on gender differences in multitasking.
A major new study provides unprecedented insights into the incel community, revealing a diverse group marked by poor mental health, loneliness, and neurodiversity. The research challenges common stereotypes and highlights two key factors that contribute to the development of harmful attitudes and beliefs among incels.
A new online tool, Tango, pairs Democrats and Republicans on common teams, reducing negative partisanship and increasing warmth and financial generosity. The results showed comparable effects to rolling back rising polarization in American political life, lasting at least a month and often up to four months from gameplay.
A study found that adolescents with self-reported evening preference, or 'night owl' tendencies, reported greater negative urgency and lack of perseverance, which are two aspects of impulsivity. The study suggests that unmeasured psychological or behavioral factors may be influencing both impulsivity and circadian preference.
A new study by University of Cologne researchers found that digital games can effectively teach people about depression, reducing stigma and increasing empathy. The study showed that participants who watched gaming videos on the topic reported improved knowledge, emotional responses, and motivation to learn more about depression.
New research finds that compassionate employees are more resilient to workplace broken promises, experiencing lower emotional exhaustion and higher job performance. Self-compassion and other-compassion play different roles in coping with these negative emotions.
A new study by the University of Toronto finds Afghans' life satisfaction and hope at an all-time, global low. The research highlights profound distress and despair within the country due to structural factors like war and political unrest.
Researchers analyzed 12 videos of bystanders' attempts to intervene during the 2020 George Floyd killing. They found that bystanders made over 205 direct verbal interventions, with most focused on checking George Floyd's well-being. However, police mostly ignored or rejected these interventions, leading to his tragic death.
A new scientific study sheds light on the social dynamics driving demand for bear bile in Vietnam, highlighting the role of gift-giving among close social networks. The findings suggest that targeting key individuals within influential groups could reduce demand and support conservation efforts.
Researchers developed a novel approach called choice engineering, which uses computational models and optimization techniques to influence human decisions. The study found that this approach outperformed traditional psychology-based methods in shaping behavior, paving the way for smarter decision-making tools.
A national study by Florida Atlantic University reveals that cyberbullying, including exclusion and rejection, can lead to significant trauma in youth. The study found that almost 9 in 10 students experienced at least one form of victimization, highlighting the increasing ubiquity of digital aggression.
A VR flight experience has been shown to reduce both physiological and subjective fear responses to heights. The degree of fear reduction correlates with the extent to which participants felt they could transition to a safe state through self-initiated actions.
Researchers tested 17 behavioral strategies to overcome barriers to climate action, finding that emphasizing relevance and future thinking are most effective. Interventions like letter-writing and brainstorming short-term benefits increased intentions to act on both individual and collective levels.
A study published in Behavior Therapy shows that a peer support program provides 'rapid relief of symptoms' and 'significant clinical improvement' to new moms struggling with postpartum depression. The program, Alma, pairs new and expectant moms with trained peers who have experienced similar mental health challenges.
A recent study found that narcissistic individuals tend to prefer negative gossip, while those who are not narcissistic may be uncomfortable with either positive or negative gossip. Gossip can serve social functions when done with good intentions and without lies.
A study by Technical University of Munich and University of Vienna found that resistance to restrictive measures is often less robust than feared by policymakers. Once the new rules come into force, people's attitudes towards them decline significantly, revealing a psychological mechanism behind this phenomenon.
A study published in PLOS One suggests that curiosity and interest in lifelong learning can help offset or prevent Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found that state curiosity, which is a momentary feeling of curiosity when asked about specific topics, increased sharply after middle age and continued well into old age. This contrasts wi...
A study found that Reddit is being used by people with second thoughts to openly share and seek advice before getting married. Researchers discovered that users are more comfortable expressing their unease on the platform than with family or friends, sharing topics from major red flags to smaller frustrations.
Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio discovered a significant link between REM sleep disturbances and increased PTSD severity. The study suggests that targeting REM sleep could be a promising approach for improving PTSD treatment outcomes.
A study by the University of Cambridge found that adolescents with mental health conditions spend an average of 50 minutes extra on social media each day compared to their peers. They also report higher levels of social comparison, mood changes due to online feedback, and lower self-control over time spent on platforms.
Research led by VCU and Rutgers University found that romantic partners' substance use habits, personality traits, and mental health status can enhance or diminish a person's genetic predisposition to binge drinking. The study suggests that couple-based interventions could be more effective when addressing environmental influences.
Researchers analyzed 29 studies involving over 90,000 participants to examine the links between Big Five personality traits and prosocial behavior. Extraverts are more likely to engage in volunteer work, while agreeable individuals tend to be more generous with their finances.
Researchers found that most people are open to their friends asking to join plans, but hesitate to self-invite due to concerns about offending others. The study's findings suggest that people tend to underestimate the likelihood of getting invited and overestimate how much others consider them.
A study on heterosexual women found that personal scent preferences predicted how much they liked their interaction partners after four-minute chats. The researchers discovered that the quality of the in-person interaction influenced how participants perceived someone's smell.
A new study from the University of Bath found that combining step tracking with mindfulness training boosts people's desire to exercise. Participants who used a mobile app for daily mindfulness practices increased their activity by 373 minutes per week compared to those who only stepped tracked.
A study published in Food Quality and Preference found that individuals from higher socio-economic backgrounds exhibit a stronger link between their vagal tone and chocolate consumption. In contrast, those from lower socio-economic groups show less correlation between physiological signals and food intake.
A new study reveals that resilient entrepreneurs ride a smoother emotional rollercoaster, with less fluctuation in emotions over time. This emotional steadiness is linked to consistent efforts toward achieving business goals and conserves self-regulatory energy.
A Northwestern University study found that justice-involved youth with higher doses of incarceration had poorer outcomes, including lower education and employment rates. The study suggests that early interventions are crucial to reducing recidivism and promoting positive outcomes for these young individuals.
Research found that conservative Americans exhibit lower trust in science across various fields, including climate change and medical research. Despite short interventions aimed at strengthening trust, results showed little effect on conservatives' attitudes towards scientists.