Articles tagged with Experimental Psychology
Research by American Psychological Association suggests that people feel less vulnerable to COVID-19 when they think of their friends rather than strangers. This 'friend-shield effect' can lead to reduced safety precautions and increased infection risk.
A new Penn State study found that people are more likely to choose empathy for an animal over a human, but only when the choices are not in competition. When context matters, people's willingness to engage in human empathy decreases, while their interest in animal empathy increases.
A landmark study found that autistic individuals think as quickly and rationally as non-autistic people, challenging the idea that autism is a mental processing disorder. The research suggests that certain fundamental processes are more similar between autistic and non-autistic individuals than previously thought.
Researchers found that using the phrase 'objectively reasonable' to describe a police officer leads to less negative judgments, affecting perceptions of competence and warmth. The study suggests that legal language has a powerful impact on how citizens evaluate police officers, particularly those serving on juries.
New research from the University of Exeter reveals that people can switch between multiple social identities with ease. The study found that rapidly activating different identities has no apparent difficulty and may even be beneficial for remote workers who struggle to separate their work and personal lives.
Researchers found data analysis, accounting, cleaning, and banking to be the most boring jobs, while religion, watching TV, and bird watching were among the dullest hobbies. Stereotypically boring people are often disliked and avoided due to preconceptions, leading to social ostracization and increased loneliness.
Researchers reexamined hundreds of experiments on neural activity and consciousness, finding that experiment parameters determine results. The study used artificial intelligence to predict which theory would be supported by each experiment with 80% success.
A large-scale experiment found that scientists' claims are perceived as more credible than those of spiritual gurus worldwide, with universal effect across cultures. The Einstein effect highlights the importance of scientific sources in determining information reliability.
A recent study published in Psychological Research found that movement can boost creative thinking by providing freedom to make self-determined movements. Small movements while sitting can have the same positive effects as walking, and forced or suppressed movement can hinder cognitive processes like creativity.
A new UCLA study shows that students can learn and retain information quite well when watching lectures at speeds of up to double the normal speed. However, once they exceed this limit, comprehension begins to suffer. The researchers found that spending time saved by speeding up videos on additional studying activities enhances learning.
Researchers developed a virtual walking system that uses 360° videos and scene-congruent foot vibrations to improve sensations of walking and perception of ground materials. The system was found to enhance walking-related sensations and telepresence, particularly in indoor corridors and snowy ground scenes.
A team of researchers at Duke University found that surprise can disrupt the stability of patterns in the hippocampus, leading to more false memories. This study has implications for understanding learning and memory, as well as how people recall events and faces.
A recent study by North Carolina State University suggests that teaching children to understand others' perspectives can make it easier for them to forgive. Children are more likely to forgive someone who has apologized and is part of their in-group. The study also highlights the importance of helping kids develop Theory of Mind skills...
A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology has identified specific facial features that can be used to distinguish children's faces from adult faces. These features include the shape of the nose and eyebrows for adult faces and the eye, jawline, and nasal bone for child faces.
Researchers found that both deep and shallow conversations felt less awkward and led to greater feelings of connectedness and enjoyment than expected. People underestimated how interested strangers were in their deeper thoughts and feelings, but accurate expectations increased interest in having a deeper conversation.
A new study suggests that the brain uses a mechanism called 'repulsion' to differentiate between similar environments. Researchers found that when participants were asked about stores shared between two cities, their brains showed surprisingly different patterns of activity, indicating that they were treating these familiar locations a...
Researchers studied the effects of isolation on human psychology, physiology, and team dynamics in a simulated off-world colony. The study found that crews' communication with mission control diminished over time, causing initial friction but eventually leading to increased cohesion despite cultural and personal differences.
A study from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business found that conservatives with low conscientiousness are more likely to share misleading information. Conscientiousness plays a significant role in determining whether people share misinformation, regardless of political beliefs or social media usage.
A new Dartmouth study found that a neural code shared across brains is responsible for recognizing familiar faces, including social and personal information. The study used hyperalignment to align brain responses into a common space, revealing high decoding accuracy in areas outside of visual processing.
A chatbot tested with 338 individuals showed a 37% increase in positive views of vaccination and a 20% decrease in vaccine refusal after just a few minutes of interaction. The study suggests that the chatbot could be an effective tool to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
Researchers found that receiving feedback produces a stronger effect on sustaining attention than setting specific goals. Combining both goal-setting and feedback significantly improves attention and motivation. In contrast, incentives have little impact on task engagement or performance.
Researchers found that a low opening offer can be effective if it's within a 'fair game' window, avoiding negative emotions, but not so low that it backfires. A balance must be struck to achieve a better outcome in negotiations.
A study by the University of Missouri found that people are more likely to praise someone for good deeds if they know the person has also faced suffering earlier in life. This discovery sheds light on how humans process and react to positive behaviors, such as giving praise.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science discover that vicarious social defeat can cause psychological stress in mice, leading to depression and decreased neurogenesis. The study sheds light on the pathophysiology of depression and may lead to the development of novel antidepressants.
A new study by UCL researchers found that social inequality can incite collective violence, including vandalism, even with weak social identification. The findings suggest that reducing economic inequality could play a role in maintaining public safety.
University of Rochester psychologists train adolescents and young adults to reinterpret their stress response as adaptive, leading to reduced anxiety, improved test scores, and healthier coping mechanisms. The study finds that 'good stress' mindset resets help students perform better under pressure and stay enrolled in classes.
A study by University of Cologne researchers found that negative student expectations outweighed positive ones regarding remote learning during the pandemic. Students feared a decrease in social interaction, quality of teaching, and feedback, while hoping for increased flexibility and improved media competency.
A new study suggests some people choose to avoid feeling compassion, citing it as mentally taxing. However, when choosing to feel compassion towards close family members, the experience is easier and less challenging.
A new Rutgers-led study finds that people who believe leisure activities are a waste of time tend to enjoy them less. The research suggests that attitudes towards leisure can impact its enjoyment and even mental health.
A new Yale University study reveals that social media platforms like Twitter amplify expressions of moral outrage over time, encouraging users to express more outrage with increased likes and shares. This finding has significant implications for leaders and policymakers who use these platforms.
Researchers conducted a new trial to adapt Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DPT) for people with frequent Bipolar mood swings. The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of this adapted therapy, finding that it has demand from individuals with Bipolar disorder.
A study found that older adults are more likely to misperceive black children as angry, regardless of their actual age. In contrast, white children are less frequently misjudged in this way.
Researchers at VCU found a clear preference for immediate revenge in six experiments with over 1,500 participants. Participants who ruminated on past provocations or had antagonistic traits showed a shift towards delayed-but-greater revenge.
A new study by UC Berkeley Haas School of Business researchers found that white participants who claim to be non-prejudiced often convey the opposite message through their language. The study suggests that explicit egalitarianism can blind people to underlying prejudice and perpetuate prejudicial attitudes.
Researchers found that kit colour clashes slow players' ability to find teammates on the pitch, with quicker response times observed when teams wear different shorts colours. The study's findings suggest potential implications for laws of the game and refereeing decisions, particularly in cases involving crossed kits.
A new study found that 33% of participants initially refused to know the climate impact of their food choices. However, after being informed, they reduced their carbon footprint by an average of 12%. The researchers believe obligatory climate labeling is necessary for effective results.
A new study from Ohio State University found that validating someone's negative emotions can help foster a positive outlook. Participants who were validated showed protected and sustained positive emotions, while those who were invalidated experienced declines in positivity.
A recent paper by Tadeg Quillien outlines a mathematical model of causal judgment that reproduces people's intuitions better than previous models. The study highlights the role of probability and logical structure in shaping our causal intuition, with implications for problem-solving and decision-making.
Researchers confirm the gun embodiment effect, where gun owners perceive others as holding guns, and found small but significant effects on accuracy and speed. The study replicated earlier findings with larger sample sizes and suggests universal applicability.
Research suggests that people do not trust health content on crowdsourced sites, even with expert curation, due to concerns about misinformation and manipulation. However, interactive features such as editing functions can increase perceived credibility.
Researchers found that cats are more likely to slow blink at their owners if they have received a slow blink stimulus, and approach the experimenter after slow blinking. This technique can provide positive communication between cats and humans, enhancing the bond and potentially improving feline welfare.
Researchers from Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg found that playfulness can be induced through daily exercises that boost playful behavior. The study showed a temporary improvement in participants' well-being and demonstrated the potential for practical applications, such as improving work-life balance and relationships.
Researchers found that abstract paintings elicit more distant times and places in viewers than representational paintings. The study suggests that abstract art can evoke more abstract mental states, making it a unique catalyst for psychological exploration.
A University of Houston study found that insufficient sleep alters children's emotional health, particularly in response to positive emotions. The research highlights the importance of assessing and prioritizing healthy sleep habits for emotionally vulnerable children.
Researchers found that feelings of preparedness in one area can lead to more confident thoughts about unrelated topics, even if those thoughts are not based on actual knowledge. Participants who were told they had to prepare for bad news later showed more positive attitudes towards research funding proposals than those who didn't prepare.
Participants who reduced their Facebook usage experienced fewer depressive symptoms, were more active physically, and showed increased life satisfaction. Reducing social media time may help prevent addictive behavior and support a healthier lifestyle.
A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that consumers derive more happiness from experiential purchases than material ones. The researchers recruited over 2,600 adults and monitored their emotions and purchasing behavior, discovering that happiness was higher for those who spent on experiences a...
Research at Queen Mary University of London reveals that people's motivation shifts from rewards to effort when putting plans into action. To achieve goals, focusing on effort before action can lead to successful outcomes.
A study found that disclaimers on retouched photos have no effect on mitigating negative body image in women. In fact, some disclaimers heightened and harmed body dissatisfaction in at-risk women.
A study published in Psychological Science found that when asked to answer questions quickly and impulsively, people tend to respond with a socially desirable answer. The researchers argue that the 'quick-answer' technique may be flawed as it can lead participants to misrepresent themselves.
A virtual town called 'Neuralville' was created to test brain function, revealing specialized cortical scene-selective regions for recognizing places and navigating through environments. The study has implications for brain rehabilitation methods and improving computer vision systems.
Researchers found that replacing politically correct language with incorrect words makes people view a speaker as more authentic and less likely to be swayed by others. This phenomenon applies across the political spectrum, with both liberals and conservatives being influenced by it.
Researchers at Washington State University found that individuals who post more selfies are viewed as less likeable, more insecure, and less open to new experiences. On the other hand, those who share more posed photos are seen as higher in self-esteem, more adventurous, and having better social skills.
A team of researchers at HSE University found that working memory stores objects and their features independently, making it easier to remember single-object information. This hierarchical structure suggests that working memory can store multiple types of information simultaneously.
A recent Arizona State University study suggests that scientific engagement can promote belief in a more abstract view of God. Researchers found that experiencing awe from science leads people to believe in an abstract God described as mystical or limitless.
Researchers have shown that people's general inability to ignore reward cues is not just a lack of control, but rather a limitation of their executive control processes. In an experiment, participants struggled to resist fast food and alcohol cues when under cognitive pressure or high memory load. The findings suggest strengthening exe...
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.
Researchers found that people with avoidant attachment styles are less likely to use the word 'we' when talking about their relationships. The study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, suggests that pronoun use can be an indirect indicator of attachment style.
A recent study by University of Kent researchers found that women are consistently ranked lower than men when considering leadership roles. The study suggests that women must demonstrate high performance to be considered for senior positions, while men are given preference due to their perceived potential.
Research by Jena University's sport psychology team reveals that loud grunting noises in tennis can lead to a biased perception of the ball's trajectory, causing players to overestimate its distance. Despite this, the sound of grunting does not hinder opponents' ability to predict the ball's flight.