Articles tagged with Experimental Psychology
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Two studies by USC Marshall School of Business professor Scott Wiltermuth found that synchronized physical activities can foster aggression and obedience, potentially leading to destructive outcomes. Participants who moved in sync with their groups or authority figures performed better in tasks that involved harming others.
A new study by Beijing Normal University cognitive psychologist Jia Liu and colleagues found that holistic processing is critical to face recognition. Individuals who perform well in tasks measuring holistic processing, such as the composite-face effect and whole-part effect, also excel at recognizing faces.
Researchers suggest that passing through doorways impairs memory recall due to 'event boundaries,' which compartmentalize decisions made in different rooms. The study found subjects forgot more after walking through a doorway compared to moving across a room.
Researchers found that metaphorical associations with weight are just as influential as physical weight on consumer judgments. In experiments, participants who were primed to think about weight responded similarly to those who physically carried heavy loads.
Researchers used a novel experiment to investigate the brain's perception of surface lightness, finding that the ratio hypothesis does not explain the observed performance. Instead, participants could distinguish between shades with ratios up to 50 times higher than expected, suggesting other mechanisms are at work.
A study by Kristin Laurin found that reminding people of God decreases their motivation to pursue personal goals, yet improves their ability to resist temptation. Participants who believed in an omniscient entity watching over them were more likely to resist temptations and achieve major life goals.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that fans of baseball teams tend to remember the games their teams won more than the ones they lost. The researchers discovered that positive experiences and social factors play a significant role in boosting memory for winning events.
Researchers found that the brain can selectively focus on visual information from one eye, even when both eyes are receiving images. This selective attention enhances the processing of visual information from the focused eye.
A study by Columbia Business School researchers finds that women's lower negotiation outcomes are driven by heightened concerns about social backlash, rather than a lack of capability or motivation. To address this, training programs should focus on coaching role shifting and reframing self-advocacy as other-advocacy.
Researchers found that people judge others based on sexual orientation even if they're not consciously aware of it. Gay men were perceived as more likable than straight men, especially among black men.
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 study by academics at UEA found that people who do not conform are most likely to work together for the public good, while conforming to social norms can actually make people less likely to co-operate. Non-conformists were more willing to invest in a joint project when praised for their investment.
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.
A study published in Journal of Vision found that pigeons recognize human faces and emotional expressions in a way similar to humans. The researchers suggest that both specialized and general processes are involved in face recognition, contradicting previous assumptions about uniquely human cognitive processes.
Researchers found that using a ski glove to hinder motor fluency can reverse right-handers' judgments of good and bad, making them associate left with the 'right side' of space. This study suggests that people's conceptions of good and bad depend on their bodily experiences.
Researchers found that those primed to think of their own unethical nature subjected themselves to more pain, but experienced reduced feelings of guilt after the painful experience. Pain has been imbued with meaning as punishment, leading to its psychological effect of resolving guilt.
A recent study from the University of New Hampshire found that individuals who feel more secure in their relationships place a lower monetary value on their possessions. This heightened sense of security can lead to decreased valuation of possessions, as people perceive them as already being protected by their loved ones.
A new Iowa State University study found that subjects who witnessed a criminal event and were tested about it immediately afterward were more susceptible to having misinformation instilled in their later recall of the event. This effect, known as retrieval-enhanced suggestibility, may lead to false convictions in criminal cases.
Bilingual toddlers as young as 24 months exhibit comparable vocabulary in both languages and show cognitive advantages over unilingual peers. This early bilingual advantage is likely due to infants' experience with two languages, providing a competitive edge in executive functioning.
A recent study found that married couples and close friends may not communicate as well as they think. The researchers used an experiment to test this idea, finding that accuracy rates for spouses and strangers were statistically identical. Closeness can create the illusion of insight, leading to communication problems.
A new study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that imagining eating a certain food decreases appetite for it. Participants who repeatedly imagined consuming a food ate significantly fewer pieces than those who performed different tasks or imagined a different food.
New research in Psychological Science found that the fear of being the target of malicious envy motivates people to act more helpfully toward those they think might be jealous. This fear encourages prosocial behavior, such as sharing resources with others.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that people find humor in moral violations when they seem harmless or non-threatening. The researchers tested this theory by presenting volunteers with different scenarios and rewarding them with candy bars. They discovered that the situations involving a moral violation were more...
Researchers discovered that daydreaming about distant memories can improve memory recall and reduce remembering of recent events. Participants who thought about a vacation within the U.S. remembered more words than those who thought about an overseas trip.
A new study found that those who expect unexpected events are no better at detecting them than those who don't, and may even be worse. The study used a video featuring basketball players and a gorilla, and showed that familiarity with the original experiment did not improve detection of other unexpected events.
Researchers found that hearing the name of an object improves participants' ability to see it, even when flashed onscreen in conditions that render it invisible. The effect was specific to language and did not depend on visual preview or pre-experiment familiarity with the target.
A Yale-led team of psychologists found that physical sensations can shape our thoughts and perceptions, leading to different behaviors towards others. The study demonstrated how dramatic the impact of touch can be on our interactions with job applicants, relationships, and negotiations.
A study by University of Illinois professors found that those who ask themselves whether they will complete a task tend to do better than those who tell themselves they will. This phenomenon has implications for cognitive, social, and clinical psychology, as well as education and work settings.
A recent study published in Psychological Science found that students who expected to receive grades quickly performed better than those who anticipated delays. This counterintuitive result may be due to the threat of disappointment being more prominent for early expectants, leading them to perform better as a result. The study has imp...
A new Rotman paper finds that physically enclosing relevant materials from unpleasant memories improves psychological closure, creating a sense of well-being. The study's findings have implications for products and services that relieve stress and anxiety related to past events or tasks.
Researchers found that darkness can lead to an increase in dishonest and self-interested behaviors, even when participants are anonymous. In three experiments, those in dimly lit rooms cheated more than those in well-lit rooms, while wearing sunglasses made participants behave more selfishly.
Researchers found that a negative mood imparts a warm glow to familiar stimuli, while a happy mood eliminates this preference for familiarity. This discovery has applications in various fields, including parenting, marketing, and politics.
A study published in Psychological Science found that directed prayer can spark forgiveness in both the person praying and their wronged partner. Praying for a close friend also increased selfless concern, which boosted forgiveness. The researchers believe prayer shifts attention from the self back to others, allowing resentments to fade.
Research in Social Psychological and Personality Science suggests that women's fascination with true crime stems from a desire to learn strategies for prevention and survival. The study found that women are more likely to be drawn to true crime books than men, as they seek to understand warning signs and escape tips.
A new study found that personal connections can lead to further investment in failing programs, even to one's own financial detriment. Business leaders and organizations should carefully consider integrating a true outsider to make more decisive decisions.
Researchers found that 15-month-olds struggle to distinguish Jamaican-accented words, but 19-month-olds exhibit cross-dialect recognition. By 19 months, children demonstrate phonological constancy for both familiar and unfamiliar words in any English dialect.
Researchers discovered a preference for processing information on the left side of faces, which can aid in facial recognition. In contrast, experts who read Chinese characters exhibit reduced holistic processing and show a left-side bias, indicating general visual expertise.
Research by Joshua M. Ackerman and John A. Bargh found that imagining another person's self-control can lead to a depletion of one's own self-control, causing impulsive behaviors like overspending. In experiments, participants who imagined exerting self-control in someone else performed worse on cognitive tasks after the simulation.
Research finds that three- and four-year-old children favor majority opinions, even in follow-up experiments with only two individuals present. This suggests young children can recognize and trust consensus, and remember group membership.
Recent experiments using brain waves have shown that our brains rapidly draw upon a wide range of information to understand unfolding sentences. Key findings include the rapid classification of speakers based on their voice and social stereotypes.
Research by Kristin R. Ratliff and Nora S. Newcombe found that human adults rely on both geometric and feature cues for reorientation, with a preference depending on the environment and past experiences. The study used experiments with different room sizes and landmarks to investigate this phenomenon.
A social psychologist replicated Stanley Milgram's famous obedience experiment and found that compliance rates remained largely unchanged, with no difference between men and women. The study suggests that situational factors still operate today, influencing people's willingness to follow authority figures.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that spending time in nature improves attention and memory processes. Volunteers who took a walk in a park performed better on a task than those who walked downtown or viewed urban scenes.
Researchers found that when we see an object, multiple motor programs are involuntarily activated, competing for control. The brain uses a common mechanism to filter out irrelevant information, allowing us to execute precise movements.
A study by Daniel Fiset and colleagues reveals that line terminations are the most important feature for recognizing both uppercase and lowercase letters. The researchers used the 'Bubbles' technique to evaluate which areas of each letter were crucial for recognition.
Researchers found that making comparisons, even on unrelated topics, activates a comparative mind-set that boosts willingness to buy one out of two options. This effect persists and influences decisions in subsequent situations.
Researchers found that emphasizing opposition to the other party can transform attitudes towards different groups and drive coalition building. The study used experiments with Asian and Latino students, showing that highlighting negational racial identity increased support for a Black Presidential candidate.
Researchers at Northwestern University found that avatars in virtual worlds respond to social cues, revealing racial biases, similar to real-world behavior. The study employed door-in-the-face and foot-in-the-door techniques to demonstrate the effects of social influence on avatar behavior.
Researchers found that excluding participants from a game led to automatic mimicry of another person's behaviors, influencing feelings of belonging. This phenomenon suggests that nonconscious mimicry is an automatic response to social exclusion, with implications for human behavior.
Research suggests that alliteration improves memory for both content and thematic aspects of literature. Participants who read works with similar alliterative sounds performed better in memory recall than those who read without or with different sounds.
Researchers used different hues of orange and yellow on various objects to examine color perception and constancy. Participants redefined colors based on their knowledge of object colors, not just the hue.
Recent studies have found that reminding participants of money improves personal performance but decreases interpersonal sensitivity. Participants who were reminded of money spent less time helping others and showed decreased kindness, but increased persistence in difficult tasks.
Researchers found that when attention to detail is required, sad children perform better than their happy peers. This finding contradicts the idea that happiness always leads to optimal outcomes. The study suggests that a positive mood can have hidden costs for certain tasks.
A recent study by Kathleen Vohs and Jonathan Schooler found that individuals who believe in their own free will are less likely to cheat and steal money compared to those with weakened convictions. The researchers used a priming method to manipulate participants' beliefs about free will, leading to significant results.
The human brain can quickly perceive visual and auditory changes, but a recent study found that this ability is impaired when there's a brief time gap between the change and our perception. The researchers discovered that the brain uses more efficient mechanisms for auditory memory than visual memory.
Synaesthetes often perceive the world as having a consistent and permanent vision. They may feel strongly about their experiences, which can affect preferences and perceptions. Research by Alicia Callejas Sevilla at the University of Granada explores various forms of synaesthesia.
A Princeton University study reveals that quick facial judgments can accurately predict real-world election returns, with a rapid appraisal of two candidates' faces sufficient to predict the winner in about 70 percent of U.S. senator and state governor races in 2006 elections.
Researchers found that when individuals contemplate death, their unconscious mind actively seeks out and activates pleasant memories to cope with the threat. This 'terror management theory' suggests that the brain protects itself from paralyzing fear by involuntarily searching for positive associations.
A recent study has found that our brains respond more rapidly when visualizing two objects that may collide. This challenge traditional understanding of visual perception, which suggests a delay between the moment events occur and when they are perceived.
Researchers tested 19-month and 22-month-old infants on a wet toy to see if they could identify it based on verbal description. The study suggests that before age 2, infants can update their knowledge through verbal interaction, expanding their understanding of the world.