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What motivates high-quality medical care: Is it all about money?

A recent study found that quality-based incentives increase the quality of medical treatment, particularly for severe illnesses. However, financial incentives do not necessarily lead to better patient outcomes. The study's results suggest that doctors' altruistic motivations play a crucial role in providing high-quality care.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalJournal of Health Economics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 27, 2024

Why we hate to wait

A study by Annabelle Roberts explores the internal negotiations that occur when people feel impatient, including the desire for closure. The research finds that people become more impatient as their wait nears an end and offers lessons for marketers to make waiting less annoying.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 15, 2024

Children’s positive attitude towards mathematics fades during the early school years

A recent study from Finland found that children's initial positive attitude towards mathematics gradually fades during the first three years of school, negatively impacting their competence perception. The researchers suggest that teaching practices supporting children's interest and experiences of success can help mitigate this effect.

SourceUniversity of Eastern Finland·JournalBritish Journal of Educational Psychology·DateFeb 12, 2024

Looking for love? Try finding purpose as well

A study from Washington University in St. Louis found that individuals with a sense of purpose were rated higher for attractiveness on dating app profiles compared to those without. The researchers created four categories of 'sense of purpose' and discovered that participants preferred profiles that shared the same orientation.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalInternational Journal of Applied Positive Psychology·DateJan 31, 2024

Status report on emerging photovoltaic technology published by SPIE Journal of Photonics for Energy

The report highlights key applications and pathways to commercialization for emerging PV technologies, including new materials and device concepts. It also discusses strategies to exceed current limits in solar PV energy conversion and challenges facing efforts to scale up globally.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Photonics for Energy·DateJan 9, 2024

How do financial incentives for CEOs affect business outcomes? Bonuses have minimal effect, stock options have none

A systematic review of 20 empirical studies found that CEO financial incentives have a small predictive effect on return on assets, but no effect on other performance metrics or financial restatements. The analysis suggests caution regarding current practices and recommends alternative arrangements to enhance firm performance.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalCampbell Systematic Reviews·DateDec 19, 2023

Prone to abandoning New Year’s resolutions? Bayes’ research suggests blaming money worries rather than being time-poor

Research by Dr Janina Steinmetz found that people are more likely to see others as having good self-control if they blame a lack of money rather than time for abandoning New Year's resolutions. Studies involving around 1,200 participants showed that excusing financial constraints leads to better perceptions of self-control.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalEuropean Journal of Social Psychology·TypeSurvey·DateDec 15, 2023

Pickier dogs have pickier brains

A new study found that pickier dogs exhibit distinct brain responses when rewarded with higher-quality food, which influences their motivation. The research used behavioral observations and neuroimaging techniques to investigate the relationship between food quality and dog behavior.

SourceEötvös Loránd University·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 30, 2023

UTA research examines how to stay on task

A new study by researchers at UTA found that setting specific goals can significantly improve sustained attention and reduce attention lapses. The results suggest that goal-setting techniques can help individuals better stay focused, particularly in tasks that require sustained attention.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalAttention Perception & Psychophysics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 28, 2023

Annals of Family Medicine: papers explore how technology is changing medical practice and how doctors are adapting

A recent study published in Annals of Family Medicine explores how technology is changing medical practice, including the use of AI-driven tools to effectively diagnose patients. The study also examines the interplay between fulfillment of basic psychological needs at work and technology use in maintaining clinician well-being.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateNov 28, 2023

Doctors whose psychological needs are met is associated with greater well-being in the new digital era

A Canadian study examines how rapid shift to virtual care during COVID-19 pandemic impacts primary care doctors' well-being. The researchers found that basic psychological need satisfaction at work was associated with higher well-being, while controlled motivation towards using virtual care predicted lower well-being.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateNov 27, 2023

Want to achieve your goals? Get angry

A study published by the American Psychological Association found that anger improves people's ability to reach their goals in challenging situations. Anger was associated with increased scores or shorter response times, and even motivated participants to vote in elections.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 30, 2023

What an animated taco reveals about curiosity and patience

A study by Duke neuroscientists found that curiosity increases people's patience for an answer while making them more eager to hear it. Curiosity also motivated viewers to withhold from hitting the 'spoiler' button and kept watching animated line-drawing videos unfold.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 24, 2023

Do humans get lazier when robots help with tasks?

Researchers found that humans who worked with robots were more likely to catch fewer defects later in the task, indicating a 'looking but not seeing' effect. This could lead to safety implications and negative impacts on work outcomes if not addressed in real-world environments.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Robotics and AI·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 18, 2023

Assessing ‘readiness’ by tracking fluctuations in daily sleep duration and their effects on daily mood, motivation, and sleepiness

Researchers found that longer nights of better sleep correlate with improved mood, motivation, and reduced sleepiness. Irregular sleep patterns had a negative effect on mental well-being, while daytime naps may alleviate inadequate nocturnal sleep's effects.

SourceNational University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine·JournalSleep Medicine·TypeMeta-analysis·DateOct 13, 2023

Swimming lessons often discourage kids from just having fun in the pool

Researchers from the Netherlands found that traditional swimming lessons in the country often discourage children from having fun in the pool. By adopting a teaching style based on self-determination theory, instructors can nurture autonomy, competence, and relatedness, leading to improved swimming skills and increased enjoyment. The s...

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Sports and Active Living·TypeObservational study·DateSep 27, 2023

Family planning and the fear of missing out

A Rutgers study found that fear of missing out (FOMO) is a significant driver for regretful parents to have children, with 7% of parents saying they would not have children if they could do it over again. The study analyzed narratives from Reddit's /r/childfree community and identified FOMO as a key discourse among regretful parents.

SourceRutgers University·JournalJournal of Social and Personal Relationships·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 25, 2023

New study sheds light on the impact of in-stream video advertising on ad information encoding

A recent study published in Journal of Advertising sheds light on the effects of in-stream video advertising on ad information encoding. The research found that mid-roll ads elicit negative emotions but do not affect viewers' purchase intention. In contrast, pre- and post-roll ads have a significant impact on memory formation, highligh...

Wolves and dogs appear to remember where people hid food

A study involving wolves and dogs found that both species can remember where people hid food if they observed the hiding process. However, wolves outperformed dogs in finding caches, suggesting differences in traits like persistency and food-related motivation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 13, 2023

New study shows increase in Welsh breastfeeding rates during pandemic

A Swansea University-led study found that Welsh breastfeeding rates increased during the pandemic, with a significant correlation between mothers' intention to breastfeed and exclusive breastfeeding duration. The study proposes targeted interventions during pregnancy and policies to support families to improve breastfeeding duration.

SourceSwansea University·JournalBMJ Paediatrics Open·TypeObservational study·DateAug 4, 2023

Motivation and pleasure deficits play important role in social functioning across psychiatric disorders

A recent study published in Nature Mental Health reveals that amotivation and anhedonia are key factors in determining social functioning among individuals with psychiatric disorders. The research found that these negative symptoms have a stronger impact on social functioning than expressive dysfunction, especially in patients with sch...

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalNature Mental Health·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 27, 2023

CT with CTA versus MRI in patients with dizziness

Using MRI instead of CT with CTA alone in patients presenting to the ED with dizziness was associated with greater critical neuroimaging results and more frequent echocardiography. Patients with dizziness undergoing MRI showed a lower frequency of 90-day ED readmissions compared to those discharged after CT with CTA alone.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·TypeImaging analysis·DateJul 7, 2023

No simple answer for why people believe in conspiracy theories

Research published by the American Psychological Association found that people believe in conspiracy theories due to a need to understand and feel safe in their environment. Additionally, certain personality traits such as a sense of antagonism toward others and high levels of paranoia are more prone to believing conspiracy theories.

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalPsychological Bulletin·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJun 26, 2023

U.S. consumers judge morality of armed self-protection on case-by-case basis, OSU research shows

Research from Oregon State University shows that Americans judge the morality of armed self-protection on a case-by-case basis, considering factors like perceived threat and background of the person carrying the gun. The study highlights the complexity of consumer views on gun rights and Second Amendment rights.

SourceOregon State University·JournalJournal of Consumer Research·TypeObservational study·DateJun 12, 2023

Millions of patients do not have full recovery of smell or taste senses after COVID infection, study finds

A retrospective analysis of national data found that over 20 million Americans experienced loss of smell or taste after COVID infection, with a large portion never fully recovering these senses. The study estimated that almost 28 million Americans may be left with decreased sense of smell after COVID infection.

SourceMass Eye and Ear·JournalThe Laryngoscope·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJun 12, 2023

In schools that could benefit most, building relationships is key to increasing capacity for nutrition education programming

A new study by researchers at the School District of Philadelphia found that building relationships between SNAP-Ed implementers and school staff was crucial for developing school staff motivation and capacity to implement programming. This approach can help schools most in need, which are often high-poverty schools with limited capacity.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior·TypeObservational study·DateJun 8, 2023

Enhancing patient care by improving electronic health records: Plan outlines 3 'essential' steps

The University of Virginia Health System has developed a plan to improve the use of electronic health records, reduce clinician workload, and enhance patient care. The plan outlines three 'essential' steps for improving electronic health reforms, including implementing unique personal safety identifiers to streamline operations.