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Children prefer fair punishment to unequal treatment

Children's sense of fairness becomes increasingly sophisticated as they get older, and they expect rules to be applied impartially and equally to every group member. A fair punishment brings emotional relief to children, whereas unequal treatment provokes strong resistance and undermines their sense of justice.

SourceSWPS University·JournalJournal of Experimental Child Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 19, 2026

Despite recovery from depression, the brain retains sensitivity to negative cues

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...

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging·TypeImaging analysis·DateJun 26, 2025

Studying the OCD cycle

Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology developed a new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder based on principles of reinforcement learning. The model suggests that imbalanced learning between reinforcement and punishment can lead to disordered behavior in OCD. This work helps explain how OCD develops and may be used t...

Lighting up artificial neural networks

Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed an 'optomemristor' device that facilitates three-factor learning and emulation of biological computations, making it possible to perform complex machine learning tasks. The device uses both light and electrical signals to interact and consume very little energy.

SourceUniversity of Oxford·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 26, 2022