Articles tagged with Psychological Assessment
A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that creating psychological distance can reduce cognitive difficulty and anxiety in choice situations. By manipulating abstract thinking and body postures, researchers discovered that leaning away from a screen or task can make decisions feel less difficult.
A UMass Amherst cognitive researcher has developed a systematic approach to enhancing creativity by teaching people to notice obscure features and build solutions around them. The technique, known as the generic parts technique (GPT), was shown to improve problem-solving skills in individuals trained with it.
Research from Jena University reveals that prejudice development peaks between 5-7 years of age, but well-designed prevention programs can effectively reduce biases. The study highlights the importance of diverse contacts in reducing sweeping generalizations and discrimination, especially for children from social minorities.
A study of 1,074 participants across 16 studies found that people are worse at predicting their own emotions in absolute terms but better when compared to others. This relative accuracy might be useful in real-life situations, such as anticipating how clients will react to bad news
A recent study by Princeton researchers found that Hurricane Katrina survivors continued to experience poor mental health nearly five years after the storm. The study, which tracked low-income mothers in the New Orleans area before and after the disaster, showed a persistence of high levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Researchers found that long neuropsychological tests can induce mental fatigue in healthy, athletically active subjects. The study aims to establish a baseline measurement for concussion diagnosis and prevent re-injuries by testing athletes at the beginning of their season.
Shakespeare's works show that physical symptoms like dizziness and fatigue are common in characters expressing strong emotions. This data suggests the Bard was a master at portraying psychological causes of physical symptoms, making his characters more human and empathetic.
A new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev found that female students who were more optimistic achieved significantly higher grades than their less optimistic peers. In contrast, male students who were too optimistic struggled with overconfidence and lower grades due to a lack of conscientiousness.
New research from Northwestern University and Texas A&M University suggests that ideal partner preferences can be flexible once meeting in person. People tend to focus on the whole person rather than individual traits, making preconceived notions less important.
A study found that men are rated higher than women in Wall Street law firms despite receiving equally positive evaluations. The researchers suggest that stereotypes and biases lead to a pro-male bias in numerical ratings.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology suggests that racism and prejudices are often learned through cultural exposure. Participants responded faster to word pairs found together in literature, indicating a potential link between cultural stereotypes and individual gut reactions.
Researchers are using smartphones to conduct large-scale language studies, collecting data from over 4,157 subjects in seven languages. This innovative approach allows for faster data collection and opens up possibilities for future research on human cognition.
A study published in Psychology & Marketing reveals that identity is a key motivation behind bequest giving, with charities needing to foster a sense of shared values and recognition with their organization.
A study by the University of Granada found that people's attitude towards their past experiences significantly influences their perception of health and quality of life. Individuals with a negative view of the past tend to have worse physical and mental health indicators, including depression, anxiety, and reduced physical strength.
A study of 228 patients found that those with high anger levels had a higher risk of cardiac events and lower infarction-free survival. The researchers suggest a multidimensional therapeutic approach incorporating physical, pharmacological, and psychotherapy treatment to address underlying suffering.
Research suggests that predictive genetic testing in children may have benefits, including identifying individual's inherited vulnerabilities to diseases and enabling early health interventions. However, existing guidelines warn of potential psychological harm, which critics argue is often based on speculation rather than evidence.
A recent national survey found that many Americans hold incorrect beliefs about memory, diverging from scientific research. These misconceptions can impact legal proceedings and everyday life.
BC researchers found that the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) can accurately identify development delays in children. The tests, which take 5-15 minutes to complete, have been validated for accuracy in primary care settings.
Research examines the long-term psychological effects of 9/11 attacks on Americans, including increased prejudice and anxiety, as well as charitable donations and civic engagement. The study also explores how psychology is helping people understand and cope with the enduring impacts of terrorism.
A new study confirms that fulfilling a diversity of needs is essential to individual happiness. Higher-order needs like social support and self-actualization contribute more strongly to life satisfaction than lower-order needs.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that viewing emotion-laden images immediately after taking a test enhances people's retention of the tested material. The finding is counterintuitive, as one might expect negative emotions to hinder learning.
A new study found that anxious searchers are more likely to miss multiple objects, particularly the second target, due to anticipatory anxiety. The research, led by Duke University psychologist Stephen Mitroff, has important implications for training and testing searchers in homeland security and healthcare.
Researchers found that successful testing improves memory performance in all three types of memory: cue, target, and associative. The study suggests that repeated retrieval practice boosts memory, regardless of the type of memory being tested.
A meta-analysis of data from 63 countries found that societal values of individualism are the best predictors of well-being. Higher income and social equality also contribute to higher well-being, but the effect of money on happiness plateaus once basic needs are met.
A recent study published in the Journal of Management Studies suggests that using ingratiation, or 'sucking up', can neutralize psychological distress and ostracism in the workplace. Employers should create a culture that discourages workplace ostracism by providing training to managers and employees.
Researchers found that Tai Chi improves cognitive functioning and psychological health in women who have undergone chemotherapy. The study suggests that Tai Chi could be a valuable addition to cancer treatment for mitigating cognitive decline.
A University of Granada study found that allowing children to freely choose vegetables leads to an increase in their consumption. Children who were given the option ingested more than 20 grams of veggies daily, representing a significant boost to their overall vegetable intake.
Researchers at Duke University found that strobe-like eyewear can improve visual abilities, particularly in detecting brief stimuli and small changes in motion. The study involved nearly 500 participants who trained with either strobe or control eyewear, showing some improvements in noticing brief stimuli after training.
A study of 266 healthy adults aged 70-88 found that driving errors, such as failing to check blind spots and speeding, increased with age. The results have implications for skill-based driving tests and training for older drivers.
A UA study using economic models backed up by fMRI scans explores the neural bases of guilt aversion and its role in sustaining human cooperation. The findings suggest that a critical neural system processes moral sentiments to sustain trust and reciprocity in complex situations.
A study found that people threatened with poor performance are more likely to use credit cards to purchase luxury items, such as high-end jeans. Researchers discovered that the threat of negative self-evaluation drives consumers to seek status and value reassurance through material purchases.
A study published in PLoS Medicine reveals that medical personnel at Guantánamo Bay failed to investigate and document causes of physical injuries and psychological symptoms in detainees. The review of nine cases corroborates allegations of torture, highlighting a breach of fundamental human rights.
A new study found that consumers predict product quality based on attributes when buying for themselves, but rely on price when someone else makes the purchase. The researchers suggest retailers and salespeople should increase psychological distance to influence quality perceptions through high prices.
A study published in the American Psychological Association journal found that a person's current thoughts and behavior can predict their future mood swings, even when medical history is accounted for. The researchers developed a new form of cognitive behavioral therapy called TEAMS to manage bipolar symptoms.
A study by University of Utah psychologists found that individuals with lower working memory capacity are more prone to inattention blindness, missing a person in a gorilla suit walking across the screen. This suggests that people with better control over their attention may be more likely to notice unexpected events.
A new pilot study aims to fill the research gap for young women with Triple Negative Breast Cancer, a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that affects mostly African-American or Hispanic women. The two-year study will survey up to 60 women recently diagnosed with this type of breast cancer.
A Michigan State University study found that women who view sexual harassment as merely bothersome do not experience distress, unlike those who see it as frightening. For men, however, sexual harassment is distressing regardless of perception. The research surveyed over 6,000 women and men in the military.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that people with low self-esteem are more likely to exhibit bias against others. The researchers used the Implicit Association Test (IAT) to investigate this claim and found that feeling bad about oneself activates negative evaluations of others.
A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found that people living in coastal communities with and without direct oil exposure showed clinically significant levels of depression and anxiety. Those with income loss due to the spill had higher rates of depression and were less resilient.
Researchers review common misconceptions about liars and find that verbal methods of deception detection are more effective than nonverbal methods. They also identify opportunities to improve lie detection by exploiting psychological differences between liars and truth-tellers.
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.
A new report reviews the psychological effects of disasters, finding that less than 30% of adults experience severe, lasting problems, while most people recover from passing distress. Factors influencing recovery include age, socioeconomic status, and economic resources.
A new study from Purdue University reveals that practicing retrieval, such as self-testing, is a more effective strategy than elaborate studying for improving long-term retention. The research found a 50% improvement in long-term retention scores for students who practiced retrieval compared to those who used elaborative studying.
Psychologists at Jena University discovered that adapting to faces of older people can make a person appear younger. The study found that viewing multiple faces of the same age group can influence age perception and lead to estimates that are systematically wrong.
This special section of Perspectives on Psychological Science explores how psychologists can avoid stigmatizing groups by framing individual and group differences as strengths. Experts discuss the importance of challenging biases and stereotypes in research, teaching, and advocacy to promote a more inclusive field of psychology.
Research suggests that moderate energy drink consumption can enhance behavioral control, but increased caffeine intake leads to decreased mental fatigue and impaired cognitive performance. Additionally, the study found that adolescents who consumed more caffeine had higher diastolic blood pressure and ate more high-sugar snack foods.
A new study shows that women who publicly challenge sexist behavior experience psychological benefits, including increased self-esteem and empowerment. Researchers found that communal-oriented individuals are more likely to confront prejudice.
A new study published in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention found that patients with anxiety disorders are more likely to have undetected heart problems during electrocardiogram tests. The study suggests that administering a brief questionnaire before conducting ECGs can help identify patients at risk.
Research reveals bilinguals outperform monolinguals in tasks requiring distraction-blocking and task-switching, potentially leading to improved cognitive outcomes. Bilingualism may also protect against age-related cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease.
A study by Harvard University psychologists found that bilingual individuals' opinions of ethnic groups were affected by the language they spoke. The researchers used the Implicit Association Test to show that language can create and shape implicit attitudes, challenging the view that attitudes are stable.
Cordelia Fine argues that reports of sex differences in the brain are often based on flawed research methods and misunderstood findings. She advocates for a critical evaluation of these claims to avoid reinforcing outdated gender stereotypes.
A new study from Stanford psychologists suggests that a person's mindset and personal beliefs about willpower determine how long and well they'll be able to work on a tough mental exercise. Contrary to the long-held theory that willpower is a limited resource, researchers found that those who believed in willpower as something not easi...
Researchers from Kent State University found that practice tests can significantly improve memory by helping learners develop more effective encoding strategies. By taking practice tests, individuals come up with better mental hints or keywords, which aids in remembering information later.
Researchers at the University of Zurich studied soccer fans' neural responses to ingroup and outgroup suffering, finding that brain regions associated with empathy for others' pain are activated when witnessing an ingroup suffer. This correlates with a greater willingness to help, whereas watching an outgroup suffer leads to decreased ...
Researchers Tali Sharot and Cristina M. Velasquez improved on a previous experimental design to test subliminal decision making. The study found that participants' evaluations of chosen destinations increased after blind choice, suggesting a psychological mechanism to reduce tension from rejecting alternatives.
A study by researchers at the University of Toronto Scarborough found that using an inner voice helps individuals exercise self-control and resist impulsive decisions. The team conducted tests where participants were unable to verbalize messages to themselves, leading to increased impulsivity.
A new tool developed by Elizabeth Poposki measures preference for multitasking, which may help employers identify employees who can handle job demands without burnout. The study found that individuals who prefer to work on multiple tasks simultaneously enjoy the experience of multitasking more.
A new University of Arizona study found that even complete strangers can infer a person's emotional state from just 30 seconds of conversation. Verbal snippets, such as tone and language use, provide significant insight into how people are coping with separation and divorce.
Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed a battery of computer-based tests that can quickly assess cognitive abilities in individuals with Down syndrome. The tests, which take about two hours to administer, offer a new tool for clinicians and researchers to determine developmental trajectory and devise drug and behaviora...
A pioneering new study led by University of Leicester researchers shows that training Health Visitors to assess and support mothers after childbirth can significantly reduce the development of depression over the following year. Intervention women were 30% less likely to develop depression compared to control women receiving usual care.