Articles tagged with Social Psychology
Researchers found that framing charitable giving as gifts increases donors' willingness to contribute and actual donations. This strategy makes donors feel psychologically closer to beneficiaries, leading to higher charitable contributions.
A study by Alisa Auer and Petra Wirtz found that men with essential hypertension are more likely to recognize angry expressions when looking at others' faces. This 'anger recognition bias' contributes to increased blood pressure over time if someone experiences high levels of anger.
A new study measures the happiness benefits of US city parks in the 25 largest cities, finding a powerful effect from urban nature on users. Park size and accessibility emerged as key predictors of happiness.
A recent study found that child abuse investigations by Child Protective Services (CPS) do not necessarily prevent poor sexual health outcomes in adolescent girls. In fact, the researchers discovered that girls who underwent investigation were more likely to experience adverse sexual health outcomes, including STIs and pregnancy, befor...
A study found that older people are more positively reactive to emotional stimuli and better at reframing negative experiences into positives. Despite a decline in basal negative affect with age, participants were able to extract more positivity from given negative situations.
Research found that people underestimating others' desire for constructive feedback can have harmful results. A simple intervention of perspective taking increased the likelihood someone would recognize the need for and provide feedback.
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.
A recent study by Virginia Tech's Shreyans Goenka explores the psychology behind conservative reluctance to accept federal welfare programs. The research shows that conservatives are less likely than liberals to enroll in welfare programs without a work requirement policy, but can be encouraged through targeted marketing messaging.
A new study published in Social Psychological Bulletin found that people infer dominance from the utterance of challenging and offensive statements, regardless of audience reaction. This suggests that individuals who seek status through dominance are more likely to engage in such behavior.
A study by researchers at the University of Quebec in Montreal found that mindfulness meditation can help people cope with internal conflicts. The experiment involved 121 volunteers who underwent either a mindfulness body scan or read magazines for 15 minutes, then completed a questionnaire about their emotional state.
A new study by Giada Di Stefano found that the Michelin Guide's arrival triggers changes in fine dining industry competitive dynamics. Restaurants modify their descriptions and pricing to signal awareness of value created for customers, with those already highly ranked emphasizing authenticity and exclusivity.
A recent survey of British academics reveals that significant political transformations like Brexit can negatively affect employee wellbeing, particularly when perceived as threatening rather than challenging. The study emphasizes the importance of job security and quality of co-worker relationships in maintaining personal wellbeing.
Researchers investigated whether COVID-19 led to a worsening of tinnitus symptoms, but found no significant difference in severity. Despite this, the pandemic can exacerbate anxiety and stress, potentially affecting individuals with tinnitus.
A new study explores how to reduce bad behavior at work by focusing on moral self-efficacy, a set of beliefs that individuals have about their capabilities to self-reflect and regulate moral behavior. The results show that highly morally efficacious individuals are more likely to bounce back after a failure and learn from their mistakes.
Researchers at University of Missouri found a long-term association between adolescent psychological well-being and adult cardiovascular disease risk. People who are more optimistic in their youth can lower their chances for heart disease as adults.
A new study finds that COVID-19 vaccination is associated with statistically significant declines in multiple psychological distress factors. Vaccination was linked to reductions in perceived risks of infection, hospitalization, and death, as well as improvements in mental health and quality of life.
A study by Washington State University found that social support can mitigate the risk of heart disease and death in older American Indians. Higher rates of depression symptoms, poor quality of life, and social isolation were linked to increased mortality, but instrumental social support reversed this effect.
A new study from Oregon State University found that people with disabilities have been experiencing high levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation was a major predictor for both conditions, exacerbated by limited access to healthcare, including delayed or canceled medical appointments.
A new Penn State study found that Black youth with high BMIs reported fewer weight concerns when they had a strong sense of racial identity. Fathers also played a role in shaping their daughters' body image, particularly when involved in teaching about Black culture. The findings suggest that services promoting youth racial identity an...
A Dartmouth study found that people who respond faster to each other in conversations feel more connected. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used response time data to measure social connection between strangers and close friends.
Surveys involving 100,000 participants in 26 countries found a correlation between belief in conspiracies and identification as far-left or far-right. The research suggests that conspiracy theories are more pronounced among those who feel disenfranchised and lack political control.
A global study by the University of Colorado Boulder found that people are more likely to support COVID-19 policies when presented as backed by nonpartisan scientific experts rather than politicians. This suggests that trusted experts may have the power to unify public opinion and depolarize it.
A recent study published by the American Psychological Association found that new mothers who perceive themselves as lower in social status have worse health outcomes one year after childbirth. The study highlights the importance of subjective social status in maternal health disparities.
A study of over 6,000 women found that US-born Black women are at higher risk of preeclampsia, but this is not solely due to their racial background. Factors such as biology, social and cultural elements, and access to healthcare also play a role in this disparity.
Research by Kobe University's Graduate School of Human Development and Environment found that children and adults alike show a tendency to morally judge lies of omission more leniently than lies of commission. This study highlights the importance of considering 'lies of omission' in guidance to improve children's morality.
Researchers found that Americans were less likely to respond to an email survey from a person believed to be Black than from a person believed to be white. The study, which analyzed responses from over 250,000 people, suggests that racial bias can influence everyday communication behaviors.
A recent study by Cornell University researchers found that asking in person for help yields the highest response rate of a yes, surpassing video calls and emails. To achieve this optimal outcome, it's recommended to ditch email, text, and opt for video or phone calls instead.
A new study suggests that women and older adults with college degrees are more likely to report feeling socially isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research highlights the need for culturally sensitive initiatives to mitigate social isolation in vulnerable populations, including Hispanic and African American communities.
A recent study published in lambda nordica suggests that recognizing the psychological, social, and physical effects of shame on HIV patients is crucial for enhancing their medical treatment. The research argues that healthcare workers should be more aware of how shame contributes to poor health outcomes, particularly in individuals wi...
A study found that Republicans who consumed and trusted Fox News less had more faith in the electoral process, while Democrats grew more confident as evidence of Biden's win accumulated. Cognitive dissonance theory explains how Fox News rationalized the outcome for Republicans, leading to decreased confidence in vote legitimacy.
A study by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona found that spending revenues on climate projects increases social acceptability of carbon taxes. The research also revealed that providing information on carbon taxes can increase acceptability, while the perception of fairness is a stronger factor in acceptability than effectiveness.
A new study found that white people trained in mindfulness were three times more likely to help black people in staged scenarios than those who were not trained. However, preferential helping of other white people remained, and participants preferred to help racial ingroup members.
A new study suggests that deradicalization could be achieved by bringing true believers to believe in new avenues of thought, rather than forcing them to renounce their ideas. The research found that individuals who are strongly fused with their cause are more willing to sacrifice life for it, but shifting their identity to a benevolen...
A study by Hokkaido University researchers found that Japanese customers prefer traditional restaurants displaying an older year of establishment, leading to improved evaluations and intentions to visit. This effect was observed specifically for traditional foods like soba noodles.
A new study by researchers at the University of Waterloo found that most people misunderstand the concept of mindfulness, confusing it with passive acceptance rather than engaging with life's challenges. The study suggests that laypeople may understand awareness but struggle to grasp the importance of acceptance in mindfulness practices.
New research published in eNeuro found that sharing happy stories increases feelings of closeness and synchronizes brain activity between the speaker and listener. Brain synchrony was linked to increased interpersonal closeness, particularly in regions involved in emotional processing and theory of mind.
Low-risk gamblers in Massachusetts reported the majority of gambling harms, confirming the 'prevention paradox' phenomenon. The study suggests targeting public health efforts towards primary prevention to reduce community harm.
A new study by Anglia Ruskin University found that individuals focused on their appearance are more prone to social physique anxiety, which leads to fear of negative evaluations and social distress in dating contexts. The research involved 501 young adults and discovered associations between body image attitudes and dating anxiety.
Researchers found a clear link between people's expectations and actual vaccine side effects, suggesting that psychological factors can predict which individuals will experience more symptoms. The study aims to help overcome lingering vaccine hesitancy by reframing the way we think about side effects.
A new study from Italy found that students with high conscientiousness and openness tend to perform better academically. The research suggests that personality traits play a significant role in university success.
Researchers at Mount Sinai found that people used forward thinking when trying to influence others, regardless of controllability. This neural activity was linked to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a decision-making center involved in strategic thinking.
Participants preferred policies that used incentives to encourage eco-friendly choices, particularly when they targeted businesses. In contrast, policies that focused on energy alternatives and used incentives were also supported. The researchers found that policy support was influenced by the type of change targeted, who was targeted,...
Research reveals people's psychological strategies to cope with meat consumption and animal welfare, including triggers and restorative strategies. The study finds differences in meat consumption patterns across demographics and attitudes, with men more likely to disengage from animals.
A new study found that couples in the Houston area experienced a significant increase in relationship satisfaction after Hurricane Harvey, despite previous research suggesting stress spillover would decrease satisfaction. The researchers discovered that those who were unhappy before the hurricane saw the largest jumps in satisfaction.
A new study reveals that young adults experienced significant losses during the pandemic, including missed social events and inability to say goodbye in person. Researchers collected stories from college students who reflected on their earliest and most significant losses regarding COVID-19.
Adding more fruit and veggie side dishes resulted in a 24% increase in veggies and 33% more fruit, while substituting produce for other foods led to a 41% boost in veggies and 38% more fruit. The study suggests ways parents and caregivers can encourage healthy eating by experimenting with different fruits and vegetables.
Research suggests that brief exposure to COVID-related social media content can have negative emotional consequences, whereas reading about kind acts during the pandemic does not. The study found that individuals who engaged in 'kindness-scrolling' experienced improved mental health and well-being.
A study found that older adults were more willing to donate to charities within their own country compared to international charities. They also showed greater compliance with public health guidelines, particularly for physical distancing.
Research published in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that autistic children with difficulties integrating narrative context with facial expressions, leading to inaccurate emotion recognition. This highlights the importance of contextual cues in social exchanges for effectively managing interactions.
A new study found that active listening by managers can improve employees' sense of personal control over their careers and reduce anxiety about potential job loss. By increasing active listening, managers can create a safe space for workers to verbalize and process their experiences, enabling them to feel more in control and valued.
A multi-country study finds that students performing COVID-19 distance learning exhibit increased motivation and perseverance when they perceive themselves as self-motivated and connected to others. The study also reveals lower procrastination rates among these students.
Research published by the American Psychological Association found that people benefit from deep and meaningful conversations, but often stick to small talk due to misconceptions about others' interests. Deep conversations were more enjoyable and led to greater feelings of connection than expected.
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 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 new study suggests that autobiographical memories of authentic and inauthentic experiences serve specific purposes, such as defining identity and enhancing self-fulfilment. Reflecting on these experiences can also improve problem-solving skills and promote a more authentic response.
A new analysis suggests that online searches can reduce belief in misinformation about Zainichi Koreans, particularly among those who were predisposed to believe it. However, participants showed an increase in negative feelings toward the group after conducting their searches, despite correction of specific misinformation.
Despite increased unemployment, Canada's suicide rates dropped between March 2020 and February 2021, according to a study. The Canadian government's economic support measures, including financial assistance and reduced mortgage payments, are believed to have contributed to this decrease in suicide rates.
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.
Researchers study social support networks and health outcomes of over 670 Hispanic and non-Hispanic lung cancer patients to understand the Hispanic Health Paradox. The study aims to identify cultural differences in social interactions that influence health outcomes.
Research from Dartmouth College reveals that making and breaking eye contact during conversations can create a dynamic balance between shared attention and individual expression. Pupillary synchrony decreases after eye contact breaks, allowing for creativity and new thoughts, while also signaling shared understanding.