Psychology News and Research

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Psychology is the study of human mental functions, behavior and processes.

FSU receives $1.5 million federal grant for innovative suicide prevention research

An alarming spike in suicides among U.S. military service members and veterans over the past 15 years is prompting the Department of Defense to turn to Florida State University's renowned suicide research program to find solutions.

20 Apr 2018

Study provides guidance on using cannabis for treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression

In a first-of-a-kind study, Washington State University scientists examined how peoples' self-reported levels of stress, anxiety and depression were affected by smoking different strains and quantities of cannabis at home.

20 Apr 2018

Study shows distinctions between age groups in predicting and responding to stress at home

A recent study finds that older adults are better than younger adults at anticipating stressful events at home - but older adults are not as good at using those predictions to reduce the adverse impacts of the stress.

19 Apr 2018

Post-surgical opioids can prolong pain for more than three weeks, study shows

Giving opioids to animals to quell pain after surgery prolongs pain for more than three weeks and primes specialized immune cells in the spinal cord to be more reactive to pain, according to a new study by the University of Colorado Boulder.

16 Apr 2018

Early life stress impacts how the sensory systems develop, review shows

Life needs stimulation. However, overstimulation can cause exhaustion and illness. During specific sensitive periods early in life, stress can even affect later mental health.

16 Apr 2018

Study: Yoga and mindfulness may help elementary school students manage stress, anxiety

Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities, according to a Tulane University study.

16 Apr 2018

The memory area of the brain may also yield vital clues about mental health illnesses

The hippocampus is an area of the brain commonly linked with memory and dementia. But new U of T Scarborough research finds that it may also yield important clues about a range of mental health illnesses including addiction, anxiety and depression.

16 Apr 2018

UW developmental psychologist wins 2018 Alan T. Waterman Award

The National Science Foundation has bestowed the 2018 Alan T. Waterman Award, the nation's highest honor for early career scientists and engineers, on University of Washington (UW) social and developmental psychologist Kristina R. Olson.

13 Apr 2018

The brain fights neurodegenerative diseases by shifting resources

The brain continues to put up a fight even as neurodegenerative diseases like dementia damage certain areas and functions. In fact, recent findings in a Baycrest-University of Arizona study suggest that one method the brain uses to counter these diseases is the reassigning of tasks to different regions.

11 Apr 2018

Vascular dysfunction associated with severe menopausal symptoms

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women. A study of 138 menopausal women examined the association of mood, symptoms, and quality of life measures with the key markers of vascular aging, a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD)

11 Apr 2018

Yoga and mindfulness activities at school can benefit children with anxiety

Participating in yoga and mindfulness activities at school helps third-graders exhibiting anxiety improve their wellbeing and emotional health, according to a new Tulane University study published in the journal Psychology Research and Behavior Management.

10 Apr 2018

Lingering negative emotions after minor stressors can impact long-term health

People whose negative emotional responses to stress carry over to the following day are more likely to report health problems and physical limitations later in life compared with peers who are able to "let it go," according to findings published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

9 Apr 2018

Bilinguals regulate native language when reading in a second language, research shows

Research led by a psychologist at the University of California, Riverside, shows that bilinguals regulate, or suppress, their native language when reading in a second language.

9 Apr 2018

Patient's mucus may help predict type of chronic sinusitis

By April, nearly one-third of the U.S. is already experiencing high pollen levels while the weather and temperatures continue to fluctuate, aggravating sinus symptoms. A patient's mucus may predict the type of his or her chronic sinusitis, which could help doctors determine whether surgery or medical treatments can produce the best outcomes, according to a recently published Vanderbilt study.

9 Apr 2018

Study shows how women's beliefs affect ability to cope with sexual desire challenges

Women who believe that their sex drive will change over time are better able to handle difficulties with sexual desire, according to a study from the University of Waterloo.

6 Apr 2018

Meditation provides lasting cognitive gains, study shows

Gains in the ability to sustain attention developed through intensive meditation training are maintained up to seven years later, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.

5 Apr 2018

Facebook detox for reduced stress and increased happiness

Of late Facebook has been under a lot of scrutiny – from breaches of privacy policies to stress arising from excess time spent on the social media site. The impact of Facebook on mental and physical health has been studied over the past few years since the social media trend has caught on, much of its effects on our mental well-being is still poorly understood.

5 Apr 2018