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

Study identifes genetic variants that shape human personality traits

An international consortium of researchers found that more than 1,200 different genetic variants are associated with the Big Five personality traits - and surprisingly, these personality genetics are linked to dozens of life outcomes.

2 Sep 2026

Study identifies 36 risk genes for OCD and tic disorders

A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.

1 Sep 2026

Study links human gut bacteria to levels of key chemicals in the brain

The neuroactive potential of bacteria living in the human gut is associated with levels of key chemicals in the brain, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Roehampton.

1 Sep 2026

Memory declines begin earlier in life than previously thought

Memory loss is usually thought of as something to address as a person ages. Slip-ups like forgetting someone's name or recognizing a familiar face but not remembering where you know them from are often viewed as issues that arise later in life.

31 Aug 2026

Night owls face tougher work-life balance and higher mental risks

Balancing work and personal life is more challenging for evening types, or "night owls", than for morning types, or "early birds".

31 Aug 2026

Mimicking behaviors between smokers doubles daily tobacco consumption

Going out for a smoke together and mimicking behaviors associated with smoking can double tobacco consumption and make quitting more difficult.

28 Aug 2026

Rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines brings obesity and eating disorders together

Obesity and eating disorders have traditionally been treated as separate areas of healthcare – but the rapid rise of GLP-1 medicines is increasingly bringing the two together.

28 Aug 2026

Theta rhythms guide the brain’s memory selection during sleep

Why do we remember certain moments while forgetting others? Every day, our minds are bombarded with thousands of pieces of information, yet our brains have a limited capacity to consolidate these experiences into lasting memories.

27 Aug 2026

Community-focused mental health care cuts hospital admissions

A new approach to care for people experiencing a mental health crisis, emphasising continuity and community, can reduce hospital admissions and improve satisfaction with care, finds a study led by a University College London (UCL) researcher.

27 Aug 2026

Study shows traffic noise disrupts health benefits of birdsong

Traffic noise disrupts recognised benefits of bird song and other sounds from nature, a new study from the University of Surrey reports.

26 Aug 2026

Study reveals public willingness to select embryos using traits when given choices

A study of more than 2,000 people in the United States and China finds that the line between medical and non-medical traits, which underpins the rules on embryo testing in most countries, does not match the preferences of the public.

26 Aug 2026

Chronic illnesses are more common in high-income, contaminated California area

Superfund sites typically cluster in low-income communities, where 62% of households earn less than $50,000 annually.

26 Aug 2026

Internalized racial oppression may undermine culturally affirming parenting

Black parents who experienced higher levels of appropriated racial oppression - defined as shaping one's behavior and self-concept around dominant cultural norms of whiteness - were less likely to transmit positive, culturally protective messages that affirmed racial pride and self-worth to their adolescent children, a recent study found.

25 Aug 2026

Standard memory tests fail to detect post-chemotherapy brain fog

Standard memory tests such as word-pair or list-learning tests used in clinics may fail to detect the real-life memory problems reported by many female breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy.

25 Aug 2026

Black Canadians face significant systemic barriers to donating critical blood

Black people in Canada who want to donate blood face barriers to doing so, despite a critical need for specific blood types to treat sickle cell disease, according to new research published in CMAJ.

24 Aug 2026

Oxford study identifies brain mechanisms behind our sense of control

A study led by the University of Oxford has identified the brain mechanisms that help us work out whether the consequences we experience are caused by our own actions or by circumstances beyond our control.

21 Aug 2026

Aging shifts memories from vivid details to bigger picture

Research from the University of East Anglia shows how our memories change with age and why specific details associated with past events can fade over time.

21 Aug 2026

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy does not worsen depression symptoms

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Center for Healthy Minds (CHM), along with UW–Madison Department of Educational Psychology and a multi-university team, have found no evidence that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) increased a risk of symptom worsening, in a meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open.

21 Aug 2026

Parental loss doubles children's risk of mental health disorders

A new, large-scale Curtin University study has found children who experience parental loss are twice as likely to develop a mental health disorder, compared to those living with both parents.

19 Aug 2026