Psychology News and Research

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

Income inequality in society associated with structural changes in the developing brain

Income inequality in society has been linked to structural changes in the brains of children who go on to experience poorer mental health.

30 Sep 2025

Many older adults meet criteria for ultra-processed food addiction

They were the first generation of Americans to grow up with ultra-processed foods all around them – products typically loaded with extra fat, salt, sugar and flavorings.

29 Sep 2025

Cumulative social advantage linked to slower biological aging and lower inflammation

The cumulative effect of social advantages across a lifetime – from parental warmth in childhood to friendship, community engagement and religious support in adulthood – may slow the biological processes of aging.

26 Sep 2025

Scientists explore how dopamine shapes myelin in social isolation

Scientists know that social isolation can alter brain structure and lead to the breakdown of myelin, the fatty coating that insulates nerve fibers in the brain. But they don't yet know exactly how or why it happens.

25 Sep 2025

Healthy habits linked to younger brain age

Your chronological age may say 65, but your brain could be acting a decade younger - or older - depending on your life experiences.

25 Sep 2025

Racial discrimination linked to greater psychosis risk

Being racially or ethnically discriminated against may increase the risk of later developing psychotic symptoms, finds a major review of international evidence led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

24 Sep 2025

Clean eating trends on Instagram may subtly harm body satisfaction

Findings indicate foodie Instagram content supports mood, whereas clean eating posts may lead to lower body satisfaction and potential eating disorder risks.

24 Sep 2025

Study reveals how the brain narrows attention over time

How we focus our attention before we even see an object matters. For example, when we look for something moving in the sky, our expectation would be very different if the object is a bird flying past or a baseball coming straight at us.

23 Sep 2025

Gestures and speech rhythms can help improve comprehension in children with language difficulties

Developmental language disorder (DLD) affects around two children in each class. It hinders their acquisition and use of language, even if they do not have other auditory, intellectual or neurological problems, and are only affected in this aspect of language.

23 Sep 2025

Can exercise help rewire the brain against internet addiction?

Footbike training boosts neural inhibitory control in students with internet addiction, highlighting its potential in enhancing focus and self-regulation.

22 Sep 2025

Daily actions are driven by habit rather than conscious choice

Habit, not conscious choice, drives most of our actions, according to new research from the University of Surrey, University of South Carolina and Central Queensland University.

21 Sep 2025

National Institute of Mental Health awards $3.6M grant to advance ADHD medication response research

Approximately 7 million children in the United States between the ages of three and 17 have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

19 Sep 2025

AI tool analyzes brain activity to support and prioritize autism assessments

Scientists have developed and tested a deep-learning model that could support clinicians by providing accurate results and clear, explainable insights – including a model-estimated probability score for autism.

19 Sep 2025

Hyperemesis gravidarum associated with increased neuropsychiatric disorders in pregnancy

The largest study on pregnant women with excessive nausea and vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum) has identified increased risks of numerous neuropsychiatric and mental health outcomes.

18 Sep 2025

Best foods to boost happiness after 50, according to new UK study

Older adults who ate more fruits, vegetables, and fish showed higher well-being, especially eudemonic well-being and happiness, in a large UK study. However, most diet–well-being links weakened after accounting for mood, health, and socioeconomic factors.

16 Sep 2025

'Nocebo effect' may shape women’s experience of the contraceptive pill

Side effects experienced when taking oral contraception may be affected by women's expectations and beliefs about the pill, according to an exploratory study by psychologists.

16 Sep 2025

Survey shows high levels of mental health difficulties among young adults

The majority (64%) of young adults in Britain say they have experienced mental health difficulties, with a third (32%) expecting to need support in the coming year, according to polling commissioned from YouGov by UCL's Grand Challenge of Mental Health & Wellbeing.

16 Sep 2025

Barriers in NHS services leave autistic people without suicide support

Life-saving opportunities to prevent suicide among autistic people are being missed because systemic barriers make it difficult for them to access NHS support during times of mental health crisis, according to new research.

15 Sep 2025

Driving performance unaffected in regular cannabis users after 48 hours of abstinence

Scientists from the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that, in the largest such study to date, frequent cannabis users did not display impairments in driving performance after at least 48 hours of abstinence.

11 Sep 2025

BU professor wins RF1 $3.2M grant for age-related neuropathology research

Tara Moore, PhD, professor of anatomy & neurobiology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, RF1 $3.2M grant from the NIH's National Institute of Aging for her project "Extracellular vesicle treatment and age-related neuropathology in non-human primates."

11 Sep 2025