Psychology News and Research

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

New study links loneliness to poorer mental and general health

People who feel lonely are much more likely to experience poorer mental health and lower wellbeing, a new collaborative study led by the University of Bristol, Nesta and Amsterdam UMC has found.

15 Jul 2026

Poor sleep alters brain communication networks differently across adult lifespan

Have trouble sleeping? The reason may depend in part on your age. A recent study including psychology researchers from Binghamton University, State University of New York investigates how poor sleep alters brain communication across the adult lifespan, specifically examining how these changes vary by age and biological sex.

14 Jul 2026

AI text analysis reveals hidden mental health signs in emergency call takers and dispatchers

Emergency call takers and dispatchers serve as the invisible frontline of public safety, navigating life-or-death crises over phone lines and radios without ever seeing the outcomes of their efforts.

14 Jul 2026

Social media and low body esteem fuel cosmetic procedure addiction

As cosmetic procedures become increasingly normalized worldwide, new research suggests that for some women, repeated treatments may become addiction-like rather than purely cosmetic.

13 Jul 2026

Genetic risk knowledge alone fails to curb obesity, study shows

Does informing people about their genetic risk of obesity help them change their habits and lose excess weight? A study, published in the journal Obesity Reviews by scientists including researchers from SWPS University, shows that knowledge about one's genes alone is not enough.

11 Jul 2026

Tokyo University researchers find cumulative design boosts test scores in multimedia learning

Microsoft PowerPoint has become the default tool for presenting learning materials in classrooms, universities, corporate training programs, webinars, and remote learning environments.

10 Jul 2026

ADHD remains underdiagnosed across England despite rising diagnoses

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may still be under-recognised and under-diagnosed in England despite recent increases in diagnosis, according to a study led by researchers at UCL, University of Liverpool and King's College London.

9 Jul 2026

New consensus outlines best practices for obesity medications

Obesity and dietitian societies have joined forces to issue a new consensus statement on recommendations surrounding use of obesity drugs for weight loss treatment.

8 Jul 2026

Investigational drug ameliorates neuronal DNA damage and inflammation in Alzheimer's model

Accumulation of DNA damage in the brain's neurons may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

8 Jul 2026

Study offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline

The King's College London study, published in Nature Communications, offers insight into how long-term inflammation may contribute to cognitive decline in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, aging, depression, and the lingering neurological effects of viral infections.

7 Jul 2026

Hormonal contraceptives may raise binge eating risk in women

Birth control pills are safe and effective for millions of women, but researchers are still working to understand how the hormones they contain may influence eating behavior.

6 Jul 2026

Study shows how brain activity reflects dramatic social relationships

When watching a drama, we quickly learn who is friends with whom–and, just as importantly, who stands against whom.

6 Jul 2026

Swiping-based dating apps show strongest ties to compulsive use and body dissatisfaction

A meta-analysis of 27 studies involving 21,263 adults linked swiping-based dating app use to small-to-moderate adverse mental health correlates, especially compulsive use, body image concerns, and appearance-related anxiety. General well-being was not significantly associated with app use in the primary analysis, and the authors stressed that mostly cross-sectional evidence cannot prove causality.

5 Jul 2026

Scent-enhanced virtual reality eased negative emotions after use

Integrating scents into virtual reality may reduce negative emotions in isolated environments, but more research is needed for sustained psychological benefits.

3 Jul 2026

Study maps how exercise, sleep, diet, and mood connect in daily life

Researchers followed 79 U.S. adults for 70 days and found that daily lifestyle behaviors clustered with positive and negative affect across same-day, next-day, and between-person patterns. Person-specific networks showed that these daily habits and mood links varied widely, suggesting future lifestyle interventions may need to be more personalized.

2 Jul 2026

USC scientists target brain inflammation to prevent Alzheimer's disease

An interdisciplinary team at the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health (CPBH) is targeting a family of enzymes that can increase the risk of inflammation in the brains of people with the APOE4 gene variation-the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's-as a way to prevent the disease.

2 Jul 2026

Personalized self-management effectively prevents chronic back pain

Almost everyone will deal with back pain at some point in their lives. Most recover quickly - but for about 20% of people, acute pain becomes a chronic condition that interferes with daily life and keeps them out of the workforce.

1 Jul 2026

Genetic markers for ADHD influence early toddler activity levels

A toddler's activity levels are influenced by genetic differences, with some of the same genetic markers also linked to Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to new research from the University of Surrey.

1 Jul 2026

Teen reliance on AI could hinder healthy relationship development

As teenagers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence chatbots for advice about friendships, family conflicts and romantic ties, researchers are raising concerns that the technology could disturb how young people learn to navigate human relationships.

29 Jun 2026