Psychology News and Research

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

Researchers map the brain histamine system to understand mental health

New research, from King's College London and the University of Porto, has mapped the histamine system in the brain. Histamine, a molecule more commonly associated with allergies, plays a separate but poorly understood role in brain function.

12 May 2026

Psychological frameworks help AI models to provide better health care advice

Researchers at Technische Universität Berlin have discovered that teaching Large Language Models (LLMs) to mimic human intuition and reasoning significantly improves their ability to provide accurate medical care-seeking advice.

11 May 2026

Longer working hours linked to rising obesity across OECD countries

A new study presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May) shows that a 1% reduction in annual working hours is associated with a 0.16% decrease in obesity rates across OECD countries.

11 May 2026

Sexual arousal can blur recognition of unclear rejection signals

Sexual arousal can lead to "tunnel vision" that makes it more difficult to recognize when someone is just not that into you, according to new research in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

8 May 2026

Older adults increasingly use cannabis for pain and sleep relief

For adults over 60, cannabis use is increasing faster than in any other demographic.

8 May 2026

Wearable devices track real-time health effects of pollution and heat

As climate change drives more frequent extreme heat and worsening air pollution, researchers are seeking better ways to understand how these exposures affect health in real time.

8 May 2026

Immigrant workers face barriers translating skills into meaningful employment

From seasonal farmhands to health care workers to high-level software analysts, immigrant workers play a significant role in companies and industries across Canada and around the globe.

8 May 2026

Clinicians find evolutionary explanations for anxiety more helpful than genetics

Mental health clinicians are over five times more likely to see evolutionary explanations of anxiety as helpful for their patients, rather than the genetic approaches currently taught to trainee doctors and psychiatrists in the UK and US, a new study shows.

8 May 2026

Cultural differences shape how mothers encourage early helping in infants

New research from Durham University shows that the way parents instruct and encourage infants to help plays a key role in how helping behavior develops, and that these approaches vary across cultures.

8 May 2026

Digital therapy apps improve mental health support for college students

College students with anxiety, depression and eating disorders may be more likely to start and to respond more positively to therapy offered via a digital app compared to referrals to in-person campus clinics, according to a study led by Penn State researchers and published today (May 7) in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

7 May 2026

How the fear of being labeled shameless impacts mental health

New research in the PsyCh Journal introduces and validates a psychological concept called atimiaphobia-defined as an intense fear of losing honor or being labeled shameless.

7 May 2026

Daily movement is linked to better mood and emotional well-being

Going on walks, going up stairs, working around the home: One meta-study shows how everyday movements are linked to our mood.

6 May 2026

Virtual reality training improves police interactions for autistic individuals

A new study led by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Joseph's University found that an innovative virtual reality intervention was helpful for improving interactions between autistic teens and adults and law enforcement officers.

5 May 2026

Study links microplastics in arterial plaque to fourfold increase in stroke risk

In a Perspective published today in the inaugural issue of Brain Health (https://doi.org/10.61373/bh026p.0006), an international team of investigators argues that the human microplastic burden has crossed the threshold from environmental concern to brain health emergency. The article appears alongside the launch of Brain Health, a new peer-reviewed journal from Genomic Press dedicated to the science of lifelong brain resilience.

5 May 2026

People share incomplete details with AI in symptom reports

It is quite possible that in the near future, people will have to describe their symptoms to an AI before they can get a doctor's appointment.

4 May 2026

Study highlights stigma surrounding popular GLP-1 weight loss drugs

Glucagonlike peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications have taken over the national conversation around weight loss.

4 May 2026

Dopamine may stretch time perception and shape lasting memories

Ever heard of getting a "dopamine hit" from something you enjoy? These exciting moments also appear to influence memory, although perhaps not in the way you'd expect.

4 May 2026

Using symptom dimensions may provide more precise, personalized mental health care

A researcher from the University of Kansas has led a large-scale study of university undergraduates to better understand how psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders are connected.

4 May 2026

Academic burnout pushes Chinese adolescents toward excessive online gaming habits

Chinese researchers report that academic burnout can push adolescents towards excessive online gaming. Using a large-scale cross-sectional survey, the researchers assessed the associations among academic burnout, internet gaming, depressive symptoms, and attentional bias.

29 Apr 2026