Psychology News and Research

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

A child-centric approach is the blueprint for building thriving communities, study shows

Communities can prosper by providing attentive education and social services to their youngest residents -; but the challenge is for leaders to work together.

1 Dec 2023

The "totonou" effect: physiological and subjective benefits of sauna relaxation

The neural impacts of the Japanese sauna practice called 'tononou'.

1 Dec 2023

Social media posts can negatively impact perceptions of mental health treatment

Research has shown that social media can negatively impact people's mental health. But can it affect people's beliefs about mental health treatment?

30 Nov 2023

Lack of information, perceived necessity and awkwardness impact uptake of PrEP, study suggests

A new qualitative study from Bath psychologists suggests a lack of information and perceived necessity, as well as awkwardness, are impacting uptake of PrEP.

30 Nov 2023

Cannabis and alcohol co-use disrupts brain development and impairs memory

The increased legalization of cannabis over the past several years can potentially increase its co-use with alcohol. Concerningly, very few studies have looked at the effects of these two drugs when used in combination.

30 Nov 2023

PTSD brain activity differs from normal memory formation

It is well known that people who have lived through traumatic events like sexual assault, domestic abuse, or violent combat can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including terrifying flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the incident.

30 Nov 2023

Smartphone data reveals the link between fast food outlets and diet-related diseases

How many fast-food joints do you come across throughout your day and what does that have to do with your health? A lot, says Abigail Horn, a lead scientist at USC's Information Sciences Institute (ISI).

29 Nov 2023

Targeting personality traits could be a way to reduce dementia risk

People with personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with neuroticism and negative affect, according to a new analysis by researchers at the University of California, Davis and Northwestern University.

29 Nov 2023

Early childhood education provides benefits for youngsters during the pandemic

The more time pre-schoolers spent in childcare during the first year of the pandemic, the more their vocabulary grew, a new study has found.

28 Nov 2023

Ultra-high resolution MRI scanner offers new opportunities for brain research

An intense international effort to improve the resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for studying the human brain has culminated in an ultra-high resolution 7 Tesla scanner that records up to 10 times more detail than current 7T scanners and over 50 times more detail than current 3T scanners, the mainstay of most hospitals.

27 Nov 2023

Infant face preference linked to genetics

Whether infants at five months of age look mostly at faces or non-social objects such as cars or mobile phones is largely determined by genes.

27 Nov 2023

Study estimates the life expectancy and years of life lost by autistic people in the UK

A new study led by UCL researchers confirms that autistic people experience a reduced life expectancy, however the number of years of life lost may not be as high as previously claimed.

23 Nov 2023

New survey reveals worryingly high levels of mistrust among UK adults

New survey of UK adults shows that while the majority describe themselves as generally trusting of other people, 19.6% describe themselves as generally mistrustful, and 5.3 as very mistrustful.

23 Nov 2023

Study suggests exercise can counteract the negative effects of sleep deprivation and hypoxia

New research has explored how sleep, oxygen levels, and exercise affects our ability to perform mental tasks.

23 Nov 2023

A novel theoretical framework for understanding and treating autism spectrum disorder

This study delves into the behavioral complexities of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by introducing the rigid-autonomous phase sequence (RAPS) formation concept.

22 Nov 2023

New research reveals early beginnings of self-awareness in babies

Babies as young as four months old can make sense of how their bodies interact with the space around them, according to new research from the University of Birmingham.

21 Nov 2023

Extreme fanaticism linked to changes in brain activity

Soccer fans exhibit different patterns of brain activation while watching a match that may trigger positive and negative emotions and behaviors, according to research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

21 Nov 2023