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Psychology News

These research articles involve many aspects of psychology such as cognitive psychology, depression studies, mental health, stress, happiness and neuropsychology, Scroll below for more specific categories.

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Glass Half Full: Optimism Lowers Your Dementia Risk

A 14-year study of 9,000 adults finds that high optimism reduces dementia risk by 15%. The benefit remains consistent across racial and ethnic groups.

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How Science Solved the Mystery of the Psychedelic High

A massive international study identifies a universal pattern of brain activity across psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and more. Researchers found that all major psychedelics dissolve brain network boundaries, triggering global "cross-talk."

Public Fear Can Alter Fetal Development

A study of 1.1 million births reveals that radiation-related anxiety after Fukushima, independent of physical exposure, caused a massive spike in preterm births and low birth weight across Japan.

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Stoic Arguments Change More Minds Than Emotional Pleas

Research finds that emotional social media posts are viewed as manipulative and insincere, even by those who agree with the message. While "venting" feels good, it fails to change minds.

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Combined Body-Mind Exercise Reshapes the ADHD Brain

A new study shows that integrated cognitive-motor exercise outperforms standard aerobic activity in improving memory and self-control for children with ADHD. Researchers suggest "high-cognitive-load" movement is key to brain training.

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Your Brain Rewards You for Imagining the Future

A new study proposes that "mental time travel" is reinforced by the brain's reward system. This new theory explains why we invest in future-thinking and how this process can contribute to chronic mental disorders like anxiety.

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Unpaid Labor Predicts Psychological Distress

Total working hours, combining paid jobs and unpaid domestic labor, is the key driver of poor mental health and sleep deprivation in women. Researchers call for policy changes that account for "invisible work" to close the gender health gap.

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Edge of Chaos: Why Pigeons Refuse to Become “Machines”

Researchers found that pigeons rewarded for any behavior sequence still refuse to settle on a single "best" path. This "edge of chaos" behavior suggests a deep-seated biological need for flexibility over efficiency.

Brain’s Default Setting for Ambiguity Matters for Mental Health

A new study reveals that "valence bias"—how we interpret ambiguous situations—is a key predictor of depression and anxiety. The study highlights a critical "positivity shift" at age 10 that can determine a child's mental health trajectory.

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Why the Dark Web Attracts Young, Impulsive Risk-Takers

A new study reveals that dark web users are three times more likely to have a criminal record than surface web users. The research highlights low self-control and peer influence as the primary drivers behind who accesses the internet’s hidden layers.

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Link Found Between Antibiotics and Depression in Pregnancy

A study of 94,000 women reveals that antibiotic use before and during pregnancy is linked to increased psychological distress. Researchers point to the disruption of the gut-brain axis as a potential cause for this "stepwise" increase in mental health risks.

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Direct Link Between Stress and Addiction Found

Researchers discovered a brain pathway linking stress centers directly to habit regions. While stress normally promotes flexibility, alcohol disrupts this circuit, explaining why stress leads to compulsive drinking and relapse.