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social anxiety

·September 19, 2025·5 min read

Parenting Styles Shape Teen Anxiety

A new study shows that both mothers and fathers significantly shape their adolescent children’s social anxiety, but in different ways. Warmth, affection, and acceptance from either parent reduce anxiety, while rejection, coldness, and controlling behaviors heighten it.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 31, 2024·6 min read

AI-Enhanced VR May Alleviate Public Speaking Anxiety

A new study explores using VR and AI to improve public speaking skills and reduce anxiety. PresentationPro simulates realistic presentation settings with AI-driven audience avatars that provide real-time feedback. This approach offers a safe, repeatable environment for practice, potentially benefiting a wide range of users beyond students.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 26, 2023·4 min read

Odors From Other People’s Sweat Can Help Treat Social Anxiety

Exposure to another person's bodily odors extracted from sweat can help boost therapies for social anxiety and other mental health disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 21, 2023·4 min read

Few People Seem to Find Real Joy in JOMO

People who enjoy experiencing JOMO, the "joy of missing out", tend to have higher levels of social anxiety, a new study reports.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 19, 2023·5 min read

Fear of Failing: The Secrets Behind Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is associated with a higher risk of developing depression and addiction disorders. Researchers say the fear of rejection may be at the root of social anxiety.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 23, 2022·4 min read

SSRIs and CBT Lead to Changes in Brain

Effective neurochemical changes in the brain of those with social anxiety take different forms after SSRI treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy.

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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 2, 2022·5 min read

Connecting Stress, Weight, and Social Anxiety in Early Adolescence

Stress experienced during peripuberty leads to an increase in adipose fat and a reduction in sociability in young adolescents.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 14, 2022·3 min read

Loneliness Has a Different Neural Basis Than Social Anxiety

People with social anxiety have increased amygdala activity during social decision making, and reduced activity in the nucleus accumbens during social feedback. Those who are lonely did not experience the same alterations as those with social anxiety, suggesting loneliness is a unique condition.

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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·October 14, 2021·4 min read

Brain Activity Fluctuations May Hold the Keys to Psychiatric Treatment Efficacy

Moment-to-moment fluctuations in brain activity over a three-minute period can reliably predict how receptive a person with social anxiety will be to cognitive behavioral therapy.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 4, 2021·5 min read

Brain State Behind Social Interaction Uncovered

The activity of different populations of neurons in the amygdala governs whether mice interact with their peers, or indulge in self-centered behaviors.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 23, 2021·4 min read

Phone Call Anxiety: Why So Many of Us Have It, and How to Get Over It

A significant number of people report feeling anxious when they hear their phones ring. Researchers explore why so many people experience phone call anxiety and address how to limit anxious reactions.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 7, 2020·4 min read

The Effects of Oxytocin on Social Anxiety Depend on Location

Oxytocin produced in the BNST increased stress-induced social anxiety behaviors in mice. The findings shed light on why oxytocin can sometimes provoke anti-social effects.