FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 21, 2023·3 min readGive and Grow: Volunteering Linked to Better Cognitive Health in SeniorsVolunteering can significantly improve cognitive function in older adults, suggests new research. The study, which included a diverse group of 2,476 seniors, linked volunteering activities to better executive function and episodic memory.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 24, 2023·5 min readThe Power of Bullying: Aggressive Behavior Boosts Chimpanzees’ Social Status and Reproductive SuccessA new study finds that chimpanzees with more aggressive personalities and less conscientiousness are more successful at climbing the social ladder and siring offspring than their more passive counterparts. However, the researchers also find it puzzling that not every chimpanzee has the same personality traits, suggesting that there may be other factors at play that determine the diversity of personalities in chimpanzees.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 24, 2023·5 min readA Helping Hand: Small Acts of Kindness Occur Every Two MinutesIn a study of people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, researchers found people tend to ask for assistance with small tasks on average every two minutes. Across cultures, people tend to positively respond to the requests of others more often than they deny assistance. The findings suggest all cultures may have more similar cooperative behaviors than prior research has established.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 19, 2023·3 min readStudy Explores Prosocial Behavior Within and Between Religious GroupsRegardless of affiliation, religious people were more likely to act in a generous manner toward strangers when asked to think about their God. The level of giving increased equally regardless of whether the stranger was a member of the same religious group or not.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 10, 2023·5 min readYour Political Rivals Aren’t as Bad as You Think: Here’s How Misunderstandings Amplify HostilityResearchers investigate why people tend to dislike others based on their political affiliations and why we believe our emotions when it comes to politics are never wrong.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·April 5, 2023·3 min readThe Social Consequences of Using AI in ConversationsWhen using AI-enabled chat tools, people have more effective conversations, perceive each other more positively, and use more positive language.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 3, 2023·4 min readLeft-Leaning People Are More AltruisticFindings from a study of more than 46,000 people from 68 different countries reveal those who share more left-wing political views are more generous and altruistic than those who follow right-wing ideologies.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 28, 2023·3 min readPositive Experiences in Close Relationships Are Associated With Better Physical HealthThe way you feel about your close social and personal relationships may have a significant impact on the way your body functions.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 20, 2023·4 min readChanging One’s Behavior in Different Social Interactions Is Child’s PlayYoung children encode social cues according to context, then process the social stimuli to form a representation of the current social situation. Once the action values are compared, children then chose to perform the optimal action that has the highest value.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 19, 2023·5 min readFear of Failing: The Secrets Behind Social AnxietySocial 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.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·March 17, 2023·5 min readWhy We Disagree So OftenPeople tend to significantly overestimate how many other people hold the same conceptual beliefs of objects, events, people, concepts, and words as they do.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·March 9, 2023·4 min readComplex Learned Social Behavior Discovered in Bee’s Waggle DanceA bee's "waggle dance", an intricate series of motions that signals the location of critical resources to other bees, is improved by social learning and can be culturally transmitted.Read More