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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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Moral Outrage Goes Viral, But Doesn’t Drive Action Online

A new study analyzing over a million posts linked to online petitions found that while moral outrage boosts a post's virality, it doesn't significantly increase petition signatures. Emotional and morally charged content spreads widely on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), but fails to translate into real-world collective actions.

This shows people using AI to design a robot.

Seeing Is Believing: How We Judge AI as Creative or Not

New research shows that people perceive AI systems as more creative when they observe not just the final product, but also the creative process and the robot in action. In a set of controlled experiments using identical drawings, participants consistently rated creativity higher the more they saw of the act itself.

Majority of Parents Report Sensory Overload From Daily Family Chaos

A new survey finds that nearly 75% of parents experience sensory overload—when sounds, sights, and chaos from daily life overwhelm the brain. The most common triggers include children arguing, loud household noise, and clutter from toys and messes.

This shows people gossiping and a person standing alone.

Would You Rather Be Ignored or Gossiped About? Science Weighs In

New research explores the psychological tradeoff between being ignored and being the subject of gossip, revealing that neither option feels good—but for different reasons. In a series of five experiments with over 1,000 participants, researchers found that while most people reject negative gossip, many also feel uncomfortable being praised behind their backs.

This shows a person using a swap to analyze a saliva test.

At Home Saliva Test Detects Hidden Stress, Depression Risks

Researchers have developed a portable “lab-on-a-chip” device that measures cortisol levels from saliva, offering an objective and rapid way to assess stress and mental health risk. The device includes a disposable saliva collector and a handheld reader that delivers results to a smartphone within minutes.

Resistance to New Rules Fades Once They’re in Place

A new study reveals that resistance to policies like smoking bans or speed limits drops significantly after they are implemented. Known as “reactance,” this initial pushback stems from perceived threats to personal freedom, but tends to subside as people adapt and begin recognizing societal benefits.

This is a drawing of a cannabis pharmacy.

Legal Cannabis Linked to Less Problematic Use, Better Mental Health

The Weed Care study in Switzerland is investigating how legal access to cannabis affects users' consumption and mental health. In the first randomized trial of its kind, participants buying cannabis legally showed a slight decline in problematic use, especially among those who also used other drugs.

This shows a group of people and a person on their own.

People Prefer to Empathize With Groups Over Individuals

People are more likely to choose to empathize with groups rather than individuals, even though they find empathizing equally difficult in both scenarios. Using a card-based empathy selection task, participants opted to empathize 53% of the time when shown groups, versus just 34% for individuals. Researchers suggest that groups provide more contextual information, making empathizing feel more intuitive or meaningful.

New Relief for Panic Disorders

A focused four-day treatment for panic disorder has shown impressive and lasting results, according to new research. Originally developed in Bergen and called Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT), this method delivers rapid relief, with nearly 90% of patients reporting major improvement one week after therapy.

Genetics, Not Parenting, Shapes Personality

New research challenges many widely held beliefs in psychology, revealing that genetics may play a greater role in shaping personality than parenting. The findings also dispute common assumptions about gender-based personality differences, the power of subliminal messaging, and the effectiveness of brain training.

Knowing Alzheimer’s Risk Lowers Anxiety, But Motivation Fades

A new study shows that learning about amyloid beta buildup — a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease — does not increase emotional distress, but motivation to maintain healthy habits declines over time. Healthy adults who learned they had no amyloid buildup reported reduced depression, anxiety, and memory concerns, yet also lost motivation to continue positive lifestyle changes.

Dopamine’s Hidden Role in Anxiety Revealed

Dopamine receptors in the ventral hippocampus play a critical role in balancing approach and avoidance behaviors, expanding understanding beyond dopamine’s known functions in reward and motivation. By studying D1 and D2 receptor-expressing neurons in mice, researchers found these receptors govern opposing emotional responses under stress.