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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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Quitting Impossible Goals May Actually Boost Wellbeing

A sweeping analysis of 235 studies shows that holding onto impossible goals harms mental and physical wellbeing, increasing stress and lowering life satisfaction. In contrast, releasing unachievable goals — and crucially, shifting toward new, attainable ones — improves mood, resilience, and overall psychological health.

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Why Sharing Good Deeds Feels Bad

New research shows that people often feel worse when telling others about their good deeds than when keeping them private or discussing personal achievements. Across five studies, participants predicted more shame and embarrassment when sharing altruistic acts, partly because they feared appearing motivated by social credit.

The Hidden Risks You Make Every Day

Researchers surveyed more than 4,300 people to create the first large-scale inventory of modern real-life risky choices, revealing which decisions people actually struggle with in daily life. The most common risks weren’t financial or recreational—they were job-related choices, such as quitting or starting a new role, followed by health, financial, and social decisions.

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Low Omega-3 Linked to Higher ADHD Symptoms

A new study reveals that low omega-3 fatty acid intake is associated with increased ADHD symptoms among Palestinian adolescents. Researchers found that socioeconomic disparities—particularly those limiting access to omega-3–rich foods like fish and nuts—intensify ADHD-related behavioral and attention difficulties.

This shows a brain in a football stadium.

Rivalry Rewires the Brain: Why Fans Lose Control in an Instant

New brain-imaging research shows that soccer fans experience rapid shifts in reward and self-control circuits when their team wins or loses against a rival. Victories trigger heightened reward responses, while defeats suppress the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, the brain region responsible for regulating emotion and behavior.

AI Models Form Theory-of-Mind Beliefs

Researchers showed that large language models use a small, specialized subset of parameters to perform Theory-of-Mind reasoning, despite activating their full network for every task. This sparse internal circuitry depends heavily on positional encoding, especially rotary positional encoding, which shapes how the model tracks beliefs and perspectives.

Stress Undermines Brain Circulation, Increases Dementia Risk

Researchers found that a rare class of neurons—type-one nNOS neurons—plays a central role in regulating brain blood flow and coordinating neural activity in mice. Removing these stress-vulnerable cells caused major drops in vessel oscillations and widespread reductions in electrical signaling, suggesting a crucial link between neuron loss, blood-flow decline, and brain-function impairment.

Low Choline Could Be a Hidden Driver of Anxiety

A large meta-analysis of 25 studies found that people with anxiety disorders have significantly lower levels of choline, a vital brain nutrient, compared to individuals without anxiety. This reduction was especially pronounced in the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotion and behavior.

New Therapy Reshapes Images That Fuel Psychosis

A new imagery-focused therapy called iMAPS may help people with psychosis gain control over disturbing mental images that fuel paranoia, fear, and hallucinations. In a feasibility trial of 45 participants, the approach showed strong patient engagement and meaningful reductions in distress by teaching individuals to understand, transform, and re-script intrusive images.

New Drug Exposes Hidden Subtypes of Psychosis

A new study examining real-world hospital data reveals early indicators of who is most likely to benefit from Cobenfy, the first new schizophrenia drug mechanism approved in 50 years. Patients with strong negative symptoms responded best to the xanomeline–trospium combination, showing notable improvements in social behavior and mood.

Meditation Retreat Sparks Rapid Brain & Immune System Changes

A week-long retreat combining meditation and mind-body healing produced significant changes in brain activity and blood biology, demonstrating how consciousness-based practices can transform physical health. Participants showed reduced default-mode activity, enhanced neural connectivity, elevated natural opioids, immune activation, and metabolic shifts—effects that extended beyond the brain into the entire body.

Oxidative Stress May Drive Repetitive Behaviors Linked to Autism, OCD

A new study shows that oxidative stress—an imbalance between damaging molecules and antioxidants—may contribute to repetitive behaviors observed in mice, similar to those seen in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Researchers found that higher levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, including glutathione and specific proteins, were linked to more severe stereotypies in young mice.