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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.

Personality Could Help Predict Bipolar Disorder

New research suggests that personality testing could help tailor treatment for people with bipolar disorder by predicting who is more likely to experience recurrent depression or struggle with daily life functioning. Analyzing data from over 2,500 individuals, researchers identified combinations of personality traits—called personality styles—that either increase or protect against long-term mental health risks.

Psychedelics May Shift Brain Power to the Right Hemisphere

A new theory suggests that psychedelics promote empathy, insight, and psychological flexibility by making the brain’s right hemisphere temporarily dominant over the left. Known as HEALS—Hemispheric Annealing and Lateralization Under Psychedelics—this model proposes that psychedelics disrupt the typical hierarchy between hemispheres, releasing the more holistic, emotionally intelligent right side from left-brain control.

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Public Favors Some Organ Recipients Over Others

Americans tend to judge organ transplant eligibility based on the cause of a person’s illness rather than their race or ethnicity. Survey participants consistently favored recipients whose conditions were seen as less self-inflicted—such as black lung disease from coal mining or genetic kidney failure—over those with alcohol use disorder or unvaccinated COVID-19 complications.

Autistic and Non-Autistic People Communicate Equally Effectively

A new study has debunked the common myth that autistic people are less effective communicators than non-autistic individuals. Researchers found no difference in how well information was shared between autistic-only, non-autistic-only, or mixed groups.

Early Bonding Buffers Kids from Lasting Effects of Maternal Depression

A new study highlights the lasting impact of postpartum maternal depression and mother-to-infant bonding on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes. Researchers found that early bonding can partially offset the negative effects of maternal depression, reducing future psychosocial difficulties.

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Early ADHD Treatment May Mean Years on Medication

A large Finnish registry study reveals that many children, especially boys who begin ADHD medication between ages 6 and 8, remain on treatment for more than seven years. While the average duration of ADHD medication was over three years, a quarter of treated children remained on it for over seven, and some for nearly a decade.

Brain’s Arousal Regulator Found

A new study reveals that a small cluster of cells near the brain's "blue spot"—the locus coeruleus—helps regulate arousal, attention, and stress responses. These peri-LC neurons modulate the locus coeruleus by releasing GABA, which reduces its activity and dampens the release of norepinephrine.

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Excessive Sleep May Hurt Cognitive Function

Sleeping more than nine hours a night may be detrimental to brain health, particularly for individuals experiencing symptoms of depression, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,000 dementia-free adults and found that long sleep duration was associated with worse performance in memory, visuospatial ability, and executive function.

AI’s Spontaneously Develop Social Norms Like Humans

Large language model (LLM) AI agents, when interacting in groups, can form shared social conventions without centralized coordination. Researchers adapted a classic “naming game” framework to test whether populations of AI agents could develop consensus through repeated, limited interactions.

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Loneliness Linked to 24% Higher Risk of Hearing Loss

A new study tracking nearly half a million participants over 12 years has revealed a strong, independent link between loneliness and an increased risk of hearing loss. Even after adjusting for genetic risk, health conditions, and lifestyle factors, lonely individuals had a 24% higher chance of developing hearing loss, especially sensorineural types.

The Brain Learns to Fear Through Inference, Not Just Experience

A new study reveals how rats can learn to fear through inference, offering insights into the neural basis of higher-order emotions. By pairing a neutral sound and image, then associating the image with an unpleasant experience, researchers showed that rats later feared the sound alone—demonstrating inferred emotional learning.

Incel Culture Links Work Avoidance to Group Loyalty

A new study reveals that many self-identified incels reject employment not only due to mental health challenges, but as a deliberate expression of identity reinforced by online communities. By analyzing over 1,200 forum posts, researchers found that incel spaces often celebrate unemployment and isolation as signs of ideological purity, pressuring others to remain disengaged from work or education.