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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.

New Study Unravels Emotional Processing in Depression

Researchers shed light on how individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) process emotions differently due to abnormalities in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. By using stereotactic electroencephalography (sEEG), researchers were able to observe how these brain regions react to positive and negative stimuli, revealing a significant imbalance in emotional processing.

Flexible Responses Boost Healthy Food Attitudes

A flexible response to food cues significantly improves attitudes towards high-calorie foods among women with controlled eating habits. The research involved 78 women, employing tests like the Implicit Association Test and the Food Stop-Signal Task to assess their subconscious attitudes and impulse control towards food.

How We Optimize Decisions for Mutual Benefit

Researchers shed light on how human brains handle decisions that impact others, particularly when options conflict. In their study, participants engaged in tasks designed to assess their preference integration and decision-making processes for both personal and others' benefits.

Emotional Bodily Sensations Altered in Parkinson’s Patients

People with Parkinson’s disease experience altered bodily sensations related to basic emotions differently from healthy individuals. Utilizing electronic body maps, participants identified how emotions like anger, happiness, and sadness manifested physically, noting significant shifts in sensation locations, particularly with anger moving from the chest to the abdomen.

Exercise Reduces Stress in the Brain

Physical activity significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by diminishing stress-related brain signaling. The study, which analyzed data from over 50,000 participants, showed that individuals who adhered to physical activity guidelines had a 23% lower risk of developing heart disease.

The Mysteries of Dreams and Their Impact on Our Lives

Researchers highlight groundbreaking approaches to studying dreams, revealing their significant impact on our waking lives. They are exploring how dreams influence perceptions of sleep quality and overall cognitive functioning.

Childhood Trauma Impacts Muscle Function in Later Life

Adverse childhood experiences can detrimentally affect muscle function in older adults by impairing mitochondrial activity necessary for energy production. The study analyzed muscle biopsies from over 870 participants aged 70 and older, linking reported childhood adversities with reduced production of ATP, the energy currency of cells.

This shows people watching baseball on TV.

Watching Sports Boosts Well-being: Neuroimaging Shows Why

A new study reveals how watching sports significantly enhances well-being. This multi-method research combined data analysis, surveys, and neuroimaging to explore the effects of sports viewing on both subjective and objective well-being indicators.

Poverty’s Profound Impact on Brain Development and Behavior

A new review connects low socioeconomic status (SES) with significant changes in brain development, behavior, and cognitive outcomes. The review synthesizes existing research to present a unified framework showing how factors common in low SES environments—such as poor nutrition, chronic stress, and substandard living conditions—adversely affect neurodevelopment.

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Social Media Fuels Eating Disorder Echo Chambers

A new study investigates the role of social media in exacerbating eating disorders among users. Researchers used machine learning to analyze millions of tweets, uncovering a troubling cycle where harmful content related to eating disorders is easily accessible and often intertwined with regular diet discussions.

“Supernatural” Experiences Comfort Grieving Pet Owners

A new study explores the phenomenon of supernatural visits from deceased pets. Analyzing 544 accounts from dog owners on social media, researchers found that about half of these experiences were physical manifestations, such as hearing a dog's nails on the floor, while the others were symbolic signs like dreams or rainbows.

How Sex and Gender Shape Our Cognition

Researchers released a new study examining how sex and gender influence cognitive abilities. The study analyzed eight cognitive tasks and found that while spatial cognition correlates more with biological factors such as sex at birth and hormones, verbal cognition is more influenced by sociocultural factors like gender identity.