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.

Individuals tend to become overly optimistic in situations marked by insecurity and anxiety, potentially to their detriment. The research, involving more than 1,700 participants, demonstrated that people are less accurate in recognizing patterns linked to negative outcomes, like electrical shocks or monetary loss, indicating a clear bias towards wishful thinking.
Dogs can be trained to detect stress-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath, potentially identifying the onset of PTSD flashbacks. This groundbreaking study utilized two dogs to distinguish between the breath of individuals recalling traumatic experiences and control samples, achieving over 70% accuracy.
Couples with similar drinking habits, specifically those who both consume alcohol, tend to live longer than those who don't share the same drinking patterns. This finding draws on "the drinking partnership" theory, suggesting that shared alcohol consumption correlates with improved marital outcomes and possibly, greater longevity.
Researchers linked differences in THC metabolism to varying effects of cannabis use and the risk of developing Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). The study, which included young adults with and without CUD, found that genetic differences in THC-metabolizing enzymes can lead to stronger and longer-lasting effects of cannabis, especially among females who metabolize THC more slowly.
Children as young as 18 months display empathic concern towards others, marking a significant milestone in early emotional and cognitive development. The research found that children's capacity for empathic concern grows in environments where caregivers respond sensitively to their needs, highlighting the importance of social interactions in acquiring empathy.
A new study highlights the alarming rates of suicidal thoughts among rural Black men, attributing significant causes to childhood adversity and racism. This research, involving over 500 African American men, demonstrates that experiences of economic hardship, trauma, and racial discrimination significantly impact mental health, leading to a sense of isolation and thoughts of suicide.
A new study confirms Italians gesture more than Swedes, but more importantly, it reveals the diverse functions and frequencies of gestures across cultures. Analyzing storytelling methods, the study found Italians favor pragmatic gestures to guide narrative flow, while Swedes prefer representational gestures to depict actions and events.
Researchers conducted a study exploring why investors are drawn to high-risk IPO shares despite their generally low returns, comparing this allure to the steady yet modest returns of investments like catastrophe bonds. The study involved participants choosing between stocks with varying return profiles, revealing a preference for investments that yield frequent returns over those with occasional high gains.
Researchers challenge the notion that rational thinking is the only path to good decision-making. Highlighting the limited role of rationality in our choices, the researchers emphasize the profound influence of emotions, as demonstrated in his wine tasting study where perceived value affected enjoyment.
Recent research reveals that individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) exhibit distinct music preferences, favoring reflective and complex genres such as classical and jazz over intense, rebellious ones. The study, involving 549 participants, highlights how the severity of BPD symptoms influences these preferences and the psychological functions of music, emphasizing its role in emotional regulation and social connectivity.
A new study reveals dogs' ability to understand words as representations of objects, indicating a deeper level of cognitive processing than previously thought. Researchers used non-invasive EEG to measure dogs' brain activity, finding distinct patterns when dogs heard a word and were then shown either a matching or mismatching object.
Fear can significantly influence women's preference for immediate financial rewards over larger, delayed ones, a decision-making bias known as "delay discounting," while men's choices remain unaffected by their emotional state. Involving 308 participants, the study found that women exposed to fear-inducing stimuli were more likely to opt for smaller, sooner rewards compared to their male counterparts and to women in joy or neutral emotional states. These findings highlight the complex interplay between gender, emotion, and decision-making, suggesting evolutionary or emotion-regulation differences might underpin these observed disparities.

These research articles involve depression, seasonal affective disorders, grief, pain, sadness, happiness and generally news regarding mental health research.

Familiar scents can significantly aid individuals with depression in recalling specific autobiographical memories, potentially offering a new avenue for therapeutic intervention. By directly engaging the amygdala through olfactory cues, the research demonstrated that scents are more effective than verbal prompts in evoking vivid and specific memories.
A new study involving 74 participants, has demonstrated significant promise for intravenous ketamine in treating severe depression and bipolar disorder, conditions often resistant to traditional therapies. This research indicates that after just three ketamine infusions over 11 days, 52% of the participants achieved remission, with half of those frequently experiencing suicidal thoughts witnessing a dramatic decline in such impulses.
Researchers developed an AI algorithm that, by analyzing brain scans and clinical information, can predict within a week whether an antidepressant will work for patients with major depression disorder. This method could potentially avoid unnecessary prescriptions of sertraline, a commonly used antidepressant, by identifying non-responders early, thus offering better patient care and reducing side effects.

Schizophrenia News

Research news involving schizotypal personality, anxiety, paranoia, unconventional thoughts and beliefs is covered.

A global study involving 131 researchers from 105 labs across seven countries has found altered brain pH and lactate levels across various animal models of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. This large-scale research reveals a common endophenotype involving energy metabolism dysfunction as a hallmark in disorders such as schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer’s.
Researchers provided new insights into brain development, revealing that different brain regions share a similar organizational structure in early stages rather than being pre-specialized. This finding, supported by advanced optical imaging, suggests a universal blueprint for brain development, which has significant implications for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
A new study revealed shared cellular and molecular changes in the brains of people with schizophrenia and older adults, pointing to a common biological basis for cognitive impairments in these groups. The study analyzed gene expression in over a million cells from 191 individuals, uncovering a coordinated reduction in genes supporting synaptic connections by neurons and astrocytes, dubbed the Synaptic Neuron and Astrocyte Program (SNAP).