BREAKING NEWS: Psychology & Self-Help

Don't be a stranger -- study finds rekindling old friendships as scary as making new ones

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:55:30 -0400

Psychologists have found that people are as hesitant to reach out to an old friend as they are to strike up a conversation with a stranger, even when they had the capacity and desire to do so.

Infected: Understanding the spread of behavior

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:52:16 -0400

A team of researchers found that long-tie connections accelerate the speed of social contagion.

Exploring brain synchronization patterns during social interactions

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:30:41 -0400

Social interactions synchronize brain activity within individuals and between individuals. In a new study, researchers compared brain synchronization between pairs of people with relatively strong social ties (acquaintance pairs) and pairs with almost no social ties (stranger pairs). The study found that during a cooperative task, the stranger pairs exhibited more closely connected brain networks compared to the acquaintance pairs. These findings challenge the conventional understanding that stronger social bonds lead to greater brain synchronization.

Social Psychology Network Launches X Page on Artificial Intelligence

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:40:50 -0400

Source: Social Psychology Network News

Social Psychology Network announced Tuesday the launch of a new social media page related to AI, psychology, and social issues. The page is hosted on X (formerly Twitter), and already has nearly 200 featured stories. "This is the first new social media page we've released in 5 years," said SPN Executive Director Scott Plous. "We hope visitors to http://x.com/Psychology_AI find this new service useful." Currently, 1.3 million people follow SPN...

Psychologist Becomes First Peruvian to Legally End Life Via Euthanasia

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:40:41 -0400

Source: United Press International - Health News

Psychologist Ana Estrada, 47, on Sunday became the first Peruvian citizen to die by euthanasia after receiving permission from Peru's Supreme Court. Assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in Peru, but Estrada fought a lengthy legal battle to win approval to end her life, the National Catholic Register reported Tuesday. Estrada was diagnosed with degenerative polymyostosis at age 12 and was confined to a wheelchair the rest of her life.

Pro-Palestinian Protests Leave American College Campuses on Edge

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 02:12:01 -0400

Source: CBS News - U.S. News

Tension gripped college campuses across the U.S. Tuesday as Jewish students marked the Passover holiday amid pro-Palestinian protests over Israel's devastating war against Hamas in Gaza, where the Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 34,000 people have been killed, most of them women and children. Meanwhile, Columbia University—which arrested more than 100 students Monday—said classes would be hybrid through the end of the semester.

Dominica Decriminalizes Same-Sex Relations

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 02:11:48 -0400

Source: BBC News - Top Headlines

Dominica's High Court has overturned a ban on consensual same-sex relations in the Caribbean island nation. The court ruled such bans went against the country's constitution. LGBTQ activists hailed the decision as "a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ rights in the Caribbean." Sexual activity between people of the same sex in English-speaking Caribbean nations was first criminalized by the British under their rule in the...

New U.S. Rule Bars Transgender School Bathroom Bans

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 02:11:24 -0400

Source: U.S. News and World Report

A new rule from President Joe Biden's administration blocking blanket policies to keep transgender students from using school bathrooms that align with their gender identity could conflict with laws in Republican-controlled states. The clash over bathroom policy and other elements of a federal regulation finalized last week could set the stage for another wave of legal battles over how transgender kids should be treated in the U.S.

Life goals and their changes drive success

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:21:19 -0400

Though life goals change over time, a study of teen goals indicates that goals of education and high prestige can drive success.

War Protesters Arrested at Yale; Columbia Cancels In-Person Classes

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 06:55:43 -0400

Source: Google News - Health

Columbia University canceled in-person classes Monday, and new protests broke out on other U.S. college campuses as tensions continue to grow over Israel's war in Gaza. Protesters rallied throughout the weekend at Columbia''s New York City campus, where police last week arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had set up an encampment. At Yale, police officers also arrested about 45 protesters Monday and charged them with...

Major Report Finds Europe Warming Twice the Pace of Rest of World

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 06:53:53 -0400

Source: United Press International - Health News

Europe experienced its warmest year on record in 2023, both on land and sea, with climate change driving the rate of warming at double the global average, according to a new international report published Monday. Heat-related mortality in Europe is also up 30% in the past 20 years, and heat-related deaths are estimated to have increased in more than 9 out of 10 European regions where it is being tracked, the report said.

U.S. Report Accuses China of Continued Genocide in Xinjiang

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 06:53:20 -0400

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday. The report describes the detention of more than one million people in camps and prisons and the use of re-education camps, among other abuses committed against the broader Chinese population—allegations that China strongly...

Climate Change a Health Risk for 70% of World's Workers, U.N. Warns

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 06:45:17 -0400

Source: CBS News - Health

More than 70% of workers around the world—some 2.4 billion people—face climate-related health risks, according to a United Nations report released Monday. Climate change is having a severe impact on the safety and health of workers in the form of excessive heat, extreme weather, solar UV radiation, and air pollution, resulting in an alarming increase in some diseases, according to findings from the International Labour Organization, a U.N....

U.N. Rights Chief Urges States to Act on Slavery Reparations

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:46:39 -0400

Source: U.S. News and World Report

The United Nations human rights chief called for countries to take concrete steps on reparations for people of African descent at a U.N. meeting on Friday, adding his voice to calls for justice for slavery atrocities. Support is building among Africa and Caribbean nations for the creation of a tribunal to address reparations, which might include financial payments and other amends, for crimes dating back to the transatlantic trade of enslaved...

Racial Disparities in Healthcare Persist Across the U.S., Report Finds

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:41:36 -0400

Source: United Press International - Health News

Deep-seated racial and ethnic disparities persist in healthcare across the United States, even in states considered the most progressive, a new report shows. For example, California received a score of 45 out of 100 for the care its health system provides Hispanic Americans. That's better than the score of 37 received by Hispanic Americans living in Florida, but it's far worse than California's treatment of White patients, whose score was 87.

Plant and Animal Species Becoming Extinct at Record Pace, Says U.N.

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:41:09 -0400

Source: CBS News - Science

Boots dusty, lungs heaving, Dr. John Wiens searched the boulders of a desolate Arizona mountaintop for the last survivors of a 3-million-year-old lizard population — then said the words that both confirmed his life's work and broke his heart. "They're not there," he said. "It seems like the species is now extinct." The loss of plant and animal species on Earth is happening at a speed never seen in human history, according to the United Nations.

Team Develops Pea-Sized Brain Stimulator for Use in Human Patients

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:36:41 -0400

Source: Science Daily - Top Health

Engineers have developed a pea-sized implantable brain stimulator and shown that it works in a human patient. Thanks to pioneering magnetoelectric power transfer technology, the device can be powered wirelessly via an external transmitter and used to stimulate the brain through the dura—the protective membrane attached to the bottom of the skull—and may revolutionize treatment for drug-resistant depression and other psychiatric or...

White House Strengthens Title IX Sex and Gender Discrimination Rules

Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:34:56 -0400

Source: United Press International - Health News

The Biden administration on Friday finalized sweeping changes to Title IX, strengthening protections against sex and gender discrimination in schools. The rules, which take effect on August 1, require schools to respond quickly to sex and gender discrimination, expand LGBTQ rights and give victims more power in sexual abuse cases.

HIV Drugs May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:13:26 -0400

Source: Google News

Common HIV drugs could reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease, finds a new study published in the journal Pharmaceuticals. Based on data from over 225,000 people, the study discovered that HIV-positive patients taking reverse transcriptase inhibitors showed a lower rate of Alzheimer's than did the general public. These results could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to combat the growing Alzheimer's crisis.

Most Homeless Americans Are Battling Mental Illness, Review Concludes

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 09:13:07 -0400

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Two-thirds of homeless people in the U.S. are experiencing some form of mental health disorder, a large review has concluded. The analysis, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that homeless men were more likely than homeless women to be battling mental illness, although rates were high for both genders compared to the general public. The most common mental disorders included substance use disorders, antisocial personality disorders, and...

Exercise May Cut Heart Disease Risk 23% by Lowering Stress

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:03:04 -0400

Source: Google News - Health

Results from a new study suggest that physical activity's effects on stress—and related mood conditions—can protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, examined the medical records of more than 50,000 people and found, in a 10-year median follow-up, that people who had achieved recommended levels of physical exercise had a 23% lower risk of developing CVD than those...

UK Lawmakers Back Landmark Bill to Phase Out Smoking for Good

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:27:32 -0400

Source: Google News

The British government's plan for a landmark smoking ban that aims to stop young people from ever smoking cleared its first hurdle in Parliament on Tuesday. The bill would make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. If passed, the law will give Britain some of the toughest anti-smoking measures in the world. Authorities say it would create modern Britain's "first smoke-free generation."

USC Student's Graduation Speech Cancelled Over Israel-Gaza Conflict

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:23:22 -0400

Source: Google News - Health

The University of Southern California has cancelled its 2024 valedictorian's graduation speech amid backlash over her social media activity on Israel. The valedictorian, Asna Tabassum—a Muslim—was chosen on the basis of her high academic scores and involvement in campus life. USC cited "substantial risks" to campus security in the decision to cancel Ms. Tabassum's address, but she said the move was an effort "to silence my voice."

Climate Change Will Cost $38 Trillion a Year by 2049, Study Estimates

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:03:08 -0400

Source: Google News

Climate change will reduce future global income by about 19% in the next 25 years compared to a fictional world that's not warming, with the poorest areas and those least responsible for heating the atmosphere taking the biggest hit, a new study estimates. Climate change's economic toll will be about $38 trillion a year by 2049, according to the report, published Wednesday in the journal Nature. And by 2100, that number could double.

Study reveals how humanity could unite to address global challenges

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 21:46:11 -0400

New research has found that perceptions of globally shared life experiences and globally shared biology can strengthen psychological bonding with humanity at large, which can motivate prosocial action on a global scale and help to tackle global problems.

Economic wealth may be linked with happiness in China -- if inequality is low

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 16:15:32 -0400

A country's economic prosperity is linked with improved well-being in its residents, according to a new study.

Everyday social interactions predict language development in infants

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:06:04 -0400

Researchers found that when the adult talked and played socially with a 5-month-old baby, the baby's brain activity particularly increased in regions responsible for attention -- and the level of this type of activity predicted enhanced language development at later ages.

Prairie voles display signs of human-like depression

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:07:12 -0400

Researchers make the case that prairie voles, small rodents that are found throughout the central United States and Canada, can be effectively used as animal models to further the study of clinical depression.

Large language models respond differently based on user's motivation

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:10:40 -0400

A new study reveals how large language models (LLMs) respond to different motivational states. In their evaluation of three LLM-based generative conversational agents (GAs)--ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Llama 2, scientists found that while GAs are able to identify users' motivation states and provide relevant information when individuals have established goals, they are less likely to provide guidance when the users are hesitant or ambivalent about changing their behavior.

Talking politics with strangers isn't as awful as you'd expect, research suggests

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:10:27 -0400

Individuals underestimate the social connection they can make with a stranger who disagrees with them on contentious issues, a new research paper suggests.

Exploring the effect of the presence of familiar people in interpersonal space

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 13:06:09 -0400

Researchers investigate the influence of social relationships on our bodily responses to the presence of other persons in the interpersonal space.

Social, environmental factors may raise risk of developing heart disease and stroke

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:17 -0400

Neighborhoods with more adversity have up to twice the increased risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a new study.

Developmental psychology: Concern for others emerges during second year of life

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:10 -0400

An empirical longitudinal study tracked the emergence of empathic concern in children.

Couples with similar drinking habits may live longer

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:00 -0400

The couple that drinks together might live longer together, too, says a University of Michigan researcher.

2 in 3 parents say their adolescent or teen worries about how sick days may impact grades

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 17:24:05 -0400

Many parents recognize increasing mental health concerns among children, reflected by the 1 in 5 who say they're open to allowing a child to take a mental health day.

Social bonding gets people on the same wavelength

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:25:28 -0400

When small hierarchical groups bond, neural activity between leaders and followers aligns, promoting quicker and more frequent communication, according to a new study.

While social media changes over decades, conversation dynamics stay the same, new study suggests

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:07:52 -0400

A new study has identified recurring, 'toxic' human conversation patterns on social media, which are common to users irrespective of the platform used, the topic of discussion, and the decade in which the conversation took place.

Less social with age

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:10:00 -0400

Scientists tested several hypotheses on the drivers of social aging in free-living Assamese macaques in Thailand. The researchers collected data on the social behavior of females for eight years and found that the size of their social networks decreases with increasing age. The females continued to interact with their close social partners, but gradually withdrew from social interactions altogether. The results contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary origins of social aging.

Lonely 12 year-olds less likely to gain employment in adulthood

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:15:36 -0400

New research has found that there is a direct socioeconomic impact of loneliness in early adolescence. The research found that lonely young adults are more likely to be out of education, employment, or training (NEET) and consider themselves less employable and lower on the economic ladder than their less lonely peers.

Study tracks shifts in student mental health during college

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:54:20 -0400

Dartmouth researchers tracked more than 200 undergraduates for all four years of college to capture the most in-depth data yet on how students' self-esteem and mental health fluctuates during their years in academia. The researchers identify key populations and stressors they say administrators could target to improve student well-being. The study -- conducted from 2017 to 2022 -- also provides among the first real-time accounts of how the coronavirus pandemic affected students and resulted in long-lasting behavioral changes that persisted even as the pandemic diminished.

Researchers identify distinct sleep types and their impact on long-term health

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:39:23 -0400

Poor sleep habits are strongly associated with long-term chronic health conditions, according to decades of research. To better understand this relationship, a team identified four distinct patterns that characterize how most people sleep. These patterns are also predictive of long-term health, the researchers said.

No, an anti-racist program in schools didn't stress out kids, study finds

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:58:19 -0400

A new study of how high school students respond to a program designed to increase the frequency and quality of conversations about race in school finds that the anti-racist intervention did not cause stress or feelings of alienation among study participants. The finding rebuts concerns that anti-racist programs are harmful to children and teens.

Peer pressure susceptibility lasts into adulthood

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:06:31 -0500

While 'peer pressure' is often linked to experiences of children or teenagers, researchers say young adults continue to succumb to similar pressures of social conformity in everyday situations.

Older adults want to express themselves with emojis, they just don't understand how to

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:04:59 -0500

A new study is providing insight into how different generations are interpreting the use of emojis in their communications, with older adults unsure of how to use them as frequently as younger adults despite understanding their meaning.

A holistic framework for studying social emotions

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 18:28:33 -0500

The crucial role of social emotions in our lives and in society cannot be overstated. Empathy, guilt, embarrassment, pride and other feelings we experience in the context of other people govern and motivate how we act, interact and the countless decisions we make. Which is why a more holistic approach, one that integrates the various ways these emotions are studied, is necessary to gain insight and address gaps in knowledge.

Parents, wealth, race drive girls' chances to play sports

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 12:47:11 -0500

The likelihood that a girl will participate in high school sports in the United States is driven not so much by individual choice, new research suggests. Instead, decisions made by parents, the wealth of one's family and community, and racial dynamics matter.

Addressing societal concerns of genetic determinism of human behavior by linking environmental influences and genetic research

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:21:37 -0500

In a new perspective article, researchers underscore the importance of integrating environmental effects into genetic research. The authors discuss how failure to do so can perpetuate deterministic thinking in genetics, as historically observed in the justification of eugenics movements and, more recently, in cases of racially motivated violence.

What math tells us about social dilemmas

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:46:09 -0500

Human coexistence depends on cooperation. Individuals have different motivations and reasons to collaborate, resulting in social dilemmas, such as the well-known prisoner's dilemma. Scientists now present a new mathematical principle that helps to understand the cooperation of individuals with different characteristics.

Climate change linked to rise in mental distress among teens, according to Drexel study

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 21:41:20 -0500

Worsening human-induced climate change may have effects beyond the widely reported rising sea levels, higher temperatures, and impacts on food supply and migration -- and may also extend to influencing mental distress among high schoolers in the United States.

Combination of group competition and repeated interactions promotes cooperation

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:22:01 -0500

How did cooperative behavior prevail in human evolution? Researchers have challenged two prevailing explanations -- repeated interactions on the one hand or group competition on the other. Instead, both mechanisms synergistically contribute to fostering cooperation effectively.