News 2019
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’Clingy’ spouses face greater health risks after partner dies
Mindfulness Meditation Enhances Positive Effects of Psilocybin
Poverty, not trauma, affects cognitive function in refugee youth
Psychology
Results 1 - 20 of 87.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 27.12.2019
Take part in Dry January and you’ll reap the benefits for months, Sussex research shows
New research from the University of Sussex shows that people who take part in Dry January - living alcohol-free for a month - are still drinking less six months later. In the most robust research on the subject to date, the study, led by University of Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser , compared the experiences of participants in the Dry January 2019 challenge with adult drinkers who did not take part.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 16.12.2019
Low genetic risk for ADHD may protect against negative life experiences
A recent study shows that people at low genetic risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not only less likely to have the disorder, they also have better than expected economic, health and behavioral outcomes in later life. The results, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, "capture far more than just the risk and the absence of risk for a psychiatric outcome," says study author James Li, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of psychology and investigator at the UW's Waisman Center.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 11.12.2019
How Interacting with Females Increases Aggression in Male Fruit Flies
You probably behave differently when you are having a bad day than during a great one. For example, while you might politely smile at a neighbor you dislike on an otherwise pleasant Saturday afternoon, that same interaction will elicit a scowl when you are rushing off to work Monday morning. In other words, your brain takes recent experiences into account when coordinating your responses to external stimuli.
Psychology - Health - 09.12.2019

"Clingy” spouses - whether spending every waking moment with their partners or constantly telephoning when they're not together - are at greater risk for heart problems and poor mental health after their spouses die, according to new research from psychologists at Rice. The study, "Attachment orientations and loss adjustment among bereaved spouses,” examined mental and physical health outcomes for people who recently lost a spouse.
Psychology - 06.12.2019
’Depression in pregnancy alters male infant behaviour - but mothers don’t notice’
Women who have symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy do not report concerns with their infant sons' behaviour - but do with daughters, a Cardiff University study has found. As many as one in four women experience depression and/or anxiety in pregnancy and evidence suggests it can increase the risk of emotional and behavioural issues, particularly in boys.
Psychology - Pedagogy - 04.12.2019
Infant blood markers predict childhood mental health
A newfound link between levels of "bad" cholesterol at birth and subsequent childhood behavior could help identify and treat people who are prone to experiencing depression and other mental difficulties. Stanford researchers have shown that levels of cholesterol and fat in a newborn's blood can reliably predict that child's psychological and social health five years later.
Pharmacology - Psychology - 03.12.2019
Chronic opioid treatment may raise risk of post-traumatic stress disorder
While opioids are often prescribed to treat people with trauma-related pain, a new UCLA-led study suggests doctors should use caution before prescribing the drug to those they believe may experience severe stress in the future, in order to reduce the risk the patient will develop PTSD. In the study, researchers administered doses of the opioid morphine to a group of 22 mice for one week, then gave the mice relatively strong foot shocks.
Psychology - 22.11.2019
Sleep problems in children with genetic condition linked to mental health issues, clumsiness and impaired planning ability, experts say
Scientists from Cardiff University have studied the sleep patterns of children and adolescents with one of the most common genetic conditions - 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q). The researchers found nearly two thirds (60%) of the group aged 17 and under experienced insomnia or restless sleep and in turn, a higher proportion of these had conditions such as ADHD, anxiety disorders and conduct disorder.
Psychology - Innovation - 20.11.2019
Fear of math can outweigh promise of higher rewards
Math anxiety is far from uncommon, but too often, those who dread the subject simply avoid it. Research from the University of Chicago offers new evidence for the link between math anxiety and avoidance-as well as possible paths toward breaking that connection. UChicago psychologists found that people who are math-anxious often steer away from more difficult math problems, even when solving them leads to much larger monetary rewards.
Psychology - 07.11.2019
Diverse neighbourhoods linked to better mental health in White British youths
White British young people living in more ethnically diverse deprived neighbourhoods have better mental health than those living in "white working-class" neighbourhoods, according to a new UCL study. The study found there was no difference in the mental health of ethnic minority youths by whether they lived in neighbourhoods of differing levels of ethnic density and ethnic diversity.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 06.11.2019
How your speech could impact your salary
Most Americans are aware that English sounds different throughout the country, and that those regional differences can contribute to widely held stereotypes. But a leading University of Chicago economist has uncovered how speech patterns also strongly affect a person's wages, particularly for African Americans.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 05.11.2019
World-leading mental health research centre celebrates ’decade of discovery’
One of the world's leading centres for research into the underlying causes of mental health issues is marking its 10th anniversary. The MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics is also transitioning from a Medical Research Council Centre to a Cardiff University Centre, and Professor James Walters is taking over as director, replacing Professor Sir Michael Owen.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 04.11.2019
Stressed to the max? Deep sleep can rewire the anxious brain
Anxiety keeps us awake, but deep sleep can soothe the anxious brain, according to new study. (iStockphoto) When it comes to managing anxiety disorders, William Shakespeare's Macbeth had it right when he referred to sleep as the "balm of hurt minds." While a full night of slumber stabilizes emotions, a sleepless night can trigger up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels, according to new research from UC Berkeley.
Pharmacology - Psychology - 24.10.2019

Recent years have seen a renewed interest in the clinical application of classic psychedelics in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Researchers of the University of Zurich have now shown that mindfulness meditation can enhance the positive long-term effects of a single dose of psilocybin, which is found in certain mushrooms.
Psychology - Social Sciences - 24.10.2019

Poverty, not war-related trauma, drives cognitive deficits in young people displaced by conflict, according to a new Yale-led study of adolescents affected by the crisis in Syria. The study, published in the journal Child Development, is the first to test executive function - a set of higher-order cognitive skills required for abstract thinking, decision making, and executing complex plans - in displaced Syrian youth and their Jordanian peers.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 21.10.2019
Microaggressions, HIV, and black women in Miami
Sannisha Dale, an assistant professor of psychology, is launching a unique study called Project MMAGIC to gain a better understanding of how daily microaggressions affect the health of black women living with HIV. Photo: Barry Williams/University of Miami Sannisha Dale, an assistant professor of psychology, is launching a unique study called Project MMAGIC to gain a better understanding of how daily microaggressions affect the health of black women living with HIV.
Psychology - 17.10.2019
Men say it’s not masculine to talk about body image concerns
Many males think talking about body dissatisfaction is socially undesirable and associate it with a sense of shame, a University of Queensland study has found. UQ School of Psychology PhD candidate Beth O'Gorman said the findings highlight the importance of normalising men's discussions about the issue.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 14.10.2019
Opinion: Mental health is a care we must share
Professor Peter Fonagy, Head of UCL Psychology & Language Sciences, writes about how wide social networks can help to shield people from mental disorder, arguing that we should celebrate this collective responsibility. The government published its first national review of children and young people's mental wellbeing on 10 October, World Mental Health Day.
Psychology - 14.10.2019
Young children have intuitions of great teachers
Even at a young age, children know that deciding what to teach is as important as knowing how to teach. This innate ability to instruct each other could explain why humans are so adaptable. Human are incredible learners, in part because they are also accomplished teachers. Even at a very early age, people are adept at instructing others.
Environment - Psychology - 10.10.2019
Scientists ’must be allowed to cry’ about destruction of nature
Scientists witnessing the destruction of the natural world must be supported and "allowed to cry", researchers say. In a letter published in the journal Science , three leading researchers say it is "dangerously misguided" to assume scientists are dispassionate observers. They say many scientists experience "strong grief responses" to the current ecological crisis, and there are profound risks to ignoring this emotional trauma.
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