news 2022

When holding information in mind, neural activity is more focused when and where there are bursts of gamma frequency rhythms. Working memory, that handy ability to consciously hold and manipulate new information in mind, takes work. In particular, participating neurons in the prefrontal cortex have to work together in synchrony to focus our thoughts, whether we-re remembering a set of directions or tonight's menu specials.

People who help others do not necessarily want to receive a reward for doing so. However, a reward can encourage people with a low degree of empathy to help. This is shown by a new study . It is a classic of social psychological research: people donate less blood when they are paid for it. Without payment, i.e., solely out of the desire to help their fellow human beings, they have significantly more blood drawn.

PhD candidate in psychology publishes meta-analysis that chronicles 60 years of memory research By Wendy Philpott Faculty of Arts Whether you're old or young, memory can be a challenge for all kinds of reasons, and most of us would welcome strategies to help improve our memory. Waterloo's researchers in psychology have been helping with this area of cognition for years - and the impact of their research on what we know about memory continues with graduate students.

Food insecurity is a growing problem in America. A new UC Berkeley study found that mice raised in situations of food insecurity exhibited changes in behavior and in the brain's reward network, raising questions about the long-lasting effects of food insecurity among young people. (Graphic courtesy of Univ.

Professor of Cognitive Psychology Mariska Kret studies how humans and animals express emotions. Comparisons between humans and great apes offer important evolutionary insights, Kret will say in her inaugural lecture on Friday 9 September. Many of us still think humans are unique and 'shine at the top of evolution,' says Kret.

A study from CAST finds that whilst climate anxiety is low amongst the UK public, it may be an important driver of climate action such as cutting down on waste. The first-ever detailed study of climate anxiety among the UK adult population suggests that whilst rates are currently low, people's fears about the future of the planet might be an important trigger for action when it comes to adapting our high-carbon lifestyles to become more environmentally friendly.

Robots can be better at detecting mental wellbeing issues in children than parent-reported or self-reported testing, a new study suggests. Children might see the robot as a confidante - they feel like they won't get into trouble if they share secrets with it Nida Itrat Abbasi A team of roboticists, computer scientists and psychiatrists from the University of Cambridge carried out a study with 28 children between the ages of eight and 13, and had a child-sized humanoid robot administer a series of standard psychological questionnaires to assess the mental wellbeing of each participant.

Although visual perception might seem as easy as just opening our eyes and reporting what is out there, the underlying computations are surprisingly complex. One of the more revealing ways to study these computations is by using inputs that are ambiguous or even impossible under normal circumstances (for instance with radically different pictures seen by the two eyes).

Researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital have demonstrated how sensors that record movement patterns could help detect health problems in the elderly, including old-age depression, risk of falls or cognitive impairment, at an early stage. In the future, this could help seniors to live a self-determined life at home for longer and relieve increasing pressure on the healthcare system.

Our personality as adults is not determined by whether we grow up with sisters or brothers. This is the finding of an international study by researchers from Leipzig University, the University of Zurich and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. The results have now been published in the renowned journal -Psychological Science-.

New study published on changes in the brain's reward system Major depressive disorders are characterized by a significant health burden, including changes in appetite and body weight. Identifying biomarkers such as changes in brain function to treat depression is difficult due to the varying symptomatology of affected individuals.

Negative parenting behaviours more likely when technology interrupts family interactions Caregivers who consume digital media for relaxation are more likely to engage in negative parenting practices, according to a new multinational study. The new study led by the University of Waterloo aimed to investigate the relationship between caregivers' use of digital media, mental health, and parenting practices at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Machine learning has helped scientists understand how the brain gives rise to complex human characteristics, uncovering patterns of brain activity that are related to behaviors like working memory, traits like impulsivity, and disorders like depression. And with these tools, scientists can create models of these relationships that can then be used, in theory, to make predictions about the behavior and health of individuals.

Genetic research shows the environment associated with parents' cognitive and noncognitive skills influences offspring's education New research from the Netherlands Twin Register at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) shows that parents- cognitive and non-cognitive skills both affect children's educational outcomes.

Data scientist Marijn ten Thij studies human behaviour on the basis of messages posted on social media. For example, he mapped the changing mood during the corona pandemic using 3.5 million tweets. The analysis of this kind of data is not only socially relevant, it could also help individuals in psychological distress.

Data scientist Marijn ten Thij studies human behaviour on the basis of messages posted on social media. For example, he mapped the changing mood during the corona pandemic using 3.5 million tweets. The analysis of this kind of data is not only socially relevant, it could also help individuals in psychological distress.

A new study suggests that autism diagnosis could be improved with a greater focus on the differences in emotional needs between women and men. A new study published by a team of psychologists suggests that the diagnosis of autism could be improved by considering the differences between how women and men experience and act upon their emotions.

New diagnoses of disorders including psychosis, dementia, seizures and 'brain fog' remain commoner two years after COVID-19 than after other respiratory infections, whereas the increased risks of depression and anxiety after COVID-19 are short-lived and there is no overall excess of cases.

University of Queensland researchers are calling for screening of perinatal depression (PND) for all women during pregnancy, after finding women with persistent depression are at high risk of developing the condition. PhD candidate Dr Jacqueline Kiewa from UQ's Child Health Research Centre compared the perinatal experiences of women with lifetime major depression and found almost three quarters of them had at least one episode of PND.

Work breaks should be seen as recovery opportunities that foster employee well-being and do not detract from performance, according to a Simon Fraser University researcher. Zhanna Lyubykh, assistant professor, Management and Organization Studies at the Beedie School of Business led a systematic review of 83 studies focused on the role of work breaks in fostering well-being and performance.