Category: Psychology

Researchers identified a small group of dopamine neurons in the striatum that play a crucial role in balancing essential brain functions such as reward, cognition, and movement. This discovery opens the door to new treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders like schizophrenia, addiction, and Parkinson’s disease. These neurons help regulate the brain’s dopamine pathways, preventing […]

A new study reveals that your favorite film genre may indicate how your brain processes emotions. Action and comedy lovers show strong brain reactions to negative stimuli, while those preferring crime films, thrillers, or documentaries exhibit weaker emotional responses. Researchers used fMRI scans on 257 participants to uncover this link, offering insights into the connection […]

Children often gather more information than needed to complete a task, even when they know the solution. A new study suggests this “over-exploration” might stem from either natural curiosity or underdeveloped working memory. Researchers found that kids, unlike adults, continue to explore irrelevant information due to uncertainty in their memory retention.

A new study reveals that people across 12 countries and five continents perceive wisdom through two key dimensions: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. Reflective orientation includes logical thinking and emotion control, while socio-emotional awareness focuses on empathy and social context. These dimensions consistently influence how individuals judge wisdom in leaders, scientists, and others. The findings […]

Researchers have discovered that nondeceptive placebos—placebos given with the full knowledge that they are placebos—can effectively manage stress, even when administered remotely. In a two-week randomized controlled trial, participants experiencing prolonged stress were divided into two groups: one group received nondeceptive placebos, while the other served as a control.

A study suggests that recalling past alcohol experiences before drinking can slow down consumption, indicating a potential strategy to reduce alcohol intake. In the study, women who remembered a previous drinking episode took longer to consume an alcoholic beverage, possibly due to reduced motivation to drink. This approach, along with strong health warnings, may offer […]

New research reveals that cognitive impairments in psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are connected to brain network organization. This connection is evident even before the first psychotic break in at-risk individuals, offering potential for early diagnosis and intervention. The study highlights a novel brain network-cognition relationship that could lead to targeted treatments for […]

A meta-analysis suggests that high doses of psilocybin may alleviate depressive symptoms similarly to the SSRI drug escitalopram. While the effect size was small, psilocybin outperformed placebo in clinical trials, though study design flaws could have led to overestimated results. The findings indicate that psilocybin, particularly in high doses, may offer a new avenue for […]

Children with persistent inflammation are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders like psychosis and depression in early adulthood. A study found that elevated inflammation markers, particularly around age 9, significantly increase the risk of these disorders, as well as cardiometabolic diseases such as insulin resistance. The research suggests that early-life inflammation could […]

Personality traits like conscientiousness and extraversion are linked to higher self-control, while neuroticism can weaken this effect, especially in specific types of self-control like resisting temptation or initiating proactive behaviors. A study involving 480 military cadets reveals that neuroticism moderates the relationship between other personality traits and self-control, suggesting that the interaction effects differ based […]