Debunked: Is the “Placebo Effect” Just a Myth?
In an opinion article, Australian researchers argue that the ‘placebo effect’ — the idea that we can start to recover from illness after being given…
Psychology
No, Stress Isn’t Always Bad. Here’s How To Harness It To Enhance Performance
University of Rochester psychologists find that college students who reinterpret their stress response as performance-enhancing are less anxious and generally healthier. Sweaty palms during a…
Beyond Small Talk: Study Finds People Enjoy Deep Conversations With Strangers
People overestimate awkwardness, underestimate enjoyment of deep, meaningful conversations, study finds. People benefit from deep and meaningful conversations that help us forge connections with one…
Rethinking What Causes Pain: Psychological Treatment Shown To Yield Strong, Lasting Pain Relief
Two thirds of patients found relief; benefits lasted one year. Rethinking what causes pain and how great of a threat it is can provide chronic…
Theory of Mind: Children Do Not Understand Concept of Others Having False Beliefs Until Age 6 or 7
New developmental psychology work has upended decades of research suggesting that children as young as 4 years old possess theory of mind. Having theory of…
Smartphone App Helps Tackle Fear of Spiders Using Augmented Reality
Researchers from the University of Basel have developed an augmented reality app for smartphones in order to help people reduce their fear of spiders. The…
Princeton Researchers Discover New Way To Encourage COVID Vaccinations and Masking
In the face of a global pandemic, with more than 200 million global infections and 4 million deaths, and despite unprecedented efforts by public health…
Top 11 Reasons for COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy – First: Mistrust of Government
People’s trust in the government’s approval of a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19 is the biggest driver of vaccine uptake, an Australian study has…
“Hijacked” by Arousal: How a Racing Heart May Alter Decision-Making Brain Circuits
Mount Sinai study discovers that body-state monitoring neurons can hijack the decision-making process. Anxiety, addiction, and other psychiatric disorders are often characterized by intense states…
Spice (Synthetic Marijuana) Withdrawal Symptoms More Severe Than Cannabis
New research from the Addiction and Mental Health Group at the University of Bath highlights challenges for people trying to give up the drug ‘Spice.’…
Do You Think You’re Exclusively Straight? Influencing People’s Perceptions of Their Sexual Orientation
Scientific research has shown that sexuality exists on a spectrum. But how certain are people about where they fit on it? A new University of…
Making (and Breaking) Eye Contact Repeatedly Makes Conversation More Engaging
Making eye contact repeatedly when you’re talking to someone is common, but why do we do it? When two people are having a conversation, eye…
Ending Prices With “.99″ Can Sometimes Backfire on Sellers
It makes consumers less likely to choose pricey upgrades. Setting a price just below a round number ($39.99 instead of $40) may lead consumers into…
Science Shows Attractiveness Pays Off at Work – But There’s a Trick To Level the Playing Field
Beautiful people are more likely to get hired, receive better performance evaluations and get paid more—but it’s not just because of their good looks, according…
Being Young in a School Class Puts a Child at a Long-Term Disadvantage Compared to Their Older Peers
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, in collaboration with the Karolinska Institute and Orebro University, has…
COVID-19 Pandemic Burdens May Contribute to Outbreaks of Violent Protest and Antigovernment Sentiment
The COVID-19 pandemic is the most severe global health crisis of the 21st century. While media reports and policy directives tend to focus on the…
Women More Likely To Feel Like “Impostors” in Disciplines That Prize Brilliance
New study uncovers obstacle to certain groups’ professional advancement in academia. The more an academic discipline is perceived to require raw talent or “brilliance” for…
Vaccine Hesitancy: Understanding Why People Refuse or Indefinitely Delay Vaccination
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes essential to understand why people refuse or indefinitely delay vaccination. A new Polish study, conducted at…
