There have been multiple accounts created with the sole purpose of posting advertisement posts or replies containing unsolicited advertising.

Accounts which solely post advertisements, or persistently post them may be terminated.

@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

psychbot Bot

@[email protected]

I am a robot who usually moves psychology-related RSS news feeds to Toot posts. I am not officially affiliated with them. When driven by a human I may occasionally post other information related to #mental health. (I am owned by https://mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org/@admin )

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 23, 2024 at 10:02AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMES

Direct article link at end of text block below.

The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia contribute significantly to the greater rates morbidity and mortality among those with dementia. Learn more here. https://t.co/bKYKVO2wHt

Here are any URLs found in the article text:

https://t.co/bKYKVO2wHt

Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 23, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Antidepressants affect how the brain processes internal sensations, study finds

URL: https://www.psypost.org/antidepressants-affect-how-the-brain-processes-internal-sensations-study-finds/

A recent study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry has uncovered that a single dose of a common antidepressant, specifically a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, can change how the brain processes internal bodily sensations. This effect is particularly evident when individuals are anxious, revealing a nuanced interaction between serotonin, interoception (the sensing of internal bodily states), and anxiety.

The researchers aimed to understand how serotonin, a key neurotransmitter in the brain, influences interoception. While serotonin’s role in modulating sensory processing like vision and hearing is well-established, its effect on interoception, especially regarding ordinary internal sensations such as heartbeats and stomach activity, was less clear.

“Not a whole lot was known about how the brain regulates its use of sensory information coming from inside the body. Likewise, we didn’t know why serotonergic antidepressants change our mood, despite millions of people taking them every day,” said study author Dan Campbell-Meiklejohn (@DrDanielCM), a senior lecturer at the University of Sussex.

“Independently, serotonin and interoception have been associated with the same mental health disorders, brain activations and behaviors. So, a test of whether serotonin influences interoception seemed like a good place to start to fill the gaps in these two stories.”

The study involved 31 healthy participants aged 18 to 35. They underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over experiment. Each participant was tested twice: once after receiving a single dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram (20 mg) and once after receiving a placebo, with sessions spaced at least a week apart.

Participants performed a visceral interoceptive awareness (VIA) task, which involved focusing on sensations from their heart and stomach while their brain activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The task also included a control condition where participants focused on visual stimuli. This design allowed the researchers to isolate the brain’s response to interoceptive sensations and compare it to exteroceptive (external sensory) processing.

The results showed that a single dose of citalopram significantly reduced the neural response to interoceptive sensations. The researchers observed that the increased levels of serotonin reduced neural activity in the amygdala and posterior insular cortex. These regions are critical for processing sensory and emotional information.

The reduction in neural response suggests that serotonin has a tempering effect on the brain’s processing of internal bodily sensations. This finding is notable because it extends the known effects of serotonin from exteroceptive sensory processing, such as vision and hearing, to interoceptive processing.

An intriguing aspect of the study is the state-dependent nature of serotonin’s effects. The researchers found that the relationship between anxiety and interoception was altered by citalopram. Under placebo conditions, higher anxiety levels were associated with increased neural responses in the anterior insula and orbitofrontal cortex during heart-focused tasks.

However, this relationship was significantly flattened when participants were given citalopram. This suggests that serotonin not only modulates interoception but does so in a manner that is influenced by the individual’s anxiety levels.

The findings indicate that “serotonin changes the way our brain processes sensations from our body, including changes in the processing of heart sensation when we are feeling anxious,” Campbell-Meiklejohn told PsyPost.

The researchers also found that citalopram’s effect on the processing of stomach sensations was a strong predictor of changes in anxiety. Participants who experienced a more significant reduction in neural response to stomach sensations also showed variations in their anxiety levels.

“It was surprising that the effect of the SSRI on the processing of stomach sensation was the best predictor of SSRI effects on anxiety (which can go up or down depending in the person, in the short term),” Campbell-Meiklejohn said. “It’s a preliminary finding, but it goes to show ‘gut feelings’ are not just an expression.”

However, the study only examined the effects of a single dose of citalopram, whereas real-world treatment involves long-term use. This raises questions about the long-term effects of serotonin modulation on interoception. Future research could explore the chronic effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and include more diverse participant groups.

“The effects of a single dose in healthy volunteers are not always predictive of what will happen to a patient that is taking them for weeks,” Campbell-Meiklejohn said. “We can’t infer what this means for patients taking SSRI treatments without further research.”

Investigating how these findings apply to patients with anxiety disorders and testing other antidepressants could provide deeper insights into the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of serotonin modulation in treating mental health conditions.

“I want to know if effects of serotonin on interoception are the mechanism for therapeutic effects of SSRIs in anxiety and if they explain other effects of serotonin transmission on things like impulsivity and aggression,” Campbell-Meiklejohn explained.

The study, “General and anxiety-linked influences of acute serotonin reuptake inhibition on neural responses associated with attended visceral sensation,” was authored by James J. A. Livermore, Lina I. Skora, Kristian Adamatzky, Sarah N. Garfinkel, Hugo D. Critchley, and Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/antidepressants-affect-how-the-brain-processes-internal-sensations-study-finds/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 23, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Flattery can harm leaders’ reputations and their organization

URL: https://www.psypost.org/flattery-can-harm-leaders-reputations-and-their-organization/

A series of seven studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology investigated how leaders who reward flattery are perceived as naive, potentially damaging their reputation and the perceived fairness of their organizations.

Flattery is an age-old tactic for impression management, frequently employed to elicit favors or positive responses from those in positions of power. Whether sincere or not, flattery can be used to manipulate others for personal gain. Prior research shows that flattery indeed works, leading to more favorable evaluations, positive treatment, and increased social and material rewards for the flatterer.

However, there is a significant gap in understanding how it impacts the target, particularly for leaders who are common recipients of such behavior. Across seven studies, researchers Benjamin A. Rogers and colleagues examined the potential costs of flattery.

Study 1 involved 181 academics who read a scenario where a PhD student flattered a senior faculty member at a conference and requested a favor. Participants were randomly assigned to read either that the faculty member granted or refused the favor and then rated the faculty member on perceived naiveté (e.g., naive, gullible, ignorant), competence (e.g., smart, competent, intelligent), warmth (e.g., caring, nice), and the overall fairness of academia.

Results indicated that faculty who granted the favor were seen as more naive and less competent than those who refused. Granting the favor increased perceptions of warmth but decreased perceptions of academia’s fairness.

Study 2 included 164 participants who prepared a presentation on negotiation tactics while competing for a bonus. During preparation, they observed their competitor flattering the lab experimenter and asking for tips. Participants were randomly assigned to conditions where the experimenter either granted or refused the favor. Measures included perceived naiveté, competence, warmth, organizational fairness, willingness to participate in future studies, and perceptions of the experimenter’s fairness.

Participants viewed the experimenter who granted the favor as more naive. Favor granting indirectly affected perceived competence through naiveté, increased warmth perceptions, but lowered willingness to participate in future studies and perceptions of the lab’s fairness.

Study 3 involved 124 MBA students who recalled instances where their current or recent supervisors received flattery and rewarded it with favors. Participants described these events and evaluated their leaders on naiveté, competence, warmth, commitment to the leader, and organizational fairness.

Leaders who frequently rewarded flattery were seen as more naive and less competent. Unlike previous studies, rewarding flattery did not significantly increase warmth perceptions for established leaders and was negatively associated with commitment to the leader and perceptions of organizational fairness.

In Study 4, 803 MTurk participants imagined a leader being approached for a favor in contexts of flattery, nepotism, meritocracy, or control. They were randomly assigned to read that the leader either granted or refused the favor. Measures included perceived naiveté, competence, warmth, organizational fairness, and commitment to the leader.

Flattery-based favors led to perceptions of naiveté, with leaders who granted favors in response to flattery rated as more naive compared to those responding to nepotism or meritocracy. This naiveté negatively impacted competence and organizational fairness. Favor granting in nepotism or meritocracy contexts did not significantly affect naiveté perceptions, highlighting flattery’s unique impact on leader perceptions.

Study 5 explored the impact of different types of flattery on leaders’ perceived naiveté and competence. Participants were exposed to scenarios where leaders received flattery on their appearance or professional achievements and either granted or refused favors.

Results showed that leaders who responded to flattery about their professional achievements were perceived as less naive than those who responded to flattery about their appearance. However, granting favors in response to any type of flattery generally led to higher perceptions of naiveté and lower perceptions of competence.

Study 6 examined the effects of granting favors in response to flattery, particularly when the favor harmed another individual or group. Participants read scenarios where leaders granted favors following flattery and then rated the leaders on naiveté, competence, warmth, organizational fairness, and commitment to the leader.

Leaders who granted favors that harmed others were perceived as more naive and less competent. This negative impact also extended to perceptions of organizational fairness and followers’ commitment to the leader, suggesting that the harm caused by the favor exacerbated the negative consequences of rewarding flattery.

Study 7 investigated the role of leaders’ apparent awareness of the motives behind flattery in influencing perceptions of naiveté and competence. Participants read scenarios where leaders explicitly acknowledged the flattery before granting or refusing favors.

Results indicated that leaders who acknowledged the flattery before granting favors were perceived as less naive than those who did not acknowledge it. However, even when leaders showed awareness, granting favors still led to some negative perceptions of competence. This suggests that while acknowledging flattery can mitigate some negative effects, granting favors in response to flattery still carries significant risks.

Across seven studies, the results consistently demonstrated that leaders who rewarded flattery were perceived as more naive and less competent, negatively affecting their reputation and the perceived fairness of their organizations. The negative impact of rewarding flattery was robust across various contexts, types of flattery, and even when leaders acknowledged the flattery.

A limitation noted by the authors is the reliance on self-reported data and hypothetical scenarios, which may not fully capture the complexity of real-world interactions.

The paper, “Too Naïve to Lead: When Leaders Fall for Flattery,” was authored by Benjamin A. Rogers, Ovul Sezer, and Nadav Klein.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/flattery-can-harm-leaders-reputations-and-their-organization/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 23, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Sticky attention in autism: Scientists make unexpected discovery when analyzing eye-tracking data

URL: https://www.psypost.org/sticky-attention-in-autism-scientists-make-unexpected-discovery-when-analyzing-eye-tracking-data/

A new study published in the journal Autism Research sheds light on the attentional patterns of young autistic children and their relationship with sensory experiences. The researchers found notable connections between “sticky attention” and certain sensory behaviors, such as heightened sensory responsiveness and intense interests. Additionally, the study uncovered a novel attentional pattern dubbed “springy attention,” where autistic children tended to return their gaze to familiar stimuli rather than focusing on new ones.

Prior research has highlighted various atypical attention forms in autism, such as difficulty disengaging from certain stimuli (known as “sticky attention”). Understanding these patterns is vital as they could influence sensory processing, which in turn affects daily activities, social interactions, and overall quality of life.

“Many autistic people have uncommon sensory experiences, and some of these can be quite overwhelming – it takes a lot of extra coping energy to go through the world if you are frequently having distressing and exhausting episodes of sensory overload,” said study author Patrick Dwyer, a research fellow at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at Trobe University.

“We also know that many young autistic people show different attention patterns to neurotypical people. Attention differences in autism could also affect learning. If somebody pays attention to different things, they will learn different information from their environment, and this could go on to have cascading effects on ongoing learning and development.”

“According to the monotropism theory, autistic people often experience hyper focus where they intensely focus on some things in their environments, while other things may be relatively ignored,” Dwyer explained. “This atypical focus could affect sensory processing and learning. This has only recently started to be directly investigated in many research studies.”

The study involved a sample of 95 children aged 2 to 4 years, including 65 autistic children and 30 nonautistic children. Participants were recruited through community channels and a participant registry, and their diagnoses were confirmed through clinical assessments. Nonautistic participants were screened using the Social Communication Questionnaire. The researchers used two primary methods to measure attention patterns: the gap-overlap task and the novelty preference task.

The gap-overlap task involved presenting a central stimulus followed by a peripheral target. In the “gap” condition, the central stimulus disappeared before the peripheral target appeared, so the child could shift attention to the new target without any need to disengage first. In the “overlap” condition, the central stimulus remained onscreen alongside the peripheral target, necessitating the child to disengage from the central stimulus before focusing on the peripheral target.

The novelty preference task, as its name implies, assessed the children’s preference for novel stimuli. Initially, two familiar images were displayed side by side. After a period, one of the familiar images was replaced with a novel image, and the researchers tracked how long the children looked at the novel versus the familiar image. This task aimed to measure the children’s tendency to explore new stimuli versus sticking with known ones.

“We used an eye tracker to examine where young autistic and non-autistic children were looking on a computer screen,” Dwyer explained. “With this technology, we measured two attention patterns, each of which seemed – in autistic participants, at least – to be related to other variables.”

The researchers found that autistic children did not exhibit significantly greater “sticky attention” compared to their nonautistic peers. Both groups showed similar times in shifting their focus from a central stimulus to a peripheral target.

However, within the autistic group, those who exhibited slower attention disengagement (more “sticky attention”) were found to have higher levels of sensory hyper-responsiveness, intense sensory interests, and enhanced perception of subtle stimuli. These findings suggest a link between difficulty in shifting attention and heightened sensory experiences in autistic children.

“In autism, this ‘sticky’ pattern was related to sensory hyper-reactivity and sensory seeking, which could mean that being slow to ‘unstick’ focus gives some autistic people a more intense sensory experience,” Dwyer told PsyPost. “If so, this more intense experience could be good or bad depending on whether the stimulus is pleasant or unpleasant.”

An unexpected pattern, termed “springy attention,” emerged during the study. This pattern was characterized by autistic children returning their gaze to previously familiar stimuli after briefly looking at new ones. The first hints of this pattern were seen in the novelty preference task, and the authors later found stronger evidence of it in the gap-overlap task when the central stimulus remained onscreen.

Autistic children were more likely to exhibit this behavior, and it was associated with lower cognitive abilities and greater sensory hypo-responsiveness.

“In autism, this pattern was related to more sensory hypo-responsiveness – being under-responsive to sensations – perhaps meaning that ‘springy attention’ makes one less likely to react to new stimuli,” Dwyer said. “It was also related to lower scores on a measure of cognitive ability, suggesting that autistic participants with ‘springier attention’ might have missed learning opportunities.”

“We actually hadn’t expected to observe the ‘springy attention’ pattern at all. The idea of measuring ‘springy attention’ only occurred to us when we looked at graphs showing changes in how much autistic and non-autistic people looked at one stimulus or another, from one tenth of a second to the next tenth of a second and so on.”

These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of attentional patterns in autistic children and their impact on sensory experiences and cognitive abilities. But the study like all research has some caveats. For instance, the study’s design was not initially designed to measure “springy attention,” and the varying characteristics of stimuli could have influenced the results.

“Any study finding needs replication, so we should still be somewhat cautious about these results until they are replicated,” Dwyer noted. “Furthermore, because we weren’t expecting to observe the ‘springy attention’ pattern, our task wasn’t optimized for measuring it. As a result, we can’t yet rule out the idea that the springy attention pattern was driven by some autistic children being more interested in some kinds of stimuli (like black and white shapes) than others (like colorful toys).”

“We also aren’t suggesting all sensory experiences in autism are driven by attention – indeed, there are some experiences, like higher levels of tinnitus, that seem unlikely to be caused by attention.”

The researchers aim to enhance the understanding of sensory differences and learning in autism. They hope to empower autistic individuals by providing insights into how attention affects sensory experiences and to leverage the strengths of autistic attention profiles to improve learning outcomes.

“In the long run, we hope to use these findings to enhance our understanding of sensory differences and learning in autism,” Dwyer said. “Sensory experiences in autism can be difficult to understand, both for autistic people and others around them, and we hope a better understanding of how some autistic sensory experiences work could give people on the spectrum more of a sense of control over their sensory experiences.”

“Likewise, we hope a better understanding of how attention relates to learning in autism can help us ensure young autistic children don’t miss key learning opportunities and help us take full advantage of strengths – like intense focus – in autistic attention profiles.”

The study, “Hyper-focus, sticky attention, and springy attention in young autistic children: Associations with sensory behaviors and cognitive ability,” was authored by Patrick Dwyer, Andre Sillas, Melanie Prieto, Emily Camp, Christine Wu Nordahl, and Susan M. Rivera.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/sticky-attention-in-autism-scientists-make-unexpected-discovery-when-analyzing-eye-tracking-data/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 23, 2024 at 05:01AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEED

TITLE: Cómo se ve tu cerebro bajo los efectos de las drogas psicodélicas

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/es/2024/07/23/espanol/cerebro-efectos-psilocibina-drogas.html

Un estudio de pequeña escala encontró un efecto significativo y persistente en el cerebro tras el uso del compuesto psicoactivo, cada vez más popular en terapias psicológicas.

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/es/2024/07/23/espanol/cerebro-efectos-psilocibina-drogas.html

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Deep aphantasia: What it’s like to have no visual imagination or inner voice

URL: https://www.psypost.org/deep-aphantasia-what-its-like-to-have-no-visual-imagination-or-inner-voice/

Look at these pictures. Can you see a cube on the left and a face on the right?

Can you imagine seeing things in your mind? Can you hear an inner voice when you think or read?

One of the authors, Loren Bouyer, cannot do any of these things. To Loren the left-hand image looks like a jumble of two-dimensional shapes, and she can only see a mop on the right.

Loren cannot imagine audio or visual sensations, or hear an inner voice when she reads. She has a condition we describe as “deep aphantasia” in a new paper in Frontiers in Psychology.

‘A blind mind’

Both authors are aphantasics – we are unable to have imagined visual experiences.

Aphantasia is often described as “having a blind mind”. But often we cannot have other imagined experiences either. So an aphantasic might have a blind and a deaf mind, or a blind and a tasteless mind.

We are often asked what it’s like to be aphantasic. Some analogies might help.

People have multilingual minds

Most people can experience an inner voice when they think. You might only speak one language, so your inner voice will “speak” that language.

However, you understand that other people can speak different languages. So, you can perhaps imagine what it would be like to hear your inner voice speak multiple different languages.

We can similarly imagine what your thoughts must be like. They may be diverse, experienced as inner visual or audio sensations, or as an imagined sense of touch or smell.

Our minds are different. Neither of us can have imagined visual experiences, but Derek can have imagined audio sensations and Loren can have imagined feelings of touch. We both experience thoughts as a different set of “inner languages”.

Some aphantasics report not having any imagined sensations. What might their experiences of thought be like? We believe we can explain.

While Loren can have imagined sensations of touch, she does not have to. She must choose to have them and it takes effort.

We presume your imagined visual experiences are similar. So what’s it like when Loren thinks, but chooses not to have imagined sensations of touch?

Our subconscious thoughts

Most people can choose to pre-hear their speech in their minds before they speak aloud, but they often don’t. People can engage in conversation without pre-hearing themselves.

For Loren, most of her thoughts are like this. She writes without having any pre-experience of the written content. Sometimes she will pause, realising she is not yet ready to add more, and recommence when she feels prepared.

Most of the operations of our brains are subconscious. For example, while we do not recommend it, we suspect many of you will have experienced driving while distracted, only to suddenly realise you are heading for your home or office instead of your intended destination. Loren feels most of her thoughts are like these subconscious operations of your mind.

What about planning? Loren can experience that as a combination of imagined textures, bodily movements and recognisable states of mind.

There is a feeling of completion when a plan has been formed. A planned speech is a sequence of imagined mouth movements, gestures and postures. Her artistic plans are experienced as textures. She never experiences an imagined audio or a visual listing of her intended actions.

There are vast differences between aphantasics

In contrast to Loren, Derek’s thoughts are entirely verbal. He was unaware, until recently, that other modes of thought were possible.

Some aphantasics report occasional involuntary imagined sensations, often of unpleasant past experiences. Neither of us have had an imagined visual experience, voluntary or involuntary, during our waking lives.

This highlights diversity. All we can do is describe our own particular experiences of aphantasia.

Frustrations and the humour of misunderstandings

Aphantasics can be frustrated at others’ attempts to explain our experiences. One suggestion has been that we might have imagined visual experiences, but be unable to describe them.

We understand the confusion, but this can seem condescending. We both know what it is like to have imagined sensations, so we believe we can recognise the absence of a particular type of imagined experience.

The confusion can go both ways. We were recently discussing an experiment. The study was too long, and had to be shortened. So we were considering which imagined visual scenario to cut.

Loren suggested we cut a scenario asking people to imagine seeing a black cat with their eyes closed. We thought it might be hard to see an imagined black cat against the blackness of closed eyes.

The only person in the room who could have imagined visual experiences started laughing. Apparently it’s easy for most people to imagine seeing black cats, even when their eyes are closed.

Deep aphantasia

Researchers believe aphantasia happens when activity at the front of the brain fails to excite activity in regions toward the back of the brain. This “feedback” would be necessary for people to have imagined experiences.

Loren seems to have a form of aphantasia that had not been described. Unsuccessful feedback in Loren’s brain seems to result in atypical experiences of actual visual inputs. So she cannot see the cube at the top of this article, or the face instead of a mop, or have a number of other typical experiences of visual inputs.

We coined the term “deep aphantasia” to describe people like Loren, who not only are unable to have imagined sensory experiences but also have atypical experiences of actual visual inputs.

Our goal in describing our experiences is to raise awareness that some aphantasics might have unusual experiences of actual visual inputs, like Loren. If we can identify these people, and study their brains, we may be able to understand why some people can conjure imagined sensory experiences at will, while others cannot.

We also hope that raising awareness of the different experiences people have when they think might encourage tolerance when people express different thoughts.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/deep-aphantasia-what-its-like-to-have-no-visual-imagination-or-inner-voice/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: How developing neurons build 'mini-computers' for increased computational power

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155119.htm

A new study reveals that neurons establish 'mini-computers' very early in life to make the brain computationally powerful.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155119.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEED

TITLE: How developing neurons build 'mini-computers' for increased computational power

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155119.htm

A new study reveals that neurons establish 'mini-computers' very early in life to make the brain computationally powerful.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155119.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 01:41PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Virtual reality training for physicians aims to heal disparities in Black maternal health care

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722134115.htm

A virtual reality training series being developed for medical students and physicians teaches them about implicit bias in their communications with their patients who are people of color and how that affects race-based health care disparities.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722134115.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY PSYCHOLOGY FEED

TITLE: An over- or under-synchronized brain may predict psychosis

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155117.htm

Is it possible to assess an individual's risk of psychosis? Identifying predictive markers is a key challenge in psychiatry. A team now shows that overly strong or weak interconnections between certain brain areas could be a predictive marker of the disease.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155117.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Boosting fruit intake during midlife can ward off late-life blues

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155127.htm

In a large Singapore cohort study involving over 13,000 participants spanning close to 20 years, higher consumption of fruits during midlife was found to be associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms at late-life.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155127.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: An over- or under-synchronized brain may predict psychosis

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155117.htm

Is it possible to assess an individual's risk of psychosis? Identifying predictive markers is a key challenge in psychiatry. A team now shows that overly strong or weak interconnections between certain brain areas could be a predictive marker of the disease.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155117.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 03:51PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Smell of human stress affects dogs' emotions leading them to make more pessimistic choices

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155111.htm

Dogs experience emotional contagion from the smell of human stress, leading them to make more 'pessimistic' choices, new research finds. Researchers tested how human stress odors affect dogs' learning and emotional state.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155111.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Anxiety is associated with reduced activity in brain’s cognitive control network

URL: https://www.psypost.org/anxiety-is-associated-with-reduced-activity-in-brains-cognitive-control-network/

A recent study published in Psychophysiology sheds light on the relationship between anxiety and brain function, specifically focusing on how anxiety impacts the cognitive control network of the brain. The findings suggest that major anxiety disorders are associated with decreased activity in certain brain regions, which could serve as neural markers for anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety, characterized by irrational fear and feelings of helplessness, affects millions of people worldwide. While mild anxiety can be beneficial by making individuals more aware of their surroundings, severe anxiety can lead to debilitating conditions known as anxiety disorders. These disorders interfere with daily functioning and are often accompanied by other mental health issues, most commonly depression.

Understanding the neural mechanisms behind anxiety disorders is crucial for developing effective treatments. Previous research has shown that anxiety can be linked to changes in brain activity, particularly in the frontal cortex, but these findings have been inconsistent. Some studies have reported decreased neural activity, while others have found increased activity or changes in functional connectivity within the brain. This study aimed to clarify these discrepancies by focusing on individuals with anxiety but without depression, to isolate the effects of anxiety on brain function.

The researchers recruited 366 participants from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, between September 2020 and May 2023. Participants were screened using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to ensure they had normal levels of depression. They were then categorized into three groups based on their anxiety levels: healthy controls, individuals with mild anxiety, and individuals with major anxiety.

To measure brain activity, the study used a technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). This non-invasive method uses light to monitor changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain, providing an indirect measure of neural activity. Participants performed a verbal fluency task (VFT), which involves generating words based on given prompts and is known to activate the brain regions involved in cognitive control.

The study found significant differences in brain activity between the groups. Specifically, there was a negative correlation between anxiety severity and activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) and the left frontal eye fields (lFEF). In other words, individuals with higher anxiety levels showed lower activity in these regions during the VFT.

Participants with major anxiety showed significantly lower activation in the rDLPFC compared to healthy controls. The mean oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration, which indicates brain activity, was 0.047 in the major anxiety group compared to 0.896 in the control group. Similar results were found in the lFEF, with the major anxiety group showing a mean oxy-Hb concentration of -1.255 compared to 0.601 in the control group.

The findings suggest that decreased activity in these brain regions could be a neural marker for major anxiety disorders. The cognitive control network, including the rDLPFC and lFEF, is essential for regulating thoughts and emotions. Impaired function in this network could contribute to symptoms of anxiety, such as an inability to control unrealistic worries. These results align with previous studies that have linked anxiety to cognitive control impairments but provide more precise evidence by isolating anxiety from depression.

This study’s findings highlight the importance of targeting specific brain regions in treatments for anxiety disorders. By understanding the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety, researchers can develop more effective interventions. Future research should include more comprehensive measures of anxiety and depression, such as the Hamilton Depression Scale or the Beck Depression Inventory, to validate these findings.

An important limitation to note is the focus on the frontal and temporal cortices, as the fNIRS technique used in this study does not measure activity in deeper brain regions like the amygdala, which is also known to be involved in anxiety. Future studies should aim to include these areas to provide a more complete picture of the neural mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders.

The study, titled “Anxiety Symptoms Without Depression Are Associated With Cognitive Control Network (CNN) Dysfunction: An fNIRS Study,” was authored by Qinqin Zhao, Zheng Wang, Caihong Yang, Han Chen, Yan Zhang, Irum Zeb, Pu Wang, Huifen Wu, Qiang Xiao, Fang Xu, Yueran Bian, Nian Xiang, and Min Qiu.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/anxiety-is-associated-with-reduced-activity-in-brains-cognitive-control-network/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Epigenetic age acceleration moderates the link between loneliness and chronic health conditions

URL: https://www.psypost.org/epigenetic-age-acceleration-moderates-the-link-between-loneliness-and-chronic-health-conditions/

A new study published in Psychology and Aging reports that loneliness may accelerate biological aging and exacerbate chronic health conditions in older adults.

Loneliness is a growing public health concern. Previous research has linked loneliness to a range of health issues, including cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic conditions, as well as overall increased mortality. However, these associations do not account for all the health risks related to loneliness.

The concept of epigenetic aging, where biological age differs from chronological age due to molecular changes in DNA, is a promising area for understanding these risks. In this study, researchers Colin D. Freilich and colleagues investigated whether loneliness is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging and whether this, in turn, impacts chronic health conditions.

The researchers utilized data from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study, a comprehensive, longitudinal study that examines the role of psychological, social, and biological factors in aging. A total of 445 participants (between ages 26-86) who had completed longitudinal follow-ups were included in the analyses.

Loneliness was measured at the initial time point using three self-report items, with participants indicating how much of the time in the past 30 days they felt lonely, close to others, and like they belonged, on a 5-point scale. At two subsequent time points, participants reported any of 30 chronic health conditions they had experienced or been treated for in the past 12 months.

Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) was measured using several epigenetic clocks derived from DNA methylation profiles obtained from blood samples. The clocks included the Horvath, DunedinPACE, and GrimAge measures, which estimate biological age based on DNA methylation patterns. The DNA samples were collected, frozen, and subjected to genome-wide methylation profiling using Illumina Methylation EPIC microarrays.

The researchers found that greater loneliness was weakly associated with greater EAA across different measures after accounting for demographic and behavioral covariates. This indicates that individuals who reported higher levels of loneliness also exhibited greater biological aging as measured by the Horvath, DunedinPACE, and GrimAge epigenetic clocks.

Loneliness also predicted increases in the number of chronic health conditions over time. The effect of loneliness on chronic health conditions was more pronounced in individuals with higher DunedinPACE EAA values, suggesting a possible synergistic effect. While EAA was associated with both loneliness and health outcomes, it did not fully explain the relationship between them, highlighting the direct impact of loneliness on health.

A limitation outlined by the authors is the reliance on self-reported measures for loneliness and chronic health conditions, which can be subject to biases and inaccuracies.

The study, “Loneliness, Epigenetic Age Acceleration, and Chronic Health Conditions,” was authored by Colin D. Freilich, Kristian E. Markon, Steve W. Cole, and Robert F. Krueger.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/epigenetic-age-acceleration-moderates-the-link-between-loneliness-and-chronic-health-conditions/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Mental health linked to better aging: Cheese and lifestyle matter

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mental-health-linked-to-better-aging-cheese-and-lifestyle-matter/

A new study highlights the significant role mental wellbeing plays in determining healthy aging, regardless of socioeconomic status. By analyzing genetic data from over 2.3 million Europeans, researchers found that better mental wellbeing leads to healthier aging, characterized by greater resilience, improved self-rated health, and longevity. Interestingly, they also identified certain lifestyle choices, including being active, not smoking, and eating cheese and fruit, as beneficial to mental wellbeing and healthy aging.

The findings have been published in Nature Human Behaviour.

Human life expectancy has increased significantly over recent decades, posing challenges for individuals and society, such as healthcare demands and financial burdens. While physical health and longevity have often been the focus of aging research, the role of mental wellbeing has received less attention. This study aimed to explore the causal relationship between mental wellbeing and healthy aging, and whether this relationship is independent of socioeconomic status.

The study employed a technique known as Mendelian randomization to investigate the causal relationship between mental wellbeing and healthy aging. This method uses genetic data to determine whether an observed association between two traits is causal or merely correlational. By using genetic variants as proxies for exposures, Mendelian randomization helps mitigate biases commonly found in observational studies, such as confounding factors and reverse causality.

The researchers analyzed data from eight genetic datasets encompassing over 2.3 million individuals of European descent. These datasets included information on five key mental wellbeing traits: overall wellbeing, life satisfaction, positive affect, neuroticism, and depressive symptoms. In addition to mental wellbeing, the study considered three socioeconomic indicators: income, education, and occupation.

The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the researchers assessed the causal associations between mental wellbeing traits and various aging phenotypes, which included resilience, self-rated health, healthspan, parental lifespan, and longevity. They also examined whether these associations were independent of socioeconomic status.

In the second phase, they investigated potential mediating factors that could influence the relationship between mental wellbeing and healthy aging. These factors included lifestyle choices (e.g., diet, physical activity, smoking), behaviors (e.g., medication use, cognitive performance), physical functions (e.g., body mass index, cholesterol levels), and diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, diabetes).

The study found a strong causal relationship between better mental wellbeing and healthier aging outcomes. Specifically, individuals with higher levels of mental wellbeing exhibited significantly higher scores on the aging-related genetic influence phenotypes (aging-GIP), as well as greater resilience, improved self-rated health, longer healthspan, and extended parental lifespan.

For example, the study revealed that a genetically determined increase in overall wellbeing was associated with a substantial rise in aging-GIP (1.21 standard deviations), resilience (1.11 standard deviations), self-rated health (0.84 points), healthspan (1.35 odds ratio), and parental lifespan (3.35 years). However, no significant association was found between overall wellbeing and longevity (odds ratio of 1.56).

Importantly, the study demonstrated that the relationship between mental wellbeing and healthy aging persisted regardless of socioeconomic status. While higher income, education, and occupational attainment were each associated with better mental wellbeing, the positive impact of mental wellbeing on aging outcomes remained significant even after adjusting for these socioeconomic factors. This suggests that mental wellbeing exerts a robust and independent influence on healthy aging.

The researchers also identified several lifestyle factors that contribute to mental wellbeing and, consequently, to healthy aging. Among these, being physically active and avoiding smoking were linked to improved mental wellbeing and healthier aging outcomes. Other influential factors included cognitive performance, age at smoking initiation, and the use of certain medications, which also mediated the relationship between mental wellbeing and aging. Additionally, dietary habits such as consuming more cheese and fruit were found to be beneficial.

Interestingly, this is not the first study to find a link between cheese consumption and mental well-being. A study published in the journal Nutrients found a correlation between regular cheese consumption and cognitive health in the elderly population. Analyzing data from 1,516 participants aged 65 and above, those researchers found that individuals who regularly ate cheese tended to have better cognitive function scores.

While the new study provides compelling evidence of the causal relationship between mental wellbeing and healthy aging, it has some limitations. For instance, the study focused on individuals of European descent, so the findings may not be generalizable to other populations. Future research should investigate whether these relationships hold true across different ethnic groups.

Nevertheless, the results suggest that strategies to enhance mental health could significantly improve aging outcomes.

“Our results underscore the imperative to prioritize mental well-being in health policies geared towards fostering healthy aging, and propose that interventions to remediate healthy aging disparities related to suboptimal mental well-being could target promoting healthy lifestyles such as restricting TV watching time and avoiding smoking; monitoring performances and physical functions such as enhancing cognitive function and regulating adiposity; and preventing common chronic diseases,” the researchers concluded.

The study, “Mendelian randomization evidence for the causal effect of mental well-being on healthy aging,” was authored by Chao-Jie Ye, Dong Liu, Ming-Ling Chen, Li-Jie Kong, Chun Dou, Yi-Ying Wang, Min Xu, Yu Xu, Mian Li, Zhi-Yun Zhao, Rui-Zhi Zheng, Jie Zheng, Jie-Li Lu, Yu-Hong Chen, Guang Ning, Wei-Qing Wang, and Yu-Fang Bi.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/mental-health-linked-to-better-aging-cheese-and-lifestyle-matter/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 12:12PM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMES

Direct article link at end of text block below.

The entire July issue is now available on our website! Check it out here: https://t.co/yAgJu7Zvo9 https://t.co/TujQzf4AaF

Here are any URLs found in the article text:

https://t.co/yAgJu7Zvo9

https://t.co/TujQzf4AaF

Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Two-week social media detox yields positive psychological outcomes in young adults

URL: https://www.psypost.org/two-week-social-media-detox-yields-positive-psychological-outcomes-in-young-adults/

A recent study published in Behavioral Sciences has found that a two-week social media digital detox can significantly reduce smartphone and social media addiction while improving physical, mental and social health among young adults.

Smartphones have become an essential part of modern life, offering a range of functions from communication to entertainment. However, excessive use of these devices has been linked to several negative health impacts, including mental health issues, poor sleep, and reduced physical activity. This has led to growing interest in digital detoxes (more colloquially known as ‘unplugging’ or ‘disconnecting’), where individuals take a break from their electronic devices or social media to improve their health and well-being.

Researchers Paige Coyne from Henry Ford Health and Sarah J. Woodruff from the University of Windsor therefore set out to explore the effects of a two-week social media digital detox on young adults. The study aimed to address the limitations of previous research by using device-based/objective measures, by incorporating follow-up measurements into the study design, and also by providing a more realistic restriction of technology instead of going “cold turkey”.

The study involved 31 young adults aged 18 to 30 who were recruited from a mid-sized university in Ontario, Canada. The participants were regular social media users, spending at least one hour per day on social media applications, and used iPhones with Screen Time tracking enabled.

Participants were asked to limit their social media use to 30 minutes per day for two weeks. Coyne and Woodruff noted, “This specific time limit was implemented in hopes that it would significantly reduce participants’ social media use on their smartphones but not be so restrictive that participants would be unable to complete the intervention successfully.”

Their smartphone and social media usage were tracked using the iPhone’s iOS 12 Screen Time feature. Participants completed surveys at three different timepoints: before the detox with unrestricted social media use, during the detox with restricted social media use, and after the detox when the restriction was removed.

These surveys assessed various health-related outcomes, including smartphone and social media addiction, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, eating behaviors, life satisfaction, stress, and perceived wellness.

The results were promising. On average, time spent on social media was reduced by 77.7%. Participants showed a significant reduction in both smartphone and social media addiction during the detox period.

The researchers highlighted, “comparisons of quantitative [data before and after the detox] indicate that both addiction and all the health-related outcomes studied showed positive or neutral improvement,” suggesting that the effects of the detox lasted for some time and there were no negative outcomes.

Additionally, there were notable improvements in several health-related outcomes. Sleep quality improved, with participants also reporting longer sleep duration during the detox. Life satisfaction also increased, and stress levels decreased. Interestingly however, there was no effect on levels of physical activity, sedentary behavior, or mindful eating.

The data from the interviews with the participants provided further insights. Many participants expressed feelings of relief and decreased pressure to maintain their social media presence. However, some participants did experience feelings of disconnection from friends and family.

The detox posed initial challenges but most participants eventually adapted, where “many … suggested that half an hour was a sort of manageable sweet spot, where they could still engage with social media but not get caught scrolling for hours.”

Nevertheless, despite the reduction in social media time, participants reported that their overall screen time remained high as many turned to other digital activities like gaming or entertainment apps, or increased their use of other devices such as laptops.

Coyne and Woodruff also reported that after the detox, “a great number of participants disclosed that they overindulged in social media for a short period of time” but that “many suggested that they were aware of the binging behavior they were engaging in, that it only lasted a few days, and that their overall awareness of their social media usage increased as a result of participating in a detox.”

The authors concluded on a positive note, “the participants shared many valuable suggestions for future detoxes, with particular emphasis being placed on making detoxes realistic, sustainable, and personalized to each user, where possible.”

It is worth noting that the study had some limitations. For example, the study design lacked a control group of participants who did not undergo the detox. Furthermore, there was an inability to control participants’ use of social media on other devices separate to their phone.

The study, “Taking a Break: The Effects of Partaking in a Two-Week Social Media Digital Detox on Problematic Smartphone and Social Media Use, and Other Health-Related Outcomes among Young Adults”, was authored by Paige Coyne and Sarah J. Woodruff.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/two-week-social-media-detox-yields-positive-psychological-outcomes-in-young-adults/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 05:03AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEED

TITLE: Psychologist Who Waterboarded C.I.A. Prisoners Defends Method’s Use in 9/11 Case

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/us/politics/cia-terrorism-waterboarded-prisoners.html

The man accused of planning the attacks was waterboarded 183 times. The now outlawed “enhanced interrogation” technique is considered a form of torture.

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/us/politics/cia-terrorism-waterboarded-prisoners.html

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 10:32AM
SOURCE:
NEW YORK TIMES PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGISTS FEED

TITLE: Anxiety, Depression and Other Disorders Can Look Like A.D.H.D.

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/well/mind/adhd-depression-anxiety-symptoms.html

Many other conditions have similar symptoms, experts say, so avoid the pull of self-diagnosis.

URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/well/mind/adhd-depression-anxiety-symptoms.html

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 10:06AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMES

Direct article link at end of text block below.

A supplemental New Drug Application has been submitted to the FDA seeking approval of esketamine (Spravato) CIII nasal spray as a monotherapy for adults with treatment-resistant depression. https://t.co/r2gTs9tYRC

Here are any URLs found in the article text:

https://t.co/r2gTs9tYRC

Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Dopamine disruption impairs mentalizing abilities

URL: https://www.psypost.org/dopamine-disruption-impairs-mentalizing-abilities/

A recent study has uncovered a significant link between the brain chemical dopamine and our ability to understand and attribute mental states to ourselves and others, a process known as mentalizing. Conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, the study demonstrates that altering dopamine levels in the brain affects these mentalizing abilities. These findings are detailed in the journal PLOS Biology.

The study was motivated by the observation that people with disorders characterized by dopamine dysfunction, such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, and schizophrenia, often struggle with mentalizing. This impairment can lead to severe social challenges, including social isolation and a decreased quality of life.

Despite these connections, the role of dopamine in mentalizing had not been directly tested in healthy individuals. The researchers aimed to fill this gap by investigating whether manipulating dopamine levels could causally influence mentalizing abilities.

“While the mentalizing abilities of people who are struggling with Parkinson’s may not be the main focus of treatment, it nonetheless has a huge impact on people with the disease,” said lead author Bianca Schuster. “Gaining a better understanding of how dopamine imbalances may affect mentalizing processes in the brain could therefore be really significant for individuals, as well as gaining a better understanding of the secondary effects of the drugs prescribed for Parkinson’s and other disorders.”

The study involved 43 healthy volunteers, with an average age of 26 years, who participated in two testing sessions. The participants were given either a dopamine-blocking drug called haloperidol or a placebo in a double-blind setup, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew which substance was administered on which day. Haloperidol works by blocking dopamine receptors, thus reducing dopamine activity in the brain.

Each participant underwent a series of tasks designed to measure mentalizing, emotion recognition, working memory, and motor function. The primary mentalizing task involved interpreting short animations where geometric shapes interacted in ways that implied various mental states or simple goal-directed actions.

The results were clear: haloperidol reduced participants’ ability to accurately label the mental states depicted in the animations. This suggests a direct role for dopamine in mentalizing. Specifically, when participants took haloperidol, their accuracy in identifying mental states was significantly lower compared to when they took the placebo.

Interestingly, the impairment was not limited to mental state animations but extended to goal-directed actions as well. This implies that dopamine might influence general cognitive functions like attention and working memory, which are essential for making inferences about others’ actions.

Additionally, the study found that the similarity between participants’ movements and the movements they observed in the animations affected their accuracy in mentalizing. Under placebo, participants who moved in a way similar to the animations were better at identifying the depicted mental states. However, this effect disappeared under haloperidol, suggesting that dopamine disruption impacts the use of motor codes in social cognition.

While the study provides strong evidence for a causal role of dopamine in mentalizing, there are several limitations to consider. First, the tasks used in the study, though well-established, may not fully capture the complexities of real-world social interactions. Future research could explore how dopamine influences mentalizing in more naturalistic settings, such as face-to-face interactions.

Second, the study did not investigate the potential interactions between dopamine and other neuromodulators like serotonin, which are also known to affect social cognition. Understanding how these systems work together could provide a more comprehensive picture of the neurochemical basis of mentalizing.

Furthermore, the study’s findings are based on a healthy population. It remains to be seen how these results translate to individuals with dopamine-related disorders, who may have additional complexities influencing their mentalizing abilities.

“The main implication of our work is that in disorders with dopamine dysfunctions, in addition to producing the primary symptoms associated with these disorders (such as motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease), the dopamine imbalance also affects individuals’ socio-cognitive abilities,” added Schuster. “This work could have implications for the way in which we treat Parkinson’s in the future, but also the way in which we use any drugs which affect the action of dopamine in the brain.”

The study, “Disruption of dopamine D2/D3 system function impairs the human ability to understand the mental states of other people,” was authored by Bianca A. Schuster, Sophie Sowden, Alicia J. Rybicki, Dagmar S. Fraser, Clare Press, Lydia Hickman, Peter Holland, and Jennifer L. Cook.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/dopamine-disruption-impairs-mentalizing-abilities/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 22, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Study uses mixed reality to demonstrate link between psychopathic traits and reduced anxiety

URL: https://www.psypost.org/study-uses-mixed-reality-to-demonstrate-link-between-psychopathic-traits-and-reduced-anxiety/

A study conducted in a mixed reality environment found that individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits tended to show less anxiety-related behaviors in an anxiety-inducing mixed-reality environment used in the study. Fearlessness and lack of empathy best predicted (the lack of) anxious behavior. The paper was published in Scientific Reports.

Psychopathic traits are a set of personality characteristics that make individuals prone to antisocial behaviors, lacking empathy, manipulativeness, and equipped with superficial charm. Individuals with these traits often exhibit impulsivity, irresponsibility, and a disregard for societal norms. They may also display shallow emotions and be unable to form genuine relationships.

Early research in psychopathy indicated that psychopathic individuals also tend to show a lack of fear or anxiety. These individuals tend to show very weak physiological reactions to aversive stimuli. Researchers hypothesized that psychopathic individuals tend to have lower anxiety than non-psychopathic individuals. This would make psychopathic individuals less inhibited by anxiety, allowing them to act in fearless and risk-taking ways. This hypothesis is known as the low-anxiety hypothesis of psychopathy.

However, testing the low-anxiety hypothesis in an experimental setting was almost impossible until recently. To test this hypothesis, researchers would need to subject participants to a treatment that induces high levels of anxiety or fear in non-psychopathic individuals. There used to be no credible ways to do this without exposing participants to real danger, which is not acceptable from the standpoint of scientific ethics. However, the development of virtual and augmented reality technology promises to change this.

Study author Alexander Voulgaris and his colleagues wanted to test the low-anxiety hypothesis by exposing participants to an anxiety-inducing environment using mixed reality. Mixed reality blends the physical and digital worlds by superimposing virtual objects onto the real environment, allowing for interactive experiences that integrate both real and virtual elements seamlessly.

The researchers combined virtual reality technology with a slightly elevated wooden platform to create a mixed-reality elevated plus-maze apparatus for humans. This type of apparatus is widely used in research on rodents and consists of an elevated cross-like structure with four paths extending from a central platform. The entire platform is at a high elevation. Two paths are enclosed with walls, while two are open with no walls.

In classic experiments on rodents, a rodent is placed on the central part of the platform, and researchers observe its movement, whether it ventures onto the open paths, how long it takes to start exploring, and how long it spends on each path. This helps assess anxiety-like behaviors in rodents.

In this study, researchers created a similar environment for humans. They expected individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits to spend more time on the open paths of the maze (the ones without walls) and take less time to start exploring these paths.

The participants were 170 volunteers recruited through electronic and physical bulletin boards on the researchers’ university campus and other public spaces. Sixty-eight percent of participants were female, and their average age was 26 years. Eighty-seven percent were born in Germany.

The elevated plus-maze apparatus consisted of a wooden platform elevated 20 cm from the floor, placed in a 5.5-meter by 5.5-meter experimental room. Participants started the study standing in the center of the platform, using virtual reality gear to simulate standing in the center of a maze on a rocky cliff over the sea, facing one of the open paths. The study authors simulated wind using two fans. The two enclosed paths appeared to be on the cliff, while the open paths were suspended over a deep abyss. Participants had 300 seconds to explore the maze freely.

Participants also completed assessments of psychopathic traits (the Brief Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits), acrophobia (the Acrophobia Questionnaire, acrophobia is an intense fear of heights), and sensation seeking (the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale).

Results showed that individuals with higher levels of psychopathic traits tended to spend more time exploring the open paths of the maze (the ones suspended over the abyss with no walls) and less time in the enclosed paths. They also began exploring these open paths sooner. In other words, they showed more approach and less avoidance behaviors in this anxiety-inducing situation. Overall, individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits showed lower levels of all anxiety-related behaviors in this setting.

When researchers examined which aspects of psychopathy were most strongly associated with these behaviors, they found that lack of empathy and fearlessness were the key factors. Psychopathic traits were also associated with lower subjective levels of anxiety. Individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits tended to report feeling less anxiety while in the mixed reality elevated maze.

“Our results demonstrate the influence of specific psychopathic personality traits on human behavior in a mixed reality environment. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to examine the interplay between psychopathic traits and anxiety, not only on a subjective level but also on a behavioral level,” the study authors concluded.

“As hypothesized, in our non-clinical sample, a higher sum score of psychopathy correlated with less anxiety-related behavior and lower subjective levels of anxiety. More specifically, our results show an association between the specific subscales of Fearlessness, Lack of Empathy, and Impulsivity as measured by the FPP [the assessment of psychopathy], and anxious behavior in the EPM [elevated plus-maze].”

The study sheds light on the links between fear and anxiety. However, although mixed reality environments can be quite immersive, human participants remain aware that what they are observing is a computer simulation and that there is no real danger. It is possible that results would differ if real danger were involved.

The paper “The impact of psychopathic traits on anxiety‑related behaviors in a mixed reality environment” was authored by Alexander Voulgaris, Sarah V. Biedermann, Daniel Biedermann, Susanne Bründl, Lateefah Roth, ChristianWiessner, Peer Briken, and Johannes Fuss.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/study-uses-mixed-reality-to-demonstrate-link-between-psychopathic-traits-and-reduced-anxiety/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 10:11AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG

TITLE: Miss Kansas Calls Out Her Abuser in Viral Video

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181393&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-07-21/miss-kansas-called-out-her-abuser-in-public-her-campaign-against-domestic-violence-is-going-viral

Source: U.S. News and World Report

A newly posted video of Miss Kansas calling out her domestic violence abuser from the stage the night she was crowned is whipping up a maelstrom of support on social media. Alexis Smith was crowned Miss Kansas on June 8 but posted the video of her on-stage comments just this past week. Her comments are resonating with thousands in part because she called out her own abuser from the stage while she said the perpetrator was sitting in the audience.

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181393&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-07-21/miss-kansas-called-out-her-abuser-in-public-her-campaign-against-domestic-violence-is-going-viral

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 10:10AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG

TITLE: Report Compares LGBTQ+ Protections Under Presidents Biden and Trump

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181370&url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/07/19/human-rights-campaign-report-lgbtq-biden-trump/7621721412703/

Source: United Press International - Health News

The Human Rights Campaign released a report Friday detailing a "stark contrast" in federal LGBTQ+ protections under Presidents Biden and Trump. The report describes the effects both leaders had on federal agencies during their presidencies. For example, agencies under Trump stopped accepting civil rights complaints based on sexual orientation and gender identity, whereas many agencies under Biden treated LGBTQ+ people as protected from...

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181370&url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/07/19/human-rights-campaign-report-lgbtq-biden-trump/7621721412703/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 10:02AM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG

TITLE: Text of President Joe Biden's Letter Announcing the End of His Campaign

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181392&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-07-21/text-of-biden-letter-in-which-he-announced-stepping-aside-as-candidate

Source: U.S. News and World Report

U.S. President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign on Sunday after fellow Democrats lost faith in his mental acuity and ability to beat Donald Trump. He announced his decision in a letter posted on social media. Then, in a subsequent message he posted soon after, Mr. Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be their party's candidate. Here is the letter's full text.

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181392&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-07-21/text-of-biden-letter-in-which-he-announced-stepping-aside-as-candidate

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot OP Bot ,
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

@PTUnofficialBot @PsychResearchBot @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

HUMAN OPERATOR

I'm unclear on why this source publishes some of the political content they do on a social psychology platform.

Keeping them in the mix for now while watching trends in their content.

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Fluoride exposure during pregnancy linked to child neurobehavioral issues

URL: https://www.psypost.org/fluoride-exposure-during-pregnancy-linked-to-child-neurobehavioral-issues/

Fluoride has been added to community drinking water systems in the United States since 1945 to prevent dental cavities. Currently, 73% of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water at a targeted concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter. However, a new study suggests that prenatal fluoride exposure at these levels may increase the risk of neurobehavioral problems in children.

The research, published in JAMA Network Open, found that a 0.68 milligram per liter increase in fluoride exposure during pregnancy was associated with nearly double the chance of a child exhibiting neurobehavioral issues at age three.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water, soil, and various foods. In teeth, fluoride helps to rebuild (remineralize) weakened tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks from bacteria in the mouth. This process helps prevent the formation of cavities.

But fluoride might impact neurodevelopment due to its ability to cross the placental barrier and reach the developing fetus. High levels of fluoride exposure have been shown in animal studies to cause neurobiochemical changes, such as oxidative stress, disruption of neurotransmitter function, and alterations in cellular signaling pathways.

Recent studies in Mexico and Canada have indicated that even lower levels of fluoride exposure, similar to those found in the United States, might be linked to poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes. These studies have shown associations between higher prenatal fluoride exposure and lower IQ, increased symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and poorer cognitive functioning.

However, U.S.-based research on this topic has been lacking. The researchers aimed to address this gap by examining whether prenatal fluoride exposure is associated with neurobehavioral outcomes in children in the United States.

“There is no known benefit of fluoride consumption to the developing fetus, but we do know that there is possibly a risk to their developing brain,” said the study’s lead investigator Ashley Malin, an assistant professor at the University of Florida.

The study involved 229 mother-child pairs from the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) cohort. This cohort consists predominantly of Hispanic women of low socioeconomic status living in urban Los Angeles, California. The participants were recruited during prenatal care visits between 2015 and 2020, with eligibility criteria including being 18 years or older, less than 30 weeks pregnant at the time of recruitment, and fluent in English or Spanish.

To assess fluoride exposure, the researchers collected single spot urine samples from the mothers during their third trimester of pregnancy. These samples were analyzed for urinary fluoride levels, which provide a reliable measure of total fluoride intake. The measurements were adjusted for specific gravity to account for variations in urine concentration. The mean gestational age at the time of urine collection was approximately 31.6 weeks.

When the children reached the age of 36 months, their mothers completed the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a widely used parent-reported measure of child neurobehavior. The CBCL includes 99 items that assess a range of behavioral and emotional problems, such as emotionally reactive, anxious-depressed, somatic complaints, withdrawn, sleep problems, attention problems, and aggressive behavior.

The checklist also includes scales consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) categories, including depressive problems, anxiety problems, oppositional defiant problems, autism spectrum problems, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder problems.

The study found that the median urinary fluoride concentration among the mothers was 0.76 milligrams per liter. A key finding was that a 0.68 milligram per liter increase in maternal urinary fluoride levels during pregnancy was associated with nearly double the odds of the child scoring in the borderline clinical or clinical range for total neurobehavioral problems.

Specifically, this increase in fluoride exposure was linked to a 2.29-point increase in internalizing problems, such as emotional reactivity, anxiety, and somatic complaints, and a 2.14-point increase in total neurobehavioral problems.

In addition to the overall increase in neurobehavioral problems, higher fluoride exposure was also associated with specific behavioral issues. For instance, a 0.68 milligram per liter increase in fluoride was linked to a 13.54% increase in scores for emotionally reactive behaviors and a 19.60% increase in somatic complaints. Furthermore, there were significant associations with DSM-5-oriented scales, including an 11.29% increase in anxiety problems and an 18.53% increase in autism spectrum problems.

“Women with higher fluoride exposure levels in their bodies during pregnancy tended to rate their 3-year-old children higher on overall neurobehavioral problems and internalizing symptoms, including emotional reactivity, anxiety and somatic complaints,” said Tracy Bastain, an associate professor at the University of Southern California and senior author of the study.

The study did not find significant associations between fluoride exposure and externalizing problems, such as aggressive behavior and attention problems. Additionally, the researchers did not observe any interaction between fluoride exposure and the child’s sex, indicating that the associations were consistent across both boys and girls.

The findings from this study suggest that prenatal fluoride exposure, even at levels considered optimal for preventing dental cavities, may be associated with an increased risk of neurobehavioral problems in children. The researchers emphasized that the fluoride levels found in the study participants’ samples are typical for people living in communities with fluoridated water.

Variations in a person’s fluoride exposure can be attributed to differences in dietary habits, such as using tap water for drinking and cooking instead of filtered water, and consuming foods and beverages naturally high in fluoride. These include green and black tea, certain seafoods, and foods treated with fluoride-containing pesticides.

There are currently no formal guidelines for limiting fluoride intake during pregnancy. Given the widespread use of fluoridated water, these results highlight the need for further research to confirm these findings and to better understand the potential risks of fluoride exposure.

“I think this is important evidence, given that it’s the first U.S.-based study and findings are quite consistent with the other studies published in North America with comparable fluoride exposure levels,” Malin said. “Conducting a nationwide U.S. study on this topic would be important, but I think the findings of the current study and recent studies from Canada and Mexico suggest that there is a real concern here.”

The study, “Maternal Urinary Fluoride and Child Neurobehavior at Age 36 Months,” was authored by Ashley J. Malin, Sandrah P. Eckel, Howard Hu, E. Angeles Martinez-Mier, Ixel Hernandez-Castro, Tingyu Yang, Shohreh F. Farzan, Rima Habre, Carrie V. Breton, and Theresa M. Bastain.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/fluoride-exposure-during-pregnancy-linked-to-child-neurobehavioral-issues/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Scientists reveal startling impact of junk food on the brain’s reward center

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-reveal-startling-impact-of-junk-food-on-the-brains-reward-center/

A recent study published in the journal Neuropharmacology sheds light on how consuming high-calorie, sugary, and fatty “junk-food” diets affects brain function and behavior. Researchers found that these diets not only alter neural pathways but also influence food-seeking behaviors, particularly in rats prone to obesity. This discovery could have significant implications for understanding obesity and developing strategies to combat it.

With obesity rates climbing worldwide, it is crucial to understand how calorie-dense diets impact brain function and behavior. Previous research has shown that such diets can alter the function of brain reward centers, especially the nucleus accumbens. The nucleus accumbens is a key brain region involved in the reward circuitry, playing a pivotal role in processing pleasurable stimuli and reinforcing behaviors. It is particularly important in the release of dopamine, which influences motivation, pleasure, and reward-seeking behaviors.

However, little is known about how diet-induced changes in the nucleus accumbens differ between individuals who are prone to obesity and those who are resistant. This study aimed to explore these differences and understand how junk-food consumption and subsequent deprivation impact food-seeking behavior and neural plasticity.

The study was conducted using male rats selectively bred to be either obesity-prone or obesity-resistant. These rats were divided into three groups: those fed standard lab chow, those given free access to a specially prepared junk-food diet, and those fed junk food followed by a period of deprivation where they only had access to standard lab chow. The junk-food diet consisted of a mash made from Ruffle potato chips, Chips Ahoy cookies, Nesquik, Jiff peanut butter, and standard lab chow, designed to mimic a high-calorie, high-fat human diet.

Behavioral experiments included Pavlovian conditioning, instrumental training, and testing to evaluate food-seeking and motivation. In Pavlovian conditioning, rats learned to associate a specific cue with the delivery of food pellets. Instrumental training involved pressing a lever to obtain food pellets, with the researchers measuring how many times the rats pressed the lever to assess their motivation to seek food. Additionally, free consumption tests were conducted to measure how much food the rats consumed when given free access to pellets, both under normal conditions and after a period of food restriction.

To examine changes in brain function, the researchers conducted ex vivo electrophysiological studies focusing on CP-AMPAR transmission in the nucleus accumbens. CP-AMPAR transmission involves the activity of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors, which enhance synaptic responses to the neurotransmitter glutamate. These receptors play a key role in synaptic plasticity, influencing learning, memory, and reward-related behaviors.

The study revealed distinct behavioral and neural changes induced by the junk-food diet, particularly in obesity-prone rats. In the behavioral experiments, all rats demonstrated a similar motivation to work for the presentation of a food cue during conditioned reinforcement tests.

However, differences emerged during instrumental responding tests. Obesity-prone rats fed junk food exhibited reduced lever pressing compared to those fed standard chow, indicating a lower motivation to seek food when it was freely available.

But when junk food was followed by a period of deprivation, these obesity-prone rats showed increased lever pressing and food-seeking behaviors, suggesting that the deprivation period heightened their motivation to seek food.

In contrast, obesity-resistant rats did not show significant changes in food-seeking behaviors following junk-food deprivation, highlighting a key difference between the two groups. The free consumption tests further supported these findings, as obesity-prone rats that experienced junk-food deprivation consumed more food pellets after a period of food restriction compared to those consistently fed junk food or standard chow.

The electrophysiological studies provided insights into the neural mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes. The researchers found increased CP-AMPAR transmission in the nucleus accumbens of obesity-prone rats following junk-food deprivation, but not in obesity-resistant rats.

This effect was specific to inputs from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but not the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Additionally, reducing activity in mPFC-to-NAc inputs through pharmacological inhibition or optogenetic techniques was sufficient to recruit CP-AMPARs in the nucleus accumbens of obesity-prone rats.

These findings suggest that a history of junk-food consumption and subsequent deprivation can lead to significant neural and behavioral changes, particularly in individuals prone to obesity. The study highlights the importance of understanding how diet-induced plasticity in brain reward pathways contributes to obesity and suggests potential targets for interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of obesogenic diets.

“These data provide further evidence that interactions between predisposition and diet-induced neurobehavioral plasticity likely contribute to weight gain and the maintenance of obesity,” the researchers concluded. “In light of modern diet culture, these data also emphasize the importance of understanding lasting changes that occur after stopping a sugary, fatty diet and set the stage for future studies linking these synaptic changes to behavioral outcomes.”

“Finally, data here demonstrate for the first time that reducing excitatory transmission can recruit synaptic CP-AMPARs in adult brain slices and the NAc. Thus, these data reveal novel insights into the mechanisms underlying CP-AMPAR recruitment in the NAc that likely involve synaptic scaling mechanisms. This has important implications for both cue-triggered food- and potentially drug-seeking behaviors.”

The study, “Effects of junk-food on food-motivated behavior and nucleus accumbens glutamate plasticity; insights into the mechanism of calcium-permeable AMPA receptor recruitment,” was authored by Tracy L. Fetterly, Amanda M. Catalfio, and, Carrie R. Ferrario.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/scientists-reveal-startling-impact-of-junk-food-on-the-brains-reward-center/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: More neurotic and conscientious individuals tend to feel stronger attachment to pets

URL: https://www.psypost.org/more-neurotic-and-conscientious-individuals-tend-to-feel-stronger-attachment-to-pets/

A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom has found that individuals with pronounced traits of neuroticism and conscientiousness tend to report stronger attachments to their pets. Additionally, females, dog owners, people over 50 years of age, and those caring for children under 18 also tend to report stronger bonds with their pets. The study was published in the Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Pet ownership is a widespread phenomenon in modern society, with estimates suggesting that over 500 million pets reside in homes worldwide. People keep pets for various reasons, including companionship, emotional support, and the joy they bring to daily life.

Pets can provide a sense of purpose and reduce feelings of loneliness, contributing positively to mental health. Additionally, caring for a pet encourages physical activity and fosters social interactions with other pet owners. Pets also offer unconditional love and loyalty, creating strong emotional bonds with their owners.

The emotional bond between pets and their owners can significantly impact the owner’s well-being and overall health. While some studies have found that having a pet is associated with better health outcomes, other studies have not supported this conclusion. Some researchers have proposed that the health effects of pet ownership might depend on the strength of the emotional bond between the owner and the pet, which could be influenced by the owner’s personality.

Study authors Deborah L. Wells and Kathryn R. Treacy wanted to explore whether the strength of the emotional bond with the pet depends on the owner’s personality. They decided to explore the link with both the classic, Big Five personality traits, and with the Dark Triad traits, a set of three personality characteristics associated with manipulative, callous, and socially malevolent behaviors​.

The researchers invited adult dog and cat owners from across the globe to participate in their study. They recruited them via advertisements placed on social media platforms. In this way, they collected valid responses from 938 participants. Of these, 85% were women and 76% were married. 30% came from the U.K. and Ireland and another 47-48% were from Americas and the rest of Europe.

The survey contained assessments of the Big Five personality traits (the Big Five Personality Scale-Short), Dark Triad personality traits (the Short Dark Triad), and of the strength of attachment to the pet (the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale). It also asked some demographic questions.

The researchers found that individuals with higher levels of neuroticism and conscientiousness reported stronger bonds with their pets. Neuroticism is characterized by emotional instability, anxiety, and moodiness. Conscientiousness involves being diligent, careful, and organized, with a strong sense of responsibility and reliability.

Interestingly, the study also found a weak link between Machiavellianism and stronger attachment to pets. Machiavellianism refers to a manipulative and deceitful personality style, marked by a cynical view of human nature and a focus on personal gain.

In addition to personality traits, demographic factors also influenced attachment levels. Women, dog owners, people over 50, and those caring for children under 18 reported stronger bonds with their pets. This aligns with previous research suggesting that women and dog owners tend to form stronger attachments to their pets, possibly due to higher levels of empathy and the social nature of dogs.

“Overall, this study points to a relationship between strength of attachment to one’s pet and owner personality, at least as assessed using the Big Five approach to personality measurement. There was little to support the idea that the Dark Triad traits were associated with strength of attachment to one’s pet, although the link between these characteristics and attachment styles is still unknown. There are clearly important links between human-animal attachment and mental health outcomes, both for people and their pets,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the links between emotional bonds with pets and personality. However, it also has limitations that need to be considered. The online recruitment method likely attracted individuals who are strongly attached to their pets, which may not represent the general population. Future studies should aim to include a more diverse and representative sample to validate these findings.

Additionally, the study’s focus on self-reported data may introduce bias, as participants might respond in a socially desirable manner. Future research could incorporate more objective measures of attachment, such as observing interactions between owners and pets or measuring physiological responses.

The paper, “Pet attachment and owner personality,” was authored by Deborah L. Wells and Kathryn R. Treacy.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/more-neurotic-and-conscientious-individuals-tend-to-feel-stronger-attachment-to-pets/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 21, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: New research uncovers brain hierarchies in music perception

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-research-uncovers-brain-hierarchies-in-music-perception/

Ever heard a snippet of a song and instantly known what comes next? Or picked up the rhythm of a chorus after just a few notes? New research from the Center for Music in the Brain at Aarhus University and the Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing at the University of Oxford has found that our brains process music through a specific hierarchical activation of several regions. The findings, published in Nature Communications, provide new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying our ability to anticipate and identify familiar melodies.

While previous research has established the hierarchical organization of auditory perception, it has mostly focused on elementary auditory stimuli and automatic predictive processes. However, much less is known about how this information integrates with complex cognitive functions, such as consciously recognizing and predicting sequences over time. By investigating these mechanisms, the researchers aimed to uncover new insights into how our brains handle complex auditory tasks.

“My interest in this topic began during my multidisciplinary education. As a child, I was passionate about both science and football, but I eventually dedicated myself to studying classical guitar in depth. Between the ages of 18 and 22, I performed in several concerts and taught guitar. However, I realized that my childhood passion for science was calling me back,” said study author Leonardo Bonetti (@LeonardoBo92), an associate professor at Aarhus University and the University of Oxford.

“I transitioned first to studying psychology and then moved into neuroscience, with a particular interest for analytical methods. During my studies, I discovered that music could serve as a powerful tool to explore certain features of the brain that are challenging to understand with non-musical stimuli. This is because music consists of a series of hierarchical sounds arranged over time, making it an excellent means to investigate how the brain processes information consciously over periods.”

The study involved 83 participants between the ages of 19 and 63, all of whom had normal hearing and were predominantly university-educated. Participants were first introduced to a short musical piece, specifically the first four bars of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 847. They listened to this piece twice and were asked to memorize it.

Following this memorization phase, the participants were subjected to an auditory recognition task while their brain activity was recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG is a non-invasive imaging technique that captures the magnetic fields produced by neural activity, providing precise temporal and spatial resolution.

The recognition task consisted of 135 five-tone musical sequences, some of which were identical to the original piece while others were systematically varied. These variations were introduced at different points in the sequence to observe how the brain responds to changes in familiar patterns.

Bonetti and his colleagues found that when participants recognized the original memorized sequences, their brain activity followed a specific hierarchical pattern. This pattern began in the auditory cortex, the region responsible for processing basic sound information, and progressed to the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus, areas associated with memory and cognitive evaluation.

When variations were introduced into the sequences, the brain generated prediction errors. These errors started in the auditory cortex and then spread to the hippocampus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Notably, the anterior cingulate gyrus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex exhibited their strongest responses when the variations were introduced.

The study also uncovered a consistent brain hierarchy characterized by feedforward and feedback connections. Feedforward connections from the auditory cortices to the hippocampus and cingulate gyrus, along with simultaneous feedback connections in the opposite direction, were observed.

This hierarchical organization was consistent for both previously memorized and varied sequences, although the strength and timing of the brain responses varied. This suggests that while the overall structure of brain processing remains stable, the dynamics change depending on whether the sequence is familiar or novel.

“Our study shows that the brain processes music (and information over time) by activating several brain regions in a specific, hierarchical order,” Bonetti told PsyPost. “Initially, sensory regions like the auditory cortex handle basic sound features. Then, this information is passed to a larger network of regions that arguably analyze the sounds more deeply, including the relationships between them (such as musical intervals). This process helps the brain determine if the sequence of sounds is familiar or new.”

“This study not only explains how we perceive music but also provides insights into how the brain processes and recognizes information over time. On a practical level, future research could focus on studying this phenomenon in aging, both healthy and pathological (like dementia). By using music, advanced neuroscientific tools, and analytical methods, we might gain further understanding of dementia and memory disorders.”

Bonetti said the long-term goals of this research are to develop dementia screening tools based on brain responses to music and to enhance data collection methods by integrating MEG with intracranial recordings for a more comprehensive understanding of music memory mechanisms.

“By studying aging and dementia over time, I aim to develop screening tools based on brain responses during music recognition,” he explained. “These tools could predict the risk of older adults developing dementia.”

“Second, I want to expand our data collection methods. Currently, we use magnetoencephalography (MEG), which is a great non-invasive tool but lacks the ability to focus deeply within the brain. In the future, I plan to integrate MEG with intracranial recordings from electrodes implanted in epileptic patients. This combination will help us understand the brain mechanisms involved in music memory across a wider range of time and spatial scales.”

“I wish to thank very much the several foundations which are supporting our work, in particular Lundbeck Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, the Danish National Research Foundation and the Linacre College of the University of Oxford,” Bonetti added.

The study, “Spatiotemporal brain hierarchies of auditory memory recognition and predictive coding,” was authored by L. Bonetti, G. Fernández-Rubio, F. Carlomagno, M. Dietz, D. Pantazis, P. Vuust, and M. L. Kringelbach.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/new-research-uncovers-brain-hierarchies-in-music-perception/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: ADHD and autism: New insights into their unique neural profiles

URL: https://www.psypost.org/adhd-and-autism-new-insights-into-their-unique-neural-profiles/

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite their distinct diagnostic criteria, there is a notable clinical and genetic overlap between the two disorders.

A new meta-analysis, published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, sought to investigate the neural correlates underlying these overlaps and distinctions by examining 243 task-based functional MRI (fMRI) studies. The findings reveal that while ADHD and ASD share some brain activity patterns, the unique differences in brain function for each disorder are much more significant. This suggests that ADHD and ASD should be considered distinct conditions, as their brain activity patterns are more different than similar.

The motivation for this study stems from the observed clinical and genetic overlap between ADHD and ASD. ADHD is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. ASD, on the other hand, is marked by difficulties in social communication and interaction, along with restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.

Despite their distinct diagnostic criteria, individuals with ADHD often exhibit symptoms typically associated with ASD and vice versa. Additionally, genetic studies have revealed shared genetic factors between the two disorders, further blurring the lines between them.

Previous research has attempted to understand these overlaps by using task-based functional MRI (fMRI) studies to identify the neural correlates of ADHD and ASD symptoms. However, these studies often used specific tasks designed for each disorder, which could introduce bias and limit the generalizability of the findings. The researchers wanted to overcome these limitations and gain a clearer picture of the neural mechanisms underlying ADHD and ASD by conducting a meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis is a statistical technique that combines the results of multiple scientific studies to derive a more comprehensive understanding of a particular research question. This method allows researchers to pool data from various individual studies, enhancing the overall statistical power and reliability of the findings. By aggregating data, a meta-analysis can identify patterns, trends, and effects that might not be apparent in individual studies due to limited sample sizes or varying methodologies.

The meta-analysis included data from 243 original task-based fMRI studies that involved either individuals with ADHD, individuals with ASD, or both, alongside typically developing controls. The studies were selected through a rigorous search of multiple databases, including PubMed and Web of Knowledge, and were screened based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria.

The final sample consisted of 3,084 participants with ADHD, 2,654 participants with ASD, and 6,795 control subjects. The studies used a variety of neuropsychological tasks, such as go/no-go and n-back tasks for cognitive control, as well as tasks focusing on social processes, reward responsiveness, and attention.

The results highlighted the existence of both shared and disorder-specific neural activations in ADHD and ASD. Shared activations included greater activation in the right-lateralized lingual gyrus and rectal gyrus, as well as lower activation in the left middle frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. These shared activations suggest some common neural pathways involved in the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of both disorders.

However, disorder-specific activations were more prominent. For ASD, greater-than-typical activations were observed in the left middle temporal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, right hippocampus, and left putamen. Lower activations were noted in the left middle frontal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left amygdala, and right hippocampus. These findings indicate that ASD is associated with specific neural dysfunctions in regions related to social processes, cognitive flexibility, and emotional processing.

For ADHD, greater-than-typical activations were found in the right insula, posterior cingulate cortex, right amygdala, and putamen. Lower activations were seen in the right middle temporal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right globus pallidus, and left thalamus. These results suggest that ADHD involves distinct neural abnormalities in areas related to attention, inhibition, and reward processing.

In an editorial about the study, Philip Shaw, an Earl Stadtman Senior Investigator at the Neurobehavioral Clinical Research Section of the National Human Genome Research Institute, wrote that the findings highlight the need for more fMRI studies where individuals with ADHD and ASD perform the same tasks. By conducting such studies, researchers can obtain clearer and more consistent data on the unique and shared neural features of these conditions.

“As the authors stress, there are only a handful of fMRI studies that include individuals with ADHD and individuals with ASD performing the same task. Although these head-to-head-studies have also found that diagnostic differences exceed similarities, the brain regions identified did not overlap with those emerging from the meta-analysis. To resolve this discrepancy, we need more fMRI studies where individuals with ADHD, ASD, or both diagnoses perform the same task,” Shaw explained.

“Tamon et al. found largely distinct neural landscapes in ADHD and ASD, suggesting we should split apart rather than lump together these conditions. A third option is to collect more data. Specifically, by collecting data from a common core set of tasks transdiagnostically, we could obtain the large data sets needed to capture fully the brain’s functional architecture in these complex neurodevelopmental conditions.”

The study, “Shared and Specific Neural Correlates of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of 243 Task-Based Functional MRI Studies,” was authored by Hiroki Tamon, Junya Fujino, Takashi Itahashi, Lennart Frahm, Valeria Parlatini, Yuta Y. Aoki, Francisco Xavier Castellanos, Simon B. Eickhoff, and Samuele Cortese.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/adhd-and-autism-new-insights-into-their-unique-neural-profiles/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Brain health in aging: Intermittent fasting and healthy diets show promising results

URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-health-in-aging-intermittent-fasting-and-healthy-diets-show-promising-results/

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging have uncovered promising findings regarding the effects of intermittent fasting and a standard healthy diet on brain health in older adults with obesity and insulin resistance. Their study, published in Cell Metabolism, found that both diets led to improvements in cognition, with intermittent fasting showing slightly stronger benefits.

As people live longer, the prevalence of conditions like Alzheimer’s and related dementias is expected to rise, posing significant challenges for individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Cognitive decline not only impacts quality of life but also leads to increased disability and loss of independence, creating a pressing demand for effective preventive strategies.

One key factor implicated in brain aging and the development of Alzheimer’s disease is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance, which is more common with advancing age and obesity, affects the body’s ability to regulate glucose and has been linked to cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases. Given this connection, interventions that improve insulin sensitivity could potentially mitigate cognitive decline and promote brain health in older adults.

“There is a widespread impression both among scientists and in the general public that diets in general and intermittent fasting in particular are good for cognitive function and brain health and may mitigate the risk for Alzheimer’s disease; however, there has been very little data from clinical studies to support this notion. We sought to close this evidence gap by comprehensively assessing cognition and multiple brain health biomarkers in response to a 5:2 intermittent fasting and a healthy living diet,” said study author Dimitrios Kapogiannis, a senior investigator and chief of the Human Neuroscience Section at the National Institute on Aging.

The researchers recruited 40 participants who were older adults with obesity and insulin resistance, a group at higher risk for accelerated brain aging and cognitive decline. These participants were randomly assigned to one of two dietary plans: the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet or the USDA-approved healthy living diet.

The intermittent fasting group followed a regimen where they restricted their calorie intake to one-quarter of the recommended daily intake for two consecutive days each week, consuming only two shakes providing 480 calories each day. On the remaining five days, they followed the healthy living diet. The healthy living group, on the other hand, adhered to the healthy living diet every day, which emphasized balanced meals including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy, while limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

To monitor adherence and reinforce the dietary plans, participants attended in-person visits at weeks 2, 4, and 6 for anthropometric measurements and blood draws, and were contacted by phone or email on weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7. The final visit took place at week 8, with assessments conducted at the start and end of the study period.

The assessments included brain health measures, cognition tests, and systemic and peripheral metabolism measures. Neuron-derived extracellular vesicles were collected from the participants’ blood to analyze biomarkers related to brain cell activity and insulin signaling. Additionally, brain imaging and cognitive performance tests were conducted to gauge the impact of the diets on brain aging and function.

The findings of the study revealed that both the intermittent fasting and healthy living diets led to improvements in insulin resistance and cognitive function. Participants in both groups exhibited decreased insulin resistance, but the improvements were more pronounced in the intermittent fasting group. This was evidenced by significant reductions in specific biomarkers of insulin resistance found in the neuron-derived extracellular vesicles.

In terms of brain health, the study found that both diets contributed to slowing the pace of brain aging, particularly in brain regions critical for executive function, such as the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex. This was measured using brain-age-gap estimates derived from MRI scans, which indicate how much older or younger an individual’s brain appears relative to their chronological age. Both diets resulted in similar reductions in the brain-age-gap, suggesting beneficial effects on brain aging.

“Both diets were good for overall health and brain health, but 5:2 intermittent fasting showed stronger effects for reversing insulin resistance, improving executive function, and optimizing brain metabolism than the healthy living diet,” Kapogiannis told PsyPost. “However, we did not find any evidence that these two diets change any Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers in the short term. Finally, sex and genetic factors, such as APOE, may modify responses to the diets. Therefore, which diet is best should be an individualized choice.”

Specifically, the intermittent fasting group showed significant improvements in tasks related to strategic planning and cognitive flexibility. They also exhibited greater enhancements in memory, particularly in long delay cued recall, compared to the healthy living group. Physical activity levels increased in the intermittent fasting group, with a decrease in sedentary behavior, whereas the healthy living group did not show significant changes in physical activity.

Interestingly, despite the overall positive outcomes, the study did not find significant changes in cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease, such as amyloid-beta and tau proteins. This suggests that while the dietary interventions had clear benefits for insulin resistance and cognitive function, their impact on Alzheimer’s disease-specific biomarkers was limited.

“A couple things surprised us: The fact that a low intensity conventional intervention, such as the healthy living diet, was effective in improving brain health; almost as effective as a higher-intensity intervention such as 5:2 intermittent fasting for many outcomes,” Kapogiannis explained. “Also, the fact that cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease did not show any improvements – however, the intervention lasted only 8 weeks, so the biomarkers might have improved with a longer intervention.”

While the study’s findings are promising, some limitations should be considered. The study duration was relatively short. Therefore, the long-term effects of the diets remain unknown. Additionally, the sample size was small, with only 20 participants in each diet group, which limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions about sub-groups based on sex or genetic factors.

“We can reasonably speculate about but not really know what the long-term effects of the diets are,” Kapogiannis noted. “Studying intermittent fasting for longer periods of time is essential. Also, combining diet with ketogenic supplements to see whether there are added benefits from driving brain ketones higher. Long-term, I think that the choice of diet for an individual should be decided along the principles of Precision Medicine, based on sex, genetic factors and biomarkers.”

By employing a comprehensive and multimodal approach to assess the effects of dietary interventions on brain health, the study sets a methodological standard that future research can build upon. It highlights the potential of neuron-derived extracellular vesicles, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to offer detailed insights into how diets impact cognitive function and insulin resistance in older adults.

“I hope that this study offers a blueprint for future research to vigorously assess long-term effects of diet on brain health,” Kapogiannis said.

The study, “Brain responses to intermittent fasting and the healthy living diet in older adults,” was authored by Dimitrios Kapogiannis, Apostolos Manolopoulos, Roger Mullins, Konstantinos Avgerinos, Francheska Delgado-Peraza, Maja Mustapic, Carlos Nogueras-Ortiz, Pamela J. Yao, Krishna A. Pucha, Janet Brooks, Qinghua Chen, Shalaila S. Haas, Ruiyang Ge, Lisa M. Hartnell, Mark R. Cookson, Josephine M. Egan, Sophia Frangou, and Mark P. Mattson.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/brain-health-in-aging-intermittent-fasting-and-healthy-diets-show-promising-results/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Seeing yourself as a main character boosts psychological well-being, study finds

URL: https://www.psypost.org/seeing-yourself-as-a-main-character-boosts-psychological-well-being-study-finds/

A recent study published in the Journal of Research in Personality explores how people’s perceptions of their roles as major or minor characters in their life stories influence their psychological well-being. The researchers found that individuals who view themselves as major characters tend to have higher well-being and greater satisfaction of their basic psychological needs compared to those who see themselves as minor characters.

The study aimed to shed light on how autobiographical memories and narrative identities influence well-being. Previous research has shown that how people tell their life stories, including the emotions and themes they emphasize, can affect their mental health. This study, however, took a novel approach by asking participants to evaluate their role in their life stories, considering whether they see themselves as major characters driving their narrative or as minor characters observing from the background.

To examine this, the researchers conducted three studies involving undergraduate students from a large Midwestern university.

Study 1 involved 358 undergraduate students from a large Midwestern university, who participated in the study for course research credits. The average age of participants was 18.7 years, with the majority being female and Caucasian. Participants completed an online survey at two different time points, four weeks apart.

Participants were asked to rate themselves on three items designed to measure the degree to which they felt like a major or minor character in their life stories. These items used a 1 to 5 scale, with different terminologies such as “minor character” versus “major character,” “side character” versus “primary character,” and “background character” versus “lead character.” The three ratings were averaged to create a single major character score for each participant at each time point. Reliability estimates for this measure were high.

Additionally, the survey measured well-being, combining scores of positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction into a single well-being score. Need satisfaction was assessed using a six-item scale covering autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Self-esteem and narcissism were also measured using validated scales.

The researchers found that participants who perceived themselves as major characters in their life stories reported higher levels of well-being and greater satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). The longitudinal data revealed that feeling like a major character at the initial time point predicted higher well-being four weeks later, even when controlling for initial well-being levels.

Further analyses indicated that these effects were robust even when controlling for self-esteem and narcissism, suggesting that the major character construct contributes uniquely to well-being outcomes.

Study 2 involved 326 students, with a similar demographic profile as Study 1. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: recalling a time when they felt like a major character in their life story or a time when they felt like a minor character. Participants completed an initial survey, wrote about their assigned memory, and then completed the survey again.

The pre- and post-manipulation surveys included measures of need satisfaction and well-being. Need satisfaction was assessed using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, which includes items for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Well-being was measured as affect balance, calculated by subtracting negative affect scores from positive affect scores.

The results showed significant interaction effects between the condition (major vs. minor character) and the time of assessment (pre vs. post) on both need satisfaction and well-being. Participants who recalled times when they felt like major characters experienced significant increases in need satisfaction and well-being following the manipulation. In contrast, those who recalled times when they felt like minor characters showed significant decreases in these measures.

Study 3 included 298 undergraduate students. Participants first listed three current goals they were pursuing and rated their motivations for these goals. They then completed measures of need satisfaction, well-being, and major character perceptions. Finally, participants wrote a narrative describing themselves as characters in their life stories.

Goal motivations were assessed using an eight-item Perceived Locus of Causality (PLOC) measure, which included items for different types of motivational regulation, from external to intrinsic. Self-reported major character perceptions were measured using the same items as in Study 1. Narratives were coded for agency, defined as the degree to which individuals felt they could influence their lives and outcomes.

The researchers found that participants who viewed themselves as major characters were more likely to pursue goals that were personally meaningful and aligned with their values. These individuals showed higher levels of autonomous motivation (identified and intrinsic regulation) and lower levels of controlled motivation (external and introjected regulation).

Major character perceptions were positively associated with higher coded agency, and both major character perceptions and agency were significant predictors of need satisfaction and well-being. The final regression analysis showed that while both major character perceptions and agency initially predicted well-being, their effects were mediated by need satisfaction. This finding suggests that seeing oneself as a major character enhances well-being through the satisfaction of basic psychological needs.

“These results support our notion that the way in which an individual perceives themselves as a character in their life story is likely to impact their well-being. When people see themselves as being the agentic force in their lives and make decisions for themselves, as major characters do, rather than being swept about by external forces (and other people),
they are more integrated and fully functioning selves,” the researchers explained.

“Such individuals feel more autonomous, more competent and effective, and also experience better relational satisfaction with others, as evidenced by their increased basic psychological need satisfaction. Conversely, those who see themselves as minor characters are more likely to feel thwarted in getting these needs satisfied, a condition associated with diminished self-integration and wellbeing.”

But it is important to note that the samples consisted undergraduate students, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. The cultural context also plays a role; individualistic societies might emphasize the importance of being a major character more than collectivist cultures. Future research should explore these dynamics in more diverse and older populations.

“In conclusion, this research has identified a new meta-narrative construct that varies between individuals and has important implications for experiences of well-being,” the researchers wrote. “We hope this work represents a significant contribution to expanding approaches to narrative and autobiographical assessment, and suggest that this new perspective could be considered in future narrative identity research as a short supplemental measure, allowing narrative researchers to take into consideration the subjective viewpoint participants take on as they respond to narrative assessments.”

The study, “The autobiographical critic within: Perceiving oneself as a major character in one’s life story predicts well-being,” was authored by Ryan Goffredi and Kennon M. Sheldon.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/seeing-yourself-as-a-main-character-boosts-psychological-well-being-study-finds/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 10:00AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMES

Direct article link at end of text block below.

Is psychiatry becoming extinct? Let's take a look at the different types of mental health disorders and the role of psychodynamic psychotherapy. https://t.co/z5hBkLe5Dj

Here are any URLs found in the article text:

https://t.co/z5hBkLe5Dj

Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 08:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Low testosterone and high neurofilament protein predict cognitive decline in older men

URL: https://www.psypost.org/low-testosterone-and-high-neurofilament-protein-predict-cognitive-decline-in-older-men/

In a recent study conducted by researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, it was discovered that lower levels of testosterone, combined with higher levels of a protein called neurofilament light chain, significantly increase the risk of cognitive decline in older men. The paper was published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

As people age, their cognitive abilities generally deteriorate. This deterioration can be subtle at first but may become quite pronounced in advanced age. However, cognitive decline does not affect everyone equally. Some individuals maintain good cognitive functioning well into their 70s, 80s, or even later years, while others experience a much faster decline.

When an individual experiences a severe and progressive deterioration of cognitive function that significantly interferes with daily life, it is referred to as dementia. Dementia encompasses various conditions caused by different neurological issues that impair the nervous system. The most common type is Alzheimer’s disease, characterized by a buildup of specific proteins in the brain that create plaques and tangles, progressively killing neurons in the affected areas.

Some forms of dementia can be prevented, or their progression slowed. This has led scientists to intensely research ways to predict who will develop dementia. Among the factors being investigated are sex hormones, which are believed to modulate the risk of cognitive decline. For example, a premature reduction in estrogen in women can indicate the potential development of dementia.

Another important marker of impending dementia is neurofilament light chain. This protein helps maintain the shape and structural integrity of nerve cells, acting as a cellular skeleton. Normally, neurofilament light chain molecules remain within neurons. However, if these proteins are found in elevated quantities in the blood, it indicates that neurons have been damaged, releasing these proteins into the bloodstream.

Study author Shuning Tang and his colleagues wanted to explore how precisely can future cognitive decline of older men be predicted based on information about testosterone and neurofilament light chain levels. They hypothesized that lower testosterone level will be associated with cognitive decline, and that predicting cognitive decline will be even more effective if based both on testosterone and neurofilament light chain levels.

The researchers analyzed data from 581 older men participating in the Shanghai Aging Study. This longitudinal, community-based cohort study began in 2010 to investigate the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of cognitive impairment among older Chinese adults. All participants were residents of the Jingansi community in downtown Shanghai, aged 60 or above, and dementia-free at the start of the study. On average, participants were followed for 6.7 years.

At the study’s outset, participants provided blood samples, which allowed researchers to measure testosterone and neurofilament light chain levels. Participants also completed a series of neuropsychological tests to assess their cognitive functioning. Between 2014 and 2023, participants were re-tested at least once, enabling researchers to compare their cognitive functioning over time and determine if dementia was developing.

The results showed that 45 participants developed cognitive decline during the study period. Compared to those who did not develop cognitive decline, these men were older, had fewer years of education, and were more likely to have a history of coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. They also tended to have lower testosterone levels and higher neurofilament light chain levels in their blood.

By combining data on testosterone and neurofilament light chain levels, the researchers categorized participants into three risk groups: high, medium, and low. Participants in the high-risk group experienced cognitive decline 5-6 times more often than those in the low-risk group.

“Our findings suggest that the combination of testosterone and neurodegenerative markers may provide reliable predictive insights into future cognitive decline,” the study authors concluded.

The study offers a new method to predict future cognitive decline in older men. However, there are several limitations. The dementia diagnosis in this study was based solely on cognitive performance measures without examining the specific types and causes of dementia. This approach does not differentiate between different forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia.

Additionally, the study participants were all from urban areas with relatively high levels of education, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations. Higher education is associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline, potentially influencing the results.

Future research should aim to replicate these findings in larger, more diverse populations and explore the mechanisms underlying the observed associations. Longitudinal studies with repeated measurements of testosterone and neurofilament light chain could provide more nuanced insights into how these factors interact over time to influence cognitive health. Understanding the specific biological pathways through which testosterone and neurofilament light chain affect cognition could lead to new preventive and therapeutic strategies for dementia.

The paper, “Joint effect of testosterone and neurofilament light chain on cognitive decline in men: The Shanghai Aging Study,” was authored by Shuning Tang, Zhenxu Xiao, Fangting Lin, Xiaoniu Liang, Xiaoxi Ma, Jie Wu, Xiaowen Zhou, Qianhua Zhao, Junling Gao, Qianyi Xiao, Ding Ding.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/low-testosterone-and-high-neurofilament-protein-predict-cognitive-decline-in-older-men/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 20, 2024 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Researchers observe a surprising moral tendency among impulsive psychopaths

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-observe-a-surprising-moral-tendency-among-impulsive-psychopaths/

New research published in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology provides insight into moral decision-making processes in psychopathic individuals. Researchers found that clinical psychopaths with high impulsivity tend to make deontological choices in high-emotion scenarios, avoiding direct harm even at the expense of optimal outcomes.

Psychopathy is a complex personality disorder characterized by a range of emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral deficits. Individuals with this condition often display a profound lack of empathy, disregard for the rights and feelings of others, and a tendency toward manipulative and antisocial behaviors.

These traits make psychopathic individuals more prone to engaging in criminal activities and other forms of antisocial conduct. The prevalence of psychopathy in the general population is relatively low, but its impact is disproportionately high in forensic and clinical settings, particularly among violent offenders and those with repeated criminal behaviors.

The motivation behind the study stemmed from the need to better understand the moral decision-making processes of psychopathic individuals. Given their high rates of criminal recidivism and the significant societal costs associated with their behaviors, researchers aimed to explore how these individuals make moral choices in situations that require weighing the greater good against causing harm to others.

“Since I work in a Dutch forensic observation clinic for mental assessment of alleged criminal offenders, one of my main interests is psychopathy. This personality disorder is said to be related to disturbed processing of moral issues,” said study author Ronald J.P. Rijnders, a forensic psychiatrist at the Netherlands Institute for Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology.

The study involved two groups of male participants: 24 psychopathic patients recruited from maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospitals in the Netherlands and 28 non-psychopathic controls, consisting of security guards and nursing staff from the same hospitals. Psychopathy in the patients was confirmed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), with a cutoff score of 26 or higher, while the controls were screened using the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R).

“A unique point of this study is that we investigated a clinically identified and PCL-R confirmed group of forensic psychopathic patients who were not treated with medication like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, or hormonal libido inhibitors,” Rijnders noted.

Participants were presented with a series of moral dilemmas designed to elicit either utilitarian (outcome-based) or deontological (harm-averse) responses. Each dilemma was displayed on a computer screen and read aloud through headphones, with participants required to indicate the moral permissibility of the proposed action via a forced-choice question (“Would you…?”) that could be answered with “yes” or “no.”

“We used moral choices that were either utilitarian or deontological in nature,” Rijnders told PsyPost. “Utilitarians have rational responses to maximize total welfare, that is, to promote the greater good of all, even if it means breaking common social rules. Deontologists, on the other hand, have an automatic emotional aversion to inflicting harm on other people because the nature of the ultimate action itself determines whether that action is considered right or wrong.”

“Moral dilemmas are classified as either personal or impersonal. In personal acts, harm is caused by direct physical contact while in impersonal acts, harm is inflicted in an indirect, non-physical way. Utilitarian actions in personal dilemmas are associated with a stronger emotional value. Personal dilemmas are further divided into either inevitable or evitable dilemmas. Inevitable harm assumes that regardless of whether and what action is taken, the person involved will eventually suffer harm, whereas the latter is not the case with evitable harm if the action is waived.”

Among psychopathic patients, the researchers found that those with higher levels of impulsivity were more likely to make deontological choices in high-emotion scenarios. Specifically, these patients were more inclined to avoid causing harm when it involved direct physical action, even if this meant achieving less optimal outcomes overall. This finding was particularly evident in personal-evitable dilemmas, where the harm could be avoided by choosing not to act.

In the control group, psychopathic traits such as lack of empathy and failure to consider consequences were associated with a higher likelihood of making utilitarian decisions, but only in scenarios with low emotional stakes. This suggests that while psychopathic traits can predict utilitarian choices in the general population, this tendency is influenced by the emotional context of the decision.

Contrary to some previous studies, the researchers found no evidence that psychopathic patients, in general, made more utilitarian choices compared to non-psychopathic controls. Instead, the severity of psychopathy in patients was associated with more deontological choices, particularly in scenarios involving high emotional investment and where harm could be evitable.

“We hypothesized that psychopathic patients admitted to a forensic psychiatric hospital would have a propensity for utilitarian choices compared to a control group,” Rijnders said. “Our study showed that this was not the case, as there were no significant differences between the two groups.”

“However, there was an interesting finding regarding the psychopathy severity as measured by the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (for the patients) and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory Revised (for the normal controls). Our hypothesis was that in both groups the percentage of utilitarian choices was positively related to the severity of psychopathy. This was indeed the case for the normal controls, but not for the psychopathic patients.”

“Highly impulsive psychopathic patients were more likely to make a harm-averse choices in the personal evitable dilemma. We think that the combination of absent self-interest, high impulsivity, an emotionally charged decision that is harmful to the other person and must be carried out by direct physical force may tilt the response toward a deontological choice. Choosing the emotionally charged use of avoidable harm may be immediately considered ‘too hot’ and then impulsively rejected.”

The psychopathic patients underwent two test sessions, one in which they self-administered a nasal spray containing 24 IU of synthetic oxytocin and another in which they received a placebo nasal spray. (The normal controls did not receive any nasal spray and were tested in one session only.) The time interval between the two test sessions for the psychopathic patients was approximately 12 days, and the start times were kept consistent to control for circadian effects.

“In the group of psychopathic patients, we examined the effect of a single nasal application of the neuropeptide oxytocin,” Rijnders told PsyPost. “Contrary to our expectations we found no effects of oxytocin on moral decision-making.”

The study highlights the nuanced ways in which psychopathic traits and impulsivity interact with the emotional context of moral decisions. But as with any study, there are some caveats. The study’s sample size was relatively small, and the findings may not generalize to all psychopathic individuals or to different cultural contexts.

Another limitation is the reliance on a single administration of oxytocin, which may not be sufficient to induce significant behavioral changes. Future research could explore the effects of repeated oxytocin administration over longer periods to assess more substantial and lasting impacts on moral decision-making.

“We will continue our research on moral choice in other forensic populations,” Rijnders said. “Perhaps a design with multiple applications of nasal oxytocin over weeks is possible.”

The study, “Would you? Effects of oxytocin on moral choices in forensic psychopathic patients“, was authored by Ronald J.P. Rijnders, Sophie van den Hoogen, Jack van Honk, David Terburg, and Maaike M. Kempes.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/researchers-observe-a-surprising-moral-tendency-among-impulsive-psychopaths/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 06:03PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Shining light on amyloid architecture

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719180309.htm

Researchers use microscopy to chart amyloid beta's underlying structure and yield insight into neurodegenerative disease.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719180309.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 06:03PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Impact of incarceration on youth health

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719180312.htm

Health records and health care use show youth whose parents have been incarcerated have more physical and mental health challenges. Identifying those youth is a problem because most health systems don't have an established system for asking families about incarceration.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719180312.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Adolescent alcohol use linked to altered hippocampal structure in young adulthood

URL: https://www.psypost.org/adolescent-alcohol-use-linked-to-altered-hippocampal-structure-in-young-adulthood/

A recent study published in Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology has uncovered a surprising link between adolescent alcohol use and brain structure. Researchers found that larger hippocampal volumes are associated with alcohol use during adolescence, while no such relationship was found for tobacco or cannabis use. This study adds new dimensions to our understanding of how different patterns of substance use affect the adolescent brain.

Substance use among adolescents is a critical public health issue due to its potential long-term impact on both physical and mental health. Adolescence is a period of significant brain development, making it a particularly vulnerable time for the potential detrimental effects of substance use.

Previous research has linked adolescent substance use with cognitive deficits, such as memory disruption and impulsivity, that can persist into adulthood. Despite this, much of the existing neuroimaging research has focused on heavy substance use, leaving a gap in our understanding of how more typical, recreational levels of use affect the brain.

The present study aimed to address this gap by examining the relationship between trajectories of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use during adolescence and brain gray matter volume in young adulthood. This focus on the pattern of use over time, rather than a binary heavy-use vs. non-use approach, is novel and provides insights into how varying levels of substance use impact brain development.

Gray matter is a key component of the central nervous system, consisting mainly of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons. It is crucial for processing information in the brain and spinal cord, enabling functions such as muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, and decision-making. Gray matter forms the outer layer of the brain, known as the cerebral cortex, and is also found in various subcortical structures, contributing to the brain’s ability to interpret and respond to a wide range of stimuli.

The researchers recruited 1,594 participants from the Birmingham, Alabama area as part of the Healthy Passages Study, a longitudinal investigation of adolescent health. Participants were initially recruited from fifth-grade classrooms and followed up at ages 11, 13, 16, and 19. At each time point, participants reported their use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, and a subset of 350 participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure brain structure at approximately age 20.

The study used latent growth curve models (LGCMs) to analyze the trajectories of substance use over time, estimating the initial level of use at age 14, the linear progression of use, and the acceleration or deceleration of use. These trajectories were then used to predict brain gray matter volume in various regions, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens.

The researchers found that cortical gray matter volume was not associated with trajectories of alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis use. However, a significant relationship was found between subcortical gray matter volume and alcohol use trajectories.

Greater alcohol use at age 14 was associated with larger volumes of the hippocampus on both sides of the brain. The intercept of alcohol use, which represents the level of use at age 14, had a positive correlation with hippocampal volume, indicating that early initiation of alcohol use might be linked to larger hippocampal size in young adulthood.

There was no observed relationship between the use of tobacco or cannabis and the volume of either cortical or subcortical gray matter regions.

These findings challenge some of the existing notions about adolescent substance use and brain development. While many studies have reported that heavy alcohol use is associated with reduced gray matter volume in various brain regions, this study found that even typical, recreational use of alcohol during adolescence is linked to larger hippocampal volumes.

The hippocampus plays a key role in memory formation and emotional regulation, and changes in its structure could underlie some of the cognitive and emotional effects associated with alcohol use. The finding that early alcohol use is linked to larger hippocampal volumes suggests that different patterns of alcohol use may impact brain development in diverse ways. This could imply that light or recreational use interferes with the natural pruning process of synapses, leading to a retention of connections that would otherwise be pruned.

Additionally, the lack of significant findings for tobacco and cannabis use suggests that these substances may have less impact on brain structure than alcohol, or that the patterns of use in the study population were not sufficient to detect changes.

The results highlight the importance of considering different patterns of substance use and their specific impacts on brain development. Future research should continue to explore these relationships, particularly with larger samples and more diverse populations. Longitudinal neuroimaging studies that track brain changes over time in relation to substance use are essential for understanding the causal pathways involved.

“These results suggest that certain alcohol use trajectories (i.e., early initiation) may be the most important patterns to address through prevention and intervention programs at the population level, given their relationship with brain structure,” the researchers concluded.

“These findings provide novel insight into the neural impact of recreational levels of adolescent alcohol use, given that prior neuroimaging research has primarily focused on heavy alcohol use. Thus, the results of the present study may inform prevention efforts by highlighting alcohol use trajectories that are most likely to be associated with changes in brain structure. This new knowledge may help to promote the efficient use of resources and target patterns of substance use that are most harmful at the population level.”

The study, “Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Young Adulthood Varies With Adolescent Alcohol Use,” was authored by Juliann B. Purcell, Nathaniel G. Harnett, Sylvie Mrug, Marc N. Elliott, Susan Tortolero Emery, Mark A. Schuster, and David C. Knight.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/adolescent-alcohol-use-linked-to-altered-hippocampal-structure-in-young-adulthood/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Facebook and Instagram’s algorithmic favoritism towards extremist parties revealed in new study

URL: https://www.psypost.org/facebook-and-instagrams-algorithmic-favoritism-towards-extremist-parties-revealed-in-new-study/

A new study published in the journal PNAS Nexus has shed light on how social media algorithms favor politically sponsored content from certain parties, even when the same budget is applied. This research, conducted by the Politecnico di Milano, LMU – Ludwig Maximilians Universität of Munich, and the CENTAI institute of Turin, analyzed over 80,000 political ads on Facebook and Instagram leading up to the 2021 German federal elections.

These ads, representing parties across the political spectrum, generated over 1.1 billion impressions among more than 60 million eligible voters. The findings reveal significant discrepancies in the effectiveness of these ads, with a bias towards more extremist groups.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become essential tools for political campaigns due to their vast user base and sophisticated targeting capabilities. However, there are growing concerns about the fairness, accountability, and transparency of these platforms’ proprietary algorithms. These algorithms determine which users see specific ads, potentially introducing biases that favor certain political messages and groups.

To conduct their study, the researchers gathered data from the Meta Ad Library API, focusing on political ads from the 2021 German federal elections. The data included detailed information about ad content, spending, start and stop dates, and the number of impressions distributed across different demographics (gender and age). The team analyzed ads from six major political parties in Germany: Linke, Grüne, SPD, FDP, Union, and AfD.

•Die Linke, or The Left, is a democratic socialist party advocating for social justice, anti-capitalism, and policies that support the working class and disadvantaged groups.

•

•Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, or The Greens, focuses on environmental protection, sustainability, and social justice, promoting policies to combat climate change and support human rights.

•

•The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) is a center-left party advocating for social democracy, workers’ rights, and a strong welfare state to ensure social equity.

•

•The Free Democratic Party (FDP) is a libertarian party that promotes individual freedom, free-market economic policies, and reduced government intervention in the economy.

•

•The Union, comprising the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), is a center-right political alliance supporting conservative values, a social market economy, and European integration.

•

•Alternative für Deutschland, or Alternative for Germany (AfD), is a right-wing populist party known for its anti-immigration stance, Euroscepticism, and conservative social policies.

•

The researchers used statistical and machine learning methods to analyze the data. They computed the discrepancies between the intended (targeted) and actual audiences reached by the ads. The team also evaluated the efficiency of ads in terms of impressions-per-EUR (a measure of how many impressions an ad generates for each euro spent). They employed regression analysis to identify key factors influencing ad reach and used a random forest model to predict ad performance based on the available data.

The study revealed that 72.3% of all political ads used targeting strategies, accounting for 72.6% of the total ad spending. Parties used a wide range of targeting categories, with a preference for exclusion criteria to narrow down audiences. This approach allowed the social media platform’s algorithms to optimize ad delivery among broad audiences.

The analysis showed significant disparities in the efficiency of ads across different political parties. On average, political ads generated 126.71 impressions per euro spent. However, ads from the Grüne party achieved only 36.18 impressions per euro, while those from the FDP and AfD were much more efficient, with 181.53 and 203.49 impressions per euro, respectively. This suggests that certain parties, particularly more extremist groups, benefited more from the platform’s algorithmic delivery.

“The greater success of their advertising could be explained by the fact that the incendiary political issues promoted by populist parties tend to attract a lot of attention on social media. Consequently, algorithms would favor campaign ads with such content,” explained Francesco Pierri, a researcher from the Data Science research group of the Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering at the Politecnico di Milano, who co-led the study.

The researchers also found discrepancies between the targeted and actual audiences. Ads generally reached a younger audience than intended, except for the far-right AfD, which reached an older audience. Gender-wise, most ads were shown to fewer female users than targeted, except for those from the Grüne party, which reached more female users than intended. This indicates a potential algorithmic bias in ad delivery that could reinforce existing political and social biases.

The regression analysis revealed that more granular targeting criteria often resulted in lower impressions-per-EUR, especially when using exclusion criteria. Targeting single-gender audiences was associated with higher ad efficiency. Ads with positive sentiment and those published earlier in the week or for longer durations also tended to perform better.

The machine learning model’s low prediction performance suggested that the available data was insufficient to fully explain the variance in ad performance. This highlights the need for greater transparency from social media platforms regarding their ad delivery algorithms and pricing mechanisms.

“We see a systematic bias in how the political ads of different parties are distributed. If they aim at a specific audience or send contradictory messages on political issues to different groups, this can limit the political participation of disadvantaged groups,” Pierri said. “Even worse, the algorithms used by the platforms do not allow verification if they involve biases in ad distribution. If, for example, some parties systematically pay higher prices than others for similar ads, this damages political competition. We need greater transparency from the platforms regarding political advertising to ensure fair and uncompromised elections.”

The study, “Systematic discrepancies in the delivery of political ads on Facebook and Instagram,” was authored by Dominik Bär, Francesco Pierri, Gianmarco De Francisci Morales, and Stefan Feuerriegel.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/facebook-and-instagrams-algorithmic-favoritism-towards-extremist-parties-revealed-in-new-study/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 18, 2024 at 12:48PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Morals are key to consumer views on lab-grown meat, study finds

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240718124850.htm

People's moral values could limit their uptake of lab-grown meat, a study suggests. People who say living a natural life is morally important to them are more likely to reject lab-grown meat -- also known as cultured or cultivated meat -- than those who do not, research shows.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240718124850.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 12:38PM
SOURCE: SCIENCE DAILY MIND-BRAIN FEED

TITLE: Can consciousness exist in a computer simulation?

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719123825.htm

A new essay explores which conditions must be met for consciousness to exist. At least one of them can't be found in a computer.

URL: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719123825.htm

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 02:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Nature contact increases prosocial behaviors through self-transcendence

URL: https://www.psypost.org/nature-contact-increases-prosocial-behaviors-through-self-transcendence/

Spending time in nature is often associated with relaxation and well-being. A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology reveals that nature contact not only benefits physical and mental health but also fosters prosocial behaviors — actions intended to benefit others. Through five methodologically diverse studies, researchers consistently found that exposure to nature increases prosociality, primarily mediated by a sense of self-transcendence.

Previous studies have consistently shown that exposure to nature can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall mental well-being. Additionally, nature contact has been linked to increased cooperation and environmentally sustainable behaviors.

In their new study, the researchers sought to investigate whether the positive effects of nature contact on prosocial behaviors—actions intended to benefit others or the collective—could be observed beyond environmental contexts. They were particularly interested in identifying the underlying mechanisms through which nature contact might promote prosociality.

The first two studies (Study 1a and Study 1b) employed correlational methodologies to examine the relationship between nature contact and prosocial behaviors. Study 1a involved 339 community members who were recruited online. Participants completed surveys assessing their daily nature contact, nature connectedness, and prosocial tendencies. Nature contact was measured using the Nature Contact Questionnaire, which included items like “Last week, you bought flowers to decorate the room, either dried or fake flowers.”

Nature connectedness was measured with the Connectedness to Nature Scale, which included items such as “I feel embedded in the broader natural world, like a tree in a forest.” Prosocial tendencies were assessed with the Prosocial Tendencies Measure, which asked participants to rate statements like “I tend to help people who are really in trouble or desperate need of help.”

The results of Study 1a revealed significant positive associations between nature contact, nature connectedness, and prosocial tendencies. Mediation analysis showed that nature connectedness partially explained the relationship between nature contact and prosocial behaviors.

Study 1b focused on 360 organizational employees who also completed surveys similar to those in Study 1a. In addition to measuring nature contact and prosocial tendencies, this study included assessments of self-transcendence and materialism. Self-transcendence was measured with items like “I feel that on a higher level, all of us share a common bond,” while materialism was assessed with items such as “I envy people who have expensive houses, cars, and clothes.”

The findings from Study 1b indicated that both self-transcendence and reduced materialism mediated the positive effects of nature contact on prosocial behaviors. The relationships between nature contact, self-transcendence, and reduced materialism were significant, suggesting that these factors play a role in enhancing prosocial tendencies.

Study 2 and Study 3 utilized experimental designs to causally test the impact of nature contact on prosocial behaviors. In Study 2, 194 college students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: viewing a nature video, an urban video, or a blank screen (control). After watching the six-minute videos, participants completed tasks to measure prosocial behaviors, such as willingness to donate to a charity and participation in a prisoner’s dilemma game. They also rated their feelings of self-transcendence and nature connectedness.

The results of Study 2 demonstrated that participants who watched nature videos reported higher self-transcendence and were more willing to donate to charity compared to those who watched urban or control videos. The nature contact condition also led to higher cooperation in the prisoner’s dilemma game. Mediation analyses revealed that self-transcendence, but not nature connectedness, significantly mediated the relationship between nature contact and prosocial behaviors.

Study 3 followed a similar experimental design with 188 college students. Participants were again randomly assigned to watch nature, urban, or control videos. Afterward, they engaged in a trust game and real helping situations to measure actual prosocial behaviors. Additionally, they completed surveys to assess self-transcendence, nature connectedness, and materialism.

The findings from Study 3 indicated that participants in the nature contact condition demonstrated greater trust and more helping behavior compared to those in the urban or control conditions. Mediation analyses showed that self-transcendence and reduced materialism significantly mediated the effects of nature contact on prosocial behaviors, whereas nature connectedness did not.

Study 4 extended the investigation into a real-world setting by having participants engage in a five-day photo-taking task. A total of 201 organizational employees were recruited and randomly assigned to take photos of nature scenes, urban scenes, or without specific instructions (free condition).

Before and after the five-day task, participants completed the Nature Contact Questionnaire to measure their level of nature contact. Following the task, they participated in a public goods game, which measured their contributions to a shared resource. They also completed surveys assessing nature connectedness, self-transcendence, and materialism.

The results of Study 4 showed that participants in the nature contact condition perceived a higher level of nature contact after the task compared to before. They also demonstrated stronger nature connectedness, greater self-transcendence, lower materialism, and greater prosocial behavior in the public goods game compared to those in the urban contact condition.

Interestingly, there was no significant difference between the nature contact and free contact conditions, suggesting that any form of increased engagement with the environment might enhance prosocial behaviors. Mediation analyses indicated that self-transcendence, nature connectedness, and reduced materialism mediated the relationship between nature contact and prosocial behaviors, though the effects were more consistent for self-transcendence.

“Through five studies with diverse designs and measures for manipulation and prosociality, the current research consistently found a facilitative effect of nature contact on prosociality,” the researchers concluded. “It was found that self-transcendence was the key and reliable mediator of this effect, while the mediating roles of nature connectedness and materialism were partially supported. The findings of this research are valuable for deepening the conceptual understanding of the nature-human behavior relationship.”

The study, “Nature contact promotes prosociality: The mediating roles of self-transcendence, nature connectedness, and materialism,” was authored by Dongmei Mei, Ding Yang, Tong Li, Xin Zhang, Kang Rao, and Liman Man Wai Li.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/nature-contact-increases-prosocial-behaviors-through-self-transcendence/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 12:49PM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG

TITLE: Magazine Defends Use of AI "Fashion and Lifestyle Editor"

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181359&url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gw720vz3lo

Source: BBC News - Top Headlines

A popular British fashion magazine has been criticized after it described an artificial intelligence "fashion and lifestyle editor" on its social media page as a "new member" of the team. The editor, known as "Reem,' was introduced through social media earlier this week. But there has been backlash from fans, with one saying the company is depriving "human journalists of a job" and creating unachievable "beauty standards."

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181359&url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gw720vz3lo

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 12:48PM
SOURCE: SOCIALPSYCHOLOGY.ORG

TITLE: Ukraine Rushes to Create AI-Enabled War Drones

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181339&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-07-18/ukraine-rushes-to-create-ai-enabled-war-drones

Source: U.S. News and World Report

In Ukraine, a handful of startups are developing artificial intelligence systems to help fly a vast fleet of drones, taking warfare into uncharted territory as combatants race to gain a technological edge in battle. One such company is Swarmer, which is developing software that links drones in a network. Decisions can be implemented instantly across the group, with a human only stepping in to green-light automated strikes.

URL: http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=181339&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-07-18/ukraine-rushes-to-create-ai-enabled-war-drones

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 12:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG

** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **

TITLE: Emophilia is a distinct psychological trait and linked to infidelity

URL: https://www.psypost.org/emophilia-is-a-distinct-psychological-trait-and-linked-to-infidelity/

A group of Norwegian researchers recently examined the validity of the Emotional Promiscuity Scale, a popular measure of emophilia, on a Scandinavian population. Emophilia is a psychological trait that describes how easily and how often a person falls in love. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found that individuals with high emophilia tend to have more romantic relationships and higher instances of unfaithfulness.

Romantic love is an intense emotional and physical attraction toward another person, characterized by feelings of passion, intimacy, and commitment. It typically begins with an initial attraction and infatuation, where individuals experience heightened emotions and a strong desire to be close to each other. If these feelings are mutual, the individuals involved might start a romantic relationship. As the relationship progresses, deeper emotional bonds and attachment develop through shared experiences, communication, and mutual support.

The initial part of this process is “falling in love,” the transition from not experiencing romantic love to experiencing it. This experience includes intense emotions, many of which are pleasant, but others can be painful, such as emotional pain in the absence of the loved one or longing for them.

People differ in how easily and how often they fall in love. While some individuals fall in love often and very easily, others have this experience much less frequently or never, and it can take much more for it to start. Researchers propose that the ease with which one falls in love and how often it happens is a relatively stable psychological trait, named emophilia.

Study author Sol E. Røed and his colleagues aimed to assess whether the Emotional Promiscuity Scale (EPS) accurately measures emophilia in the Scandinavian population. Their assumption was that emophilia could predict the number of romantic relationships a person will have and how often that person will be unfaithful.

The researchers collected data using an online survey distributed through the Norwegian newspaper VG+ and the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet+. They gathered responses from 2,607 individuals, 75% of whom were women.

Participants reported the number of romantic relationships they had in their lives (“How many romantic relationships have you had in your life?”) and the number of times they were unfaithful (“How many times have you been unfaithful?”). They also completed the EPS to measure emophilia and two assessments of personality traits: the Dirty Dozen (for Dark Triad traits) and the Mini International Personality Item Pool (for Big Five Personality traits).

The results confirmed that the EPS produces valid measures of emophilia in a Scandinavian context. The researchers compared whether the assessment functions equally for men and women and across different age groups. They found that the scores are comparable for men and women but not directly comparable across different age groups (up to 35 years, 36-55 years, and 56 or older).

Further analysis revealed that emophilia had some associations with personality traits, particularly with neuroticism, Machiavellianism, and narcissism. However, these associations were weak, confirming that emophilia can be considered a distinct psychological characteristic.

There were no significant gender differences in emophilia. Individuals with more pronounced emophilia tended to have had more romantic relationships and also reported being unfaithful more often.

“The present study indicates that the EPS [the Emotional Promiscuity Scale] holds good psychometric properties [functions as intended]. Emophilia showed satisfactory discriminant validity against the personality traits included [showed that it is distinct from the examined personality traits]. Lastly, the study indicates that emophilia may be associated with entering more romantic relationships and unfaithfulness, but the cross-sectional design of the current study precludes conclusions concerning directionality [whether the number of relationship and unfaithfulness episodes affect emophilia levels or vice versa],” the study authors concluded.

The study makes a valuable contribution to the development of psychological assessment tools and to the scientific understanding of emophilia. However, it should be noted that all data were collected using self-reports, while the survey included questions about sensitive topics. This leaves some room for reporting bias to affect the results. Additionally, the questions about the number of romantic relationships and instances of unfaithfulness were not accompanied by definitions of what constitutes a romantic relationship or unfaithfulness, leaving room for participants’ interpretations.

The paper, “Emophilia: psychometric properties of the emotional promiscuity scale and its association with personality traits, unfaithfulness, and romantic relationships in a Scandinavian sample,” was authored by Sol E. Røed, Randi K. Nærland, Marie Strat, Ståle Pallesen, and Eilin K. Erevik.

URL: https://www.psypost.org/emophilia-is-a-distinct-psychological-trait-and-linked-to-infidelity/

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com

EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org

READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org

It's primitive... but it works... mostly...

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

psychbot , to psychology
@psychbot@mastodon.clinicians-exchange.org avatar

DATE: July 19, 2024 at 10:02AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMES

Direct article link at end of text block below.

In 2023, San Francisco received about 24,000 emergency calls for mental health crises. https://t.co/lFWrL8el1W

Here are any URLs found in the article text:

https://t.co/lFWrL8el1W

Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".

Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org

NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot

@psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • random
  • lifeLocal
  • goranko
  • All magazines
    •