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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
Innovative but inflexible: The paradox of conspiracy theory language
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/innovative-but-inflexible-the-paradox-of-conspiracy-theory-language-221091

<p>Are conspiracy theories popular because of their creativity? A new study suggests that certain common elements present in conspiracy theory narratives might help explain the successful spread of these beliefs. Publishing their work in the <em><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jocb.633" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Creative Behavior</a></em>, researchers have found that while conspiracy theory narratives tend to lack the fluidity and flexibility typically associated with truly creative works, they do exhibit certain features of creativity.</p>
<p>&#8220;Despite being often blatantly false, conspiracy theories are quite popular and entertaining,&#8221; explained study author Alessandro Miani, a research associate at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol. &#8220;In fact, whether you are a conspiracy believer or not, conspiracy theories are a great topic for cocktail parties. Studies show that creative writing is persuasive and so we wondered whether conspiracy theories are creative products because creativity could explain their popularity.&#8221;</p>
<p>At the heart of the study was <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13428-021-01698-z">the LOCO corpus</a>, a comprehensive and large-scale database of texts. This corpus contains a diverse collection of more than 96,000 documents sourced from both conspiracy-centric websites and mainstream news platforms. By comparing these two types of sources, the researchers aimed to isolate the unique linguistic features of conspiracy theory narratives.</p>
<p>The study zeroed in on nominal compounds &#8211; complex expressions made up of two or more nouns. These compounds are often pivotal in conveying intricate ideas succinctly, making them a crucial element of linguistic creativity. For instance, phrases like &#8220;climate change&#8221; or &#8220;government surveillance&#8221; encapsulate broad concepts in a compact form. The final data set included 1,713,568 compounds, of which 436,376 were unique compounds.</p>
<p>To extract and analyze these nominal compounds, the research team employed computational linguistic tools. Several measures were employed to assess the creativity of the compounds:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Originality</strong>: The team looked at how novel and rare the compounds were in the conspiracy theory texts compared to mainstream texts.</li>
<li><strong>Divergence</strong>: This measure assessed the semantic distance between the components of a compound. Greater divergence indicated more creative use of language, as it showed the ability to connect more distantly related concepts.</li>
<li><strong>Complexity</strong>: Both lexical and structural sophistication of the compounds were analyzed. This included assessing the age of acquisition of the words used and the length of the compounds.</li>
<li><strong>Fluency</strong> and <strong>Flexibility</strong>: The study also measured how frequently these compounds were used (fluency) and the variety in their usage (flexibility).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Higher Creativity in Compound Generation in Conspiracy Theories</h3>
<p>The researchers found that conspiracy theory texts exhibited higher levels of creativity in the generation of nominal compounds compared to mainstream texts.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Divergence</strong>: One of the most notable findings was that conspiracy theory texts demonstrated a higher degree of divergence in their nominal compounds. This means that the compounds in conspiracy theory texts tended to combine more semantically distant concepts, reflecting a creative effort to link ideas that are not usually associated with each other. This was evident from the higher semantic distance and metaphorical relationship between the components of the compounds.</li>
<li><strong>Originality</strong>: Conspiracy theory narratives also exhibited a higher level of originality in their use of nominal compounds. The compounds in these texts were rarer and more novel compared to those in mainstream texts. This suggests that conspiracy theory creators often venture into less explored linguistic territories, crafting phrases that are unique and less commonly used.</li>
<li><strong>Complexity</strong>: The study also found that the compounds in conspiracy theory texts were more lexically and structurally complex. This implies that the language of conspiracy theories tends to be more sophisticated, potentially making it seem more authoritative or scientifically grounded.</li>
</ol>
<h3>Lower Creativity in Compound Use in Conspiracy Theories</h3>
<p>Despite the creativity observed in the generation of nominal compounds, the researchers found that the use of these compounds in conspiracy theory narratives was less creative in certain respects.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Fluency</strong>: Conspiracy theory texts showed lower fluency, meaning that they used creative compounds less frequently throughout the texts. This could indicate a more repetitive or less diverse linguistic style.</li>
<li><strong>Flexibility</strong>: Flexibility in compound use was also lower in conspiracy theory texts. This was reflected in both lexical and topical diversity. Conspiracy theory narratives tended to use a narrower range of compounds, and these compounds covered a more limited set of topics. This finding suggests a certain rigidity in how ideas are connected and presented in conspiracy theory narratives.</li>
</ol>
<h3>No Overall Difference in Creativity</h3>
<p>When combining all these factors, the researchers concluded that there was no significant overall difference in creativity between conspiracy theory and mainstream texts. This suggests that while conspiracy theory texts do exhibit certain creative elements, particularly in the generation of novel and divergent compounds, they do not necessarily outshine mainstream texts in terms of overall creativity.</p>
<p>The findings from this study shed light on the nuanced ways in which conspiracy theory narratives are constructed. The higher divergence and originality in compound generation suggest a deliberate effort to create novel and unconventional narratives. This could be a strategy to capture attention and differentiate from mainstream narratives. However, the lower fluency and flexibility in the use of these compounds point to a certain rigidity in the narrative structure, possibly reflecting the entrenched beliefs and repetitive themes common in conspiracy theories.</p>
<p>&#8220;At least by analyzing patterns of word formation, conspiracy texts are not creative: they show patterns of creativity (e.g., when creating new words) but lack the flexibility typically observed in creativity (e.g., on the rigid use of these new words). So, words are formed by connecting distantly related concepts, resulting in greater originality, divergence, and sophistication, but are often repeated in different contexts, showing a certain degree of rigidity.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study, however, is not without its limitations. The focus on nominal compounds means other aspects of language and creativity were not explored. Also, the texts analyzed were likely written by specialist writers, which might not represent the broader population of conspiracy theory creators or believers.</p>
<p>&#8220;We analyzed texts from websites, likely produced by specialist writers, and we cannot make conclusions about cognitive styles or language of individuals believing in conspiracy theories. It&#8217;s important to note that conspiracy narratives found in websites can be written for persuasive goals that do not necessarily overlap with belief.&#8221;</p>
<p>Future research could expand on these findings by exploring other lexical categories or narrative structures. Additionally, analyzing texts produced by individuals with varying degrees of belief in conspiracy theories could provide further insights. Employing data-driven machine learning techniques might also help in assessing the relative contributions of individual lexical markers more comprehensively.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.633">Loose and Tight: Creative Formation but Rigid Use of Nominal Compounds in Conspiracist Texts</a>&#8220;, was authored by Alessandro Miani, Lonneke van der Plas, and Adrian Bangerter.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Link between anxious attachment and materialistic values revealed in new psychology study
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/link-between-anxious-attachment-and-materialistic-values-revealed-in-new-psychology-study-221103

<p>Research published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111503"><em>Personality and Individual Differences</em></a> reveals a fascinating tie between individuals with anxious attachment styles and their tendency to indulge in status-signaling consumption — a behavior significantly brought on by materialistic values. This new research offers insights into the relationship between psychological attachment styles and consumer behavior.</p>
<p>Attachment theory, a cornerstone concept in psychology, explains how early life interactions with caregivers shape our adult relationships. This theory identifies three primary attachment styles: secure, anxious, and avoidant. Avoidant attachment is marked by a dismissal of relational needs and a focus on self-reliance. Secure attachment is characterized by trust and confidence in relationships, and contrasts sharply with anxious attachment —where individuals crave closeness and reassurance, often leading to relationship challenges.</p>
<p>While previous studies have delved into how these attachment styles influence various behaviors, including consumer choices, the specific connection between these styles, particularly anxious attachment, materialism, and status consumption — or, the ways in which people strive to improve their social standing through a pronounced consumption of products — remained underexplored.</p>
<p>The curiosity driving this study stemmed from a hypothesis and preexisting literature suggesting that anxious attachment styles might influence consumer behaviors — specifically the tendency to purchase status-signaling goods. This hypothesis was rooted in the observation that anxiously attached individuals might use material possessions to gain attention and reassurance in social scenarios, a behavior not typically associated with secure or avoidant attachment styles.</p>
<p>To explore this, researchers conducted two large-scale studies with a total of over 2000 participants recruited from Prolific Academic. They employed a survey methodology, where participants reported their attachment style, materialistic values, and tendencies towards status consumption. Simple, direct measures were used to assess these variables, with a focus on understanding the relationships between them. This approach aimed to reveal patterns and connections indicative of underlying psychological tendencies.</p>
<p>The findings were striking. Individuals with anxious attachment styles reported significantly higher levels of materialism and a greater inclination towards purchasing status-signaling goods compared to their counterparts with secure or avoidant attachment styles. This behaviour was mediated by their materialistic values — or, simply put, the findings suggest that individuals may use status consumption to cope with insecurities in relationships.</p>
<p>It is important to note certain limitations in this study. The reliance on self-reported data can introduce biases, and the cross-sectional nature of the study also means that while relationships between variables can be identified, causality cannot be firmly established. Additionally, the study&#8217;s sample may not be entirely representative of the general population, as a small percentage of participants reported an anxious attachment style. The researchers acknowledge that socioeconomic factors, which were not controlled for, could also influence these findings.</p>
<p>Still, the research opens up avenues for further exploration into the intricate ways in which our past experiences and emotional make-up shape our consumer habits and</p>
<p>&#8220;Individuals with an anxious attachment style differ from those with secure and avoidant attachment styles in the propensity to consume status-signaling goods, with their materialistic values constituting a plausible explanation for this difference,” the researchers noted — highlighting that this insight not only enriches psychological and consumer behavior theories, but may have practical implications for things like marketing strategies and consumer education.</p>
<p>Agata Gasiorowska, Michael Folwarczny, and Tobias Otterbring at the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Reykjavik University, and the University of Agder authored this study. It was published under the title &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019188692200006X">Anxious and status signaling: Examining the link between attachment style and status consumption and the mediating role of materialistic values</a>&#8220;.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 10:00AM
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TITLE:
Groundbreaking research unpacks genetic factors linked to gaming habits
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/groundbreaking-research-unpacks-genetic-and-environmental-factors-linked-to-gaming-habits-221095

<p>A groundbreaking study published in<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12179"> <em>JCPP Advances</em></a> has revealed new insights into how genetics and environment shape gaming habits. The research, focusing on twins, found that genetics play a more significant role in boys&#8217; gaming behavior over time, while environmental factors are more influential in girls&#8217; gaming habits.</p>
<h3>Motivation Behind the Study</h3>
<p>With around 3 billion people worldwide engaging in video games, researchers are keen to explore the underlying factors contributing to this widespread pastime. This interest is amplified by the potential inclusion of gaming disorder in future psychiatric classifications, underscoring the need for a nuanced understanding of the roots of gaming behavior. This study, the first of its kind to use a longitudinal twin design, aimed to dissect the genetic and environmental components of gaming, observing how these influences evolve from childhood to late adolescence.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve studied problem gambling and also became interested in gaming, since it seems to share some features, but is much less investigated. I thought longitudinal data from a large twin register might teach us something about the gaming phenotype, and eventually, its relation to psychological health and addictive disorders,&#8221; explained study author Anders Nilsson, a licensed psychologist and PhD working at <a href="https://ki.se/en/cns/centre-for-psychiatry-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centre for Psychiatric Research</a> at the Karolinska Institutet.</p>
<h3>Research Methodology</h3>
<p>The study involved a massive sample of 32,006 twins from the ongoing Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. The researchers utilized a longitudinal approach, studying participants at three critical developmental stages: childhood (age 9), early adolescence (age 15), and late adolescence (age 18). The sample was almost equally divided between males and females and included monozygotic (identical) twins, who share all their genes, and dizygotic (fraternal) twins, who share about half of their segregating genes.</p>
<p>Parents were asked to report their children&#8217;s frequency of gaming, including both computer and TV gaming, with responses ranging from &#8220;never&#8221; to &#8220;almost daily.&#8221; The researchers then employed sophisticated statistical techniques to analyze these responses, focusing on the similarities in gaming behavior within twin pairs. This approach allowed them to estimate the relative contributions of genetic factors and shared environmental influences (factors that are common to both twins in a pair, such as family environment) to gaming behavior.</p>
<h3>Key Findings: The Role of Genetics and Environment in Gaming</h3>
<p>The researchers found that genetic factors accounted for a larger proportion of the variance in gaming behavior in males compared to females. This genetic influence was not static; it increased notably as boys grew older. Specifically, the genetic contribution almost doubled for males between the ages of 9 and 15, rising from 31.3% to 62.5%. For girls, however, the genetic influence on gaming behavior remained relatively stable across ages, ranging from 19.4% to 23.4%.</p>
<p>&#8220;The large difference between girls and boys was a bit surprising. If other types of screen activities would have been included, maybe we would have seen other results,&#8221; Nilsson told PsyPost.</p>
<p>Environmental factors shared by twins, such as family setting, played a more substantial role in influencing girls&#8217; gaming habits throughout the ages. Interestingly, the influence of shared environment was quite pronounced for both boys and girls at the younger age of 9, but as boys aged, this influence diminished markedly, suggesting a decrease in family and common environmental effects on their gaming behavior. For girls, the shared environmental influence remained stable over time, indicating a more consistent external impact on their gaming activities.</p>
<p>The study also revealed notable differences in gaming frequency patterns between boys and girls. Boys tended to spend more time gaming at ages 15 and 18 compared to age 9. In contrast, girls showed a decrease in gaming frequency with age; a larger proportion of girls reported never gaming at age 18 compared to age 9. This divergence underscores the varying trajectories of gaming engagement between the sexes as they grow.</p>
<p>The findings provide evidence &#8220;that gaming, and what explains gaming (e.g. genes and environmental factors), is varying quite extensively depending on age and sex studied,&#8221; Nilsson explained. &#8220;For example, gaming among boys seem to be more explained by genes while environment plays a much larger role for gaming among females. But also that gaming is, as with virtually all other studied phenotypes, explained both by genes and environmental factors.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<h3>Limitations and Future Research Directions</h3>
<p>Despite its groundbreaking insights, the study has its limitations. One significant constraint was the reliance on parental reports, which may not always accurately capture the children&#8217;s gaming habits, especially as they grow into adolescence and gain more independence. The method of measuring gaming frequency was also somewhat broad, which might have oversimplified the complexity of gaming behavior.</p>
<p>&#8220;The measure of gaming is somewhat crude; the twins&#8217; parents were asked about how often the twins were gaming, from everyday to less than every month. A more detailed account on hours spent could have rendered other results,&#8221; Nilsson said.</p>
<p>Looking to the future, researchers are keen to delve deeper into this field. They aim to better understand the relationship between gaming, disordered gaming patterns, and psychological health. An important aspect to explore further is how gaming behavior relates to other screen activities and whether the genetic and environmental influences on gaming overlap with those on other behaviors like social media usage.</p>
<p>&#8220;Hopefully, we will eventually get a better understanding of gaming and disordered gaming and how it relates to psychological health,&#8221; Nilsson said. But it &#8220;is important to note&#8221; that in the current study, &#8220;we studied gaming <em>per se</em>, not gaming disorder or other forms of problematic gaming.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcv2.12179">The genetics of gaming: A longitudinal twin study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Anders Nilsson, Ralf Kuja‐Halkola, Paul Lichtenstein, Henrik Larsson, Sebastian Lundström, Helena Fatouros‐Bergman, Nitya Jayaram‐Lindström, and Yasmina Molero.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
The Secret to Accomplishing Big Goals Lies in Breaking Them into Flexible, Bite-Size Chunks
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secret-to-accomplishing-big-goals-lies-in-breaking-them-into-flexible-bite-size-chunks/

<p>Subgoals can make all the difference when ambitious targets seem too daunting</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Rubbing testosterone gel on men’s upper arms eliminates the audience effect, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/rubbing-testosterone-gel-on-mens-upper-arms-eliminates-the-audience-effect-study-finds-221102

<p>An experimental study conducted on healthy young men found that applying 150 mg of testosterone gel to their upper arms eliminated their strategic prosocial behavior, which is the tendency to act more prosocially when observed by others. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-023-01570-y"><em>Neuropsychopharmacology</em></a>.</p>
<p>Prosocial behavior refers to voluntary actions that are intended to benefit or help others, often without direct personal gain. It encompasses a wide range of activities, such as sharing, comforting, rescuing, and cooperating. It is motivated by empathy, moral principles, or a desire to comply with social norms. Prosocial behavior plays a crucial role in fostering positive social interactions, strengthening community bonds, and promoting social harmony. It is considered a fundamental aspect of human social life and is generally encouraged and rewarded in various cultural, educational, and organizational settings.</p>
<p>However, humans often exhibit more prosocial behavior when they are observed by others. This phenomenon, demonstrated across various social behaviors including blood donations and charitable contributions, is known as the audience effect. From an evolutionary perspective, making one’s generosity visible to others is beneficial as it signals that the person is a valuable group member with good qualities as a potential partner.</p>
<p>Study author Hana H. Kutlikova and her colleagues wanted to examine how testosterone affects strategic prosocial behavior. Previous studies indicated that testosterone affects status-seeking behaviors and that it modulates social behaviors through different neural and hormonal pathways. It is possible that testosterone affects strategic prosocial behaviors as well. Additionally, these researchers wanted to know whether testosterone interacts with specific gene variants and whether the behavioral effects of testosterone depend on the levels of cortisol.</p>
<p>Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, crucial for the development of male reproductive tissues. It also plays a significant role in muscle and bone mass development, hair growth, and overall physical and sexual health in both men and women. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands, often referred to as the &#8220;stress hormone.&#8221; It is released in response to stress and low blood-glucose concentrations.</p>
<p>The study involved 190 healthy adult men, aged 18 to 40, who were recruited via flyers and online advertisements. The researchers collected cell samples from participants&#8217; cheeks to analyze specific gene variations (CAG and DAT1) and saliva samples to measure cortisol levels. Participants were then given a single dose of gel to apply to their upper arms and shoulders. This gel contained either testosterone (Androgel) or a placebo, depending on the study group to which participants were randomly assigned.</p>
<p>After applying the gel, there was a two-hour waiting period, during which participants completed personality and demographic surveys. One hour and fifty minutes post-application, another saliva sample was collected. The experimental task then followed, performed either privately or under observation.</p>
<p>The experimental task was a learning challenge, requiring participants to select symbols to maximize monetary rewards for themselves or an NGO. Researchers assessed the participants&#8217; effectiveness in learning the task and maximizing rewards. Prosocial behavior was measured by their effectiveness in earning rewards for the NGO compared to themselves.</p>
<p>In the private condition, participants were assured of anonymity. In the observed condition, two female observers, presented as NGO representatives, watched the participants. Participants were randomly assigned to one of these conditions.</p>
<p>Participants in the placebo group showed more prosocial behaviors. However, this was because they made more correct choices when earning rewards for the NGO while they were being watched compared to the testosterone group.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>This effect was absent in the testosterone group – the testosterone group participants made lower numbers of correct choices in the task when they did the task for the NGO compared to doing it for themselves both when they were being observed and when they were working in private. In other words, testosterone administration eliminated the audience effect. The number of correct choices in the task when earning rewards for themselves was not influenced by testosterone.</p>
<p>There were no interactions between cortisol levels and testosterone and the same was the case with analyzed genetic variations. The researchers did observe some interactions between testosterone effects and specific personal values.</p>
<p>“We conducted a multifaceted examination of the computational, endocrinological, and genetic mechanisms underlying audience effect and showed that testosterone reduced strategic prosocial learning through impairment of choice consistency. These findings provide evidence that in the Western student sample, testosterone abolishes audience effects, and therefore does not foster the seeking of social leadership by reputational politics,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study makes an important contribution to the scientific understanding of the effects of testosterone on human behavior. However, it should be noted that study participants were mostly or exclusively students and the prosocial behavior was examined in the scope of a task that was, more or less, fictional. Results might not be the same if behavior of people of different age or belonging to different demographics was examined in a more realistic situation.</p>
<p>The paper “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-023-01570-y">Testosterone eliminates strategic prosocial behavior through impacting choice consistency in healthy males</a>” was authored by Hana H. Kutlikova, Lei Zhang, Christoph Eisenegger, Jack van Honk, and Claus Lamm.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Shocking study shows how group pressure can “be a very dangerous weapon in manipulating people”
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/shocking-study-shows-how-group-pressure-can-be-a-very-dangerous-weapon-in-manipulating-people-221092

<p>In a new study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04765-0"><em>Current Psychology</em></a>, researchers have discovered that people tend to conform to group opinions on moral dilemmas during online video meetings, similar to the way they do in face-to-face interactions. This finding, which extends the classic understanding of social conformity into the digital era, suggests that our moral judgments are influenced not only by our beliefs but also by the views of others in online settings.</p>
<h3>Asch&#8217;s Legacy and the Study&#8217;s Inspiration</h3>
<p>The study draws inspiration from Solomon Asch&#8217;s famous conformity experiments conducted in the 1950s. Asch’s work fundamentally altered our understanding of social influence by demonstrating how <a href="https://www.psypost.org/2023/12/skeptical-scientists-revisit-solomon-aschs-classic-conformity-experiments-and-are-stunned-by-the-results-214872">people often conform to a group’s incorrect opinion</a>, even against their own better judgment. His experiments involved asking participants to match the length of lines in a group setting, where confederates intentionally gave wrong answers.</p>
<p>Astonishingly, a significant number of participants conformed to the group’s incorrect judgment, showcasing the powerful influence of group pressure. This new study sought to explore if Asch&#8217;s findings about conformity in perceptual judgments would also apply to moral judgments in the context of modern digital communication.</p>
<p>&#8220;As a moral psychologist, I am generally interested in the malleability of moral judgments, and group pressure was a potential factor playing a role here,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://mojamoralnosc.pl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mariola Paruzel-Czachura</a>, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and associate professor at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Silesia in Katowice.</p>
<p>&#8220;Apart from that, when I heard about Asch’s study for the first time, I fell in love. That day, I decided that I wanted to be a psychologist. To be honest, I forgot this for many years, and later, when we finished this project, I realized that for me everything started with Asch.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Methodology: Replicating Asch in the Age of Zoom</h3>
<p>The study was designed to replicate the essence of Asch&#8217;s experiment in an online setting using the Zoom video communication platform. A total of 120 Polish participants were recruited and were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group.</p>
<p>In the experimental group, each participant joined a Zoom call with four actors (confederates) pretending to be regular participants. These confederates were instructed to give predetermined responses to a series of moral dilemmas presented on the screen. The dilemmas were carefully selected from previous research and designed to provoke moral reasoning. They ranged from relatively straightforward &#8216;filler&#8217; scenarios, where the moral answer was obvious, to more complex dilemmas that required participants to weigh conflicting moral values.</p>
<p>The dilemmas included extreme moral transgressions, in which one person was sacrificed for the &#8220;greater good.&#8221; For example, one dilemma involved employing your own daughter in sexually explicit films to earn money for your family while another involved torturing the son of a suspected terrorist to prevent a bombing.</p>
<p>In the experimental group, participants were asked to answer these dilemmas in a standard sequence, following the confederates who were instructed to provide predetermined answers. This setup was intended to create a scenario where the participant might feel pressured to conform to the group&#8217;s opinion. The control group participants, on the other hand, responded to these dilemmas individually, without the influence of confederates.</p>
<h3>Key Findings: Moral Conformity in an Online Setting</h3>
<p>In half of the experimental dilemmas, a significant conformity effect was observed, where participants tended to align their moral judgments with the unanimous but immoral responses of the confederates. Interestingly, no significant conformity effects were found in the filler dilemmas, as expected. This outcome confirms that the moral conformity effect, known to exist in face-to-face interactions, persists in the digital communication space, particularly in video interactions.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;Although we hypothesized observing moral conformity, as theory and past studies supported our prediction, I guess deep down in my heart, I was not expecting to see the effect,&#8221; Paruzel-Czachura told PsyPost. &#8220;You know, it is like when you are reading about conformity or other social psychology experiments, and you have this feeling that, wow, no way people really did it. I need to see it with my own eyes to believe it!&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I was one of these researchers. So, I thought we would receive the null results. Who would say that selling your daughter to be a prostitute is morally good if that would help you to feed other family members? No one, I thought. Even when others would say this is a morally good choice. I suspected that people would be more independent and individualist. And I was wrong.&#8221;</p>
<p>The findings indicate &#8220;that group pressure may be a very dangerous weapon in manipulating people about what is right and wrong,&#8221; Paruzel-Czachura said. &#8220;On the one hand, it is good that we have others; we can seek moral advice or follow them. On the other hand, if we follow the wrong group, we may be morally lost.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Limitations and Future Directions</h3>
<p>But the study, like all research, includes some limitations. For example, the study only examined sacrificial moral dilemmas. Examining other types of dilemmas could potentially yield different results. Another area for future research highlighted by the study is the exploration of moral conformity in different cultural contexts, particularly non-White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations. The study&#8217;s predominantly Catholic sample raises questions about how religious beliefs might influence online moral conformity, suggesting the need for further investigation in more religiously diverse groups.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have thousands of ideas for moving forward with this project,&#8221; Paruzel-Czachura said. &#8220;We need to know who is more conformist, how to stop it, what moral issues people are less sensitive to, if there are any cultural differences in moral conformity, etc.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I had a great team here, and when you have a dream team, all work is easy and fast,&#8221; she added. &#8220;I loved writing with Dries Bostyn; he is an excellent writer, and I loved working with Dominika Wojciechowska. She was very hard-working and well-organized.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-023-04765-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Online Moral Conformity: how powerful is a Group of Strangers when influencing an Individual’s Moral Judgments during a video meeting?</a>&#8221; was published June 1, 2023.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 29, 2024 at 03:00AM
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TITLE:
Consejos para hacer deporte si eres torpe
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/es/2024/01/29/espanol/torpeza-deportes.html

Sentir que careces de buena coordinación, ya sea de niño o como adulto, no quiere decir que no puedas ser un atleta.
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
Dreaming may have evolved as a strategy for co-operative survival
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/dreaming-may-have-evolved-as-a-strategy-for-co-operative-survival-221086

<p class="legacy">Have you ever woken from a dream, emotionally laden with anxiety, fear or a sense of unpreparedness? Typically, <a href="https://vividmaps.com/googled-dreams/">these kinds of dreams</a> are associated with content like losing one’s voice, teeth falling out or being chased by a threatening being.</p>
<p>But one question I’ve always been interested in is whether or not these kinds of dreams are experienced globally across many cultures. And if some features of dreaming are universal, could they have enhanced the likelihood of our ancestors surviving the evolutionary game of life?</p>
<p>My research focuses on <a href="https://davidrsamson.com/">the distinctive characteristics that make humans the most successful species on Earth</a>. I’ve explored the question of human uniqueness by comparing <em>Homo sapiens</em> with various animals, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, lemurs, wolves and dogs. Recently, I’ve been part of a team of collaborators that has focused our energies on working with small-scale societies known as hunter-gatherers.</p>
<p>We wanted to explore how the content and emotional function of dreams might vary across different cultural contexts. By comparing dreams from forager communities in Africa to those from western societies, we wanted to understand how cultural and environmental factors shape the way people dream.</p>
<h2></h2>
<h2>Comparative dream research</h2>
<p>As part of this research, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43319-z"><em>Nature Scientific Reports</em></a>, my colleagues and I worked closely for several months with the BaYaka in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Hadza in Tanzania to record their dreams. For western dreamers, we recorded dream journals and detailed dream accounts, collected between 2014 and 2022, from people living in Switzerland, Belgium and Canada.</p>
<p>The Hadza of Tanzania and the BaYaka of Congo fill a crucial, underexplored gap for dream research due to their distinct lifestyle. Their egalitarian culture, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/etho.12284">emphasizing equality and co-operation</a>, is vital for survival, social cohesion and well-being. These forager communities rely heavily on supportive relationships and communal sharing of resources.</p>
<p>Higher mortality rates due to disease, intergroup conflict, and challenging physical environments in these communities (without the kind of social safety nets common to post-industrial societies in the West) means they rely on face-to-face relationships for survival in a way that is a distinct feature of forager life.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
<h2>Dreaming across cultures</h2>
<p>While studying these dreams, we began to notice a common theme. We’ve discovered that dreams play out much differently across different socio-cultural environments. We used a new software tool to map dream content that connects important psychosocial constructs and theories with words, phrases, and other linguistic constructions. That gave us an understanding about the kinds of dreams people were having. And we could model these statistically, to test scientific hypotheses as to the nature of dreams.</p>
<p>The dreams of the BaYaka and Hadza were rich in community-oriented content, reflecting the strong social bonds inherent in their societies. This was in stark contrast to the themes prevalent in dreams from western societies, where negative emotions and anxiety were more common.</p>
<p>Interestingly, while dreams from these forager communities often began with threats reflecting the real dangers they face daily, they frequently concluded with resolutions involving social support. This pattern suggests that dreams might play a crucial role in emotional regulation, transforming threats into manageable situations and reducing anxiety.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Here is an example of a Hadza dream laden with emotionally threatening content:</p>
<blockquote><p>“I dreamt I fell into a well that is near the Hukumako area by the Dtoga people. I was with two others and one of my friends helped me get out of the well.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Notice that the resolution to the dream challenges incorporated a social solution as an answer to the problem. Now contrast this to the nightmare disorder-diagnosed dreamers from Europe. They had scarier, open-ended narratives with less positive dream resolutions. Specifically, we found they had higher levels of dream content with negative emotions compared to the “normal” controls. Conversely, the Hadza exhibited significantly fewer negative emotions in their dreams. These are the kind of nightmares reported:</p>
<blockquote><p>“My mom would call me on my phone and ask me to put it on speakerphone so my sister and cousin could hear. Crying she announced to us that my little brother was dead. I was screaming in sadness and crying in pain.”</p>
<p>“I was with my boyfriend, our relationship was perfect and I felt completely fulfilled. Then he decided to abandon me, which awoke in me a deep feeling of despair and anguish.”</p></blockquote>
<figure class="align-center zoomable"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
<h2>The functional role of dreams</h2>
<p>Dreams are wonderfully varied. But what if one of the keys to humanity’s success as a species rests in our dreams? What if something was happening in our dreams that improved the survival and reproductive efforts of our Paleolithic ancestors?</p>
<p>A curious note from my comparative work, of all the primates alive, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23427">humans sleep the least, but we have the most REM</a>. Why was REM — the state most often associated with dreams — so protected while evolution was whittling away our sleep? Perhaps something embedded in dreaming itself was prophylactic for our species?</p>
<p>Our research supports previous notions that dreams are not just random firings of a sleeping brain but <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/27784372">may play a functional role in our emotional well-being and social cognition</a>. They reflect the challenges and values of our waking life, offering insights into how we process emotions and threats. In forager societies, dreams often conclude with resolutions involving social support, suggesting that dreams might serve as a psychological mechanism for reinforcing social bonds and community values.</p>
<h2>Why dream?</h2>
<p>The ultimate purpose of dreaming is still a subject of ongoing research and debate. Yet these themes seem to harbour within them universals that hint at some crucial survival function.</p>
<p>Some theories suggest that dreaming <a href="http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-79">acts like a kind of virtual reality</a> that serves to simulate threatening or social situations, helping individuals prepare for real-life challenges.</p>
<p>If this is indeed the case, then it’s possible that the dreams of our ancestors, who roamed the world in the distant Paleolithic era, played a crucial role in enhancing the co-operation that contributed to their survival.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216328/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/dreaming-may-have-evolved-as-a-strategy-for-co-operative-survival-216328">original article</a>.</em></p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 11:08AM
.
TITLE:
What the U.N. High Court's Order Means for Israel-Hamas War
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177028&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiaGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnVzYXRvZGF5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9uZXdzL3dvcmxkLzIwMjQvMDEvMjcvaWNqLXJ1bGluZy1nYXphLWdlbm9jaWRlLXdoYXQtaXQtbWVhbnMvNzIzNjUxNjIwMDcv0gEA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>A 17-judge panel at the Hague-based International Court of Justice on Friday ordered Israel to implement measures aimed at averting genocide in the Gaza Strip. The order is part of a case brought by South Africa at the U.N.'s highest court into whether Israel is already committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Even though the ruling is not enforceable, and the full case is expected to take several years, the order is more than just...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 11:08AM
.
TITLE:
What Role Should Artificial Intelligence Play in Tackling Crime?
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177002&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68067081?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Top Headlines</a></p>Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by police around the world, but do the benefits outweigh the risks? Sarah is a domestic abuse victim who calls an emergency hotline because her ex-husband is trying to break into her house. While Sarah talks to a human, AI software transcribes the call, links to police databases, and detects that the man has a gun license, prompting police to arrive at the home quickly. What if this AI mock test...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 11:07AM
.
TITLE:
U.N. Agency in Gaza Fires Workers Over Alleged Role in October 7 Attack
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176993&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiW2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5wci5vcmcvMjAyNC8wMS8yNi8xMjI3MTQyNzYwL3VucndhLXVuLWFnZW5jeS1nYXphLWhhbWFzLWVtcGxveWVlcy1vY3QtNy1hdHRhY2vSAQA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News</a></p>The United Nations has called on countries to continue funding the main U.N. agency that provides aid to Palestinians in Gaza, following allegations that some of its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, fired 12 workers over the allegations. In response to the claims, 9 donor countries&mdash;including the U.S., the agency's biggest...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 10:52AM
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TITLE:
How Climate Change Could Affect U.S. Ports Sooner Than Expected
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
People addicted to sex tend to have more difficulty controlling their emotions when upset, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/people-addicted-to-sex-tend-to-have-more-difficulty-controlling-their-emotions-when-upset-study-finds-221082

<p>A recent study indicated that individuals with more pronounced compulsive sexual behaviors tend to have more difficulty controlling their emotions when upset and more difficulty with clarity of their emotions. These individuals also tend to accept their emotions less and exhibit more pronounced anxiety and avoidance attachment traits. The paper was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02690-8"><em>Archives of Sexual Behavior</em></a>.</p>
<p>Compulsive sexual behavior, often referred to as sexual addiction, is characterized by persistent and repetitive sexual thoughts or actions that are difficult to control, causing significant distress or impairment in personal, social, or occupational functioning. This behavior typically involves a preoccupation with sexual thoughts, urges, or behaviors that may lead to negative consequences, such as relationship problems, financial issues, or neglect of other responsibilities. Unlike healthy sexual expression, compulsive sexual behavior is often driven by a need to escape from emotional discomfort or stress, rather than a desire for sexual intimacy or pleasure.</p>
<p>Compulsive sexual behavior is considered a disorder when these behaviors become all-consuming and substantially interfere with daily life. The World Health Organization now recognizes this as a distinct disorder called <a href="https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1630268048">compulsive sexual behavior disorder</a>. This pattern of behavior is also known as hypersexual disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5).</p>
<p>Compulsive sexual behavior is often linked to negative emotions. Individuals with this behavior are more likely to engage in sexual activity in response to changes in their emotional states, especially negative ones. Researchers suggest this might be an effort to cope with, distract from, or avoid negative moods such as depression, anxiety, and boredom. Thus, the connection between mood and compulsive sexual behaviors may relate to how these individuals regulate their emotions.</p>
<p>Study author Ryan L. Rahm-Knigge and his colleagues wanted to explore the relationships between compulsive sexual behavior, difficulties with emotion regulation, and emotional attachment traits of anxiety and avoidance. They hypothesized that emotional attachment patterns of individuals with more pronounced compulsive sexual behaviors will be more avoidant and anxious. Their second expectation was that individuals with more compulsive sexual behaviors will tend to have specific difficulties in regulating emotions.</p>
<p>The study included 915 U.S. MTurk workers, each compensated $5 for completing the survey. The participants&#8217; average age was 39, ranging from 18 to 72 years, with 45% being female.</p>
<p>The participants underwent assessments of compulsive sexual behavior (the Compulsive Sexual Behavior Inventory–13), religiosity (3 items, e.g., “I consider myself religious”), emotional attachment styles (the Attachment Style Questionnaire), and difficulties with emotion regulation (the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale).</p>
<p>Results showed that individuals identifying as Hispanic or Latino scored lower on the assessment of compulsive sexual behavior compared to others. Non-heterosexual individuals and those who were more religious appeared more prone to compulsive sexual behaviors.</p>
<p>Compulsive sexual behaviors were positively associated with all aspects of difficulties in regulating emotions. However, the strongest links were with nonacceptance of emotions, impulse, strategies, and clarity. In other words, individuals with more pronounced compulsive sexual behaviors were more likely to not accept their emotional reactions, have negative reactions to emotions, struggle with controlling behavior during negative emotions, lack strategies for emotion regulation or believe that one’s emotions are unmanageable, and have difficulty understanding or being clear about their feelings.</p>
<p>Individuals with more pronounced compulsive sexual behaviors also tended to have more pronounced anxious and avoidant attachment traits.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>“Findings indicate that these emotion regulation features may explain a substantive proportion of self-reported concerns with CSB [compulsive sexual behaviors]. Intervention and future research on CSB, including relationships between CSB and other mental and sexual health disorders, should consider the potential significant role of intrapersonal and interpersonal vulnerabilities with emotion regulation,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between compulsive sexual behavior and regulation. However, the study was conducted on a U.S. MTurk sample, a participant recruitment method widely reported by researchers to often include non-genuine participants (or bots). The study authors themselves reported encountering this issue and dealing with it.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02690-8">Identifying Relationships Between Difficulties with Emotion Regulation and Compulsive Sexual Behavior</a>”, was authored by Ryan L. Rahm-Knigge, Neil Gleason, Kristen Mark, and Eli Coleman.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Somali and Czech populations share significant fear of vipers, suggesting universal phenomenon
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/somali-and-czech-populations-share-significant-fear-of-vipers-suggesting-universal-phenomenon-221076

<p>A new study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233667"><em>Frontiers in Psychology</em></a> investigated humans’ fear of venomous snakes across different cultures, finding that Somali and Czech participants shared a significant fear of vipers, hinting at a cross-cultural phenomenon.</p>
<p>Humans are capable of quickly recognizing threats, especially in response to snakes. This capability, shared with other primates, is an evolutionary adaptation for detecting and responding to threats. The fear of snakes is considered an ingrained neurobehavioral response involving immediate detection, emotional fear, and a subsequent reaction. Humans have likely evolved to recognize ancestral threats, such as snakes, triggering an automatic response in the brain.</p>
<p>In this work, Daniel Frynta and colleagues recruited 155 Somali and 144 Czech participants. They were presented with images of 48 snake species from four distinct groups based on venomous (vipers and elapids) and non-venous traits (sand boas and colubrids). To eliminate biases photos were standardized in terms of size and background.</p>
<p>Participants were tasked with ranking the images in order of the fear they elicited, from the most to the least fear-evoking picture. This order was recorded and became the dataset reflecting participants’ subjective fear responses. Participants’ age and gender was also recorded.</p>
<p>Vipers were consistently ranked as the most fear-eliciting snakes. This was observed across both Somali and Czech respondents, suggesting a strong, possibly innate, fear response towards vipers. Elapids (like cobras and mambas) and colubrid snakes were generally ranked lower compared to vipers, indicating a differential fear response based on snake species or types.</p>
<p>Further, certain morphological traits of snakes, particularly body width, were good predictors of the level of fear they elicited. Vipers, with their wider bodies and distinct head shapes, seemed to trigger more fear than slender-bodied snakes. Interestingly, there was considerable cross-cultural agreement in the fear ranking of various snake species, suggesting a universal or shared aspect of fear responses to snakes among humans.</p>
<p>A possible methodological limitation is the influence of prior knowledge or personal experience of snakes on participants’ fear responses.</p>
<p>Overall, these findings highlight the nuanced nature of human fear responses to snakes, influenced by snake morphology and potentially rooted in evolutionary history.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1233667">Are vipers prototypic fear-evoking snakes? A cross-cultural comparison of Somalis and Czechs</a>”, was authored by Daniel Frynta, Hassan Sh Abdirahman Elmi, Markéta Janovcová, Veronika Rudolfová, Iveta Štolhoferová, Kateřina Rexová, David Král, David Sommer, Daniel Alex Berti, Eva Landová, and Petra Frýdlová.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
9 fascinating facts about conscientiousness people, according to psychology
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/9-fascinating-facts-about-conscientiousness-people-according-to-psychology-221074

<p>In the realm of personality psychology, conscientiousness stands as a pivotal trait shaping various aspects of life. This article unravels how this trait intertwines with various factors, including wealth accumulation, urban living dynamics, the nature of mental healthcare work, vaccine hesitancy, social relationships, and even political perspectives.</p>
<p>First, let&#8217;s contextualize conscientiousness within the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits">Big Five model of personality</a>. This widely accepted framework categorizes personality traits into five broad dimensions:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Openness to Experience:</strong> This trait embodies creativity, open-mindedness, and a penchant for novelty and variety in life.</li>
<li><strong>Conscientiousness: </strong>It signifies a high level of organization, dependability, and discipline, often manifesting as a meticulous and goal-oriented approach to life.</li>
<li><strong>Extraversion:</strong> This dimension is marked by energy, positive emotions, and a tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others.</li>
<li><strong>Agreeableness:</strong> This trait reflects a cooperative, compassionate, and friendly nature.</li>
<li><strong>Neuroticism:</strong> This dimension involves a tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability.</li>
</ol>
<p>But how do you know if you are a conscientious person? This can be insightfully guided by <a href="https://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/">the Big Five Inventory</a>, a validated psychological assessment tool. This inventory gauges conscientiousness by evaluating your agreement with certain statements. Key indicators of a high level of conscientiousness include seeing oneself as someone who consistently does a thorough job, is reliable at work, persists until tasks are completed, operates efficiently, and is adept at making and following through with plans.</p>
<p>Recent studies have highlighted the diverse impacts of conscientiousness in various domains of life. From personal finance and work performance to social relationships and political views, conscientiousness plays a crucial role. Moreover, the dynamic nature of this trait, as seen in its interaction with other personality traits and environmental factors, adds a layer of complexity to our understanding.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2023/06/new-psychology-research-pinpoints-personality-factors-related-to-wealth-accumulation-164440">Wealth Accumulation</a></h3>
<p>A study published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cfp2.1158"><em>Financial Planning Review</em></a> found a strong correlation between conscientiousness and the ability to accumulate wealth. Conscientious individuals, with their propensity for organization and diligence, might be better at managing finances, leading to greater wealth accumulation. They often exhibit foresight and planning, which are crucial for financial success.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/people-living-in-urban-areas-tend-to-be-a-bit-more-open-to-experience-but-less-conscientious-220983">Urban Living</a></h3>
<p>Research appearing in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12822"><em>Journal of Personality</em></a> suggests that urban dwellers tend to exhibit lower levels of conscientiousness than their rural counterparts. This could be attributed to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of urban life, which might clash with the orderly and structured approach favored by conscientious individuals. The urban environment, with its constant changes and stimuli, may be less conducive to the methodical and planned lifestyle that conscientious people prefer.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2023/04/mental-healthcare-providers-tend-to-have-heightened-agreeableness-and-neuroticism-but-lower-conscientiousness-77004">Mental Healthcare Providers</a></h3>
<p>Interestingly, research published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-022-00700-8"><em>Psychological Studies</em></a>. indicated that mental healthcare providers often score lower in conscientiousness. This might reflect the nature of their work, which demands flexibility, adaptability, and a high degree of emotional intelligence, potentially at the expense of structured routines and meticulous planning.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2022/04/new-research-uncovers-a-surprising-link-between-conscientiousness-and-vaccine-hesitancy-62883">Vaccine Hesitancy</a></h3>
<p>In a surprising revelation, conscientiousness was linked to a higher degree of vaccine hesitancy in a study published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886922000265" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personality and Individual Differences</a>.</em> This could be due to conscientious individuals&#8217; tendency towards caution and thoroughness, leading them to scrutinize health decisions more intensely, including vaccination.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2020/01/study-finds-lonely-people-tend-to-be-introverted-and-neurotic-and-somewhat-less-agreeable-and-conscientious-55293">Loneliness</a></h3>
<p>Published in the <em><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/per.2229" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">European Journal of Personality</a>, </em>a recent study found that loneliness is often associated with lower levels of conscientiousness. This suggests that individuals who are less organized and disciplined may struggle more with social relationships, potentially leading to increased feelings of loneliness.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2013/11/conscientious-people-more-likely-to-provide-good-customer-service-21247">Customer Service</a></h3>
<p>Demonstrating the positive aspects of conscientiousness, research published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-34637-009"><em>Journal of Applied Social Psychology</em></a> highlighted that conscientious people are more likely to excel in customer service roles. Their attention to detail and commitment to duty often translate into superior service and customer satisfaction.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2019/02/perfectionists-become-more-neurotic-and-less-conscientious-as-time-passes-53093">Perfectionism</a></h3>
<p>Over time, perfectionists, who typically score high in conscientiousness, tend to experience a decrease in this trait and an increase in neuroticism, according to research published in<em> <a class="heading-xs mt-2 mb-2" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/PSR">Personality and Social Psychology Review</a>. </em>This shift could be the result of the intense pressure and stress associated with perfectionism, which might erode the structured and controlled approach that defines conscientiousness.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2023/06/new-research-examines-the-link-between-big-5-personality-traits-and-resistance-to-oppositional-political-content-166028">Political Content Resistance</a></h3>
<p>An intriguing study explored how conscientiousness affects one&#8217;s response to oppositional political content. The findings, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112152"><em>Personality and Individual Differences</em></a>, indicate that conscientious individuals might be more resistant to such content, possibly due to their preference for order, tradition, and established norms.</p>
<h3><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2022/12/intelligence-ambition-conscientiousness-curiosity-and-openness-may-help-emerging-adults-overcome-family-background-disadvantages-64582">Overcoming Disadvantages</a></h3>
<p>Highlighting the resilience aspect of conscientiousness, research published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-59895-001?doi=1"><em>Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</em></a> showed that traits like intelligence, ambition, and conscientiousness play a crucial role in helping young adults overcome family background disadvantages. Conscientiousness, with its focus on hard work and persistence, can be a key factor in surmounting socio-economic challenges.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Together, these studies collectively paint a rich and complex portrait of conscientiousness. This trait, while often leading to positive outcomes like financial success and professional excellence, also poses unique challenges, such as a potential inclination towards rigidity or stress under certain circumstances.</p>
<p>Understanding the nuances of conscientiousness is not just an academic exercise; it holds practical implications for personal development, professional growth, and societal dynamics. Through this deeper comprehension, we can better appreciate the diverse tapestry of human personalities and foster environments where different traits can be harnessed effectively.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Regular physical activity linked to increased brain volumes in key areas associated with memory and learning
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/regular-physical-activity-linked-to-increased-brain-volumes-in-key-areas-associated-with-memory-and-learning-221069

<p>Researchers have discovered a significant correlation between regular physical activity and increased brain volumes. The study, published in the <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad230740"><em>Journal of Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease</em></a>, suggests that even moderate exercise could have a profound impact on brain health, particularly in areas vulnerable to aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer&#8217;s.</p>
<p>A growing body of evidence suggests a link between physical activity and brain health. With an aging global population and increasing rates of dementia, including Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, understanding how lifestyle factors like exercise can impact brain health is of paramount importance. Previous research had hinted at the protective effects of exercise on the brain, but there was a need for a more comprehensive analysis using advanced imaging techniques and a large participant base.</p>
<p>The study involved a large cohort of 10,125 participants, drawn from various locations including Vancouver, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Boca Raton, and Dallas. This diverse participant pool was crucial for obtaining a broad and representative sample, encompassing a range of ages, genders, races, and ethnicities.</p>
<p>The core of the study&#8217;s methodology revolved around magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Participants underwent non-contrast whole body MRI scans using 1.5T whole body scanners from Philips and Siemens. These high-resolution scanners are capable of producing detailed images of the brain, essential for accurate volumetric analysis. The volumetric measurement of brain regions was conducted using FastSurfer, an advanced deep learning network. This technology is a breakthrough in the field of neuroimaging, as it allows for the rapid, automated analysis of structural MRIs.</p>
<p>Physical activity data were collected through self-reported questionnaires completed prior to imaging. The research team categorized physical activity intensity based on standard definitions from the Centers for Disease Control.</p>
<p>Moderate physical activity was defined as activities that increased heart rate and respiratory rate but still allowed for talking, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a leisurely pace. Vigorous physical activity, in contrast, was more strenuous and would not allow for speaking more than a few words without pausing for breath. The frequency of such activities was also recorded, with participants reporting the number of days they engaged in such activities over a 14-day period.</p>
<h3>Larger Brain Volumes in Active Individuals</h3>
<p>The researchers found that those who engaged in regular physical activity had significantly larger volumes of gray and white matter. Gray matter is crucial for processing information in the brain, while white matter facilitates the connection between different brain regions.</p>
<p>Study co-author Somayeh Meysami, an assistant professor at Saint John&#8217;s Cancer Institute and the Pacific Brain Health Center noted, &#8220;Our research links regular physical activity to larger brain volumes, suggesting neuroprotective benefits. This large sample study furthers our understanding of lifestyle factors in brain health and dementia prevention.&#8221;</p>
<p>Interestingly, the study highlighted that even moderate levels of physical activity, such as walking less than 4,000 steps a day, could positively impact brain health. This is a particularly important finding, as it suggests that the benefits of exercise on the brain are accessible even at lower, more achievable levels of physical activity for the general population.</p>
<p>&#8220;This research underscores the potential neuroprotective effects of exercise, opening new avenues in preventing neurodegenerative diseases,&#8221; explained lead author <a href="https://www.mir.wustl.edu/employees/cyrus-raji/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cyrus A. Raji</a>, an associate professor of radiology and a principal investigator in the Neuroimaging Labs Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;Specifically, it demonstrates that even a low threshold of physical activity &#8211; as little as 25 minutes a week or 10 minutes a day for 2.5 days a week &#8211; correlates to larger brain volumes in this population of adults throughout the lifespan.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Physical activity regimens, especially using historic recommendations such as 150 minutes a week or 10,000 steps a day, can be difficult to establish and maintain. Personally, it takes me about 90 minutes to walk 10,000 steps alone &#8211; doable but not easy. Our work suggests that the brain health benefits of physical activity are potentially attainable with a time commitment and intensity of exercise much easier than previously thought.&#8221;</p>
<h3>Effects on Areas Vulnerable to Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease</h3>
<p>The study also focused on regions of the brain that are particularly vulnerable to neurodegeneration, such as those affected in Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. It was found that the physically active group had larger volumes in the hippocampus, posterior cingulate gyrus, and precuneus. These areas are essential for memory and cognitive function, and their increased volume in physically active individuals suggests a potential protective effect of exercise against age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.</p>
<p>Given the established link between loss of brain volume and cognitive decline or dementia, these findings are particularly significant. They suggest that regular physical activity could be a key factor in maintaining brain volume and, by extension, protecting against cognitive decline and dementia. This aligns with previous research indicating the neuroprotective benefits of exercise and offers a non-pharmacological approach to dementia prevention.</p>
<p>&#8220;This study demonstrates the influence of exercise on brain health imaging and when added to other studies on the role of diet, stress reduction and social connection offer the proven benefits of drug-free modifiable factors in substantially reducing Alzheimer&#8217;s disease,&#8221; said George Perry, editor-in-chief of Journal of Alzheimer&#8217;s Disease.</p>
<p>&#8220;With comprehensive imaging scans, our study underscores the interconnected synergy between the body and the brain. It echoes the knowledge of past generations, showcasing that increased physical activity is a predictor of a healthier aging brain,&#8221; added Rajpaul Attariwala, senior author of the paper.</p>
<h3>Limitations and Future Research</h3>
<p>Despite the study&#8217;s significant findings, there are limitations to consider. The cross-sectional design means that the data represents a snapshot in time, rather than tracking changes over a prolonged period. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported physical activity data introduces the potential for bias, as participants might not accurately remember or report their exercise habits. The study also did not account for a lifetime of physical activity, which could have a considerable impact on brain health.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, future research should aim to address these limitations. Longitudinal studies, tracking participants over time, would provide more definitive evidence of the long-term impacts of physical activity on brain health. Furthermore, objective measures of physical activity, such as wearable fitness trackers, could offer more precise data. Another important avenue of research is exploring the specific biological mechanisms through which exercise influences brain health, which could lead to targeted interventions for dementia prevention.</p>
<p>&#8220;This study is cross-sectional so future work should examine longitudinal factors,&#8221; Raji said.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad230740" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Exercise-Related Physical Activity Relates to Brain Volumes in 10,125 Individuals</a>&#8220;, was authored by Cyrus A. Raji, Somayeh Meysami, Sam Hashemi, Saurabh Garg, Nasrin Akbari, Ahmed Gouda, Yosef Gavriel Chodakiewitz, Thanh Duc Nguyen, Kellyann Niotis, David A. Merrill, and Rajpaul Attariwala.</p>
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psychbot , 5 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 28, 2024 at 02:57AM
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TITLE:
Nazi Death Camp Survivors Mark 79th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=177021&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibWh0dHBzOi8vYXBuZXdzLmNvbS9hcnRpY2xlL2F1c2Nod2l0ei1saWJlcmF0aW9uLWFubml2ZXJzYXJ5LXBvbGFuZC1zdXJ2aXZvcnMtYjViNDY2ZDFiMjE0NWRmY2I3MmM2ZDQ1YjRkMjA2ZjnSAQA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>A group of survivors of Nazi death camps marked the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp during World War II in a modest ceremony Saturday in southern Poland. About 20 survivors from various camps set up by Nazi Germany around Europe laid wreaths and flowers and lit candles at the Death Wall in Auschwitz, where the Nazis executed more than a million inmates, most of whom were Jews.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 27, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Can virtual reality training help improve socio-emotional functioning in teens?
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/can-virtual-reality-training-help-improve-socio-emotional-functioning-in-teens-221052

<p>Scientists have started to examine whether virtual reality can help teenagers with developmental language disorders improve their social skills and emotional understanding. In a recent study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231220694" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry</a></em>, his innovative approach, trialed in the Netherlands, demonstrated high levels of participant engagement and appreciation, though the results varied among individuals.</p>
<p>The motivation for this research stemmed from the unique challenges faced by adolescents with developmental language disorders. These individuals often struggle with socio-emotional problems, such as increased levels of shyness, fewer positive peer relations, and a greater risk of social isolation and depression. Traditional methods for improving socio-emotional functioning, which typically involve reflecting on hypothetical scenarios, have proven less effective for these adolescents due to their heavy reliance on language skills.</p>
<p>Recognizing the gap in effective training methods, the researchers turned to virtual reality technology as a potential solution. Virtual reality, with its immersive and interactive capabilities, offers a more behaviorally focused approach, potentially bypassing the linguistic barriers inherent in traditional methods.</p>
<p>&#8220;We were interested in this topic because adolescents with developmental language experience many challenges with socio-emotional functioning. However, practicing these skills seems difficult to achieve within practical and ethical boundaries (i.e. history of bullying and social isolation). Virtual reality appears to be a suitable method to practice socio-emotional functioning in a safe, controllable and realistic context,&#8221; said study author Elke Arts of the the <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en/bsi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Behavioural Science Institute</a> at Radboud University.</p>
<p>The study involved nine adolescents, recruited from two secondary schools in the Netherlands specializing in education for children with communication problems. To be included in the study, participants had to meet specific criteria, such as being between 12 and 18 years old, having a confirmed diagnosis of developmental language disorder, and not having a history of epilepsy.</p>
<p>Each participant underwent a comprehensive diagnostic process to confirm their developmental language disorder, involving several language tests to assess different aspects like speech, grammar, and vocabulary. The actual study spanned over six weeks, with each participant attending a 50-minute session once a week. These sessions were divided into completing questionnaires, discussing and practicing skills, and participating in the InterAction virtual reality training.</p>
<p>The VR training itself, named InterAction, was conducted in a structured manner. It included activities like discussing target skills, watching and analyzing role-play videos, practicing skills verbally, and finally, engaging in the virtual reality environment to apply these skills. Different virtual environments, such as schoolyards and parks, were used to provide varied social scenarios. The experimenter, who was trained in VR technology, facilitated the sessions and controlled the virtual peers that the participants interacted with.</p>
<p>The virtual reality training was found to be feasible and suitable in a school setting. Although minor technical issues were encountered, these were easily resolved, and no negative effects of VR on the participants were reported. Participants showed high levels of appreciation for the VR training. Almost all adolescents rated their enjoyment and anticipation for future sessions highly. They also rated the virtual reality world as realistic, indicating a high sense of presence and engagement during the training.</p>
<p>&#8220;The pilot study has demonstrated that adolescents find virtual reality to be an immensely enjoyable way to practice socio-emotional functioning,&#8221; Arts told PsyPost.</p>
<p>The results, however, were not uniform across all participants. While some showed clear improvement in certain socio-emotional skills, others displayed less convincing progress. This variability was seen both between different participants and within the same participant across different sessions.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;The pilot study utilized a Single Case Design (SCD), where adolescents self-assessed their progress to the trained skills once a week during the training period. To our surprise, not all adolescents reported improvement in the trained skills,&#8221; Arts said. &#8220;Some adolescents rated themselves lower to the trained skill at the end of the training, compared to the start of the training.</p>
<p>&#8220;However, upon inquiry, it was revealed that these adolescents had initially overestimated their abilities at the start. They became aware of this overestimation during the training, when they experienced more difficulty performing the skills than previously expected. This situation emphasizes the importance of an adequate baseline period (when using a SCD) to improve the adolescent’s reflective capacity.&#8221;</p>
<p>While the results are promising, the study was focused on exploring the feasibility of virtual reality for adolescents with developmental language disorders. In other words, the research primarily aimed to determine whether virtual reality could be a practical and effective tool in a real-world educational setting for this specific group. The study was not designed to definitively prove the efficacy of VR training in improving socio-emotional skills, but rather to assess whether such an approach is suitable and well-received by its intended audience.</p>
<p>The small sample size and the absence of a control group limit the generalizability of the findings. To better assess effectiveness, future research in this area could involve larger participant groups, include control conditions, and use a mix of self-reported and observational measures to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the VR training&#8217;s effectiveness.</p>
<p>&#8220;This small-sample study was not designed to examine statistical significance of changes over time,&#8221; Arts said. &#8220;Because of this, no statistical tests were conducted. Currently, we are conducting the VR training with a larger group of adolescents (approximately 30) to assess whether the VR training can significantly improve the socio-emotional functioning of these adolescents.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13591045231220694" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Interactive virtual reality training to improve socio-emotional functioning in adolescents with developmental language disorders: A feasibility study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Elke Arts, Bram O De Castro, Ellen Luteijn, Ben Elsendoorn, and Constance TWM Vissers.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 27, 2024 at 10:00AM
.
TITLE:
Does picking your nose really increase your risk of dementia?
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/does-picking-your-nose-really-increase-your-risk-of-dementia-221057

<p class="legacy">No matter your age, we all pick our nose.</p>
<p>However, if gripping headlines around the world are a sign, this habit could increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.</p>
<p>One international news report <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/health/6565520/common-habit-increase-risk-alzheimers-dementia/">said</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>‘SCARY EVIDENCE’ How a common habit could increase your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia</p></blockquote>
<p>Another <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/alzheimers-disease-risk-increased-picking-28378042">ran with</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Alzheimer’s disease risk increased by picking your nose and plucking hair, warns study</p></blockquote>
<p>An Australian news article <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/could-picking-your-nose-lead-to-dementia-australian-researchers-are-digging-into-it/rn7xqef2w">couldn’t resist a pun</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Could picking your nose lead to dementia? Australian researchers are digging into it.</p></blockquote>
<p>Yet if we look at the research study behind these news reports, we may not need to be so concerned. The evidence connecting nose picking with the risk of dementia is still rather inconclusive.</p>
<h2>What prompted these headlines?</h2>
<p>Queensland researchers published <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-06749-9">their study</a> back in February 2022 in the journal Scientific Reports.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>However, the results were not widely reported in the media until about eight months later, following a <a href="https://news.griffith.edu.au/2022/10/28/new-research-suggests-nose-picking-could-increase-risk-for-alzheimers-and-dementia/">media release</a> from Griffith University in late October.</p>
<p>The media release had a similar headline to the multiple news articles that followed:</p>
<blockquote><p>New research suggests nose picking could increase risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia</p></blockquote>
<p>The media release clearly stated the research was conducted in mice, not humans. But it did quote a researcher who described the evidence as “potentially scary” for humans too.</p>
<h2>What the study did</h2>
<p>The researchers wanted to learn more about the role of <em>Chlamydia pneumoniae</em> bacteria and Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<p>These bacteria have been found in brains of people with Alzheimer’s, although <a href="https://academic.oup.com/femspd/article/48/3/355/506227?login=true">the studies</a> were completed more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s004300050071">15 years ago</a>.</p>
<p>This bacteria species can cause respiratory infections such as pneumonia. It’s not to be confused with the chlamydia species that causes sexually transmitted infections (that’s <em>C. trachomatis</em>).</p>
<p>The researchers were interested in where <em>C. pneumoniae</em> went, how quickly it travelled from the nose to the brain, and whether the bacteria would create a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease found in brain tissue, the amyloid β protein.</p>
<p>So they conducted a small study in mice.</p>
<p>The researchers injected <em>C. pneumoniae</em> into the noses of some mice and compared their results to other mice that received a dose of salty water instead.</p>
<p>They then waited one, three, seven or 28 days before euthanising the animals and examined what was going on in their brains.</p>
<h2>What the study found</h2>
<p>Not surprisingly, the researchers detected more bacteria in the part of the brain closest to the nose in mice that received the infectious dose. This was the olfactory brain region (involved in the sense of smell).</p>
<p>Mice that had the bacteria injected into their noses also had clusters of the amyloid β protein around the bacteria.</p>
<p>Mice that didn’t receive the dose <em>also</em> had the protein present in their brains, but it was more spread out. The researchers didn’t compare which mice had more or less of the protein.</p>
<p>Finally, the researchers found that gene profiles related to Alzheimer’s disease were more abundant in mice 28 days after infection compared with seven days after infection.</p>
<h2>How should we interpret the results?</h2>
<p>The study doesn’t actually mention nose-picking or plucking nose hairs. But the media release quoted one of the researchers <a href="https://news.griffith.edu.au/2022/10/28/new-research-suggests-nose-picking-could-increase-risk-for-alzheimers-and-dementia/">saying</a> this was not a good idea as this could damage the nose:</p>
<blockquote><p>If you damage the lining of the nose, you can increase how many bacteria can go up into your brain.</p></blockquote>
<p>The media release suggested you could protect your nose (by not picking) and so lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Again, this was not mentioned in the study itself.</p>
<p>At best, the study results suggest infection with <em>C. pneuomoniae</em> can spread rapidly to the brain – in mice.</p>
<p>Until we have more definitive, robust studies in humans, I’d say the link between nose picking and dementia risk remains low. <strong>– Joyce Siette</strong></p>
<hr />
<h2>Blind peer review</h2>
<p>Nose picking is a life-long common human practice. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7852253/">Nine in ten people</a> admit doing it.</p>
<p>By the age of 20, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6345537/">some 50% of people</a> have evidence of <em>C. pneumoniae</em> in their blood. That rises to 80% in people aged 60-70.</p>
<p>But are these factors connected? Does one cause the other?</p>
<p>The study behind these media reports raises some interesting points about <em>C. pneumoniae</em> in the nasal cavity and its association with deposits of amyloid β protein (plaques) in the brain of mice – not humans.</p>
<p>We cannot assume what happens in mice also applies to humans, for a number of reasons.</p>
<p>While <em>C. pneumoniae</em> bacteria may be <a href="https://academic.oup.com/femspd/article/48/3/355/506227?login=true">more common</a> in people with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, association with the hallmark amyloid plaques in the mouse study does not necessarily mean one causes the other.</p>
<p>The mice were also euthanised at a maximum of 28 days after exposure, long before they had time to develop any resultant disease. This is not likely anyway, because mice do not naturally get Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>Even though mice can accumulate the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s, they <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07484-w#:%7E:text=Alzheimer's%20is%20marked%20by%20cognitive,not%20occur%20naturally%20in%20mice">do not display</a> the memory problems seen in people.</p>
<p>Some researchers have also argued that amyloid β protein deposits in animals are different to humans, and therefore <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813509/">might not be suitable</a> for comparison.</p>
<p>So what’s the verdict?</p>
<p>Looking into risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s is worthwhile.</p>
<p>But to suggest picking your nose, which introduces <em>C. pneumoniae</em> into the body, may raise the risk of Alzheimer’s in humans – based on this study – is overreach. <strong>– Mark Patrick Taylor</strong><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193463/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-picking-your-nose-really-increase-your-risk-of-dementia-193463">original article</a>.</em></p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 27, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
TITLE:
Depressed individuals tend to avoid experiencing positive emotions, study finds
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/depressed-individuals-tend-to-avoid-experiencing-positive-emotions-study-finds-221055

<p>Two studies conducted in Israel have found that individuals with major depressive disorder are more inclined to distract themselves from positive emotions in response to pleasant stimuli, compared to healthy individuals. This behavior effectively reduces the duration of their pleasant emotional experiences. The research was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000835"><em>Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science</em></a><em>.</em></p>
<p>Depression or major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mental health condition characterized by persistent and intense feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. Individuals with major depressive disorder often experience significant impairments in their daily life, affecting work, relationships, and overall well-being. Symptoms can also include changes in appetite and sleep, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and in severe cases, thoughts of death or suicide.</p>
<p>An important precursor of depression, but also its symptom, is rumination, particularly negative rumination. Rumination is a cognitive process that involves repeatedly thinking the same thoughts, which are often sad or dark. Negative rumination can lead to a worsening of mood, increased anxiety, and a heightened risk of developing mental health disorders like depression, as it involves dwelling on problems or negative feelings. Rumination can also be positive, when it is imbued with positive emotions. Such rumination can be constructive leading to problem-solving or a deeper understanding of one&#8217;s emotions and experiences.</p>
<p>Studies indicate that depressed individuals are more likely than healthy individuals to use emotion regulation strategies that decrease pleasant emotions and increase unpleasant ones. They are prone to diverting their attention away from pleasant topics and towards negative ones. Rumination about specific topics is an important strategy that can be used to regulate the emotions one experiences.</p>
<p>In two studies, Yael Millgram and his colleagues sought to investigate how healthy individuals and those with depression differ in their active choices of thoughts in response to pleasant and unpleasant stimuli. They hypothesized that individuals with depression are more likely to distract themselves from pleasant memories and ruminate on unpleasant ones.</p>
<p>The first study included 38 students diagnosed with major depressive disorder and 39 healthy controls, all from Hebrew University in Israel. The researchers identified potential participants through a large group of students and confirmed diagnoses of major depressive disorder through clinical procedures.</p>
<p>These researchers trained participating students to use rumination (“Think about your initial emotional response to the event and what made you feel that way and repeat it over and over in your mind. Do not try to alter the initial meaning of the event”) and distraction (“Think about something neutral and unrelated to the event. Focus on the details of the neutral event and repeat them in your mind. Do not think about the original event”) to regulate their emotions about an event.</p>
<p>The researchers then asked participants to recall either a pleasant (e.g., “an instance where you felt wanted and loved”), or an unpleasant (e.g., “an instance where you felt lonely”) event that occurred in the past six months. After reflecting on their current feelings, participants chose between rumination and distraction in response to the memory, using an electronic device. They had one minute to apply the chosen strategy, followed by another assessment of their feelings. This process was repeated twice: once with participants choosing spontaneously between rumination and distraction, and once with instructions to choose the strategy they believed would improve their mood.</p>
<p>The goal of the second study was to test whether depressed individuals are more likely than healthy controls to distract themselves from pleasant emotions in their daily lives. It involved 61 students with major depressive disorder and 62 healthy controls. This ecological momentary assessment study required participants to report four times a day on their current mood, their mood over the past two hours, and their use of distraction and rumination during that time. They also reported on their desire to feel happy, calm, sad, or anxious in the past two hours. The data collection phase lasted for ten days.</p>
<p>The first study&#8217;s results indicated that individuals with depression were more likely to choose distraction over rumination in response to pleasant memories, compared to healthy controls. However, there were no significant differences in their responses to negative memories. When instructed to choose a strategy that they thought would make them feel better, no difference was observed between the two groups.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>In the second study, individuals with depression reported using distraction more frequently than healthy controls to avoid pleasant emotions. However, both groups used positive rumination similarly. Interestingly, participants with depression also distracted themselves more from unpleasant emotions but engaged in negative rumination more than the controls.</p>
<p>Considering their motivation for specific emotions, individuals with depression showed a higher inclination to experience negative emotions like sadness and anxiety in their daily lives. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in their motivation to experience positive emotions.</p>
<p>“In Study 1, depressed individuals were more likely than controls to choose distraction (vs. positive rumination) in response to pleasant memories, resulting in decreases in pleasant affect and increases in unpleasant affect. Whereas healthy individuals preferred positive rumination over distraction in response to pleasant memories, reflecting pro-hedonic preferences, depressed individuals were agnostic,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>&#8220;This pattern of emotion regulation was also evident in daily life (Study 2), as depressed individuals were more likely than controls to distract from pleasant emotions (but were equally likely to ruminate about them). These findings suggest that distraction from pleasant emotions may characterize depression and that at least in some cases, depressed individuals actively choose to use it.”</p>
<p>The study sheds light on important psychological mechanisms found in depression. However, it should be noted that all participants were students. Results on other demographic and age groups might not be the same.</p>
<p>The paper,<em> “</em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000835">Choosing to Avoid the Positive? Emotion Regulation Strategy Choice in Depression</a>”, was authored by Yael Millgram, Shir Mizrahi Lakan, Jutta Joormann, mor Nahum, Orly Shimony, and Maya Tamir.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 27, 2024 at 06:00AM
.
TITLE:
Study reveals “lying for Trump” trend among mail-in voters in Florida
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/study-reveals-lying-for-trump-trend-among-mail-in-voters-in-florida-221053

<p>Many conservatives express disapproval of voting by mail. But do their expressed opinions align with their actual behavior? A study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfac045"><em>Public Opinion Quarterly</em></a> showed that supporters of former President Donald Trump, especially those who closely follow political news, were more likely to misreport their past and intended use of mail-in voting. Conducted among Florida voters, the study highlighted the impact of political cues on voter behavior, revealing a discrepancy between what voters say and what they actually do.</p>
<p>The study was motivated by the intense debate and politicization surrounding mail-in voting during the 2020 Presidential Election. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of mail-in ballots surged. However, this surge came with heightened political scrutiny, particularly from President Trump, who repeatedly criticized mail-in voting, claiming it led to voter fraud and was harmful to the Republican Party. Researchers sought to understand how these political cues affected voters, particularly Trump supporters, in their reporting of voting methods.</p>
<p>The study was conducted using a web survey of registered voters in Florida. Out of over 14.7 million registered voters in the state, a sample of 149,986 was drawn based on the availability of an email address in the state’s voter file. The survey, executed through Qualtrics, was active from July 21, 2020, to August 1, 2020, and gathered 11,263 completed responses, achieving a 7.52 percent response rate.</p>
<p>The survey included questions about past and future vote methods, political awareness, ideology, concerns over COVID-19, and various demographics. To validate the responses, the researchers linked the survey data with official voting records to check whether respondents&#8217; reported voting methods matched their actual behavior in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections.</p>
<p>The researchers discovered that Trump supporters who were more politically aware were likelier to falsely claim they had not used mail-in voting in the past. This misreporting was attributed to what is known as &#8216;expressive responding&#8217; – a phenomenon where individuals respond to surveys in a way that aligns with their political beliefs or the cues from political elites, rather than their actual behavior.</p>
<p>&#8220;We find that the president’s rhetoric against the &#8216;fraudulent process&#8217; of voting by mail may have led to further erosion of trust in mail-in voting, as his supporters — who we know usually vote by mail — were less likely to be forthright about this standard method of voting. In short, they were lying for Trump,&#8221; the researchers explained.</p>
<p>This tendency was particularly pronounced among Trump supporters who were highly attentive to political news. They misrepresented their usage of mail-in voting by about 12 percentage points compared to those with less exposure to political news.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study looked at prospective misreporting – how voters reported they would vote in the future. Here too, a similar pattern emerged. Trump supporters, especially those who followed political news closely, were more likely to say they would vote in person in the November 2020 election, yet ended up voting by mail. The probability of a Trump supporter with high political news interest misreporting their voting intention was nearly double that of a supporter with low news interest.</p>
<p>&#8220;We find that Trump’s attack on mail-in voting did not stop his supporters who habitually vote by mail from casting a mail-in ballot in the November 2020 election,&#8221; the researchers said.</p>
<p>Interestingly, these patterns of misreporting were not found among habitual in-person voters, regardless of their political leaning. This suggests that the impact of political cues from elite figures like Trump had a specific influence on those accustomed to mail-in voting.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>While the study offers significant insights into the relationship between political cues and voter behavior, it does have limitations. The focus on Florida voters means the findings might not be universally applicable to all states or demographics in the United States. Additionally, the study captures a snapshot in time, specifically the period around the 2020 election, which was marked by unique circumstances like the pandemic and intense political polarization. Future research could expand to other states and electoral contexts to see if the observed patterns hold true in different environments.</p>
<p>&#8220;To be sure, it is probably too soon to determine whether the patterns we have uncovered are unique to Trump or restricted to Republicans; we will need more tests in more elections to make such inferences,&#8221; the researchers acknowledged.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/poq/article-abstract/86/4/837/7017580">Lying for Trump? Elite Cue-Taking and Expressive Responding on Vote Method</a>&#8220;, was authored by Enrijeta Shino, Daniel A. Smith, and Laura Uribe.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 04:00PM
.
TITLE:
People surprisingly accurate at inferring the happiness of strangers, study shows
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/people-surprisingly-accurate-at-inferring-the-happiness-of-strangers-study-shows-221033

<p>In a study recently published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506231197844"><em>Social Psychological and Personality Science</em></a>, researchers have uncovered that strangers can make surprisingly accurate assessments of an individual&#8217;s life satisfaction and positive feelings just from brief initial interactions. This novel research sheds light on the subtle cues and indicators that play a role in these snap judgments.</p>
<p>The exploration of well-being, a concept that encompasses life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions, has predominantly focused on how individuals assess their own state of happiness. Prior studies have often used reports from people close to the individual, such as family and friends, to validate these self-assessments. However, this new study shifts the focus to the accuracy of well-being judgments made by strangers, a relatively unexplored area.</p>
<p>The present research leverages a psychological framework called Brunswik&#8217;s lens model — a concept that explains how people infer internal states or traits from observable cues. In other words, this lens model is a way of unpacking how individuals piece together a puzzle of another person’s inner feelings or characteristics based on what can be seen or heard.</p>
<p>While well-being is recognized as an important predictor of success in various aspects of life, there has been little investigation into how accurately strangers can assess another person&#8217;s well-being. This understanding is crucial — especially in professions like counseling or management, where gauging an individual&#8217;s well-being is the foundation of the job. The researchers aimed to unpack the cues leading to accurate judgments of well-being — which could have significant theoretical and practical implications.</p>
<p>To investigate this, the study was completed through recruiting 200 college students who reported their self-perceived well-being, encompassing aspects like life satisfaction, along with positive and negative emotions. These students were then photographed and videotaped during self-introductions.</p>
<p>Strangers, having no prior acquaintance with these students, were asked to evaluate the students&#8217; well-being based on these short introductions. This method allowed the researchers to capture a wide range of cues: physical, nonverbal, paralinguistic, and linguistic. They were also able to analyze their correlation with the students&#8217; self-reported well-being and the strangers&#8217; evaluations.</p>
<p>The findings of the study revealed a significant correlation between the self-reports of life satisfaction and positive affect from the students and the evaluations made by strangers —but not for negative affect. This suggests that strangers could accurately gauge another person’s life satisfaction and positive feelings from just a brief interaction.</p>
<p>Interestingly, key cues influencing these judgments were identified as a loud voice and physical attractiveness. The study highlights a complex dynamic in the perception and expression of well- being, showing that while certain cues like smiling are commonly used by strangers to judge well-being, they may not always be valid indicators of actual well-being.</p>
<p>It is important to consider that the research primarily involved college students from the United States — with a majority being European Americans. This raises questions about the generalizability of the findings across different cultures or age groups. Furthermore, the study context was limited to self-introductions, which might not reflect other social situations, and most of the cues were subjectively coded by human coders which could introduce biases.</p>
<p>While the study found significant correlations, it is important to note that these do not establish causality. Regardless, this study opens up a fascinating window into the subtle dynamics of first impressions and how they can surprisingly yield accurate assessments of a person&#8217;s well-being.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study, “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/19485506231197844">Do We Know How Happy Strangers Are? Accuracy in Well-Being Judgments at Zero Acquaintance</a>”, was authored by Hyewon Choi, Ed Diener, and Shigehiro Oishi at Kyung Hee University, University of Utah, and University of Chicago, respectively.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 12:30AM
.
TITLE:
Mental Acuity Questions Catch Up with Former President Trump
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176968&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2024-01-26/mental-acuity-questions-catch-up-with-trump

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Although former president Donald Trump has often criticized the mental sharpness of Joe Biden, the mental health of Mr. Trump is now being questioned. Mr. Trump has several times confused who is the current president, identified his former ambassador Nikki Haley as Speaker of the House, pursued curious tangents about magnets being ruined by water, and made incoherent statements such as, &quot;We are an institute in a powerful death penalty.&quot;</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 12:30AM
.
TITLE:
George Carlin Estate Sues Over Fake Comedy Special Allegedly Made by AI
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176958&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-01-26/george-carlin-estate-sues-over-fake-comedy-special-purportedly-generated-by-ai

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>The estate of George Carlin is suing the media company behind a fake hourlong comedy special that allegedly uses artificial intelligence to recreate the late standup comic's style and material. The lawsuit filed in federal court Thursday asks that a judge order the podcast outlet Dudesy to immediately take down the audio special, &quot;George Carlin: I'm Glad I'm Dead,&quot; in which a synthesis of Carlin delivers commentary on current events. Carlin died...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 12:27AM
.
TITLE:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Alters Brain Activity in Children with Anxiety
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176971&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240124132852.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health have found widespread overactivation in brain activity among unmedicated children with anxiety disorders. Treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, however, leads to improved clinical functioning and reduced activation in many brain areas. The findings, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, reveal the brain mechanisms underlying treatment for childhood anxiety disorders.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 12:00PM
.
TITLE:
Mindfulness monotherapy shows promise for reducing sexual dysfunction symptoms in women
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/mindfulness-monotherapy-shows-promise-for-reducing-sexual-dysfunction-symptoms-in-women-221029

<p>A study of women with and without sexual dysfunctions in Poland found that mindfulness monotherapy increased sexual desire and arousal in all participating women. It also led to better lubrication and orgasms in women with sexual dysfunctions. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sexmed/qfad022"><em>Sexual Medicine</em></a>.</p>
<p>Female sexual activity is influenced by a wide range of factors including stress, emotional state, and self-esteem. These can significantly affect libido and sexual response. Hormonal changes, such as those during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause, can also impact sexual desire and activity. Relationship dynamics, including intimacy levels, communication, and partner compatibility, play a crucial role in sexual satisfaction and frequency. Additionally, physical health, including medical conditions and medications, can also influence sexual functioning and drive.</p>
<p>At times, a combination of these factors can lead to sexual dysfunctions in women. Such dysfunctions may manifest as decreased libido, difficulty in achieving orgasm, or pain during intercourse. These issues can diminish the overall quality of sexual life. Sexual quality of life is defined as &#8220;the individual’s subjective evaluation of the positive and negative aspects of one’s sexual relationship, and his/her subsequent affective response to this evaluation.&#8221;</p>
<p>Cognitive-behavioral techniques have proven to be effective for treating sexual dysfunctions. This is to a large extent the case because cognitive components, such as dysfunctional sexual beliefs, are important determinants of the lack of sexual desire. Their presence also fosters depressive moods.</p>
<p>Study author Izabela Jadarek and her colleagues wanted to assess the effect of mindfulness therapy on sexual dysfunction symptoms and sex-related quality of life. They were also interested in knowing whether the effects of therapy will persist after the intervention. Mindfulness therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that combines mindfulness practices, such as meditation and focused attention on the present moment, with psychological strategies to help manage mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress.</p>
<p>The study involved 93 women aged between 20 and 45 years. To be included, participants had to be heterosexual, in a stable sexual relationship, and sexually active, yet experiencing difficulties in sexual functioning. Of these women, 53 met the diagnostic criteria for sexual dysfunction, while 40 did not but were interested in learning meditation to see if it would enhance their sexual life quality.</p>
<p>Participants attended four mindfulness training sessions, each lasting 2.5 hours, spaced one week apart. These sessions included extensive meditations and brief daily mindfulness exercises. Before and after the study, participants underwent assessments of sexual functioning (using the Female Sexual Function Index), mindfulness (using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire), and sex-related quality of life (using the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire).</p>
<p>The results revealed that at the beginning of the study, 91% of women in the sexual dysfunction group and 33% of those in the non-dysfunction group exhibited clinical levels of sexual dysfunction symptoms. Five months after the treatment, these numbers decreased to 47% in the sexual dysfunction group and 7% in the non-dysfunction group. Notably, desire and arousal improved in all women, and lubrication and orgasm quality/frequency improved in the dysfunction group.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s important to note that improvements were observed in both groups across all sexual functioning indicators. However, due to the small size of the groups, these differences were significant enough for the researchers to consider them likely true improvements only in the specified areas. Both groups also experienced enhanced sex-related quality of life following the treatment.</p>
<p>&#8220;The applied mindfulness training was beneficial in the treatment of sexual dysfunctions in terms of increasing desire and arousal, as well as the ability to reach orgasm. An increase in sexual quality of life was also observed after the intervention. However, this therapeutic approach certainly needs more investigation before it can be recommended as an effective intervention in the treatment of sexual dysfunction,&#8221; study authors conclude.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study sheds light on the effects of mindfulness-based training on the symptoms of sexual dysfunction. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the study design did not utilize a control group, so it is impossible to know whether the improvement in symptoms was the result of the applied treatment, of some other factors in effect at the same time, or if it simply represents a natural withdrawal of symptoms over time. Although the authors occasionally referred to the group of women without sexual dysfunctions as a control group in their paper, this does not align with the typical usage of the term in scientific research.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sexmed/qfad022">Assessment of the effect of mindfulness monotherapy on sexual dysfunction symptoms and sex-related quality of life in women</a>”, was authored by Izabela Jaderek, Katarzyna Obarska, and Michał Lew-Starowicz.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 10:25AM
.
TITLE:
U.N. Court Orders Israel to Prevent Gaza Genocide, But Not to Cease Fire
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URL:
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<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/world/" rel="tag" target="_blank">CBS News - World News</a></p>In an interim judgment, the United Nations' International Court of Justice on Friday ruled that Israel must take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza, but it stopped short of ordering an immediate cease-fire in Israel's war with Hamas. The ICJ rejected Israel's request to dismiss the case. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement issued quickly after the court's ruling, slammed the genocide allegation against his country as...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 10:00AM
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TITLE:
Physical activity’s relationship with depression is more complex than it appears, study shows
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/physical-activitys-relationship-with-depression-is-more-complex-than-it-appears-study-shows-221016

<p>A new study has found that both moderate and vigorous physical activities are associated with lower levels of specific depressive symptoms, notably anhedonia (loss of interest or pleasure) and fatigue. But physical activity appears to be unrelated to other depressive symptoms, such as suicidal ideation, difficulty concentrating, and sleeping problems.</p>
<p>The findings, published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.12.039"><em>Journal of Affective Disorders</em></a>, provide important insights into the relationship between depression and exercise. The research also highlights the importance of examining the distinct aspects of depression.</p>
<p>Depression, a widespread mental health issue, has traditionally been treated with antidepressants and psychotherapy. However, these methods have not significantly reduced the prevalence of depression at a population level. This gap in treatment efficacy, combined with issues such as delayed access to therapy and limited long-term success, prompted researchers to explore additional, easily accessible treatment options. Physical activity, a modifiable health behavior, emerged as a potential candidate due to its known benefits in alleviating depressive symptoms in both clinical and subclinical settings.</p>
<p>&#8220;Physical activity is a promising target for behavioral interventions to alleviate depression as it is accessible and implementable at population level,&#8221; said study author Eetu Soini, a doctoral researcher at University of Helsinki. &#8220;However, how physical activity and depression are related is poorly understood, though there are different hypotheses floating around.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Intuitively, physical activity could affect depression via biological (e.g. inflammation), psychological (e.g. self-esteem) or social (e.g. social aspects related to physical activity) mechanisms or a combination of these. We were interested in whether the association is symptom-specific which could provide some evidence what the possible mechanism(s) could be.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study utilized data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which annually samples approximately 5,000 individuals to represent the non-institutionalized U.S. population. In total, the study encompassed data from 28,520 participants, providing a robust sample for analysis.</p>
<p>Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, a tool aligning with major depressive disorder criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). It evaluates the frequency of nine depressive symptoms over a two-week period.</p>
<p>These nine depressive symptoms include: &#8220;Little interest or pleasure in doing things,&#8221; &#8220;Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless,&#8221; &#8220;Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much,&#8221; &#8220;Feeling tired or having little energy,&#8221; &#8220;Poor appetite or overeating,&#8221; &#8220;Feeling bad about yourself or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down,&#8221; &#8220;Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television,&#8221; &#8220;Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or the opposite being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual,&#8221; and &#8220;Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself.&#8221;</p>
<p>Physical activity levels were self-reported and categorized into three types: moderate-intensity (like brisk walking), vigorous-intensity (like running), and activity related to daily transportation (like walking or biking to work or stores). The study also accounted for various covariates like age, sex, race, education, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol use, number of chronic diseases, and functional limitations.</p>
<p>The researchers discovered that moderate-intensity physical activity was associated with lower depressive symptom sum scores, particularly for those engaging in 1-2 hours per week. This activity also showed a dose-response association with certain symptoms like loss of interest/pleasure and fatigue, meaning that greater amounts of physical activity correlated with fewer symptoms.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Similarly, vigorous-intensity physical activity demonstrated associations with reduced fatigue and appetite symptoms. However, the dose-response pattern for the symptom of &#8220;loss of interest/pleasure&#8221; was less clear compared to moderate-intensity activity.</p>
<p>Intriguingly, walking or biking as a means of transport did not show a consistent association with depressive symptom sum scores but was linked with reduced fatigue in a dose-response manner. This suggests that even lower-intensity physical activities might have specific benefits.</p>
<p>The findings suggest that &#8220;even smaller amount of physical activity can be sufficient for alleviating mood,&#8221; Soini told PsyPost.</p>
<p>The study also highlights that the benefits of physical activity on depressive symptoms are not uniform. While some symptoms like anhedonia and fatigue showed a clear association with physical activity, other symptoms did not exhibit the same level of association.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our results suggest that physical activity may not affect all the depressive symptoms equally,&#8221; Soini explained. &#8220;The symptoms affected in our study were &#8216;loss of interest/pleasure&#8217; and &#8216;fatigue.&#8217; We hypothesised that behavioural activation could explain the observed results. Engaging in activities that promote better mood could further facilitate these behaviors and improve well-being.&#8221;</p>
<p>To ensure the robustness of their findings, the researchers also analyzed data specifically from participants with higher depressive scores and considered the effects of psychopharmacological treatments. The findings remained consistent. But, like all research, the study includes some caveats.</p>
<p>&#8220;The study was cross-sectional, and thus the observed results could be explained by reverse causality, that is people who are more fatigued and have low mood may be more inactive,&#8221; Soini explained. &#8220;And there may be unobserved factors that could affect both physical activity and depression, and thus the association observed may not be causal. Lastly, depression was measured with PHQ-9 which corresponds to DSM-5 criteria, but different depression scales include different set of symptoms. Replication with other depression scales could be beneficial for the field.&#8221;</p>
<p>Future research could address these limitations by using longitudinal designs, which track changes over time, and incorporating objective measures of physical activity, like wearable fitness trackers. Additionally, exploring the biological and psychological mechanisms behind the observed associations could offer deeper insights.</p>
<p>&#8220;Having my background in psychology, I think more nuanced view on depression is warranted,&#8221; Soini added. &#8220;Currently depression is assessed using sum scores, in which different symptoms ranging from affective to somatic, are reduced to a single score reflecting the severity of depression. The same sum score can be achieved by different combinations of symptoms, resulting in heterogeneous diagnosis. For anyone interested in the topic, I would recommend reading Eiko Fried&#8217;s article &#8216;<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00309/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Problematic assumptions have slowed down depression research: why symptoms, not syndromes are the way forward,</a>&#8216; a personal favorite of mine.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723015070">Physical activity and specific symptoms of depression: A pooled analysis of six cohort studies</a>&#8220;, was authored by Eetu Soini, Tom Rosenström, Ilmari Määttänen, and Markus Jokela.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 08:30AM
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TITLE:
Consciousness Is a Continuum, and Scientists Are Starting to Measure It
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/consciousness-is-a-continuum-and-scientists-are-starting-to-measure-it/

<p>A new technique helps anesthesiologists track changes in states of consciousness</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 26, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
TITLE:
Cannabis use linked to increased brain effort in motor tasks, study finds
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/cannabis-use-linked-to-increased-brain-effort-in-motor-tasks-study-finds-221025

<p>Regular cannabis users may need more brain power to perform simple motor tasks, according to a new study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.26527">Human Brain Mapping</a>.</em></p>
<p>Cannabis is the most popular recreational drug in the United States, with usage rapidly increasing, but the effects of regular cannabis use on the brain are not fully understood.</p>
<p>Previous studies have clearly demonstrated that cannabis can impair attention and memory, but its impact on functions such as motor control is less clear, with some studies suggesting an impairment and other studies suggesting no effect. The underlying brain mechanisms are even less well-understood.</p>
<p>Motor control is the ability to plan and execute movements, such as walking, typing, or playing an instrument. It involves the activity of nerve cells in the motor cortex, a part of the brain that sends signals to the muscles.</p>
<p>These nerve cells produce rhythmic patterns of electrical activity, called neural oscillations, that can be measured by a technique called magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive imaging technique used to measure the magnetic fields produced by neural activity in the brain. It offers high temporal resolution, enabling researchers to track brain activity in real time and understand how different areas of the brain communicate during various tasks and cognitive processes.</p>
<p>The research team, led by Thomas W. Ward from Boys Town National Research Hospital in Nebraska, set out to better understand motor function with cannabis usage.</p>
<p>They recruited 45 participants between 20 to 59 years old and used MEG to compare the neural oscillations of 18 regular cannabis users and 23 nonuser controls while they performed a motor sequencing task.</p>
<p>To qualify as cannabis users, participants had to consume cannabis no less than three times weekly for a minimum of three years. To qualify as nonusers, participants had to abstain from cannabis and any other illicit drugs, except for occasional past trials, and avoid any illicit drug use in the last 3 months.</p>
<p>The motor sequencing task required all the participants to place their hand on a button pad and tap a sequence of three numbers, after seeing a cue on a screen, with the corresponding fingers on their right hand. For instance, if “1” was visible on the screen, participants needed to tap their index finger, and if “2” was displayed they were required to tap their middle finger.</p>
<p>The researchers found that both groups performed the task equally well, with no differences in reaction time, accuracy, or movement duration.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>However, they also found that the cannabis users had stronger neural oscillations in the beta frequency band (16–24 Hertz) in the primary motor cortex and several other movement-related brain regions.</p>
<p>These neural oscillations were increased during the execution phase of the task, but not during the planning phase. This suggests that the cannabis users needed more neural activity to perform the same task as the nonusers.</p>
<p>Ward and colleagues speculated that the stronger beta oscillations may reflect a compensatory mechanism that allows the cannabis users to maintain normal motor performance despite the potential impairments caused by cannabis. They also suggested that the beta oscillations may be influenced by the levels of a neurotransmitter called GABA, which is a chemical known to regulate the activity of the motor cortex and may be affected by cannabis.</p>
<p>The study authors concluded, “our results demonstrate that though regular cannabis users are able to perform the current motor sequencing task at the same level as nonuser controls, the two groups are quite different neurologically. These differences may reflect compensatory processing or be precursors of behavioral deficits that may emerge in the future. These compensatory mechanisms, though adequate for this relatively simple sequencing task, may break down in real-world situations where more complex motor control is needed.”</p>
<p>The study has some limitations, such as not controlling for the amount and type of cannabis consumed by the users, and using a relatively simple motor task that may not capture the complexity of real-world motor control.</p>
<p>The study, titled “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hbm.26527">Regular cannabis use alters the neural dynamics serving complex motor control</a>”, was authored by Thomas W. Ward, Seth D. Springer, Mikki Schantell, Jason A. John, Lucy K. Horne, Anna T. Coutant, Hannah J. Okelberry, Madelyn P. Willett, Hallie J. Johnson, Abraham D. Killanin, Elizabeth Heinrichs-Graham, and Tony W. Wilson.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 07:23AM
.
TITLE:
Tech Companies Slash Thousands of Jobs in Pivot Toward AI
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176930&url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tech-layoffs-artificial-intelligence-ai-chatgpt/

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/us/" rel="tag" target="_blank">CBS News - U.S. News</a></p>Technology companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, and some workers are already paying the price. SAP is the latest tech giant to cut jobs as it pours money into AI, with the German firm announcing that it's investing more than $2 billion to integrate artificial intelligence into its business. At the same time, the company said Tuesday it plans to restructure 8,000 roles, laying off some workers and re-training others to work...</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 07:23AM
.
TITLE:
Americans Are Warming to Climate Change But Split After That
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176936&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5iY25ld3MuY29tL3NjaWVuY2UvZW52aXJvbm1lbnQvYW1lcmljYW5zLWFyZS13YXJtaW5nLWNsaW1hdGUtY2hhbmdlLWNhbnQtYWdyZWUtcmNuYTEzNTEzMdIBK2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5iY25ld3MuY29tL25ld3MvYW1wL3JjbmExMzUxMzE?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News</a></p>More Americans&mdash;even Republicans&mdash;are accepting the reality that the Earth is getting warmer, but they're still very much split on why and what to do about it. Public opinions on global warming, including perceived risk and support for climate policies, have shifted considerably over more than a decade, with some of the most pronounced upward trends coming in deeply conservative states, according to new national surveys released by Yale University.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 07:22AM
.
TITLE:
Antisemitic Acts Up Sharply in Belgium and France Since War Began
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176931&url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/antisemitic-acts-risen-sharply-belgium-israel-hamas-war-106665007

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/international" rel="tag" target="_blank">ABC News - International</a></p>The number of antisemitic acts registered in France and Belgium rose sharply since Hamas' attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza, according to figures released Thursday in both countries. In France, 1,676 antisemitic acts were reported in 2023, compared to 436 the previous year. And in France, the number of antisemitic acts in the three months following the October 7 attack equaled those of the previous three years combined.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 07:23AM
.
TITLE:
Florida Students Protest Imminent Closing of University LGBTQ Center
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176950&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5iY25ld3MuY29tL25iYy1vdXQvb3V0LW5ld3MvZmxvcmlkYS11bmYtc3R1ZGVudHMtcHJvdGVzdC1jbG9zaW5nLWxnYnRxLWNlbnRlci1yY25hMTM1NzU40gEA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>Students at the University of North Florida protested the imminent closing of the school's four diversity centers, including the campus LGBTQ center, on Wednesday. The protest took place the day that the Florida Board of Governors&mdash;the governing body of the State University System of Florida&mdash;voted to prohibit funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and activities at the state's public universities.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 07:22AM
.
TITLE:
Australia Day: The "Quiet Rebranding" of a Controversial National Holiday
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176943&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-68014555?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Asia</a></p>On 26 January every year&mdash;which marks the 1788 landing of Britain's First Fleet in Sydney Cove&mdash;two competing stories about Australia are told. One is of nation-building and achievement; the other is of the displacement and dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. While many Indigenous Australians protest or sit the day out, this year Dennis Kickett is co-hosting an historic event to explain what happened on 26 January.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 05:02PM
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TITLE:
Destined for Counseling
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URL:
https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/destined-for-counseling/

<p>Rick Balkin inspires and educates future and current counselors through his contributions on practicing forgiveness and working with teenagers in crisis.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/destined-for-counseling/">Destined for Counseling</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ct.counseling.org">Counseling Today</a>.</p>

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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 02:00PM
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TITLE:
New study sheds light on stereotypes and victim blaming in sexual assault cases
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-study-sheds-light-on-stereotypes-and-victim-blaming-in-sexual-assault-cases-221008

<p>In a pivotal study published recently in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01383-9"><em>Sex Roles</em></a>, researchers found that women classified as the &#8220;undeserving poor&#8221; are more likely to be blamed for sexual assault — as influenced by deep-rooted stereotypes of over-sexualization, irresponsibility, and perceived lesser value. This research sheds new light on the complex interplay between societal stereotypes and victim blaming.</p>
<p>The study builds upon previous research in the realm of sexual assault, which has long emphasized the significant role of victim stereotypes in shaping public perceptions and blame judgments. Prior studies have delved into how victims’ perceived behaviors and characters — particularly in the context of their sexual availability and responsibility — influence the amount of blame they receive in sexual assault cases.</p>
<p>This new research takes a step further, exploring how societal biases about poverty and race compound these perceptions, especially in the context of the &#8220;deserving&#8221; versus &#8220;undeserving&#8221; poor. The &#8220;undeserving poor&#8221; are often viewed as individuals who do not work hard enough or are responsible for their own plight, while the &#8220;deserving poor&#8221; are seen as those who are poor despite their efforts and hence worthy of support.</p>
<p>Motivated by a need to understand how these stereotypes impact judgments in sexual assault cases, the researchers embarked on this study to investigate the intersection of social class and race in shaping attitudes towards sexual assault victims. They sought to uncover the ways in which societal biases (particularly towards women perceived as &#8220;undeserving poor&#8221; and belonging to different races) influence blame attributions in cases of sexual assault.</p>
<p>To test their hypotheses, the researchers conducted survey experiments with three distinct groups of participants, totaling 714 individuals recruited from online psychology websites. Participants, across three studies, were presented with carefully crafted vignettes describing a woman&#8217;s experience of sexual assault — each of the three containing variations in the woman&#8217;s racial and socio-economic background as either belonging to the &#8220;deserving&#8221; or &#8220;undeserving&#8221; poor. This experimental design aimed to systematically manipulate and analyze the influence of these identity factors on victim-blaming attitudes.</p>
<p>The study&#8217;s findings were both detailed and nuanced. Across all participant groups, women categorized as &#8220;undeserving poor&#8221; were consistently stereotyped as more sexualized, less responsible, and of lesser value. This negative stereotyping significantly influenced the amount of blame attributed to them for the sexual assault — with undeserving poor women more likely to be blamed than their deserving poor counterparts.</p>
<p>One of the studies also found that white undeserving poor women were perceived as more irresponsible and of lesser value compared to Black undeserving poor women — leading to higher blame attribution. However, this racial difference in blame attribution was not consistently observed across all studies.</p>
<p>Despite its comprehensive approach, the diverse nature of the sample populations, including college students and community adults, raises questions about the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the use of online surveys and hypothetical scenarios might not fully capture the complexity of real-life perceptions and attitudes.</p>
<p>Regardless, this study provides compelling evidence of the significant role that societal stereotypes based on social class and race play in victim-blaming attitudes in sexual assault cases. The findings aid in resolving the need for a more nuanced understanding of these stereotypes and their impact on public perceptions — which could have profound implications for policy-making, support systems, and societal attitudes towards sexual assault victims.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-023-01383-9">‘Their Great Shame is Poverty’”: Women Portrayed as Among the ‘Undeserving Poor’ are Seen as Deserving Sexual Assault</a>”, was authored by Jessica Kiebler and Abigail Stewart at the University of Michigan.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 12:00PM
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TITLE:
Breathing practices temporarily bolster prosocial behaviors in girls, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/breathing-practices-temporarily-bolster-prosocial-behaviors-in-girls-study-finds-221003

<p>An experiment involving primary school children in Germany found that daily breathing practices in classrooms might be effective in maintaining supportive peer relationships. These exercises appear to stimulate prosocial behavior in girls, though not in boys. However, this effect diminished five months after the intervention ended. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02158-9"><em>Mindfulness</em></a>.</p>
<p>For schoolchildren, being part of social groups, sports teams, work groups, and similar peer assemblies is essential for their well-being. It is also significant for their academic success. Yet, fostering good social cohesion in a classroom can be challenging. A comprehensive study in Germany indicated that 18% of primary school children experience emotional problems, often caused or worsened by bullying and other aggressive behaviors from classmates. Research has shown that peer victimization leads to numerous negative outcomes, including anxiety, diminished school engagement, and poor academic performance.</p>
<p>This is the reason why maintaining good interpersonal relationships in school is crucial. For this purpose, prosocial behaviors are of primary importance. Prosocial behavior refers to voluntary actions intended to benefit others, such as helping, sharing, and cooperating. This behavior is crucial in a school environment as it fosters a positive and supportive community, enhancing students&#8217; social and emotional development. Encouraging prosocial behavior in schools can lead to improved peer relationships, reduced bullying, and a more inclusive atmosphere.</p>
<p>Study authors Maria von Salisch and Katharina Voltmer wanted to evaluate the effects of the teacher-led short breathing exercise called Breathing Break on children’s prosocial behavior and their perceptions of the social classroom climate. Their expectations were that children included in this intervention will perceive peer relationships in their classrooms as more supportive and that their classmates will note that they act more prosocially after the intervention.</p>
<p>The study included children and teachers from five primary schools in Lower Saxony, Germany, with a total of 146 participating children from third and fourth grades. The schools were randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waitlist group.</p>
<p>Participating teachers whose students were assigned to the intervention group were introduced to the Breathing Break curriculum and they underwent a short mindfulness training with an external trainer. This training involved six teachers and included three sessions plus a mindfulness day, totaling 15 hours.</p>
<p>The Breathing Break intervention lasted for 10 weeks. Teachers in the intervention group were instructed to conduct Breathing Breaks with their classes up to three times daily on each school day and to record which of the 15 exercises from the curriculum they used. Meanwhile, teachers in the waitlist group incorporated coloring exercises into their classes three times daily.</p>
<p>Both before and after the intervention, and during a corresponding 10-week period for the waitlist group, the participating children nominated their prosocial peers and reported on supportive peer relationships in their classrooms through online surveys completed on tablets. Research assistants helped with any technical issues related to the surveys. The survey was repeated five months post-intervention. Post-intervention, children in the intervention group also provided feedback on the Breathing Breaks.</p>
<p>Teachers rated the prosocial behavior of each child in their classroom at all three measurement points (before, after, 5 months later – the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). They also completed an assessment of mindfulness (the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) at the start of the study. During the study, teachers in the intervention group were asked to fill in an intervention implementation calendar for each school day.</p>
<p>The results showed that older children generally perceived the classroom climate as less supportive. After the intervention, the intervention group&#8217;s perception of the classroom climate remained unchanged, while it worsened in the waitlist group.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Further analysis revealed that post-intervention, girls in the intervention group, but not boys, were more frequently nominated as prosocial by their peers compared to girls in the waitlist group. However, these differences vanished by the five-month follow-up. Regardless of the intervention, girls received more prosocial nominations than boys. The intervention did not affect the teachers&#8217; ratings; they consistently rated girls as better behaved than boys.</p>
<p>“This study demonstrated that implementing regular mindful breathing exercises can improve primary school girls’ prosocial behavior and has the potential to stabilize a supportive classroom climate among peers during challenging times, such as social distancing. Being on the receiving end of their peers’ supportive behavior may convince children (and teachers) that it is a good idea to adopt Breathing Breaks as a classroom ritual for longer periods of time,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the effects of mindful breathing exercises on schoolchildren’s relationships with peers. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, study authors report that the waitlist group children performed breathing exercises on their own more often than the intervention group children at the pretest. Additionally, researchers were also able to measure the quality of the Breathing Break intervention themselves, but relied on reports.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02158-9">A Daily Breathing Practice Bolsters Girls’ Prosocial Behavior and Third and Fourth Graders’ Supportive Peer Relationships: A Randomized Controlled Trial</a>”, was authored by Maria von Salisch and Katharina Voltmer.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 25, 2024 at 05:00AM
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TITLE:
Feeling Stuck? 5 Ways to Jumpstart Your Goals in Life
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URL:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/well/mind/mental-health-exercises-life-goals.html

Mental health experts suggest exercises to knock down the internal roadblocks that are causing burnout and holding you back.
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 10:10AM
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TITLE:
Strange Vision Problems May Indicate Alzheimer's Disease
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176899&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiXGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnVwaS5jb20vSGVhbHRoX05ld3MvMjAyNC8wMS8yNC92aXNpb24tcHJvYmxlbXMtQWx6aGVpbWVycy1kaXNlYXNlLzEzMzE3MDYxMDUwOTIv0gEA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>Strange visual disturbances occur early in about 10% of Alzheimer's cases, and when this happens, it almost always signals the impending arrival of the disease, a new study finds. The condition is called posterior cortical atrophy. It involves sudden difficulty in performing vision-related tasks&mdash;for example writing, judging whether an object is moving or stationary, or easily picking up a dropped item&mdash;despite normal eye exam results.</div><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><br /><a href="https://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?action=rssHomepage" target="_blank"><img title="Brought to you by Social Psychology Network" alt="Brought to you by SocialPsychology Network" src="https://www.socialpsychology.org/images/rss-footer-large.png" border="0" width="400" height="45" /></a><br><br>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 04:00PM
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TITLE:
7 Mind-Blowing Recent Discoveries About the Brain and Human Behavior
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/7-mind-blowing-recent-discoveries-about-the-brain-and-human-behavior-220992

<p>The human brain, a marvel of nature, continues to be a source of endless fascination and mystery. Recent scientific studies have peeled back layers of this complexity, offering fresh insights into how our brains shape our behavior and perceptions. Let&#8217;s delve into seven of these groundbreaking discoveries that are reshaping our understanding of the human mind.</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/adhd-symptoms-are-reduced-after-ayahuasca-retreat-experience-study-finds-220649">Ayahuasca&#8217;s Impact on ADHD Symptoms:</a></h2>
<p>A study has found that individuals experiencing symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) reported significant improvements after participating in an Ayahuasca retreat. Ayahuasca, a plant-based psychedelic brew traditionally used in South American spiritual practices, appears to have a notable effect on ADHD symptoms, suggesting a potential new avenue for exploring treatments for this condition. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/adhd-symptoms-are-reduced-after-ayahuasca-retreat-experience-study-finds-220649" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/surprising-connection-found-between-finger-length-ratios-and-psychopathological-traits-220666">Finger Length Ratios and Psychopathological Traits:</a></h2>
<p>In a surprising twist, researchers have discovered a link between the ratio of finger lengths and certain psychopathological traits. The study suggests that the length ratio of the index to ring finger, a trait determined before birth, might be associated with a predisposition to certain psychological characteristics, opening a new perspective on how early developmental factors can influence mental health. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/surprising-connection-found-between-finger-length-ratios-and-psychopathological-traits-220666">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-heres-what-the-science-says-220856">The Roots of Conspiracy Theory Beliefs:</a></h2>
<p>Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? Recent research has dived into this question, uncovering a complex web of psychological factors. These include a need for uniqueness, lower levels of trust, and a tendency to perceive nonexistent patterns. This study sheds light on the cognitive processes that drive some individuals towards these often unfounded beliefs. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-heres-what-the-science-says-220856">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/neuroscientists-just-uncovered-a-fascinating-link-between-sleep-memory-and-breathing-220971">The Trio of Sleep, Memory, and Breathing:</a></h2>
<p>Neuroscientists have unveiled a fascinating connection between sleep, memory consolidation, and breathing. This study reveals how the rhythms of breathing during sleep play a crucial role in the way memories are consolidated in the brain, highlighting the deep interconnection between our respiratory and cognitive processes. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/neuroscientists-just-uncovered-a-fascinating-link-between-sleep-memory-and-breathing-220971">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/violent-video-games-decrease-stress-hormones-study-finds-220834">Violent Video Games and Stress Hormones:</a></h2>
<p>Contrary to common perceptions, a study has found that playing violent video games can actually decrease stress hormones in players. This counterintuitive discovery suggests that engaging in such games might have a stress-relieving effect, challenging existing ideas about the impact of video game content on emotional and psychological well-being. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/violent-video-games-decrease-stress-hormones-study-finds-220834">Click here to read more.</a>)</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/learning-a-new-language-can-reshape-your-concept-of-color-according-to-new-psychology-research-220742">Language Learning and Perception of Color:</a></h2>
<p>Learning a new language doesn&#8217;t just expand your vocabulary; it might also reshape how you perceive colors. New research in psychology suggests that as individuals become fluent in a new language, their concept of color can change, underlining the profound influence language has on our cognitive processing and perception of the world. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/learning-a-new-language-can-reshape-your-concept-of-color-according-to-new-psychology-research-220742">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/neuroplasticity-of-first-time-mothers-revealed-in-unprecedented-brain-imaging-study-220642">Brain Changes in First-Time Mothers:</a></h2>
<p>An unprecedented brain imaging study has explored the neuroplasticity in first-time mothers, revealing significant changes in their brain structure. These alterations, believed to enhance maternal behavior, demonstrate the remarkable adaptability of the human brain in response to major life events like motherhood. (<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/neuroplasticity-of-first-time-mothers-revealed-in-unprecedented-brain-imaging-study-220642">Click here to read more.</a>)</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 02:33PM
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TITLE:
What is the Mandela Effect? The Mysterious Phenomena When Memory and Reality Collide
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/what-is-the-mandela-effect-the-mysterious-phenomena-when-memory-and-reality-collide-220991

<p>In the fascinating world of human cognition, there’s a peculiar phenomenon that stands out, not just for its intrigue but also for the profound questions it raises about memory and reality. It’s known as the Mandela Effect. This term might sound like it’s plucked straight from a science fiction novel, but it’s a very real and deeply intriguing concept that has captured the imagination of psychologists and laypeople alike.</p>
<h4>Origins of the Name</h4>
<p>Let’s start with a bit of a backstory. The Mandela Effect gets its name from Nelson Mandela, the renowned anti-apartheid revolutionary and former president of South Africa. The term was coined by Fiona Broome, a paranormal researcher, who discovered that she, along with many others, remembered Nelson Mandela dying in the 1980s during his imprisonment. However, in reality, Mandela was released in 1990 and passed away in 2013. This discrepancy between collective memory and historical fact sparked the conversation around what is now known as the Mandela Effect.</p>
<h4>What Exactly is the Mandela Effect?</h4>
<p>At its core, the Mandela Effect refers to a situation where a large group of people remembers an event or detail differently than how it occurred in reality. It’s like a glitch in the matrix of collective memory, where our recollections don’t align with the factual record. This phenomenon extends beyond just historical events. It includes misquotations from movies, misconceptions about logos, and even altered recollections of book titles and character names.</p>
<h4>Fascinating Examples</h4>
<p>Some classic examples of the Mandela Effect include the collective misremembering of the famous line from the movie “Star Wars,” where many recall Darth Vader saying, “Luke, I am your father,” when the actual line is, “No, I am your father.” Another example is the children’s book series “The Berenstain Bears.” Many recall it being spelled as “The Berenstein Bears,” creating a widespread sense of bewildered nostalgia.</p>
<h4>Exploring the Causes</h4>
<p>So, what causes this bizarre phenomenon? While the exact reasons are still debated, several theories offer explanations:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>False Memories</strong>: This theory suggests that the Mandela Effect is a form of false memory, where inaccuracies in our memory systems lead to distorted recollections. Human memory is not a perfect recorder of events but rather a reconstructive process, prone to errors and influenced by biases and suggestions.</li>
<li><strong>Confabulation</strong>: Related to false memories, confabulation refers to the creation of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories, without the intention to deceive. It often fills in the gaps in one’s memory with what feels true or plausible.</li>
<li><strong>Social and Cognitive Factors</strong>: Memory is also influenced by social dynamics. The way information is presented, discussed, and reinforced in a group can lead to collective misremembering. Our cognitive biases, like the confirmation bias, where we favor information that confirms our preexisting beliefs, play a role too.</li>
<li><strong>Parallel Universes (A More Speculative Theory)</strong>: On the fringe, some suggest the Mandela Effect might be evidence of parallel universes or alternate realities. While this theory is more popular in science fiction than in scientific circles, it adds an intriguing, if speculative, dimension to the conversation.</li>
</ol>
<h4>Implications and Conclusions</h4>
<p>The Mandela Effect is more than just a curiosity; it has profound implications. It challenges our understanding of memory, reminding us that our recollections are not always as reliable as we believe. This has important implications in various fields, from legal (eyewitness testimonies) to psychological (understanding how memory works).</p>
<p>In conclusion, the Mandela Effect serves as a fascinating reminder of the complexities of the human mind. It’s a blend of psychology, culture, and perhaps a sprinkle of mystery, inviting us to question and explore the intriguing pathways of our memories and perceptions. Whether it’s a simple case of misremembering or something more profound, the Mandela Effect continues to be a captivating topic for both scientists and the public alike.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 02:31PM
.
TITLE:
Understanding priming in psychology: An overview
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/understanding-priming-in-psychology-an-overview-220990

<p>Priming, a fundamental concept in psychology, refers to the subtle yet powerful influence that exposure to one stimulus has on a person’s response to another stimulus. It’s a process where the activation of certain associations can predispose an individual’s perception, memory, or response. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in how we interpret and interact with the world around us.</p>
<p><strong>Definition of Priming</strong></p>
<p>Priming occurs when an individual’s exposure to a specific stimulus influences their response to a subsequent stimulus, without their conscious awareness. This effect can impact various cognitive processes, such as memory, perception, and decision-making.</p>
<p>The concept of priming was first rose to prominence into the field of psychology in the 1970s. This introduction is largely credited to psychologists who were exploring the structures and processes underlying human memory. One of the key figures in this research was Saul Sternberg, who conducted influential studies on memory and information processing.</p>
<p>The early studies on priming often focused on how exposure to one word could influence the processing of another word, thus laying the groundwork for the extensive research on semantic and associative priming that followed. These studies were part of a broader shift in psychology at the time towards understanding cognitive processes, moving away from the behaviorist focus that had dominated the field for the first half of the 20th century.</p>
<p><strong>Types of Priming</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Perceptual Priming:</strong> This type of priming is based on the form or structure of a stimulus. For example, seeing the word ‘cat’ can make it quicker for someone to recognize a subsequent word like ‘dog’ due to their similarity in structure and meaning.</li>
<li><strong>Semantic Priming:</strong> Semantic priming involves the use of words or concepts that are logically or meaningfully related. For instance, the word ‘butter’ might prime thoughts related to ‘bread’.</li>
<li><strong>Associative Priming:</strong> This occurs when two ideas or concepts are linked, even if they are not logically connected. For example, ‘sun’ might prime for ‘moon’ due to their frequent association in language and thought.</li>
<li><strong>Repetition Priming:</strong> This involves the repeated presentation of a stimulus, which enhances the ability to process or recognize it more quickly in the future. For instance, reading a word multiple times can make it easier to recall or recognize it later.</li>
<li><strong>Negative Priming:</strong> A unique form, negative priming refers to the slower response or interference in processing a stimulus due to a previously ignored or rejected stimulus. For example, if a person is asked to ignore red objects, they might be slower to recognize a red object presented later.</li>
<li><strong>Conceptual Priming:</strong> This priming occurs when the enhancement or inhibition of processing is due to the meaning of a stimulus rather than its physical form. It’s often seen in tasks involving categorization or thematic relationships.</li>
<li><strong>Masked Priming:</strong> A method often used in research, masked priming involves presenting a stimulus subliminally, typically for a very short duration, followed by a masking stimulus. The initial stimulus primes the response to a later stimulus without the individual’s conscious awareness.</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Applications and Implications</strong></p>
<p>Priming has wide-ranging applications, from understanding cognitive processes in psychology to practical uses in marketing, design, and even legal settings. For example, advertisers often use priming to influence consumer attitudes and behaviors. In therapy, priming can be used to help clients access certain memories or emotions.</p>
<p>However, the concept of priming also raises questions about the extent to which our thoughts and actions are under conscious control. The subtle and often unconscious nature of priming effects suggests that much of our cognitive processing occurs without our awareness.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 02:00PM
.
TITLE:
Instagram’s content warning screens may increase anxiety, study finds
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/instagrams-content-warning-screens-may-increase-anxiety-study-finds-220986

<p>Published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2023.2258574"><em>Cognition and Emotion</em></a>, a new study provides evidence that Instagram&#8217;s method of shielding users from potentially distressing content, using sensitive-content screens, might be counterproductive. In fact, the research suggests that these warning screens, intended as a protective measure, actually increase users&#8217; anticipatory anxiety — and do not lessen the emotional impact when the hidden content is viewed.</p>
<p>The study delves into the world of online content consumption, particularly focusing on how Instagram&#8217;s sensitive-content screens — which essentially consist of a blur filter over potentially upsetting images with a warning message — impact users&#8217; emotional states. Prior research has shown that such content warnings are commonplace on social media platforms with the assumption that they help users avoid distress caused by negative content. The practice, rooted in the idea of trigger warnings, was thought to give users a sense of control against potential emotional disturbance. However, the new study challenges this assumption — indicating that these measures may have unintended psychological effects.</p>
<p>Researchers at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia completed the present study in order to close the gap in empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of sensitive-content screens. With the increasing prevalence of potentially distressing content on social media, understanding the actual impact of these screens on users&#8217; emotional well-being became a pertinent concern. The main goal? To determine if these screens genuinely mitigated negative emotions — or, conversely, contributed to increased anxiety and negative affect.</p>
<p>The methodology was comprehensive, involving three distinct but interconnected studies following hundreds of participants who were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. In the first study, participants viewed a mix of positive, neutral, and negative images, with the latter category being initially hidden behind sensitive-content screens that they could choose to uncover.</p>
<p>The second study presented these participants with images obscured either by typical sensitive-content screens or a neutral grey mask, without the option to uncover. The third and final study exposed participants to negative images, some preceded by sensitive-content screens and others presented without any warning. This multi-study approach allowed the researchers to isolate the effects of the screens themselves from the actual content, and examine the role of user choice in viewing the screened content.</p>
<p>In the first study, participants who chose to uncover more images experienced increased anxiety and negative emotions, indicating a possible cumulative effect. The second study revealed that even exposure to the screens alone (without the distressing content, heightened negative emotions). The third study found that whether or not an image was preceded by a warning screen did not significantly alter the emotional impact of viewing negative content.</p>
<p>In essence, these screens failed to provide any emotional benefit while contributing to heightened anxiety and negative feelings.</p>
<p>However, in order to view the study objectively, noting possible limitations is important — one being the study predominantly involved general Instagram users, not focusing on individuals with specific mental health vulnerabilities, who might react differently to such content. Additionally, the experimental setup in the latter two studies removed participants&#8217; control over viewing the content, which might not reflect real-world social media interactions accurately. This, and the pre-to-post task assessment method used in the studies may not have captured the momentary fluctuations in emotional responses that can occur in real-time social media browsing.</p>
<p>Overall, while these screens are designed to safeguard users&#8217; emotional well-being, the research suggests they might be doing more harm than good. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, this study highlights the need for social media platforms to reevaluate and innovate their content warning strategies — and ensure they align more effectively with the mental health needs of their user base.</p>
<div id="S005" class="NLM_sec NLM_sec_level_1">
<p class="last">&#8220;In sum, our findings across three studies suggest exposure to sensitive-content screens alone, as well as in combination with potentially distressing content, leads to an increased anxious and negative affect state,&#8221; the researchers concluded. &#8220;However, the presence of screens, and any reactions they produce, does not offset any emotional burden resulting from viewing negative content. Social media platforms should look beyond sensitive-content screens to protect people’s well-being in the face of potentially distressing content.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Melanie Takarangi, Victoria Bridgland, and Erin Simister at Flinders University authored this study, titled “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02699931.2023.2258574">A nervous wait: Instagram’s sensitive-content screens cause anticipatory anxiety but do not mitigate reactions to negative content</a>”.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 12:00PM
.
TITLE:
People living in urban areas tend to be a bit more open to experience, but less conscientious
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/people-living-in-urban-areas-tend-to-be-a-bit-more-open-to-experience-but-less-conscientious-220983

<p>A study in the United States explored the relationship between personality traits and the landscape characteristics of a person&#8217;s living area. The results indicated that individuals in urban areas tend to be slightly more open to new experiences and somewhat less conscientious. In contrast, coastal area residents often exhibit slightly higher levels of neuroticism and openness, but lower levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Meanwhile, those living in cultivated areas (e.g. farmland) appeared slightly more conservative. However, it&#8217;s important to note that these associations were small in magnitude. The paper was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12822"><em>Journal of Personality</em></a>.</p>
<p>The diversity of human habitats is remarkable. Many people reside in densely populated urban environments characterized by multi-story and high-rise buildings, while others live in suburban neighborhoods dominated by single-family homes and ground-level buildings. Some reside in rural or sparsely populated areas, where houses can be far apart. Additionally, while some individuals live near large bodies of water in coastal areas, others are situated inland, often far from any significant water bodies. People inhabit regions that vary widely in temperature and infrastructure, from extremely cold to very hot, and from densely to sparsely populated.</p>
<p>While people cannot choose the area where they will be born and have little influence on what their place of residence will be while they are children, most adults are able to move and change their place of residence if they wish. To explain changes in the place of residence, scientists have formulated the selective migration hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that people will tend to selectively move to regions that satisfy their needs. In time, this process would create regional clusters of individuals with similar psychological characteristics. Scientific research suggests that psychological characteristics of residents of different geographical areas are not uniform, supporting this hypothesis.</p>
<p>Study authors Ioana E. Militaru and her colleagues proposed that the composition of the landscape i.e., whether it primarily consists of forests, grasslands, wetland, or artificial surfaces, may also contribute to the spatial variation in personality. They conducted a study to assess whether landscape characteristics are associated with personality traits of people that live there.</p>
<p>The researchers used personality trait data collected from almost 4 million U.S. participants. These data were collected between 2002 and 2015 in the scope of the Gosling-Potter Internet Personality Project (GPIPP). This project features a website that offers users feedback on several measures, including personality inventories.</p>
<p>The personality measure used in this study was based on the Big Five personality model. This model proposes the existence of five personality traits representing broad features of human personality &#8211; openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.</p>
<p><em>Openness to experience</em> involves characteristics like imagination, insight, and a broad range of interests. <em>Conscientiousness</em> implies high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-directed behaviors, often manifesting as a tendency to be organized and mindful of details. <em>Extraversion</em> is characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness. Individuals with pronounced agreeableness are characterized by attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and general proneness to prosocial behaviors. <em>Neuroticism</em> involves moodiness, sadness, and emotional instability, often associated with a tendency towards anxiety, worry, and jealousy.</p>
<p>The authors matched participants&#8217; survey responses with land cover data from their ZIP codes, encompassing 32,657 U.S. ZIP codes in total. The land cover information was derived from satellite imagery. They categorized landscapes into 11 types, including cultivated land, forests, grasslands, shrubs, wetlands, water bodies, tundra, artificial surfaces, bare land, glaciers, and oceans.</p>
<p>Results showed that artificial surfaces and cultivated land had the strongest associations with personality. Individuals with more pronounced openness to experience tended to live more frequently in areas dominated by artificial surfaces. Such individuals were also more often found living near oceans and water bodies, as well as in areas with higher average temperature. On the other hand, individuals living in wetlands or on cultivated land tended to be a bit lower on this trait.</p>
<p>People living on artificial surfaces tended to be a bit less conscientious, while this trait was a bit more pronounced in individuals living in wetlands. Extraverted individuals were a bit less frequent in areas dominated by artificial surfaces and shrub, but a bit more frequent near water bodies and cultivated land. Individuals living in wetlands tended to be somewhat more agreeable, while this trait tended to be lower in residents of areas dominated by artificial surfaces, shrub, and oceans. Residents of wetlands and artificial surfaces tended to be a bit lower on neuroticism.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>“Taken together, our results suggest that landscape categories that incur more human interventions such as cultivated land and artificial surface are significantly associated with human personality,&#8221; the study authors concluded. &#8220;The relationships between personality traits and landscapes that provide the backdrop for human activity to a lesser extent, such as grassland, wetland, water bodies and oceans, are less stable across analytic approaches. Lastly, personality traits do not appear to be significantly associated with landscapes that are freer from human interference, such as forests, bare lands, shrub, or glaciers and permanent snow.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between human personality and characteristics of landscapes people live in. However, it should be noted that all of the reported associations are almost zero and only detectable because the number of participants was so extremely large. Residents of all these different types of areas likely have a full range of personality trait levels. While the reported associations likely do exist in the population, their magnitude is negligible for most practical purposes.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12822">The lay of the land: Associations between environmental features and personality</a>”, was authored by Ioana E. Militaru, Gregory Serapio-Garcia, Tobias Ebert, Wenyuan Kong, Samuel D. Gosling, Jeff Potter, Peter J. Rentfrow, and Friedrich M Götz.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 10:00AM
.
TITLE:
Action video gamers show superior complex attention and spatial memory skills, study finds
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/action-video-gamers-show-superior-complex-attention-and-spatial-memory-skills-study-finds-220979

<p>Habitual action video game players tend to exhibit superior spatial working memory and complex attention abilities compared to non-gaming individuals, though they don&#8217;t necessarily excel in simple attention tasks, according to new research published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12692"><i>British Journal of Psychology</i></a>.</p>
<p>The digital age has seen a meteoric rise in video gaming, not just as a form of entertainment but as a lifestyle and professional pursuit. This surge has prompted scientists to investigate the cognitive impacts of extensive gaming. Previous research has suggested that action video gaming could enhance various cognitive abilities, including attention and memory skills. However, questions remained about whether these skills translate to a higher tolerance for cognitive fatigue &#8211; a state of reduced mental alertness and performance following intensive cognitive activity.</p>
<p>&#8220;Through the work out of our lab and that of others, we are fairly confident regarding the cognitive demands that competitive video games place on players and the cognitive advantage habitual action video gamers seem to have over their non-gaming peers,&#8221; said study author Adam Toth (<a href="https://twitter.com/AToth_88">@AToth_88</a>), an associate professor of neuroscience and biomechanics at the University of Limerick and program manager of the <a href="https://lero.ie/lero-esport-science-research-lab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lero Esports Science Research Lab</a>. &#8220;Given that prolonged sustained task engagement is common during video-game play, we wondered if gamers also might demonstrate an advantage when engaging a sustained cognitive task that has previously shown to be cognitively fatiguing.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study involved 88 young adults, aged 18 to 35, who were free from neurological or color vision disorders. They were recruited from the local university and gaming communities. The participants were divided into two groups: 44 habitual action video game players and 44 non-gamers. The gamers were identified based on their weekly hours spent playing action video games, competitive ranking, and gaming frequency over the past year. In contrast, the non-gamers reported minimal video gaming activity.</p>
<p>Each group was further split, with half undergoing a cognitive fatigue intervention and the other half in a rest control condition. The cognitive abilities of the participants were tested using three tasks: the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), which measures sustained attention; the Number-Letter Task, assessing task switching and working memory; and the Groton Maze Task, a test of spatial working memory.</p>
<p>The cognitive fatigue intervention involved a 45-minute Stroop task, a challenging cognitive test designed to induce fatigue. The control group watched a 45-minute documentary instead. To measure cognitive fatigue and engagement, subjective self-reports and pupillometry, a method that tracks pupil dilation as an indicator of cognitive load, were used.</p>
<p>The findings were intriguing. At the baseline, gamers demonstrated significantly faster responses in the Number-Letter Task and the Groton Maze Task, indicating better complex attention and spatial working memory. These results suggest that habitual engagement with action video games could be linked to enhanced abilities in managing complex tasks and spatial memory.</p>
<p>However, the study also throws a curveball. Contrary to what some might expect, the research found no significant difference between gamers and non-gamers in the Psychomotor Vigilance Task. This challenges the commonly held belief that gamers have superior attention skills across the board.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think some may be surprised to see that simple reaction times were not different between our video gamer and non-gamer samples,&#8221; Toth told PsyPost. &#8220;This suggests that the speed advantage that gamers appear to have may be more task-related than previously thought. This would call into question the veracity of the notion by some that esports players must retire in their early 20’s due to reductions in reaction time.&#8221;</p>
<p>Post-intervention, the study found no significant differences in cognitive performance between the groups, suggesting that the induced cognitive fatigue did not substantially affect either group. This finding is quite unexpected, as it indicates that cognitive fatigue, as induced in this study, doesn’t significantly impair subsequent cognitive performance in these tasks for either group.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Overall, the findings provide evidence &#8220;that video gaming continues to show benefits to cognitive functioning but that gamers do not have any superior resistance to cognitive fatigue and thus should be acutely aware of the effects that long bouts of gameplay can have on their overall performance as a result of cognitive fatigue,&#8221; Toth explained.</p>
<p>The study, while insightful, is not without limitations. One key limitation is the lack of control for participants&#8217; involvement in traditional sports, which could potentially influence the results, particularly in the simple attention task. Furthermore, the study&#8217;s findings are correlational, meaning they do not establish a causal relationship between action video gaming and enhanced cognitive abilities.</p>
<p>Future research directions suggested by the study include establishing a causal link between playing different types of action video games and improved cognitive abilities. Additionally, the researchers propose exploring more naturalistic methods of inducing cognitive fatigue, including through video gaming itself, to better understand its effects on gamers and non-gamers alike.</p>
<p>&#8220;Cognitive fatigue is a very complex topic and may be task dependent itself,&#8221; Toth said. &#8220;Future work should look to examine if and how cognitive fatigue manifests during actual video game play across a myriad of esport genres.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjop.12692">Comparing the cognitive performance of action video game players and age-matched controls following a cognitively fatiguing task: A stage 2 registered report</a>&#8220;, was authored by Mark J. Campbell, Sarah C. Cregan, John M. Joyce, Magdalena Kowal and Adam J. Toth.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette provide evidence for evolutionary theories of partner selection
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/the-bachelor-and-the-bachelorette-provide-evidence-for-evolutionary-theories-of-partner-selection-220977

<p>A recent study reported that more relationships were established in <em>The Bachelorette</em>, when women were choosing partners, providing evidence for evolutionary theories of partner selection that suggest committed relationships are more likely to emerge when women control the selection process. This research was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219915"><em>Frontiers in Psychology</em></a>.</p>
<p>Human sexuality is a crucial aspect of human survival and its implications extend beyond mere biological necessity, reaching domains such as science, art, literature, and entertainment. Television in particular has capitalized on this fascination, creating TV shows such as <em>The Bachelor</em> and <em>The Bachelorette </em>that center their content around human mating behavior.</p>
<p>In these series, a single male or female protagonist is presented with a range of potential mates, and over the course of the season, the protagonist engages with these candidate partners in the form of dates, gradually eliminating contestants until a final marriage proposal is made to the last remaining candidate. It is certainly possible that there are scripted elements in these types of shows (posing a methodological limitation), however, they still lend themselves as platforms for real-world observation of human mating behavior.</p>
<p>In this work, Alexandra Lenhard and colleagues utilized data from <em>The Bachelor</em> and <em>The Bachelorette </em>to determine the effect of age on mate selection preferences in both men and women. They further investigated whether the sex of the person making a choice impacts the development and longevity of committed relationships.</p>
<p>The study gathered data from publicly available sources, primarily Wikipedia, which was further supplemented by news articles and online resources. Data included details from both shows which were broadcasted in 23 countries between 2002 and 2021; these included the country and year of each season, the number of episodes and selection steps (rose ceremonies), ages and genders of the protagonists and their chosen partners, number of competitors, and duration and status (ongoing or terminated) of the relationships.</p>
<p>The researchers approximated the relationship start date as the broadcast date of the season’s final episode, and acknowledge there may be some inaccuracy due to the time lapse between filming and airing. Relationships that had ended before the airing of the final episode were recorded as having a zero duration. Relationships were further classified into three categories, including zero duration, short-term (that is less than 12 months), and long-term (12 months or more).</p>
<p>After removing cases where no genuine partner search occurred or where the protagonist was already in a committed relationship, the researchers were left with 169 seasons, with 118 seasons featuring male protagonists and 51 seasons featuring female protagonists.</p>
<p>Lenhard and colleagues found that in cases where women were selecting partners, a higher percentage of relationships were established (82%, compared to 68% for men). This percentage was even lower for men’s first choices (at 56%), such that “11 of the male but none of the female protagonists reversed their choice shortly after the show was filmed, leaving the partner they had selected in front of the camera in favor of another candidate.”</p>
<p>This finding suggests a possible distinction in commitment levels when men (vs. women) are making the selection. With regard to relationship longevity, there was no significant difference between relationships initiated by men or women, with average relationship durations of 22.4 months for female protagonists and 16.8 months for male protagonists.</p>
<p>Male protagonists typically chose younger partners, while female protagonists selected for mates closer to their age, with this preference being more pronounced in <em>The Bachelor</em> compared to <em>The Bachelorette</em>. The age of the selected partner increased with the protagonist’s age only in <em>The Bachelorette</em>, demonstrating that bachelors consistently prefer younger women of approximately age 25.5 years, regardless of their age. Women from Oceania and Eastern Europe preferred older partners compared to Western European women.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Overall, this research suggests that more committed relationships emerge when women are in control of the partner selection process, aligning with evolutionary theories of mate selection, perhaps stemming from women’s caution toward relationships or men’s short-term mating orientation. Once committed, relationship duration was not influenced by the selector’s sex, hinting at similar competencies in long-term mate selection across genders.</p>
<p>This study further provides support for evolutionary patterns in age preferences, with men consistently opting for younger partners. Importantly, despite the possibility of an orchestrated setting, these findings reveal deeply embedded and persistent evolutionary mating patterns.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1219915">When biology takes over: TV formats like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette confirm evolutionary theories of partner selection</a>”, was authored by Alexandra Lenhard, Marie-Pierre Minten, and Wolfgang Lenhard.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 24, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
How Long Does It Really Take to Form a Habit?
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-form-a-habit/

<p>There&rsquo;s a myth that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Experts explain why it might take some people longer&mdash;or shorter</p>
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