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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 08, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
Fascinating study reveals how Trump’s moral rhetoric diverges from common Republican language
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/fascinating-study-reveals-how-trumps-moral-rhetoric-diverges-from-common-republican-language-220582

<p>In a recent study published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad189" rel="noopener" target="_blank">PNAS Nexus</a></em>, researchers uncovered a stark divide in the moral language used by U.S. political candidates during the 2016 and 2020 presidential primaries. The findings also shed light on a notable divergence in Donald Trump&#8217;s use of fairness language in 2016 compared to typical Republican rhetoric, setting him apart from other candidates in his party.</p>
<p>Historically, effective use of moral language – focusing on notions of right and wrong – has been a powerful tool in political persuasion and advocacy, as observed by Aristotle. In recent political eras, characterized by heightened moral and emotional discourse, this form of rhetoric has become increasingly prevalent.</p>
<p>However, there remained a significant gap in understanding precisely how this moral rhetoric shapes the electoral landscape. The researchers were particularly interested in whether the use of different moral values in rhetoric by opposing political candidates entrenched voters in their existing views, thereby exacerbating political polarization, a key concern in contemporary politics.</p>
<p>To explore these questions, the researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of tweets published by presidential candidates during the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential primaries. This period was chosen for its rich and diverse political discourse, providing ample data for analysis.</p>
<p>The study involved collecting 139,412 tweets from 39 campaigns, including 24 Democratic and 15 Republican, through Twitter&#8217;s Academic application programming interfaces, a platform for querying Twitter data. The researchers focused on candidates who participated in at least two official primary debates, ensuring that the rhetoric analyzed was from significant political figures.</p>
<p>The tweets were cleaned of any non-textual elements like emojis and hashtags, and standard language processing techniques were applied to them. The researchers used a tool called the Moral Foundations Dictionary (MFD) 2.0 to identify and categorize moral language. This dictionary categorizes words into five moral foundations: care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and sanctity. It helped in quantifying the use of moral language by different candidates.</p>
<p>Using this dictionary, the team constructed two types of networks. One network connected candidates by the mutual use of moral words, while the other compared the similarity in moral language use between candidates. These analyses allowed the researchers to map out how candidates&#8217; moral word choices positioned them in the rhetorical landscape of their political community.</p>
<p>&#8220;To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to combine natural language processing and network analysis to map the dynamics of moral rhetoric in online discourse,&#8221; the researchers wrote.</p>
<p>There was a clear divergence in the moral language used by Democratic and Republican candidates. Democrats tended to focus more on language related to care and fairness, while Republicans leaned more towards loyalty, authority, and sanctity. This trend was consistent across both election cycles, suggesting entrenched moral-rhetorical norms within each party.</p>
<p>Additionally, within each party, candidates used their favored moral foundations in highly similar ways, indicating a strong sense of unity in moral rhetoric. For example, Democratic candidates consistently used similar language when talking about care and fairness, a pattern also observed among Republicans with loyalty and authority.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>In a key discovery, the researchers also identified instances where candidates deviated from their party’s typical moral rhetoric and used language more commonly associated with the opposing party. For example, Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican primary used a significantly larger amount of fairness language compared to other Republican candidates. This was an unusual strategy within the Republican field.</p>
<p>However, Trump&#8217;s use of fairness language did not align him closer to Democratic candidates, who typically emphasize this moral foundation. Instead, it seemed to create a unique rhetorical space for him. He deviated from both Republican and Democratic norms by using fairness language in a way that was distinct to his campaign, setting him apart within the political discourse. For example, while Trump employed fairness language such as &#8220;biased,&#8221; &#8220;dishonest,&#8221; and &#8220;unfair,&#8221; Democrats employed fairness language such as &#8220;rights,&#8221; &#8220;justice,&#8221; and &#8220;equality.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Donald Trump’s status as a political outsider in 2016 corresponded with meaningful differences in his moral-rhetorical style vis-à-vis other candidates, making him a moral-rhetorical outsider as well. His unique use of negatively valanced fairness language pushed him far to the periphery of moral-rhetorical space, away from his own party and the opposition,&#8221; the researchers wrote.</p>
<p>Additionally, the study highlighted the strategic use of moral language. For example, Democrats Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg managed to use language associated with Republican values while maintaining central positions in the Democratic rhetorical network. This was achieved by balancing their use of these moral foundations with typical Democratic moral language.</p>
<p>For instance, Biden&#8217;s framing of the 2020 election as a &#8220;battle for the soul of the nation&#8221; invoked the sanctity foundation, while still resonating with Democratic values. Similarly, Buttigieg’s emphasis on creating a sense of &#8220;belonging&#8221; tapped into the loyalty foundation in a manner that was still palatable to Democratic voters. This nuanced use of moral language allowed them to maintain central positions within the Democratic rhetorical space.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/2/6/pgad189/7192494" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mapping moral language on US presidential primary campaigns reveals rhetorical networks of political division and unity</a>&#8220;, was authored by Kobi Hackenburg, William J. Brady, and Manos Tsakiris.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 09:47AM
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TITLE:
Anorexia Nervosa Linked to Being an Early Riser
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176470&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104121825.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>New research indicates that the eating disorder anorexia nervosa is associated with being an early riser, unlike many other disorders that tend to be evening-based, such as depression, binge eating disorder, and schizophrenia. The study, published in JAMA Network Open and led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital, also revealed a link between anorexia nervosa and insomnia risk.</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 07, 2024 at 09:47AM
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TITLE:
Major Christian Denominations Fracturing Over Same-Sex Unions
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176476&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-01-07/how-to-deal-with-same-sex-unions-its-a-question-fracturing-major-christian-denominations

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Catholics around the world are sharply divided by the Vatican's permission to bless same-sex couples. Supporters of LGBTQ inclusion welcome the move, whereas some conservative bishops assail the new policy as a betrayal of the church doctrine. This debate coincides with debates in two other major Christian denominations&mdash;the global Anglican Communion and the United Methodist Church&mdash;that are also fracturing over differences in LGBTQ-related...</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 07, 2024 at 09:47AM
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TITLE:
Anti-Racists Slam Blackface Use in Spain's Epiphany Parades
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176472&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-01-06/anti-racists-slam-blackface-use-in-spains-epiphany-parades

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>Anti-racism activists in Spain have called for a ban on the use of blackface seen in many of the country's Epiphany celebrations. In parades, actors portraying the kings, or Magi, often appear in blackface because early Christian texts describe one of the kings, Balthazar, as African, and Renaissance paintings often depict him as Black. A 2021 government study found that 60% of people of African descent in Spain did not feel Spanish due to...</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 07, 2024 at 05:00PM
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TITLE:
Social media use linked to inflammation levels, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/social-media-use-linked-to-inflammation-levels-study-finds-220550

<p>In a newly published study from the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2023.05.010"><em>Brain, Behavior, and Immunity</em></a>, researchers have uncovered a surprising connection: Individuals with higher levels of inflammation, as evidenced by a marker known as C-reactive protein, tend to use social media more frequently.</p>
<p>Historically, inflammation has been linked to numerous health conditions, ranging from heart disease to rheumatoid arthritis. On a psychological level, prior research has suggested that systemic inflammation might influence behavior — particularly social affiliations, which makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint. When our ancestors faced infections, they might have been compelled to seek out social connections to increase their chances of survival. However, in today&#8217;s digitized world, social media platforms serve as a significant outlet for these affiliations.</p>
<p>For researchers David Lee, Tao Jiang, Jennifer Crocker, and Baldwin Way the relationship between inflammation and our modern-day social interactions held more to unpack. Drawing on recent evidence, the present research posited that higher inflammation levels might be associated with increased social media usage. This is based on the theory that inflammation can enhance motivations to seek out social connections — in a modern context, this is done namely through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.</p>
<p>To investigate this theory, the researchers conducted three studies with a combined total of 524 undergraduate students from three different Canadian universities. These students provided blood samples to measure C-reactive protein levels, an established indicator of systemic inflammation. They also filled out questionnaires about their social media habits, capturing details such as the frequency, type, and duration of their usage. This approach allowed the scientists to gauge if there was a direct link between inflammation markers and online social behavior.</p>
<p>Even after adjusting for potential confounding variables such as gender, personality traits, and depressive symptoms, a clear pattern emerged: students with higher C-reactive protein levels reported more frequent and prolonged social media use. In other words, participants with more inflammation were seemingly drawn more towards social media, perhaps as a modern-day method to fulfill their intrinsic social affiliation needs.</p>
<p>“The present study found that systemic inflammation is associated with more social media use among middle-aged adults and college students,” the researchers stated. “The study of inflammation and social behaviors on social media presents an intriguing opportunity to understand the social effects of inflammation in daily life.”</p>
<p>These findings shed light on a previously unrecognized link between our physiological state and our digital behaviors. The present research highlights a potential biopsychosocial antecedent to social media use. As we continue to understand the factors that influence our online habits, the role of internal biological cues might become an increasingly important area of study.</p>
<p>Like all research, this study must be viewed with an objective lens by acknowledging limitations. While the relationship between inflammation and social media use was identified, the study was correlational and does not necessarily prove that inflammation directly causes increased social media usage. Additionally, the research combined results from three individual studies, each with its own unique methodology and sample. This raises challenges in making direct comparisons. The study also broadly measured social media use, without diving into specific behaviors on individual platforms which might offer more nuanced insights.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889159123001289">Can inflammation predict social media use? Linking a biological marker of systemic inflammation with social media use among college students and middle-aged adults</a>&#8220;, was authored by David Lee from the University of Buffalo, as well as Tao Jiang from Northwestern University and Jennifer Crocker and Baldwin Way from Ohio State University.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 03:00PM
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TITLE:
Meditation shows promising results for enhancing awareness, connection, and insight in older adults
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/meditation-shows-promising-results-for-enhancing-awareness-connection-and-insight-in-older-adults-220535

<p>New research published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294753" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PLOS One</a></em> suggests that meditation may enhance certain aspects of psychological well-being in older adults. The study, which is the longest randomized meditation trial to date, suggests that specific meditation practices can improve awareness and insight, although the impact on overall psychological well-being is more nuanced.</p>
<p>The study stemmed from a growing awareness of the challenges faced by an ageing population in today’s rapidly evolving society. Researchers were particularly interested in exploring non-pharmacological methods to enhance mental health among older adults. This interest was fueled by the increasing complexity of societal challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements, which have imposed unique pressures on this demographic.</p>
<p>The study aimed to examine whether meditation could be a viable approach to support the psychological well-being of older individuals, who are often more vulnerable to mental health issues due to various age-related changes and societal factors.</p>
<p>&#8220;As the global population ages, it is increasingly crucial to understand how we can support older adults in maintaining and deepening their psychological wellbeing. In our study, we tested whether long-term meditation training can enhance important dimensions of wellbeing,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://www.marcoschlosser.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marco Schlosser</a>, a research fellow at the Division of Psychiatry at University College London.</p>
<p>Conducted by the European Union&#8217;s Horizon 2020-funded Medit-Ageing (Silver Santé Study) research group, the study 137 healthy French-speaking individuals aged 65 to 84. The participants were divided into three groups: a meditation group, an English language training group (serving as an active comparison), and a no-intervention control group.</p>
<p>The meditation group underwent an 18-month program consisting of weekly group sessions, daily home practice, and a retreat day. The program included a nine-month mindfulness module followed by a nine-month loving-kindness and compassion module. Similarly, the English language training group received instruction matching the format and duration of the meditation training but focused on improving language skills.</p>
<p>The researchers used several measures to evaluate the impact of these interventions. The Psychological Well-being Scale was employed to assess six dimensions of well-being: self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth. Additionally, the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life psychological subscale was used to gauge aspects like positive feelings, self-esteem, and the absence of negative feelings. To specifically measure the effects of meditation, the researchers developed composite scores based on meditation-based well-being dimensions of awareness, connection, and insight.</p>
<p>The findings revealed a complex picture. Meditation training outperformed the English training and no-intervention groups in terms of meditation-specific well-being dimensions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Awareness describes an undistracted and intimate attentiveness to one&#8217;s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which can support a sense of calm and deep satisfaction,&#8221; Schlosser explained. &#8220;Connection captures feelings such as respect, gratitude, and kinship that can support more positive relationships with others. Insight refers to a self-knowledge and understanding of how thoughts and feelings participate in shaping our perception – and how to transform unhelpful patterns of thought relating to ourselves and the world.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, there were no significant changes observed in the overall Psychological Well-being Scale scores across the three groups.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;The benefits of meditation training to an established measure of psychological quality of life were not superior to English language training, while neither intervention significantly impacted another widely used measure of psychological wellbeing,&#8221; Schlosser told PsyPost. &#8220;This may be because these two established measures do not cover the qualities and depth of human flourishing that can potentially be cultivated by longer-term meditation training, so benefits to awareness, connection and insight are missed.&#8221;</p>
<p>One of the intriguing aspects of the study was the differential impact of the two meditation modules. The initial 9-month mindfulness module did not significantly increase any meditation-based well-being dimensions. In contrast, the subsequent loving-kindness and compassion module led to significant improvements. This suggests that the type of meditation practice and its duration can have varying impacts on psychological health.</p>
<p>The study, however, had its limitations. The participant group was relatively homogeneous, mostly comprising well-educated, healthy individuals from a specific geographic location, which may limit the applicability of the findings to a broader population. The reliance on self-reported data could also introduce biases. Additionally, the study did not include follow-up data to assess long-term effects post-intervention.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0294753" target="_blank" rel="noopener">An 18-month meditation training selectively improves psychological well-being in older adults: A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial</a>&#8220;, was authored by Marco Schlosser, Olga M. Klimecki, Fabienne Collette, Julie Gonneaud, Matthias Kliegel, Natalie L. Marchant, Gaël Chételat, Antoine Lutz, and the Medit-Ageing Research Group.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 01:00PM
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TITLE:
Gray matter thickness may be reduced in specific brain areas after SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/gray-matter-thickness-may-be-reduced-in-specific-brain-areas-after-sars-cov-2-omicron-infection-220548

<p>A neuroimaging study conducted in China on men who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron virus infection revealed a reduction in gray matter thickness in the left precuneus and right lateral occipital regions of the brain. Furthermore, the ratio of the right hippocampus volume to the intracranial volume diminished following the Omicron infection. These alterations correlated with changes in specific psychological characteristics. These changes were associated with changes in certain psychological characteristics. The study was published in <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.45626"><em>JAMA Network Open</em></a>.</p>
<p>The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, a mutation of the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19, was first identified in November 2021. It is distinguished by a significant number of mutations, especially in the spike protein which binds to human cells. These mutations have raised concerns regarding its increased transmissibility, potential resistance to vaccines, and alterations in the severity of the disease compared to earlier virus strains.</p>
<p>Research on infections caused by various coronavirus variants, including Omicron, suggests that they often result in persistent symptoms. These symptoms, which can last over 90 days post-recovery, may include dizziness, headaches, disturbances in smell and taste, as well as neuropsychiatric issues like sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, and cognitive function decline. Moreover, during the acute phase of the infection, many individuals experience neurological symptoms leading to potential brain neural tissue damage.</p>
<p>Study author Yanyao Du and his colleagues wanted to investigate the changes to gray matter and volumes of specific neural structures in the brains of male patients after a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection. Gray matter is a key component of the central nervous system, found in the brain and spinal cord, distinguished by its darker color compared to white matter due to its high density of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons. The researchers were also interested in identifying links between these neural changes and various psychological symptoms of these individuals.</p>
<p>The study involved 61 men with pre-existing functional magnetic resonance imaging scan data before contracting the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron virus. These men had undergone neuroimaging as part of a health screening in August-September 2022 and were later infected with the Omicron variant in January 2023. They revisited the clinic for additional magnetic resonance imaging during the infection period and completed psychological assessments, with 17 participating in follow-up assessments in April 2023. The average age of the participants was 43 years.</p>
<p>After the first and second neuroimaging examinations, the participants completed assessments for depression (Beck Depression Inventory), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory), sleep problems (Insomnia Severity Index), and emotional self-efficacy (Regulatory Self-Efficacy Scale). After the second neuroimaging, they underwent five different cognitive tests and reported their clinical symptoms. Three months post-infection, they reported their clinical symptoms again.</p>
<p>Results showed that one aspect of emotional self-efficacy – despondency-distress was lower after the infection, while the severity of anxiety symptoms increased. Despondency-distress refers to a state of extreme sadness and emotional suffering. The most frequent symptoms reported during the infection were fever, slowed reaction speed, cough, and shortness of breath. Participants also reported decreased appetite.</p>
<p>Compared to pre-infection conditions, there was a decrease in gray matter thickness in the left precuneus and right lateral occipital regions of the brain post Omicron infection. Additionally, the ratio of the right hippocampus volume to the total brain volume also decreased. Participants who experienced high temperatures during the infection showed a reduction in grooves in the right inferior parietal region compared to those who did not.</p>
<p>The thickness of gray matter in the left precuneus region of the brain tended to be lower in individuals with more severe anxiety symptoms. The ratio of the right hippocampus to the total volume of the brain was higher in individuals who scored better on one of the cognitive tests (the Word Fluency Test).</p>
<p>“In this cohort study of 61 male patients with Omicron infection, the gray matter thickness in the left precuneus and right lateral occipital region and the ratio of the right hippocampus volume to the total intracranial volume were significantly reduced in the acute phase [of the infection]. Gray matter thickness and subcortical nuclear volume injury were significantly associated with anxiety and cognitive function,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study makes an important contribution to the scientific understanding of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection on brain health. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, all the participants were men. Results in women might not be the same. Additionally, there was only one follow-up neuroimaging, conducted during the infection.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.45626">Gray Matter Thickness and Subcortical Nuclear Volume in Men After SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection</a>”, was authored by Yanyao Du, Wei Zhao, Sihong Huang, Chuxin Huang, Chang Li, Yanjing Chen, Yijie Huang, Longtao Yang, Cong Li, Huiting Zhang, Hu Guo, and Jun Liu.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 11:00AM
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TITLE:
Men on vegan diets perceived as less masculine, highlighting gender stereotypes in diet choices
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/men-on-vegan-diets-perceived-as-less-masculine-highlighting-gender-stereotypes-in-diet-choices-220537

<p>A recent study uncovered significant gender stereotypes and societal perceptions associated with vegetarian and vegan diets. The study, which comprised both a quantitative survey and qualitative focus groups, reveals that men on vegan diets are often perceived as lacking in masculinity and that both men and women experience various social challenges due to their dietary choices. The findings have been published in the journal <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01420-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sex Roles</a>.</em></p>
<p>Vegetarianism is a dietary practice that typically excludes meat, poultry, and fish. Vegetarians do not consume these animal flesh products but may include other animal-derived products in their diet. Veganism, on the other hand, is more than just a diet; it&#8217;s often considered a lifestyle choice that seeks to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, whether for food, clothing, or any other purpose. In terms of diet, this means vegans avoid all animal products.</p>
<p>The term &#8220;vegn&#8221; has arisen as a shorthand notation used to refer to both vegetarians and vegans. This term is helpful in contexts where the distinction between vegetarianism and veganism isn&#8217;t necessary for the discussion or where the information applies to both groups.</p>
<p>With eating being a social activity, the choices we make about our diet do not exist in a vacuum but are influenced by societal norms and expectations. The study aimed to explore how being vegan or vegetarian is perceived in society, particularly in the context of gender stereotypes and romantic relationships.</p>
<p>&#8220;We were interested in this topic because many theoretical works link meat to masculinity, and we were interested in seeing how much a person&#8217;s perception, especially of men, really depends on what kind of diet they are on. We wanted to translate theoretical considerations into quantitative and qualitative observations on the perception of men on a vegan/vegetarian diet in society,&#8221; said study author Dominika Adamczyk, a researcher at the University of Warsaw.</p>
<p>In the first part of the study, researchers engaged 1,048 Polish residents through an online survey. The sample was representative of the Polish population in terms of sex, age, education, and place of residence. This included a small percentage of participants who identified as vegetarian (3.4%) or vegan (1.3%).</p>
<p>Participants in the study were asked a series of questions to gauge their attitudes towards people on vegetarian and vegan diets. The survey explored perceptions of empathy, sensitivity, physical strength, and the capability for hard work in relation to these diets. Additionally, participants were asked to imagine their romantic partner switching to a vegetarian diet and to describe their reactions to this hypothetical scenario.</p>
<p>A significant portion of the participants believed that a vegetarian diet was unsuitable for men, associating meat-eating with masculinity. Furthermore, the study found that more men than women believed that meat dishes taste better and are healthier. This reflects a broader societal belief that links meat consumption with traditional male characteristics.</p>
<p>In terms of romantic relationships, women were generally more accepting of a partner adopting a vegetarian diet, while men viewed such changes more negatively, potentially fearing changes in their own diets and lifestyle.</p>
<p>The second part of the study took a qualitative approach, involving 36 participants in six focus groups. These groups were segregated by gender and diet type, including vegetarians for ethical reasons, vegetarians for health reasons, and vegans. The participants, all of whom were over 18 and had been following their diet for more than six months, discussed their experiences and perceptions related to their diet.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>This part of the study illuminated the personal experiences of vegetarians and vegans, revealing common stereotypes and social challenges. Participants reported being perceived as trendy or fashionable for their diet choices, sometimes dismissed as merely following a modern fad rather than making a conscious ethical or health choice. This view extends to an association with urban hipsters and left-wing political ideologies, suggesting that a vegn diet is often seen as part of a broader lifestyle or political statement.</p>
<p>A more specific set of stereotypes was identified by male participants. They felt that male vegns are often viewed as physically weak, less masculine, or even gay. Interestingly, some women participants believed there was a degree of truth to these stereotypes. This indicates that female vegns are sometimes influenced by broader societal stereotypes that equate meat-eating with masculinity.</p>
<p>&#8220;What surprised us most was that negative thinking about male vegans (that they are unmanly and weak) is also present among female vegans,&#8221; Adamczyk said. &#8220;The female vegans themselves were surprised that they have such stereotypical thinking, after all, on a rational level they know that a vegan diet is not related to a person&#8217;s masculinity. I think this observation further underscores how strong the connection between meat eating and masculinity is.&#8221;</p>
<p>The attitudes of friends and family towards individuals following a vegn diet was also noted as another social challenge. Participants frequently encountered a lack of understanding and acceptance from their social circles. This ranged from concerns about their health and well-being to outright ridicule or attempts to trick them into eating meat.</p>
<p>Contrary to what might be expected, the participants did not report significant challenges in forming or maintaining romantic relationships due to their diet. Instead, an interesting pattern emerged: while women often initiated a vegn diet independently, men typically became vegn influenced by their female partners.</p>
<p>In relationships where one partner was vegn, it was common for the other partner to gradually adapt their diet, often for practical reasons such as convenience in meal preparation. Men in the study typically reported that their female partners were instrumental in their decision to adopt a veg*n diet, whether through direct influence or by providing information that led them to reconsider their eating habits.</p>
<p>&#8220;The main finding of our study is that eating meat is part of how masculinity is performed,&#8221; Adamczyk said. &#8220;The perceptions of vegan and vegetarian men are associated with negative stereotypes about their lack of masculinity, and vegan men themselves experience exclusion as a result.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;In a situation where it is men who are mainly affected by a fear of failing to conform to traditional gender roles and for whom this can be a barrier to switching to vegetarianism, it is worth being aware of one&#8217;s own beliefs that influence both the perceptions of those on the diets in question and one&#8217;s own food choices.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-023-01420-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gender, Masculinity, and the Perception of Vegetarians and Vegans: A Mixed-Methods Investigation</a>&#8220;, was authored by Dominika Adamczyk, Klaudia Modlińska, Dominika Maison, and Wojciech Pisula.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 09:00AM
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TITLE:
New review suggests that with age, wisdom does not always come
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-review-suggests-that-with-age-wisdom-does-not-always-come-220543

<p>The concept of wisdom, often associated with aging, has been the subject of considerable debate in psychological research. In an overview published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101742"><em>Current Opinion in Psychology</em></a>, Judith Glück discusses how wisdom is related to aging, concluding that wisdom does not always accompany the journey into old age.</p>
<p>Wisdom is a multifaceted construct that encompasses aspects of cognition, personality, and development. Cognitive-focused models view wise thinking as an awareness of uncertainty and the consideration of diverse perspectives. Sternberg’s (2019) <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108568272.009">balance theory</a>, for instance, emphasizes balancing divergent interests and outcomes for a common good. Personality-focused models highlight characteristics like curiosity, questioning one’s beliefs, compassion, and self-transcendence. Developmental models propose that wisdom develops from life experiences, influenced by individual openness, intelligence, creativity, life experience, mentorship, and specific experiential contexts.</p>
<p>Despite the common assumption that wisdom comes with age, empirical evidence is mixed. Cognitive-focused measures like the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.122">Berlin Wisdom Paradigm</a> show a positive relationship between wisdom and age in young adulthood, but a plateau or decline in older age. Other measures find linear positive relationships or U-shaped curves. Personality-focused measures, like the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027503025003004">Three-Dimensional Wisdom Scale</a>, often indicate a negative correlation, particularly in the cognitive dimension. These findings suggest that different components of wisdom have distinct age trajectories.</p>
<p>Wisdom has been shown to be a valuable resource in navigating life challenges across all phases of adulthood, but especially in older age. Wisdom helps in dealing with hardship and serves as a buffer against the negative effects of stressful experiences. Wise individuals generally report greater well-being, but not all people who report high well-being are necessarily wise.</p>
<p>Similar to the limitations facing most psychological research, most wisdom research has recruited Western samples. Importantly, there is a growing body of work exploring wisdom in non-Western contexts. Cultural, social, religious, and socioeconomic factors shape conceptions of wisdom, with some aspects being universal, such as concern for others, and others being more culturally specific.</p>
<p>The relationship between wisdom and age is complex. Individual trajectories of wisdom development vary based on experiences, contexts, and personal and interpersonal resources. Glück suggests that future research focuses on developing wisdom interventions across life phases, studying wisdom in different cultures, and devising ecologically valid measures of wisdom. With the current global challenges humans face, fostering wisdom is crucial.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101742">Wisdom and aging</a>”, was authored by Judith Glück.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 07, 2024 at 07:00AM
.
TITLE:
Autistic adults show unique neural responses to self-images, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/autistic-adults-show-unique-neural-responses-to-self-images-study-finds-220536

<p>In a new study published in <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945223002897" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cortex</a></em>, researchers have discovered that autistic adults exhibit a diminished neural response to their own faces compared to neurotypical adults, suggesting unique differences in self-referential processing. This research, using advanced brain imaging techniques, also indicates that these differences are specific to facial recognition and do not extend to how names are processed.</p>
<p>Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a complex developmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests. People with autism may have difficulty understanding social cues, may engage in repetitive behaviors such as hand-flapping or rocking, and often have intense interests in specific topics.</p>
<p>Past research has consistently shown that humans generally have a strong bias towards processing information related to themselves. This self-bias is believed to be crucial for social interactions and building accurate models of the social environment. Intriguingly, autistic individuals were found in previous studies to show potential differences in this self-referential processing.</p>
<p>Given the importance of faces and names in social interactions and their high relevance to oneself, understanding how these are processed differently in autism could provide key insights into the social challenges faced by autistic individuals.</p>
<p>&#8220;It has been becoming increasingly clear that there are differences in how individuals with autism process self-related information, and this may be linked to their social and communication difficulties,&#8221; explained study author <a href="https://annabelnijhof.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annabel Nijhof</a>, a researcher at Ghent University. &#8220;With a relatively new EEG analysis technique, we could investigate potential brain differences in the response to one’s own name and own face in little more than a minute, between adults with and without autism.&#8221;</p>
<p>To delve into this, researchers recruited a total of 58 adults – 31 with an autism diagnosis and 27 neurotypical individuals. However, due to various reasons such as inability to provide the necessary images for the face task, attention check failures, and technical issues, the final participant count was adjusted to 20 autistic and 24 neurotypical individuals for the face task, and 27 autistic and 25 neurotypical individuals for the name task.</p>
<p>The researchers employed a sophisticated brain imaging technique known as Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation with Electroencephalography (FPVS-EEG). This method involves presenting stimuli – in this case, faces and names – at rapid, periodic frequencies, allowing for the measurement of neural responses with a high degree of accuracy.</p>
<p>Participants were shown images of their own faces, faces of a close acquaintance, and faces of strangers, as well as their own name, the name of a close acquaintance, and unfamiliar names. The key was to measure the participants&#8217; brain responses to these different stimuli and compare the patterns between autistic and neurotypical individuals.</p>
<p>In the task involving face recognition, neurotypical adults exhibited a stronger response to their own face compared to faces of acquaintances and strangers. However, autistic adults showed a reduced specific response to their own face, suggesting a unique difference in self-face recognition. This effect was not observed in the task involving name recognition, where both autistic and neurotypical adults showed similar patterns of neural response, primarily exhibiting familiarity effects (stronger responses to familiar names compared to stranger names).</p>
<p>These results imply that the diminished self-specific neural response in autistic individuals is particularly tied to facial recognition, and not to the processing of self-related information in general. This distinction is crucial as it sheds light on the nuanced ways in which social processing might be different for autistic individuals.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;Adults with autism showed a comparable neural response when seeing their own face and that of someone close to them, whereas adults without autism show stronger responses to seeing their own face (a ‘self-bias’),&#8221; Nijhof told PsyPost. &#8220;Contrarily, neither adults with nor without autism show differences in the neural response to their own or a close other’s name. Thus, there do appear to be self-specific differences in autism, but not across all domains of information processing.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the study is not without its limitations. While the study’s sample size was consistent with similar studies in this field, a more extensive participant base in future research could provide even more robust findings. This research opens the door to further exploration into how autistic individuals process various types of self-related information, which could have significant implications for developing tailored approaches in education and therapy.</p>
<p>It is also possible that the distinct neural response to one&#8217;s own name, compared to other names, might not be immediately apparent but emerge at later stages of cognitive processing. &#8220;Because we wanted to design an experiment that was very quick (it took less than 8 minutes per person to test them on all conditions), we may not have been able to pick up on (differences in) slower, more effortful and in-depth brain responses to seeing your own face or name,&#8221; Nijhof explained.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2023.10.023">Differences in Own-Face but not Own-Name Discrimination between Autistic and Neurotypical Adults: A Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation-EEG Study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Annabel D. Nijhof, Caroline Catmur, Rebecca Brewer, Michel-Pierre Coll, Jan R. Wiersema, and Geoffrey Bird.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 06, 2024 at 03:00PM
.
TITLE:
Microplastics in drinking water affect behavior and immunity in mice, study reveals
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/microplastics-in-drinking-water-affect-behavior-and-immunity-in-mice-study-reveals-220525

<p>A study published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Journal of Molecular Sciences</a></em> has uncovered startling effects of microplastics on mice, revealing significant behavioral changes and immune responses in both young and old subjects. This research expands our understanding of how these environmental pollutants might be affecting mammals — potentially including humans.</p>
<p>Microplastics, tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been a growing concern for environmentalists and health professionals alike. Found in everything from water bodies to human tissues, these particles have become a symbol of modern pollution. Previous studies have primarily focused on the harmful effects of these particles on marine life — shown to cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and decreased cell vitality. However, their impact on mammals, especially on a cognitive and biological level, has remained largely unexplored.</p>
<p>The study, conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Rhode Island, aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge. With microplastics being a constant in the environment and already proven harmful to marine organisms, the team sought to understand if similar detrimental effects could be observed in mammals. They specifically chose to explore how these particles could influence the behavior and immune responses in mice, providing insights that could have wider implications for other mammals, including humans.</p>
<p>To test their hypotheses, the researchers conducted an experiment using female C57BL/6J, or “black 6”, mice, divided into young and old groups of 40 each. These mice were exposed to various concentrations of polystyrene microplastics in their drinking water for three weeks. This method of exposure was selected to closely mimic how humans might encounter these particles in everyday life. The team used a series of behavioral assays, such as open-field and light-dark preference tests, coupled with tissue analyses, to evaluate the impact of microplastics.</p>
<p>Mice exposed to microplastics showed increased movement and rearing activity, particularly more pronounced in older mice. This suggested that the particles had a significant effect on their behavior. Additionally, changes were observed in immune marker expression in the liver and brain. In older mice, these changes were more robust, indicating a stronger immune response. Perhaps most alarmingly, microplastics were detected in various tissues, including the brain — revealing their capability to cross protective barriers like the blood-brain barrier.</p>
<p>In other words, this study showed that mice, after being exposed to tiny plastic particles for a short time, began to act differently, with older mice showing more noticeable changes — hinting at a possible effect on their brain and nervous system. This may suggest that our everyday contact with microplastics might also affect our brain health and immune systems, as humans.</p>
<p>However, the focus on female mice alone in the study may limit the extent to which these findings can be generalized across genders. Also, the study used a specific type of microplastic, which means the results may not apply to all microplastics. Furthermore, the experiment&#8217;s timeframe of three weeks does not reflect the potential long-term exposure humans might experience. Lastly, while the behavioral changes in mice were statistically significant, translating these findings to predict similar effects in humans requires caution due to differences in biology between species.</p>
<p>While the study sheds light on the potential impacts of microplastics on mammalian health, further research is needed to fully understand the extent and nature of these effects, especially in humans.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/15/12308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Acute Exposure to Microplastics Induced Changes in Behavior and Inflammation in Young and Old Mice</a>&#8220;, was authored by Lauren Gaspar, Sydney Bartman, Giuseppe Coppotelli, and Jaime Ross — all from the University of Rhode Island.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 06, 2024 at 01:00PM
.
TITLE:
Children deny that God can change fundamental moral principles, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/children-deny-that-god-can-change-fundamental-moral-principles-study-finds-220522

<p>A study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101393"><em>Cognitive Development</em></a> explored children’s understanding of morality and divine power, delving into how young minds perceive God’s ability to alter moral norms.</p>
<p>Researchers Madeline Reinecke and Larisa Solomon anchored their investigation in four research areas, including the cognitive science of religion, authority independence, intuitive metaethics, and the psychology of possibility.</p>
<p>The cognitive science of religion suggests that children’s views of God and possibility are shaped by religious teachings. As they grow, children learn that God is omnipotent and the source of all moral authority. This learning could lead them to believe that God has the power to change even the fundamental aspects of morality.</p>
<p>However, the concept of authority independence challenges this idea. It posits that despite religious teachings, children might see certain moral norms as unchangeable, even by a supreme being like God. Previous studies have shown that children can differentiate moral norms from religious norms, viewing the former as independent of any authority figure, including God.</p>
<p>Intuitive metaethics deals with people’s innate perceptions about the nature of morality. Studies have shown that both adults and children often view moral propositions as objective truths, rather than subjective opinions. The perception of morality as an objective fact might influence beliefs about the possibility of changing moral norms.</p>
<p>The psychology of possibility examines how people conceptualize possibilities, including those that involve morality. Interestingly, immoral actions are often initially represented as impossible by both children and adults. This intertwinement of morality and possibility could impact their views on the changeability of moral norms.</p>
<p>The present study was conducted online via live Zoom video conferences. A total of 129 children, with an average age of 6.52 years, were recruited. In a within-subjects design, each child responded to six counterbalanced vignettes featuring widely shared morals (i.e., <em>“This person thinks that it is okay to stomp on someone’s foot really hard. This person thinks that it is not okay to stomp on someone’s foot really hard. Which person do you agree with more?”</em>), controversial morals (i.e., <em>“This person thinks that it is okay to steal food to feed someone who is hungry. This person thinks that it is not okay to steal food to feed someone who is hungry. Which person do you agree with more?”</em>), or physical content (i.e., <em>“This person thinks that germs are smaller than people’s houses. This person thinks that germs are bigger than people’s houses. Which person do you agree with more?”</em>).</p>
<p>Children indicated which character in the vignette they agreed with and their certainty about that character’s judgment. They also judged whether God could make the opposite of their choice true, followed by a second certainty judgment. Participants’ responses were then coded to create a continuous measure of their confidence in God’s ability to change or to not change a proposition.</p>
<p>Emerging at age 4, children consistently denied that God could alter fundamental moral norms, such as turning morally wrong actions into morally right ones. This belief persisted across different age groups, indicating that from an early age, children view certain moral norms as unchangeable, even by a supreme being like God. Interestingly, while children’s beliefs about the immutability of moral norms remained stable, their views on physical phenomena shifted with age; older children increasingly believed that God could alter physical realities.</p>
<p>These findings challenge the assumption that religious socialization leads children to believe that an all powerful God would be capable of changing any aspect of reality, including morality. Instead, the study found that even within a cultural context where belief in a higher power is prevalent, children maintained that certain moral principles were beyond even God’s ability to change. This suggests a deeper, perhaps innate, understanding of morality as a domain distinct from other norms, that is resistant to change and rooted in widely shared human consensus.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101393">Children deny that God could change morality</a>”, was authored by Madeline G. Reinecke and Larisa Heiphetz Solomon.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 06, 2024 at 09:00AM
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TITLE:
Autistic job candidates receive better ratings when interviewers are aware of their diagnosis
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/autistic-job-candidates-receive-better-ratings-when-interviewers-are-aware-of-their-diagnosis-220520

<p>A study in the United Kingdom examined how people rated the performance of a candidate in a mock employment interview. Those who were told that the candidate was diagnosed with autism gave the candidate higher ratings compared to those who did not have this information. The study was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231203739"><em>Autism</em></a>.</p>
<p>Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a developmental disorder that negatively affects social interaction, communication, and behavior. It presents a wide range of challenges among those affected. Symptoms of autism usually appear in early childhood. They include difficulties in understanding social cues, repetitive behaviors, and highly focused interests or activities.</p>
<p>The severity and combination of symptoms can vary greatly, with some individuals requiring significant support in their daily lives, while others are able to live independently. In addition to the challenges, individuals with autism may possess unique strengths, such as exceptional memory, detailed observation skills, and expertise in specific areas of interest.</p>
<p>However, due to the unique behavioral characteristics of autistic individuals, they often face significant challenges in securing meaningful employment. In the UK, individuals with autism represent the most underemployed disability group. Studies have shown that navigating interview questions is a key challenge for them. Autistic individuals typically struggle with grasping the implicit expectations of interviewers, and their atypical emotional expressions, eye contact, and gestures can contribute to negative first impressions formed by interviewers.</p>
<p>Study author Jade Eloise Norris and his colleagues wanted to examine whether ratings autistic individuals receive on job interviews might be affected by whether the person rating them is aware of their diagnosis. They conducted a study comparing the ratings given to individuals with autism in mock job interviews under three different conditions: when raters were unaware of the diagnosis, when they were informed of the diagnosis, and when they were both informed of the diagnosis and provided additional information about it.</p>
<p>The study involved three groups of participants. Each group watched videos of mock job interviews featuring a candidate with autism and assessed the candidate&#8217;s performance. In a previous study, 36 participants viewed the videos without knowing the interviewees&#8217; diagnoses. For the current study, the researchers recruited 98 raters: 48 knew about the autism diagnosis, and 50 were both informed of the diagnosis and received additional information about the disorder.</p>
<p>The results showed that raters who were aware of the interviewees’ autism diagnosis gave them higher ratings across all evaluated characteristics compared to those who were unaware. The presence of additional information about autism did not significantly alter the ratings. Raters informed of the interviewees&#8217; autism diagnosis perceived them as more confident, motivated, knowledgeable, conscientious, competent, intelligent, good communicators, likeable, and easier to work with compared to ratings from those unaware of the diagnosis.</p>
<p>&#8220;Results demonstrated that candidates were perceived more favorably when raters were provided with their diagnostic label prior to watching the video, compared to no label. Providing further information about the diagnosis did not additionally improve perceptions over and above provision of the label alone,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the factors of perception of autistic individuals’ traits in job interview settings. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Most notably, data on ratings when raters were not aware of the diagnosis came from a previous study, while ratings in situations when raters were aware of the diagnosis came from this one. It is possible that the observed difference in ratings is at least partly due to some unaccounted procedural difference between studies. Studies applying random assignment into rater groups might not produce equal results.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231203739">Disclosing an autism diagnosis improves ratings of candidate performance in employment interviews</a>”, was authored by Jade Eloise Norris, Rachel Prosser, Anna Remington, Laura Crane, and Katie Maras.</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 06, 2024 at 07:00AM
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TITLE:
Study links certain fatty acids in blood to decreased Alzheimer’s risk
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/study-links-certain-fatty-acids-in-blood-to-decreased-alzheimers-risk-220516

<p>In a significant stride towards understanding Alzheimer&#8217;s disease, researchers have discovered that higher levels of certain fatty acids in the blood are associated with a lower risk of brain changes typical of the disease. This finding, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glad248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Journals of Gerontology: Series A</a></em>, could pave the way for more effective early detection and management strategies for Alzheimer&#8217;s, a condition that affects millions worldwide.</p>
<p>Alzheimer&#8217;s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects older adults, leading to memory loss, impaired reasoning, and changes in personality and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia, characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-beta proteins in the brain, forming plaques that disrupt cell function. Despite extensive research, Alzheimer&#8217;s remains incurable, and its exact cause is still not fully understood, making early detection and management strategies critical.</p>
<p>&#8220;The incidence of dementia is increasing over time, impacting the persons affected, as well as their families and loved ones,&#8221; said study author Natasha A. Grande de França. &#8220;An earlier and more accurate diagnosis can help to prolong the quality of life; however, the diagnosis of dementia is still plenty biased and hard to do. For this reason, we were interested in finding blood biomarkers that could be used to help clinicians in the diagnosis of dementia, especially Alzheimer&#8217;s disease (the most common dementia).&#8221;</p>
<p>To carry out the study, the researchers employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing baseline measurements from a larger ongoing study named COGFRAIL. This study involved 317 older adults, aged 70 and above, who exhibited mild cognitive impairment but not severe dementia. The participants were chosen based on specific cognitive scores and were either prefrail or frail, meaning they showed signs of physical decline but were not entirely dependent on others for daily living.</p>
<p>The study excluded individuals with severe psychological conditions or high dependency on others for basic activities. The final sample included a total of 177 individuals.</p>
<p>França and her colleagues employed several measures to gather data. They used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure the levels of amyloid-beta, a protein that forms clumps in the brains of people with Alzheimer&#8217;s, in various brain regions. Blood samples were also collected and analyzed for various nutrients, including different types of fatty acids, vitamins, and an amino acid called homocysteine. The analysis of fatty acids was particularly comprehensive, examining their composition in red blood cell membranes.</p>
<p>Over half of the participants (57.6%) were identified as having high amyloid-beta levels in their brains. The researchers found that higher concentrations of a fatty acid called clupanodonic acid were consistently associated with lower amyloid-beta load in the brain. This association was observed in almost all regions of the brain, except for the thalamus.</p>
<p>&#8220;I was expecting that if any association would be significant, that would arise from the fatty acids omega-3 EPA and DHA,&#8221; França told PsyPost. &#8220;However, a more consistent result was observed with a metabolite of EPA, the clupanodonic acid. This suggests we should expand the look and the research to less well-known fatty acids, in particular the metabolites of the EPA and DHA as potential more precise biomarkers.&#8221;</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study noted that linoleic acid showed a positive association with amyloid-beta load, while mead acid and adrenic acid were negatively associated, though less consistently than clupanodonic acid. Interestingly, the study did not find any significant associations between amyloid-beta load and blood vitamins or homocysteine, a common amino acid in the blood.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our study found potential blood biomarkers to be used in the diagnosis of dementias associated with the aggregation of amyloid-beta in the brain &#8211; a peptide associated with the development of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease,&#8221; França told PsyPost. &#8220;However, this is just the first step that needs to be confirmed with other studies in other populations.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Like all scientific research, this study comes with its limitations. The cross-sectional nature of the research means that it can&#8217;t definitively establish cause and effect. Additionally, the sample consisted of older adults who were either prefrail or frail, which may not represent the broader population.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our study has a cross-sectional design and was conducted with a very specific population (older adults with a light degree of cognitive impairment and who were at least pre-frail). So, some questions I can list include: has the association between clupanodonic acid and amyloid-beta happened by chance? Is this association true in populations in different conditions? What is the timing? &#8211; when does it start and when does it finish?&#8221; França explained.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article-abstract/79/1/glad248/7330065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associations Between Blood Nutritional Biomarkers and Cerebral Amyloid-β: Insights From the COGFRAIL Cohort Study</a>&#8220;, was authored by Natasha A. Grande de França, Gustavo Díaz, Laetitia Lengelé, Gaëlle Soriano, Sylvie Caspar-Bauguil, Laure Saint-Aubert, Pierre Payoux, Laure Rouch, Bruno Vellas, Philipe de Souto Barreto, and Sandrine Sourdet.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 06, 2024 at 05:00AM
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TITLE:
New psychology research connects narcissism to grudge holding
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-psychology-research-connects-narcissism-to-grudge-holding-220527

<p>New research has found a link between narcissism and holding a grudge. The findings indicate that people who exhibit vulnerable narcissism tend to hold onto feelings of hurt longer, especially if they also display traits of grandiose narcissism. This understanding sheds new light on the emotional complexities of grudge holding in interpersonal relationships. The research was published in <em><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224545.2023.2286587">The Journal of Social Psychology</a>.</em></p>
<p>This research was motivated by a gap in understanding about how people respond to interpersonal conflicts and transgressions. While previous studies have focused on forgiveness and revenge in such situations, there has been a lack of understanding about the act of holding a grudge. The researchers aimed to fill this gap by exploring how different forms of narcissism – particularly vulnerable and grandiose narcissism – influence our tendency to harbor grudges after interpersonal transgressions.</p>
<p>Vulnerable narcissism is characterized by internal feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, hypersensitivity to criticism, and covert needs for validation, often manifesting in passive-aggressive behaviors and a sense of victimization. Conversely, grandiose narcissism is marked by overt expressions of self-importance, high confidence, a desire for attention and admiration, and dominant social behaviors.</p>
<p>While vulnerable narcissists internally struggle with self-esteem and are emotionally distressed by perceived slights, grandiose narcissists display an inflated sense of their abilities and accomplishments, often externalizing blame and maintaining an unbothered front in the face of criticism or failure.</p>
<p>&#8220;People experience interpersonal transgressions and find ways to manage them, often through holding a grudge, seeking revenge, and forgiving,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://jysophieli.weebly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jingyuan (Sophie) Li</a>, a PhD candidate in the Social &amp; Personality Psychology program at York University in Toronto.</p>
<p>&#8220;My interest is largely in grudge-holding because we believe that it is common and important but understudied. At this point, we believe that grudge-holding has a self-protective role in the social motivation process. Some other work from our social motivation lab (Struthers et al., 2019, JEPA) shows that grudges are held when we have low social power and face ongoing threats of future transgressions.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Unlike forgiving, which can sometimes lead to repeated transgression if the offender does not suffer any consequence for their wrongdoings, or revenge, which might bring counter revenge, making things worse, holding a grudge can let people stay on guard without escalating the conflicts. Narcissism caught my attention because people with these traits handle interpersonal relationships in complex ways. They feel good about themselves, but their positive images can also be fragile. Those with vulnerable narcissism should be motivated to protect themselves and might harbor more grudges.&#8221;</p>
<p>In the first study, researchers focused on a group of 121 undergraduate psychology students. They used a detailed questionnaire, the Brief-Pathological Narcissism Inventory, to measure the students’ levels of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism. Participants were asked to recall and describe a personal experience where they felt wronged by someone in the past six months. The Grudge Aspect Measure was then used to assess their grudge-holding tendencies, focusing on disdain for the transgressor, emotional persistence of the grudge, and perceived longevity of their negative feelings.</p>
<p>The results were intriguing. There were no clear links found between either form of narcissism and the aspects of grudge holding. However, a significant interaction was observed between vulnerable and grandiose narcissism in relation to emotional persistence. Specifically, participants who scored high in vulnerable narcissism reported stronger feelings of emotional persistence, especially if they also scored high in grandiose narcissism.</p>
<p>Building on the findings of the first study, the second study expanded the scope to include 118 adults from the general community. This sample allowed for a more representative understanding of the findings. The same methods were employed to assess narcissism and grudge holding, with an additional measure to gauge participants&#8217; rumination – their tendency to continuously think about the transgression.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>In this study, a clear relationship was found between vulnerable narcissism and two aspects of grudge holding: emotional persistence and perceived longevity of negative feelings. Interestingly, those with higher levels of grandiose narcissism also tended to view the transgressor with disdain.</p>
<p>Most notably, the second study found that rumination played a mediating role in the relationship between narcissism and grudge holding. This suggests that the more individuals ruminate about the transgression, the stronger the impact of their narcissistic traits on their grudge-holding behavior.</p>
<p>&#8220;Our research found that people who are sensitive or insecure but also think highly of themselves (vulnerable and grandiose narcissism) tend to hold onto grudges more because they ruminate about the transgression they experienced,&#8221; Li told PsyPost. &#8220;Basically, if someone has a big ego but is also easily hurt, they are more likely to hold a grudge when they can’t stop thinking about how they’ve been wronged.&#8221;</p>
<p>While these studies provide valuable insights, the researchers acknowledge certain limitations. The reliance on nonexperimental methods means that causation cannot be definitively established. The researchers suggest more controlled experimental studies to further investigate these relationships.</p>
<p>&#8220;One limitation of our study is that we can’t say that narcissistic traits cause grudge-holding; we only know they’re associated,&#8221; Li explained. &#8220;Also, we didn’t explore how these traits are associated with other responses like forgiveness or revenge. As noted above, previous work from our lab suggests that less powerful people are more prone to hold grudges rather than seek revenge. Future research investigating the role of social power would be important to determine whether vulnerable narcissism is related to feeling powerless and if that influences the motivation to hold a grudge over seeking revenge.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2023.2286587">The association between victims’ vulnerable and grandiose narcissism and grudge holding</a>&#8220;, was authored by Jingyuan Li, C. Ward Struthers, Dmytro O. Rebrov, Ariel Shoikhedbrod, and Joshua R. Guilfoyle.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 03:40AM
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TITLE:
Potent Psychedelic Drug Reduces PTSD, Clinical Trial Finds
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176461&url=https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiMmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5hdHVyZS5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZXMvZDQxNTg2LTAyNC0wMDAxMi160gEA?oc=5

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.google.com/?ned=us&topic=m" rel="tag" target="_blank">Google News - Health</a></p>Psychedelic drugs such as MDMA and psilocybin have promised to revolutionize psychiatric treatments. Now, a study of military veterans published today in Nature Medicine suggests that a potent psychedelic drug called ibogaine could be effective in treating traumatic brain injuries. One month after ibogaine treatment, veterans reported that conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were reduced by more than 80%, on...</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 05, 2024 at 03:39AM
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TITLE:
Study Links Bipolar Disorder to Early Death
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176456&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104210122.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>Having bipolar disorder&mdash;a mental illness that can cause both manic and depressed moods&mdash;makes life more challenging. It also comes with a higher risk of dying early. Now, a study has estimated just how large that risk is. In the research, people with bipolar disorder were 4-6 times more likely to die prematurely than people without it. By contrast, people who had smoked were about twice as likely to die prematurely than those who had never smoked.</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 05, 2024 at 03:00PM
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TITLE:
New research highlights impact of fathers’ conflict resolution on kids’ socioemotional growth
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-research-highlights-impact-of-fathers-conflict-resolution-on-kids-socioemotional-growth-220509

<p>A recent study suggests that the way fathers handle marital conflict can significantly affect their children&#8217;s socioemotional development. The findings, published in the <em><a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/fam0001102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Family Psychology</a></em>, have important implications for families. They highlight that while conflicts in relationships are common, how they are managed can significantly influence not just the couple&#8217;s relationship but also their children&#8217;s emotional and social wellbeing.</p>
<p>Grounded in the Family Systems Theory, the researchers aimed to better understand how marital conflicts, specifically the frequency and nature of these conflicts, might spill over to influence children’s socioemotional skills. This is a critical area of development, encompassing the ability to understand, express, and regulate emotions, which is particularly vital during the early years of childhood.</p>
<p>&#8220;Conflict can be common in families. Given that marital conflict can have adverse effects on both family dynamics and child development, I aim to explore strategies and factors that can buffer against such negative influences in order to help families in achieving healthier developmental outcomes,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://hdfs.illinois.edu/directory/qiujieg2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Qiujie Gong</a>, a graduate student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.</p>
<p>The study utilized data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, a national study sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, which follows children&#8217;s experiences from infancy to kindergarten. Focusing on the third wave of data, when the children were in their preschool years, the study included a significant sample size of 3,955 families. This phase was chosen due to the importance of socioemotional skills as a key developmental task for children at this age.</p>
<p>Participants in the study were resident fathers who were married, with the study excluding families with twins to avoid dependent observations. The fathers in the study were diverse in age and racial background, with ages ranging from 20 to 78 and racial identities including White, Asian, Hispanic, Black or African American, and more.</p>
<p>To gauge the frequency of marital conflict, fathers were asked about their disagreements on various topics (like chores, money, and parenting). The study also measured children&#8217;s socioemotional development through a 24-item scale reported by mothers. This scale included questions about both positive and negative aspects of children&#8217;s socioemotional behavior (such as the ability to interact socially and manage emotions). Additionally, the study assessed father involvement, warmth, parenting stress, and the frequency of constructive conflict resolution.</p>
<p>The researchers found that fathers who reported frequent marital conflicts tended to have lower involvement and warmth in their parenting, along with higher parenting stress. These factors, in turn, were negatively associated with their children&#8217;s socioemotional skills. Interestingly, father involvement did not significantly mediate this relationship, suggesting that the quality of parenting, rather than the quantity of time spent with children, is more affected by marital conflicts.</p>
<p>A key finding of the study is the role of constructive conflict resolution. When fathers engaged in constructive conflict resolution frequently, the negative effects of marital conflict on their parenting and, subsequently, on their children&#8217;s socioemotional skills were lessened.</p>
<p>In other words, fathers who employed constructive methods to resolve marital conflicts, such as calm discussion and compromise, seemed to soften the negative impact of these conflicts on their children. Fathers who used constructive conflict resolution also showed higher involvement and warmth in their parenting.</p>
<p>&#8220;More important than the occurrence of conflict is how people manage it,&#8221; Gong told PsyPost. &#8220;If parents could adopt more constructive conflict resolution strategies, this could significantly alleviate the detrimental effects of interparental conflict on their children&#8217;s development.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Surprisingly, the study found a positive association between marital conflict and father involvement when fathers reported higher levels of constructive conflict resolution. This suggests that fathers may be compensating for the distress caused by marital conflict by becoming more involved with their children.</p>
<p>&#8220;Based on prior research, I was expecting that higher frequency of marital conflict would be linked to lower father involvement,&#8221; Gong said. &#8220;However, in this study, we found a positive association between marital conflict and father involvement when fathers reported higher levels of constructive conflict resolution. This is surprising to us.</p>
<p>&#8220;One potential explanation is that more constructive conflict resolution approaches facilitate fathers&#8217; engagement with marital conflict in a way that enhances their involvement with children. It can also be explained by the compensatory theory, suggesting that when fathers responded to marital conflict more constructively, they may &#8216;compensate&#8217; (Belsky et al., 1991) for the distress of marital conflict through more involvement with their children. However, more research is necessary to better understand the association.&#8221;</p>
<p>But the study, like all research, includes some limitations. Its cross-sectional design means it cannot firmly establish causality or long-term patterns.</p>
<p>&#8220;Due to inconsistencies in measurement and the availability of data for each construct across multiple waves in our dataset, this study was limited to a cross-sectional design using only one wave of data,&#8221; Gong explained. &#8220;Consequently, we advise caution against drawing causal conclusions from this study. Future research could benefit from employing a longitudinal design that includes multiple data waves, which would provide a deeper understanding of the associations under study. Additionally, while this study focused solely on fathers, including mothers in future studies could offer a more comprehensive insight into the impact of marital conflict on family dynamics.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-74276-001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fathers’ Marital Conflict and Children’s Socioemotional Skills: A Moderated- Mediation Model of Conflict Resolution and Parenting</a>&#8220;, was authored by Qiujie Gong, Karen Z. Kramer, and Kelly M. Tu.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 02:30PM
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TITLE:
The Strange and Beautiful Science Of Our Lives
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/the-strange-and-beautiful-science-of-our-lives/

<p>&nbsp;Nell Greenfieldboyce discusses her new book&nbsp;<em data-stringify-type="italic">Transient and Strange,&nbsp;</em>the intimacy of the essays and the science that inspired them.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 01:00PM
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TITLE:
New “stealthing” study: Dark psychological traits linked to covertly removing condom during sex
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-stealthing-study-dark-psychological-traits-linked-to-covertly-removing-condom-during-sex-220507

<p>An Australian study revealed that individuals displaying more pronounced Dark Triad personality traits – specifically, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy – exhibited greater arousal from stealthing, which is the covert and non-consensual removal of a condom during sexual activity. The study found that psychopathy and narcissism were significant predictors of the intention to engage in such behavior. The study was published in <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2023.2282440"><em>Psychology &amp; Sexuality</em></a>.</p>
<p>Stealthing refers to the covert and non-consensual act of removing a condom during sexual intercourse without one’s partner&#8217;s knowledge or consent. This act is considered a violation of trust and consent in sexual encounters because it exposes the other partner to risks of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies without their awareness.</p>
<p>Although stealthing can be performed by individuals of both genders, research primarily examines it in the context of male partners removing the condom during heterosexual or homosexual intercourse. Studies suggest that this behavior is more prevalent among individuals under 30 years of age. Although the term &#8220;stealthing&#8221; is relatively new, the practice has a long history, previously known by terms such as “gift giving,” “protection deception,” or “stealth breeding,” especially prevalent in the gay community.</p>
<p>Study author Timothy Cousins and his colleagues wanted to explore the links between stealthing behaviors and the Dark Triad of personality traits. Previous studies indicated that individuals with pronounced Dark Triad traits are more likely to engage in physical and sexual acts of violence and other deviant acts. As stealthing implies a breach of trust, these researchers believed that it might also be associated with these traits. Additionally, they wanted to explore possible links between Dark Triad personality traits and condom-use resistance tactics in general.</p>
<p>The Dark Triad encompasses three personality traits: narcissism, characterized by an exaggerated self-importance and lack of empathy; Machiavellianism, defined by manipulation, cunning, and exploitation for personal benefit; and psychopathy, which includes a lack of empathy, impulsiveness, and disregard for societal norms. Collectively, these traits represent a spectrum of manipulative, antisocial, and narcissistic tendencies to varying degrees in individuals, often leading to adverse outcomes in personal relationships, workplaces, and societal interactions.</p>
<p>The authors conducted an online survey with 221 participants, recruited through social media and Amazon’s MTurk. Participants from MTurk received $1 for their participation. There were no geographical limitations for participation, but respondents were required to be individuals with a penis, aged 18 or older, who had engaged in sexual intercourse in the past six months and had used a condom at least once.</p>
<p>In the scope of the survey, participants provided demographic data and information on their alcohol use, forensic and sexual history. They completed assessments of Dark Triad personality traits (the Short Dark Triad) and resistance to condom use (the Condom Use Resistance Perpetration).</p>
<p>The survey included descriptions of three different stealthing scenarios, such as removing a condom during sex without the partner&#8217;s knowledge or continuing intercourse without a condom after unintentional removal without informing the partner. Participants were asked to report their level of arousal by these scenarios, whether they had engaged in such activities, and their likelihood of engaging in such scenarios in the future.</p>
<p>Results showed that individuals with more pronounced psychopathy and those with a higher number of sexual partners tended to have lower condom-use self-efficacy. In other words, these individuals saw themselves as somewhat less able to correctly and consistently use condoms during sexual activity, compared to individuals with lower psychopathy levels and fewer sexual partners. Individuals with more pronounced psychopathy tended to report having more sexual partners and being more prone to binge drinking (of alcohol).</p>
<p>Individuals who reported that they would be aroused by one or more stealthing scenarios tended to have higher condom-use resistance, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. These characteristics tended to also be more pronounced in individuals who reported engaging in stealthing activities. Additional statistical analyses showed that whether a person would engage in stealthing or not could be predicted very well based on psychopathy, narcissism and condom-use resistance.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>“The present study found that there were associations between all DTP [Dark Triad Personality] traits and all types of condom-use resistance. Individuals who were aroused by stealthing scenarios and reported a behavioral history of stealthing scored significantly higher on all DTP traits compared to those who were not aroused or did not report a behavioural history of stealthing. Furthermore, psychopathy and narcissism were significant predictors of a person’s intention to engage in stealthing behaviour,&#8221; the study authors conclude.</p>
<p>The study sheds light on the links between personality and stealthing. However, the study was based on self-reports about stealthing behaviors, which leaves room for bias. Studies based on reports about stealthing behaviors of partners might not yield equal results.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2023.2282440">Investigating the Relationship Between Non-consensual Condom Removal and the Dark Triad of Personality</a>”, was authored by Timothy Cousins, Andrew Allena, and Jonathan Mason.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 11:00AM
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TITLE:
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder might be more common than thought
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/hallucinogen-persisting-perception-disorder-might-be-more-common-than-thought-220495

<p>A new study provides evidence that the lingering effects of hallucinogenic drugs, known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), are more common among users than previously understood. The study, which focused on two types of HPPD, found that while the more severe form is relatively rare, a milder form affects a significant portion of hallucinogen users. The findings have been published in the <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2023.2287081" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Journal of Psychoactive Drugs</a>.</em></p>
<p>The study was motivated by a desire to understand the prevalence and impact of HPPD, a condition characterized by persistent visual disturbances reminiscent of the effects of hallucinogenic drugs, even after cessation of drug use. Researchers aimed to explore the nature of HPPD, which is broadly categorized into two types. Type I includes brief, often pleasant visual experiences, while Type II involves prolonged and distressing symptoms that can impede daily functioning.</p>
<p>The study also sought to investigate the neurological basis of HPPD, its correlation with personality traits like neuroticism, and its connection to various hallucinogenic and non-hallucinogenic drugs.</p>
<p>&#8220;We felt that HPPD could be an under-recognised and under-reported phenomenon and wanted to collect some data on how common it was in users of psychedelic and non-psychedelic drugs,&#8221; said study author James Stone, a professor of psychiatry at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.</p>
<p>To gather data, the researchers posted advertisements on Reddit, targeting subreddits where discussions about drug use were prevalent. The study recruited participants who were over 18 and had a history of hallucinogen use. The initial pool of respondents totaled 802, but after applying strict criteria for attention and completeness of responses, the final sample consisted of 415 individuals.</p>
<p>Participants were asked to fill out a consent form and a questionnaire assessing their neuroticism using a standardized tool known as Goldberg’s Big Five Inventory. The questionnaire also inquired about their drug use history, including types of drugs, dosages, and frequency. To understand their experience of HPPD, questions were asked about the nature, intensity, and duration of their visual hallucinations. The survey also probed into other psychological disorders they might have and their habits regarding drug testing.</p>
<p>About 39.7% of the participants fell into the category of Type I HPPD, experiencing milder symptoms, while 4.3% were categorized as having Type II HPPD, indicating more severe and intrusive symptoms. The most commonly reported symptom was false perceptions of movement.</p>
<p>&#8220;The more severe type of HPPD (type II) appears to occur in around 4-5% of hallucinogen users, while fleeting and non-intrusive hallucinogenic experiences following hallucinogen use are more common,&#8221; Stone said. &#8220;We were surprised that such a large proportion of respondents (over 40%) reported at least some HPPD symptoms.&#8221;</p>
<p>Interestingly, only four participants reported having received a formal diagnosis of HPPD, highlighting a potential gap in clinical recognition of the disorder.</p>
<p>In terms of psychological traits, the study found no significant difference in neuroticism across the two types of HPPD. However, the prevalence of anxiety-related symptoms was notably higher in individuals with Type II HPPD. This group was also more likely to report additional psychological issues like obsessive thoughts, paranoia, and panic attacks. The study further revealed that the use of certain drugs, notably 25I-NBOMe, dextromethorphan, nitrous oxide, and benzodiazepines, was more common among those with Type II HPPD.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Despite these insights, the study faced several limitations. Firstly, the high rate of incomplete questionnaires reduced the overall data pool. Secondly, the use of Reddit for recruitment might have introduced a bias towards users with extreme experiences of drug use. Additionally, the reliance on self-report questionnaires raises questions about the accuracy of the reported experiences and symptoms.</p>
<p>&#8220;This was a small online questionnaire study,&#8221; Stone explained. &#8220;We were not able to formally diagnose respondents – only to classify their symptoms as more or less likely to be type I or type II HPPD. It is potentially affected by selection bias as we surveyed users of Reddit only (although excluding specific HPPD subreddits), and participation in the study was voluntary.&#8221;</p>
<p>Looking to the future, researchers suggest a need for larger sample sizes to mitigate the high attrition rates. They also emphasize the importance of developing more precise diagnostic criteria for HPPD, tailored to differentiate between its subtypes. This would not only aid in better clinical recognition and treatment of HPPD but also allow for more accurate research into the psychobiology of the disorder.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2023.2287081" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Association of Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder with Trait Neuroticism and Mental Health Symptoms</a>&#8220;, was authored by Morgan Hadley, Alicia Halliday, and James M. Stone.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 10:37AM
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TITLE:
From the President: The Land on Which We Stand
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URL:
https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/from-the-president-the-land-on-which-we-stand/

<p>Land acknowledgments are an opportunity to offer healing through honoring lived experiences, understanding the impact of colonization and balancing mourning with celebration of life.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ct.counseling.org/2024/01/from-the-president-the-land-on-which-we-stand/">From the President: The Land on Which We Stand</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ct.counseling.org">Counseling Today</a>.</p>

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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 10:00AM
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TITLE:
Psychology Hacks for Resisting Trash Talk
.
URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/psychology-hacks-for-resisting-trash-talk/

<p>A new book explores the science of trash talk&mdash;and why some people are more immune to it than others</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 09:00AM
.
TITLE:
Is psychotherapy merely an open-label placebo?
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/is-psychotherapy-merely-an-open-label-placebo-220502

<p>A chapter published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197645444.003.0018"><em>Placebo Effects Through the Lens of Translational Research</em></a> explores the possibility of open-label placebos as a psychotherapy and how psychotherapy might benefit from its use.</p>
<p>Placebos, known for their wide-ranging forms and impacts, are a complex and multifaceted concept in medical and psychological treatments. Traditionally perceived as inert substances used in pharmacological trials, placebos have evolved to encompass various forms such as pills, sprays, surgeries, and even exercise or wine. Their effects are not limited to any specific medical condition; they are observed in chronic and acute pain, insomnia, depression, PTSD, and schizophrenia, among other disorders.</p>
<p>Jens Gaab argues that this extensive range makes it challenging to definitively categorize any treatment as devoid of placebo effects. The definition of placebo is complicated by the fact that it can induce specific physiological effects, active treatments can function as placebos, and a placebo can still be considered as such even without any observable effect. The difficulty arises when trying to extend this concept to non-pharmacological treatments like psychotherapy, which inherently involves psychological effects.</p>
<p>The interplay between psychotherapy and placebo is particularly intricate. Historical references highlight the longstanding association between psychotherapy and placebo-like concepts. The debate over psychotherapy’s efficacy, often showing marginal benefits over control conditions, underscores the challenge in differentiating specific treatment effects from placebo responses. Notably, certain therapies initially designed as control conditions in clinical trials have later been recognized as effective treatments in their own right.</p>
<p>The mechanisms underlying placebos and psychotherapy, such as expectancy effects and the therapeutic alliance, further blur the distinction. Both interventions have been described as “meaning” interventions, suggesting a commonality. This leads to the question of whether psychotherapy is essentially a sophisticated form of placebo, or whether it possesses unique therapeutic mechanisms.</p>
<p>To address this, an “ethical” definition of placebo is proposed, emphasizing the deceptive administration of a treatment consisting solely of incidental treatment constituents. This perspective allows for a treatment to be categorized as a placebo based on the intent and context of its administration, rather than its physical properties or effects. This definition also implies that openly administered placebos, which are transparent about their nature, would not qualify as placebos but rather as legitimate therapeutic interventions.</p>
<p>Openly administered placebos challenge traditional views of placebos by demonstrating efficacy even when their placebo nature is disclosed. In the context of psychotherapy, this approach would align with the principles of informed consent and patient autonomy. However, there is a noticeable reluctance within the psychotherapy community to fully embrace this openness, particularly when it comes to disclosing the mechanisms of action of therapeutic interventions.</p>
<p>While psychotherapy is not inherently a placebo, it could function as one in certain contexts, especially when the therapeutic factors are not fully disclosed or are deceptive. The ethical application of psychotherapy aligns closely with the principles of openly administered placebos, emphasizing transparency and patient empowerment. Gaab argues that this approach could enhance the ethical standing of psychotherapy and optimize its therapeutic potential.</p>
<p>The chapter, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197645444.003.0018">Why psychotherapy is an open-label placebo and open-label placebos are psychotherapy</a>”, was authored by Jens Gaab.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 06:00AM
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TITLE:
This Powerful Psychedelic Could Help Relieve Traumatic Brain Injury
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URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ibogaine-shows-success-in-treating-ptsd/

<p>In combat veterans, a single dose of ibogaine also improved symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety</p>

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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 05, 2024 at 12:08AM
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TITLE:
Even in Midlife, Disrupted Sleep Tied to Memory, Thinking Problems Later on
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http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176421&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104002759.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>People who have more disrupted sleep in their 30s and 40s may be more likely to have memory and thinking problems a decade later, according to new research published in the January 3, 2024, online issue of Neurology, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study doesn't prove that sleep quality causes cognitive decline&mdash;it only shows an association. &quot;The quality rather than the quantity of sleep matters most for cognitive health,&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 05, 2024 at 12:08AM
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TITLE:
Character.ai: Young People Turning to AI Therapist Bots
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http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176444&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67872693?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Technology</a></p>Harry Potter, Elon Musk, Beyonc&eacute;, and Vladimir Putin. These are just some of the artificial intelligence (AI) personas you can talk to on Character.ai&mdash;a popular platform where anyone can create chatbots based on fictional or real people. And one bot has been more in demand than those above, called Psychologist. A total of 78 million messages, including 18 million since November, have been shared with the bot since it was created just over a...</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 05, 2024 at 12:07AM
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TITLE:
U.S. "Not Seeing Acts of Genocide" in Gaza, State Department Says
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http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176409&url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-01-03/us-not-seeing-acts-of-genocide-in-gaza-state-dept-says

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">U.S. News and World Report</a></p>The U.S. has not observed acts in Gaza that constitute genocide, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, after South Africa launched genocide proceedings at the International Court of Justice over Israel's military operation in the Palestinian enclave. &quot;That is a determination by the State Department,&quot; Miller said at a news briefing. He added that he did not have an assessment on whether war crimes have been committed.</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 05, 2024 at 11:26AM
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TITLE:
Data From 2022 California Traffic Stops Show Pervasive Racial Profiling
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http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176411&url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/report-data-2022-california-traffic-stops-shows-pervasive-106086040

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US" rel="tag" target="_blank">ABC News - US News</a></p>Black people accounted for nearly 13% of traffic stops in California in 2022, far above their 5% share of the state's population, according to a report released Wednesday under a law designed to address racial profiling of motorists and pedestrians by police. The annual report, compiled by California's Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board, for the first time included data from all law enforcement agencies in the state.</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 05, 2024 at 11:51AM
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TITLE:
How Psychologists Are Using Tech to Meet Huge Demand for Therapy
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176347&url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/01/trends-pathways-access-mental-health-care

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/" rel="tag" target="_blank">APA Monitor</a></p>Ninety percent of the U.S. public think there is a mental health crisis in America, with half of young adults and one-third of all adults reporting that they have felt anxious either always or often in the past year, according to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN. To meet the overwhelming demand for treatment, some psychologists are turning to &quot;digital therapeutics,&quot; and others are &quot;giving psychology away&quot; without charge.</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 05, 2024 at 11:23AM
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TITLE:
Can Artificial Intelligence Help You Get Fit?
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176415&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67861930?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Technology</a></p>With a great many of us now trying to lose weight as a New Year's resolution, can artificial intelligence (AI) personal trainers replace human ones? One such trainer, called Magic AI, can talk to you via loudspeakers and, using cameras to track your workout movements, offer instant feedback and suggestions. As you progress, it devises new workouts. Other popular AI fitness apps include Aaptiv, FitnessAI, Fitbod, Freeletics, VI Trainer, and Whoop.</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 05, 2024 at 11:00AM
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TITLE:
Human Beliefs About Drugs May Have Dose-Dependent Effects on the Brain
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URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176413&url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240103130840.htm

<div><p>Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/" rel="tag" target="_blank">Science Daily - Top Health</a></p>Researchers have shown for the first time that a person's beliefs related to drugs can influence their own brain activity and behavioral responses in a way comparable to the dose-dependent effects of pharmacology. The implications of the study, which focused on beliefs about nicotine, are profound. They range from elucidating the role of beliefs in addiction to optimizing treatments by harnessing the power of human beliefs.</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 04, 2024 at 10:36AM
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TITLE:
Applications of Generative Artificial Intelligence to Psychology
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176356&url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/01/trends-generative-ai-evolution-psychology

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/" rel="tag" target="_blank">APA Monitor</a></p>Generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT&mdash;which can rapidly produce original text, images, and audio&mdash;are changing the way psychologists teach, conduct research, and diagnose and treat patients. Psychologists are also increasingly leading efforts to bring behavioral insights into the creation and deployment of generative AI tools. As AI continues to grow, knowledge of how it impacts individuals, relationships, and societies is now in...</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 04, 2024 at 10:36AM
.
TITLE:
Resignation of Harvard's President Reflects Campus Culture Wars
.
URL:
http://www.socialpsychology.org/client/redirect.php?from=rss_feed&id=176393&url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67869624?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

<div><p>Source: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/americas/" rel="tag" target="_blank">BBC News - Americas</a></p>Claudine Gay's resignation as president of Harvard University is being celebrated as a high-profile victory by conservatives who have objected to her on ideological grounds since she took the job in July 2023. Although allegations of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis were a factor in her exit, there was far more to the story. To many critics, Dr. Gay represented a left-wing ideology that cares more about ethnic and gender diversity than academic...</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 04, 2024 at 11:00AM
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TITLE:
Women are more likely than men to share negative information, study finds
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/women-are-more-likely-than-men-to-share-negative-information-study-finds-220489

<p>A series of three studies found that men and women are similar in their desire to share positive information, but women are more likely than men to share negative information about themselves or others. Women more often shared information in order to receive comfort, while men more often did this to entertain others and receive validation. The study was published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2023.104525"><em>Journal of Experimental Social Psychology</em></a>.</p>
<p>The advent of digital communications and social media in the 21st century has made sharing information easier than ever, including personal information. In previous centuries, sharing such information was largely limited to word-of-mouth within immediate interactions and small social groups. With the advent of social media, it is now possible to share information about oneself and others quickly, to larger audiences, and with minimal personal interaction.</p>
<p>This communication takes many forms, including direct messages between close friends and loved ones, photo sharing, social media status updates, and consumer experience reviews. Studies have found that such communication is often pleasurable, leading to health and psychological benefits and positive social outcomes. However, these exchanges can sometimes involve sharing negative information about oneself or others, types of information at least some would rather keep to themselves.</p>
<p>Study author Erin Carbone and her colleagues wanted to explore gender differences in the willingness to disclose information, as well as factors that might moderate these behaviors. They conducted three studies for this purpose.</p>
<p>The first study aimed to generate situations in which participants felt compelled to share information and to investigate gender differences in this compulsion and the likelihood of acting upon it. The participants were 195 alumni from a private northeastern American university.</p>
<p>Participants completed an online survey in which they described instances in which they were “dying” to tell someone something. These experiences could either be positive (e.g. a new romance) or negative (e.g., a job loss), about oneself or others. Participants also indicated whether they ultimately shared that information with others. Those who stated that they did share it were subsequently asked to recall another time when they similarly felt like they were “dying” to disclose, but did not act on that desire. Participants who first stated that they did disclose it were asked to recall another similar experience when they did not disclose the information. At the end of the survey, participants answered closed-ended questions about the motive underlying their desire to disclose.</p>
<p>Results of the first study showed that 83% of participants reported experiencing a situation where they felt an extreme desire to disclose information. There were pronounced gender differences in this, with 91% of females reporting such an experience compared to only 76% of males. Such events were more often positive than negative.</p>
<p>The information shared by men was significantly less likely to be negative than information shared by women. Men more often reported that their sharing of information was motivated by a desire to entertain others and receive validation. On the other hand, women shared information in order to receive comfort more often than men did.</p>
<p>Study 2 used quantitative assessments of participants’ desire to disclose various pre-specified topics and experiences. It also experimentally manipulated the valence of these events (i.e., whether they were positive or negative). Participants were 547 alumni of the same university from study 1 who did not participate in that study. Their average age was 50 years and 287 were women.</p>
<p>Participants in study 2 read 17 scenarios based on responses from study 1. Each of these scenarios had two versions – one positive and one negative. Each participant was randomly assigned to view either a positive or a negative version of each scenario. Participants would than report whether they had ever experienced the specific scenario. For the first 5 scenarios a participant reported experiencing, the survey asked him/her questions about how much he/she would desire to share information about it with others and how likely it is that he/she would share it.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Results of study 2 confirmed that men are less likely than women to share experiences they were asked about (68% vs 77%). Significantly fewer males than females described the details of their experience in the context of the study (30% vs 22%). Both men and women reported a weaker desire to share information about negative than about positive scenarios. However, the difference between likelihood to share information about positive and about negative scenarios in men was nearly double that of women. This difference became even greater with actual disclosures.</p>
<p>The third study sought to replicate the findings of the first two and also examine if the subject of the scenario (self or others) affected the desire and likelihood of disclosing information. They compared the situations where the scenario was about oneself and when it was about someone else. Participants were 405 alumni who did not participate in the previous two studies.</p>
<p>Participants read a number of scenarios that were either positive or negative. They were selected to capture experiences across varied domains of life (work, family, relationship, health) and whether the experience has happened directly to the participant or to another. The survey asked participants whether they had experience with each of the scenarios. If they said that they did, it asked a number of follow-up questions about the desire to disclose and actual disclosure of information in the scenario.</p>
<p>Results of study 3 confirmed the findings of the first two studies. It also revealed that participants were more interested in sharing information about themselves than information about others. On the other hand, participants were less willing to share negative information about themselves than about others. Gender differences in willingness to share persisted regardless of who the information was about.</p>
<p>&#8220;According to our findings, women share more generally than men, and experience a more intense desire to do so. However, men and women are relatively similar when it comes to sharing positive information, but men are less likely, and have a lower desire, to share negative information,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p>
<p>The study highlights gender differences in interpersonal information exchange behaviors. However, it has limitations, including reliance on self-reports, which may not reflect actual behavior. Observational studies might yield different results. Moreover, the study relied on memories of past events, which can be unreliable or biased.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2023.104525">He said, she said: Gender differences in the disclosure of positive and negative information</a>”, was authored by Erin Carbone, George Loewenstein, Irene Scopelliti, and Joachim Vosgerau.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 04, 2024 at 09:00AM
.
TITLE:
Mother-infant bonding triggers brain synchronization, according to new neuroscience research
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/mother-infant-bonding-triggers-brain-synchronization-according-to-new-neuroscience-research-220477

<p>Scientists have discovered that watching everyday mother-infant interactions can trigger similar brain activity patterns across different mothers. This neural synchrony, observed particularly in contexts showcasing mother-child bonding, highlights the profound impact of such primary attachments on our brains. The study, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0026-23.2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Journal of Neuroscience</a></em>, sheds new light on the neural underpinnings of human social connections.</p>
<p>Human brains are incredibly adept at processing and responding to social cues, a skill essential for survival and social interaction. Researchers have long been fascinated by how our brains can synchronize when exposed to the same experiences, especially dynamic ones like movies or stories. This phenomenon, known as brain synchronization, is believed to play a critical role in how we connect, communicate, and empathize with others.</p>
<p>Recognizing the deep-rooted nature of the mother-infant bond, scientists were particularly interested in exploring whether this bond could activate shared brain responses across different individuals. This study aimed to delve into these shared neural responses, offering insights into the very fabric of human sociality and connectivity.</p>
<p>&#8220;I have been studying synchrony for nearly three decades as a fundamental process that underpins human sociality, adaptation, and resilience,&#8221; said study author Ruth Feldman, the Simms/Mann Chaired Professor in Social Neuroscience and director of the <a href="https://ruthfeldmanlab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience</a> at Reichman University, and an adjunct professor at the Yale University Child Study Center.</p>
<p>&#8220;My theoretical model on biobehavioral synchrony proposes, on the basis of much research, that we connect to others in brain and other biological systems during social contact. We also suggest that the mother-infant context is where human infants, like any mammalian young, acquire the capacity for synchrony and that the primary attachment is a good context to study the topic.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;But until now, we (and others) studied synchrony between brain between two individuals – and mothers and infants &#8211; during social interactions,&#8221; Feldman explained. &#8220;This is the first study that uses reminders of the primary attachment – videos of mothers and infants (a stimuli that is immediately understood without words) to see how (and where) this very primary stimuli creates synchrony across multiple brains, potentially serving as a basis for social uniformity and the aggregation of individuals into social groups.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I believe Christianity used this intuitively very well, by using the mother-infant bond as its central icon to induce uniformity and social cohesion, which is a very good setting for faith and a sense of unity with the group.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study involved a carefully selected group of 35 postpartum mothers, recruited through online parenting forums. After a thorough screening process for suitability and mental health, 24 participants were finalized for the study. These mothers underwent two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scanning sessions, where they were shown naturalistic films of mother-infant interactions. These films included both scenes of unfamiliar mothers with their infants and tailored footage of the participants with their own children.</p>
<p>The scenarios depicted varied from &#8216;social&#8217; contexts, where mother and child were together, to &#8216;alone&#8217; contexts, where each was shown individually. The uniqueness of this study was heightened by its crossover design: before each scan, participants were administered either oxytocin – a hormone linked to social bonding – or a placebo, in a randomized, double-blind manner.</p>
<p>When participants watched videos of mother-infant interactions, certain areas of the brain showed synchronized activity across different individuals. Remarkably, this synchrony occurred in large portions of the brain, with about 44% of the brain regions examined responding to these attachment cues.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>This synchrony was particularly pronounced in scenarios where mothers interacted with their infants, as opposed to when they were shown alone. Key brain regions involved in this synchronization included those associated with emotional processing and social cognition, such as the anterior cingulate cortex and insula.</p>
<p>The findings indicate &#8220;that we are wired to connect to others neutrally and that some situations or stimuli create greater cross-brain synchrony and induce greater uniformity among brains,&#8221; Feldman told PsyPost. &#8220;Reminders of the primary attachment work in our brains to create a template for the coordination of individuals into social groups.&#8221;</p>
<p>Surprisingly, the administration of oxytocin did not significantly alter the patterns of brain synchronization observed. This suggests that the naturalistic mother-infant bonding cues themselves were potent enough to trigger shared brain responses, independent of additional hormonal influences.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study revealed a fascinating correlation between observed behavioral synchrony – the coordinated interactions between mother and infant in the videos – and the degree of brain synchronization among the viewers. In other words, moments of closer, more harmonious interaction between mother and child in the videos were mirrored by more synchronized brain activity among the participants.</p>
<p>&#8220;The moment-by-moment variability in cross-brains synchrony tracks the moment-by-moment changes in the degree of synchrony in the presented stimulus,&#8221; Feldman explained. &#8220;When participants saw a highly-synchronized moment between mom and baby in the video, they increase their synchronized response. This really shows how neural synchrony is couched within behavioral coordination, the main tenet of our biobehavioral synchrony conceptual model.&#8221;</p>
<p>While the study&#8217;s findings are groundbreaking, they come with certain limitations. The participant pool was relatively homogenous – all were postpartum mothers, which raises questions about how these findings might generalize to other groups, such as fathers, non-parents, or individuals with different sociocultural backgrounds.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study focused on positive mother-infant interactions. Exploring how the brain responds to a broader range of social cues, including negative or distressing ones, could provide a more comprehensive understanding of our social brain&#8217;s workings.</p>
<p>Another avenue for future research lies in exploring how these findings apply to individuals with social dysfunction, such as those with autism or depression. Understanding whether these conditions affect the brain&#8217;s response to social cues like mother-infant bonding could open new doors for therapeutic interventions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Future studies should examine whether individuals with pathologies involving social dysfunctions, such as autism, depression, PTSD or schizophrenia, are not able to enter into synchrony with others when attachment (or other social) stimuli are presented (and what parts of the brain aren’t synchronized in each pathology),&#8221; Feldman said. &#8220;I believe this may stand at the root of the social dysfunction and induces a sense of loneliness and inability to comprehend others.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;For instance, while healthy individuals will synchronize nearly half of their brain activation when viewing a video of mom and infant playing, how would be the cross-brains synchrony of an autistic individual?&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/43/43/7213" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Attachment Reminders Trigger Widespread Synchrony across Multiple Brains</a>&#8220;, was authored by Ortal Shimon-Raz, Yaara Yeshurun, Adi Ulmer-Yaniv, Ayelet Levinkron, Roy Salomon, and Ruth Feldman.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 04, 2024 at 08:00AM
.
TITLE:
Stanford scientists boost hypnotizability with transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/stanford-scientists-boost-hypnotizability-with-transcranial-magnetic-brain-stimulation-220484

<p>Scientists at Stanford University have discovered a method to temporarily enhance a person&#8217;s ability to be hypnotized using a non-invasive brain stimulation technique. This study, published in <em><a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00184-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Mental Health</a></em>, predominantly women, shows significant potential for advancing treatments for pain management, particularly in individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome, a condition known for its chronic pain.</p>
<p>Hypnosis can play an important role in managing various psychiatric and neurological symptoms. Notably, hypnosis has been particularly effective in reducing pain. However, a key challenge has been the varying degrees of hypnotizability among individuals – essentially, how responsive they are to hypnosis. This variability is a stable trait influenced by cognitive, neural, and behavioral components.</p>
<p>Around two-thirds of adults show some level of hypnotizability, with about 15% being highly responsive. These high responders can achieve remarkable feats like undergoing surgeries without anesthesia solely under hypnosis. This variation in hypnotizability prompted the researchers to investigate if they could enhance a person&#8217;s responsiveness to hypnosis.</p>
<p>Previous attempts to modify this trait, using methods like psychoactive drugs or behavioral training, achieved limited success. The research team, therefore, turned to a novel approach: using targeted brain stimulation to influence the areas of the brain involved in hypnotizability.</p>
<p>&#8220;Evidence shows that clinical hypnosis is an effective drug-free approach to treat a variety of psychophysiological symptoms, particularly pain,&#8221; explained study author <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/afaerman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Afik Faerman</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/AfikFaerman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@AfikFaerman</a>), an NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University in the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.</p>
<p>&#8220;Unfortunately, not everyone responds equally to hypnosis, and some people do not benefit as much from it as others. We wanted to test if we could make the brains of people who were not highly responsive to hypnosis act and function as if they were, hoping such a possibility would open the door for improving therapy.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study focused on individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome, a disorder characterized by widespread pain that is often resistant to traditional pain medications. The researchers chose this group because of the potential benefits they could reap from enhanced hypnotizability in pain management.</p>
<p>To conduct the study, the researchers first screened individuals for their baseline level of hypnotizability using the Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP), a standardized assessment. They enrolled 80 participants who scored low to moderate on this scale, excluding those who were naturally highly hypnotizable. Alongside HIP, the researchers also employed the Hypnotic Intensity Scale (HIS) to gauge the depth of the hypnotic experience as perceived by the participants.</p>
<p>The core of the study involved a technique known as Stanford Hypnosis Integrated with Functional Connectivity-targeted Transcranial Stimulation (SHIFT). This method involves applying repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to specific areas of the brain associated with hypnotizability, particularly the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region linked to higher-order cognitive processes. TMS is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.</p>
<p>&#8220;We tested SHIFT in people with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder, because hypnosis has been shown to be effective in reducing pain, and higher hypnotizability is typically associated with better outcomes,&#8221; Faerman told PsyPost.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The participants were randomly assigned to receive either active or sham (placebo) stimulation. The active group underwent a brief, targeted SHIFT session, while the sham group received a simulation of the treatment without the actual brain stimulation. The sessions were designed to be short, lasting only around a minute and a half.</p>
<p>After the stimulation, the researchers reassessed the participants&#8217; hypnotizability using the HIP. They found that those who received the active SHIFT treatment showed a significant increase in their hypnotizability scores immediately after the session. This change, however, appeared to be short-lived. When reassessed approximately an hour later, the increase in hypnotizability in the active group, though still present, was reduced and not significantly different from the sham group.</p>
<p>&#8220;We developed an individualized neuroimaging-based noninvasive brain stimulation, termed SHIFT,&#8221; Faerman explained. &#8220;We found that active SHIFT was associated with increased hypnotizability (responsiveness to hypnosis), while sham stimulation did not. We were excited to learn that it could actually be done, even though we hypothesized that SHIFT would work!&#8221;</p>
<p>Furthermore, there were no notable changes in the subjective experience of hypnotic depth as measured by the HIS, suggesting that while the participants&#8217; responsiveness to hypnosis increased, their perception of being hypnotized did not change significantly.</p>
<p>&#8220;I found it interesting that participants&#8217; guesses of whether they received active or sham stimulation was not significantly associated with the actual change in their hypnotizability,&#8221; Faerman told PsyPost.</p>
<p>But the study, like all research, includes some limitations. First, the effects of the SHIFT stimulation on hypnotizability were transient, indicating that any clinical applications would need to be closely timed with the stimulation. Secondly, the study did not explore the impact of this increased hypnotizability on actual symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, as it was primarily focused on the mechanism of enhancing hypnotizability.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, the research team emphasizes the need for further studies to explore the long-term effects and potential clinical applications of this technique. They suggest investigating whether different durations or intensities of stimulation could produce more sustained increases in hypnotizability. Also, future research could examine whether similar brain stimulation techniques could be effective in other conditions, potentially broadening the therapeutic applications of hypnosis.</p>
<p>&#8220;We designed the study using a strong tool in clinical research &#8211; a double-blind randomized controlled trial, to answer a mechanistic question &#8211; &#8216;could it be done?&#8217; Because of that, the stimulation protocol we used was very brief &#8211; only 92 seconds,&#8221; Faerman explained.</p>
<p>&#8220;For reference, our TMS treatment for depression (<a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.20101429" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SNT/SAINT</a>), which was recently cleared by the FDA, takes about 500 minutes (over 5 days) to complete. Now that our study has answered the question, and we know it can be done, we are working on designing and testing a clinical adaptation to SHIFT to achieve the most clinically applicable intervention.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;My vision, as a clinical psychologist, is that patients will have a brief stimulation session to increase the effectiveness of treatment before their therapy appointment,&#8221; Faerman said. &#8220;This will allow us to offer effective drug-free treatments and improve our patients&#8217; well-being, and also to save time and money for our patients and the healthcare system.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-023-00184-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stanford Hypnosis Integrated with Functional Connectivity-targeted Transcranial Stimulation (SHIFT): a preregistered randomized controlled trial</a>&#8220;, was authored by Afik Faerman, James H. Bishop, Katy H. Stimpson, Angela Phillips, Merve Gülser, Heer Amin, Romina Nejad, Danielle D. DeSouza, Andrew D. Geoly, Elisa Kallioniemi, Booil Jo, Nolan R. Williams, and David Spiegel.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

Psychology News Robot
DATE:
January 04, 2024 at 06:45AM
.
TITLE:
Did Neurons Evolve Twice?
.
URL:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/did-neurons-evolve-twice/

<p>Tracing the history of the earliest animals offers clues to whether the birth of the neuron was a one-time event</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 04, 2024 at 07:00AM
.
TITLE:
New study finds beauty bias is robust but irrelevant for accurate predictions
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-study-finds-beauty-bias-is-robust-but-irrelevant-for-accurate-predictions-220480

<p>A study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2023.12.020"><em>Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization </em></a>found that the beauty bias is prevalent, though irrelevant in making accurate predictions of cooperativeness.</p>
<p>Attractiveness has been linked to greater earnings and overall economic success, with a beauty premium evident across genders and cultures. People perceived as beautiful enjoy an “attractiveness halo effect,” where they are often seen as more intelligent, healthier, better leaders, and more trustworthy. However, this can also lead to higher expectations and potential disappointment. Of particular interest is that there is mixed evidence as to whether beautiful people are more cooperative.</p>
<p>To further investigate this question, Adam Zylbersztejn and colleagues recruited 357 participants from Paris, Lyon, and Nice. This recruitment process was divided into three distinct stages. In Stage 1, participants provided photographs of themselves, and played an incentivized hidden-action game. They were randomly assigned the roles of Player A or B.</p>
<p>Player A had the option to either go “Go Out,” which would result in a five-euro reward for each player and conclude the interaction, or “Go In,” allowing Player B to determine the outcome of their interaction.</p>
<p>Player B, on the other hand, faced the following choice: they could roll a die, potentially earning 10 euros for themselves while subjecting Player A to a lottery, or they could opt not to roll, securing 14 euros for themselves and leaving Player A with no earnings.</p>
<p>Both players made their decisions without any knowledge of the other’s choice. The behavior of Player B was the metric of cooperativeness.</p>
<p>Participants in Stage 2 were tasked with assessing the perceived cooperativeness of individuals from Stage 1. Additionally, they provided their own photographs and engaged in the same game as the previous stage.</p>
<p>Lastly, in Stage 3, participants were asked to predict the cooperativeness of all participants from the previous stages. Alongside these predictions, they also provided beauty ratings and other evaluations for the participants. Notably, participants were not aware that the game was designed to assess their levels of cooperativeness.</p>
<p>Zylbersztejn and colleagues found that beauty is a key predictor of others’ cooperativeness, but does not actually predict cooperative behavior. A one point increase in beauty was associated with a 12 percentage point increase in ratings of cooperativeness; but this was not associated with observed cooperative behavior from the previous stage.</p>
<p>One’s own beauty was not associated with any differences in the beauty bias. In the author’s words, “beautiful decision-makers are neither more nor less inclined to believe that other beautiful individuals are cooperative.”</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The researchers write, “Overcoming the bias seems particularly hard as even beautiful individuals (who could have learned about its faultiness) fall prey to it.” They call for rules and recommendations that would help individuals mitigate the beauty bias when making decisions.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2023.12.020">How beautiful people see the world: Cooperativeness judgments of and by beautiful people</a>”, was authored by Adam Zylbersztejn, Zakaria Babutsidze, Nobuyuki Hanaki, and Astrid Hopfensitz.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 04, 2024 at 05:00AM
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TITLE:
New scientific findings challenge the male-centric bias in autism studies
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/new-scientific-findings-challenge-the-male-centric-bias-in-autism-studies-220474

<p>A new study published in <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50248-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scientific Reports</a></em> demonstrates striking similarities in synaptic abnormalities and behavioral patterns between male and female mouse models of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This research challenges the conventional male-centric focus in ASD studies and underscores the vital need to include both sexes in autism research.</p>
<p>Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and the presence of repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. The symptoms and severity of ASD can vary widely among individuals, making it a &#8220;spectrum&#8221; condition, with some needing significant support in daily life while others may be highly skilled or independent. The exact cause of ASD is unknown, but it is believed to be a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors.</p>
<p>Historically, ASD research has been skewed towards males, prompted by a higher diagnosed prevalence in males compared to females. This new study, however, suggests that the traditional approach may overlook critical aspects of the disorder, especially in females. The motivation behind this research was to bridge this gap and provide a more comprehensive understanding of ASD.</p>
<p>&#8220;The main goal is to test the molecular/biochemical differences or similarities between males and females in autism,&#8221; said study author <a href="https://www.amal-lab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Haitham Amal</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/haitham_amal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@haitham_amal</a>), an associate professor at Hebrew University. &#8220;The estimated prevalence rate of males diagnosed with ASD exceeds females by a ratio of 4:1. As a result, males remain the primary focus of ASD studies in clinical and experimental settings. Meanwhile, some studies indicate an underestimation of this disorder in females. It was therefore very important to test whether the hypothesis that males are indeed different from females at a molecular and behavioral level.&#8221;</p>
<p>The research involved young male and female mice with specific mutations linked to autism. The team compared these mice with regular, non-mutated mice. Two different mouse models were used, each representing a different human-based mutation. The primary objective was to analyze brain connections by examining specific proteins in the brain and the presence of tiny structures in brain cells.</p>
<p>To investigate synaptic development and function, the researchers employed a combination of Golgi staining and the analysis of key neuronal proteins. Golgi staining, a classical neuroanatomical technique, was used to visualize the structure of neurons, particularly the dendritic spines. In parallel, levels of specific proteins critical for synaptic function were measured.</p>
<p>Both male and female mice with ASD-related mutations showed a notable decrease in spine density on their neurons. Spine density is a key indicator of synaptic health and connectivity; lower spine density suggests reduced synaptic connections, which are critical for efficient neural communication.</p>
<p>Alongside this, there were marked reductions in levels of important synaptic proteins, including GAD1, NR1, VGAT, and Syp. These proteins are integral to synaptic transmission and plasticity. GAD1 is involved in the synthesis of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, NR1 is a component of NMDA receptors crucial for synaptic plasticity, VGAT is involved in GABA transport in synaptic vesicles, and Syp is associated with the regulation of neurotransmitter release.</p>
<p>To connect these synaptic changes to behavior, the study employed sociability tests. These tests are designed to assess social interaction and preference for social novelty, which are often affected in individuals with ASD. In these tests, both male and female mice with ASD mutations exhibited deficits in social behavior compared to their non-mutated counterparts. This was evidenced by their reduced interaction with other mice and possibly less exploration of social stimuli.</p>
<p>Importantly, the researchers found a correlation between the observed synaptic changes and the behavioral patterns. The reduced spine density and altered levels of synaptic proteins suggested a disrupted neural network, which could underlie the social interaction deficits observed in the mice. Such a correlation is significant as it provides a potential explanation for the behavioral symptoms of ASD based on underlying neurobiological changes.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>&#8220;The important and surprising findings are that the biochemical changes and deficiencies in key systems in the brain are the same in both sexes,&#8221; Amal told PsyPost. &#8220;In addition, we found a decrease in the amount of dendritic spines, which are responsible for the function of the synapse between nerve cells in both sexes. Finally, we examined behavior and found that in the two animal models that each have a different humanic mutation, the social disability appears in both sexes.&#8221;</p>
<p>These results challenge the conventional approach in ASD research that has predominantly focused on male subjects, based on the higher diagnosed prevalence of ASD in males. The similarity in synaptic and behavioral patterns found in both male and female mice implies that female models of ASD should not be overlooked, as they provide essential insights into the disorder. This understanding is crucial for developing more comprehensive and effective treatment strategies that cater to both sexes.</p>
<p>However, the study is not without limitations. The use of animal models allowed the researchers to examine the specific biochemical changes associated with ASD. But these models may not fully replicate the complexities of human ASD. Future research could focus on validating these findings in human subjects and exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying these similarities.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-50248-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mutations associated with autism lead to similar synaptic and behavioral alterations in both sexes of male and female mouse brain</a>&#8220;, was authored by Manish Kumar Tripathi, Shashank Kumar Ojha, Maryam Kartawy, Igor Khaliulin, Wajeha Hamoudi, and Haitham Amal.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 03, 2024 at 01:00PM
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TITLE:
Psychopathic traits more pronounced in women leading criminal lifestyles
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/psychopathic-traits-more-pronounced-in-women-leading-criminal-lifestyles-220464

<p>A study of incarcerated women in Portugal found that having a criminal lifestyle was associated with psychopathy. Incarcerated women who reported living a criminal lifestyle tended to have higher psychopathy scores. The study was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2023.2280102"><em>Deviant Behavior</em></a>.</p>
<p>Historically, women have comprised only a small fraction of the total prison population. Over the past decades, the male prison population has outnumbered the female population by more than tenfold. Consequently, research on criminal behavior has predominantly focused on men. Nevertheless, recent data indicates a rising number of incarcerated women.</p>
<p>Early research on women who committed crimes depicted them as primitive and pathological, lacking moral development. Contemporary perspectives, however, emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of their life experiences, the routes leading to criminal behavior, and the nature of the crimes they commit. This shift has brought the lifestyle and psychological traits of these women into the spotlight of research.</p>
<p>Study author Marina Pinheiro and her colleagues wanted to examine the links between psychopathy and the criminal lifestyle of women who committed crimes. A criminal lifestyle is characterized by irresponsibility, self-indulgence, and disregard for social norms. Psychopathy, in contrast, involves psychological traits such as a lack of empathy and remorse, coupled with manipulative and deceitful behaviors. Individuals with psychopathy may exhibit superficial charm and charisma, yet they often engage in impulsive and irresponsible actions.</p>
<p>Unlike in men, psychopathic traits in women are often subtle and concealed, yet equally harmful to others. Women with psychopathy are generally more manipulative than their non-psychopathic counterparts. Whereas psychopathic men typically commit violent crimes against strangers, psychopathic women are more likely to target acquaintances, employing indirect forms of aggression like insults and verbal abuse. Additionally, they report higher levels of violence in prison than men. The authors hypothesized that women exhibiting more pronounced psychopathic traits are likely to lead criminal lifestyles.</p>
<p>The study involved 63 women incarcerated for various crimes. Their average age was 27, with the oldest being 66 years old. Among them, 89% were Portuguese and 51% were single. Their sentences ranged from 2 months to 25 years, with an average prison term of 6 to 7 years. Over half were repeat offenders, and 43% were incarcerated for drug dealing.</p>
<p>Participants completed a survey evaluating various aspects, including their legal situation (type of crime, sentence length, recidivism, criminal versatility), criminal lifestyle (using the Lifestyle Criminality Screening Form-Revised), and psychopathy (based on Hare’s Psychopathy Checklist – Revised).</p>
<p>Results indicated that different aspects of criminal lifestyle were strongly associated, confirming that criminal lifestyle can indeed be considered a unified behavioral pattern. This lifestyle pattern tended to be somewhat more pronounced in repeat offenders.</p>
<p>There was a significant correlation between criminal lifestyle and psychopathy. Individuals with more evident psychopathic traits frequently displayed a criminal lifestyle. When examining specific psychopathic behaviors, the strongest link to criminal lifestyle was observed in the &#8216;lifestyle&#8217; facet of psychopathy, which entails an unstable, parasitic way of life marked by impulsivity, irresponsibility, and dependence on others for financial support or housing.</p>
<p>“Our study allows us to conclude the significant role of psychopathy and especially the lifestyle facet [in women’s criminal lifestyle], as other studies have also pointed. These results provide support for the inclusion of psychopathy in assessments of women who committed crimes, as well as for the consideration of psychopathy in incarcerated women’s treatment to prevent violence and other negative behaviors,&#8221; the study authors concluded.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study sheds light on the links between psychopathy and lifestyle patterns in women who committed crimes. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the number of participants in this study was very small. Studies on larger samples might not yield equal results. Additionally, the researchers report that psychopathy levels of participants in their study were lower than those reported in other studies of incarcerated women.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2023.2280102">Criminal Lifestyle Among Women Who Committed Crimes: The Role of Psychopathy</a>”, was authored by Marina Pinheiro, Rui Abrunhosa Gonçalves, Sónia Caridade, and Olga Cunha.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 03, 2024 at 11:00AM
.
TITLE:
Home-based brain stimulation ineffective for major depression, study finds
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/home-based-brain-stimulation-ineffective-for-major-depression-study-finds-220447

<p>A recent study found that unsupervised home-use brain stimulation combined with digital psychological interventions was not more effective than placebo treatments in alleviating symptoms of major depression. This finding challenges the current understanding of home-based mental health treatments and opens new questions about the most effective ways to treat this widespread condition. The research has been published in <em><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4948" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JAMA Psychiatry</a></em>.</p>
<p>The study was motivated by the urgent need to find effective treatments for major depression, a condition affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Traditional treatments, such as antidepressant drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and noninvasive brain stimulation, have limitations.</p>
<p>For instance, a significant portion of patients does not respond to medications, and other treatments like cognitive therapy are not always accessible. Noninvasive brain stimulation methods such as transcranial magnetic stimulation are costly and require daily clinic visits, while electroconvulsive therapy has associated neurocognitive effects.</p>
<p>Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) emerged as a promising alternative. It&#8217;s a noninvasive technique that involves applying low electrical currents through electrodes placed on the scalp. This method, known for being portable, simple, and inexpensive, was thought to potentially offer an accessible treatment option if it could be effectively administered at home.</p>
<p>The study, known as the Portable Transcranial Electrical Stimulation and Internet-Based Behavioral Therapy for Major Depression Study (PSYLECT), was conducted from April 2021 to October 2022. It involved 210 participants, mostly female, with an average age of 38.9 years, representing a diverse racial background. These participants were diagnosed with major depression and were in the midst of a depressive episode.</p>
<p>Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a &#8216;double active&#8217; group receiving tDCS and a digital psychological intervention, a &#8216;tDCS only&#8217; group receiving tDCS and a digital placebo, and a &#8216;double sham&#8217; group receiving sham tDCS and a digital placebo. The tDCS sessions were conducted at home using a special headset and were to be performed at least 24 hours apart, 5 times a week for the first 3 weeks and then twice a week for the remaining 3 weeks.</p>
<p>The digital psychological intervention included modules based on behavioral therapy concepts, such as mindfulness, physical exercise, and sleep hygiene, delivered through an application. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) scores, a commonly used tool to assess the severity of depression.</p>
<p>The researchers found no significant difference in the reduction of depressive symptoms between the groups receiving the active treatments and the placebo group. This was true for both the primary outcome of depression severity and secondary outcomes like response and remission rates.</p>
<p>Participants generally adhered well to the treatment protocols, and the treatments were deemed easy to use. However, despite these positive aspects of the trial, the main finding was clear: unsupervised home-use tDCS combined with digital therapy did not outperform placebo treatments in reducing symptoms of major depression.</p>
<p>&#8220;We could not show that the active interventions differed from sham in improving depressive symptoms. These findings indicate that unsupervised home use should not currently be recommended as a tDCS modality in clinical practice,&#8221; the researchers concluded.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>However, the duration of the study, six weeks, might have been too short to observe the full effects of the treatment. Additionally, the fixed settings for the brain stimulation device didn&#8217;t account for individual differences among participants, which could have influenced the outcomes. The diverse socioeconomic backgrounds of the participants also suggest that the effectiveness of digital health technologies could vary across different population groups.</p>
<p>Looking forward, researchers emphasize the need for longer studies with more tailored approaches to tDCS. The variability in how individuals respond to digital interventions and brain stimulation highlights the complexity of treating depression and the necessity for personalized treatment strategies. As digital and remote healthcare options continue to evolve, understanding their efficacy in mental health treatment remains a crucial area of research.</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4948" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home-Use Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for the Treatment of a Major Depressive Episode: A Randomized Clinical Trial</a>&#8220;, was authored by Lucas Borrione, Beatriz A. Cavendish, Luana V. M. Aparicio, Matthias S. Luethi, Stephan Goerigk, Adriana M. Carneiro, Leandro Valiengo, Darin O. Moura, Juliana P. de Souza, Mariana Baptista, Valquiria Aparecida da Silva, Izio Klein, Paulo Suen, José Gallucci-Neto, Frank Padberg, Lais B. Razza, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Paulo A. Lotufo, Isabela M. Bensenor, Felipe Fregni, and Andre R. Brunoni.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 03, 2024 at 10:00AM
.
TITLE:
Parents lie to parent their children
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/parents-lie-to-parent-their-children-220462

<p>Parenting by lying has been documented in various countries, including the United States, Canada, China, Singapore, and Turkey. In a brief paper published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214231206095"><em>Current Directions in Psychological Science</em></a>, Peipei Setoh and colleagues provide an overview of this emerging line of research.</p>
<p>Parenting by lying encompasses statements made by parents with the intention of influencing or deceiving their children, taking forms like lying for behavioral compliance or manipulating children’s emotions through false praise or endorsement of imaginary beings like Santa Claus. Determining what constitutes parenting by lying can be challenging, often dependent on the underlying intentions which may not be readily apparent. For example, what possesses a parent to explain a blue sky by attributing it to birds’ favorite color?</p>
<p>Factors such as cultural context and community norms can shape the acceptability of certain lies. Research indicates that parenting by lying is prevalent across various populations, with a significant proportion of parents engaging in this practice, even those who emphasize the importance of honesty to their children. However, it is worth noting that not all parents who lie do so frequently; only a small percentage of young Americans (roughly 5%) reported that their parents lied regularly.</p>
<p>Some researchers express concerns that parenting by lying might unintentionally encourage dishonesty in children, as they may model their behavior after their parents. There is also the potential that it could undermine the parent-child attachment, possibly resulting in disruptions or mistrust. Studies have identified associations between exposure to parenting by lying and negative outcomes in children, including externalizing (e.g., aggression) and internalizing (e.g., anxiety) problems, psychopathy, and increased lying behavior. However, establishing a direct causal link between parenting by lying and these outcomes remains a subject of debate, necessitating further research.</p>
<p>Theoretical frameworks like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.487">Darling and Steinberg’s (1993)</a> integrative model of parenting provide a context for understanding parenting by lying. According to this model, parental goals and values influence parenting practices, which, in turn, affect child outcomes. Expanding on this model, Setoh and colleagues suggest that there may be additional pathways mediating the relationship between parenting by lying and child outcomes. Specifically, they propose a mediation pathway involving the parent-child relationship, suggesting that increased exposure to parenting by lying may lead to poorer parent-child relationships, subsequently resulting in worse psychosocial adjustment in children.</p>
<p>The authors emphasize the need for future research to adopt a broader approach, encompassing various forms of parenting by lying and examining its prevalence across different cultural contexts. They suggest exploring the potential positive outcomes of specific types of parenting by lying, particularly those motivated by benevolent goals, such as preserving a sense of magic for children. They further call for investigations into the wider social dynamics related to parenting by lying, including how children react when they discover their parents’ lies and the factors that influence parents’ decisions to lie.</p>
<p>While existing research has provided insights into the prevalence of parenting by lying and its association with certain negative outcomes, further research is needed to determine causality, understand the nuances, and explore potential positive effects.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214231206095">Parenting by Lying</a>”, was authored by Peipei Setoh, Petrina Hui Xian Low, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 03, 2024 at 09:00AM
.
TITLE:
Study sheds light on how men’s ostracism contributes to intimate partner violence
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/study-sheds-light-on-how-mens-ostracism-contributes-to-intimate-partner-violence-220449

<p>Experiences of social exclusion among men are related to instances of intimate partner violence, according to new research published in <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-023-01410-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sex Roles</a></em>. The study found that feelings of ostracism are positively associated with what is termed &#8220;masculine gender role stress,&#8221; leading to higher instances of intimate partner violence and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study stemmed from the persisting issue of gender-based violence, particularly intimate partner violence, despite the traction gained by feminist movements like #MeToo and Times Up in recent years. The World Health Organization reports that a staggering 27% of women and girls globally experience this form of violence. Understanding the underlying causes and psychological mechanisms that lead to intimate partner violence is crucial for developing effective interventions and reducing the prevalence of this pervasive issue.</p>
<p>&#8220;After studying the consequences of ostracism in general, I was interested in looking at how these might be influenced by gender and gender roles,&#8221; said study author Rheal Chan, research assistant at The Education University of Hong Kong. &#8220;Based on what I knew about masculinity and its dependence on others’ recognition, I thought that ostracism may pose unique challenges to men through masculine gender role stress and was interested in the consequences these unique challenges may carry.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study recruited participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk. After an initial screening, 311 men from the United States were included in the final sample. The research team employed a series of well-established psychological measures to gather data.</p>
<p>Participants rated their experiences of being socially excluded using an adapted version of the Workplace Ostracism Scale. The scale included items like being shut out of conversations or having greetings go unanswered. Masculine gender role stress was measured through the Abbreviated Masculine Gender Role Stress Scale, where participants evaluated how stressful they found situations that threatened traditional masculine roles, such as being outperformed at work by a woman.</p>
<p>To assess intimate partner violence, the researchers used the Extended-Hit/Insult/Threaten/Scream Scale, which inquired about behaviors like physical harm, threats, or forced sexual acts toward a partner. Lastly, depression and anxiety were measured using established scales that asked about symptoms such as feeling hopeless or anxious.</p>
<p>The researchers found that men who reported higher experiences of ostracism also reported greater stress in maintaining their masculine roles. This stress was found to be a significant mediator in the relationship between ostracism and intimate partner violence. In other words, the more men felt excluded or ignored by others, the more likely they were to experience stress related to their masculine identity, which in turn increased the likelihood of them perpetrating violence against their intimate partners.</p>
<p>&#8220;While the results did support all of our predictions, I was surprised about how much masculine gender role stress accounted for the relationship between ostracism and intimate partner violence perpetration,&#8221; Chan told PsyPost. &#8220;This seems to suggest a crucial and very central role of gender expectations in predicting the outcomes of negative social experiences, the extent of which I did not expect.&#8221;</p>
<p>Furthermore, the study highlighted a direct positive association between experiences of ostracism and mental health issues. Men who felt more ostracized reported higher levels of depression and anxiety. Interestingly, the study also found a serial mediation effect, indicating that the relationship between ostracism and mental health issues was partially due to the combined effects of masculine gender role stress and intimate partner violence perpetration.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think what the average person can take away from this research is a deeper understanding of how gender can play a role in the experience of social events,&#8221; Chan said. &#8220;In particular, I had hoped to highlight how the rigidity of certain gender roles and expectations could influence the everyday experience of ostracism to predict highly prevalent and severe negative outcomes.&#8221;</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>Despite these significant findings, the study is not without its limitations. One major constraint is its cross-sectional nature, which restricts the ability to establish causal relationships. The study&#8217;s reliance on self-reported measures also raises concerns about the accuracy and honesty of the responses. Additionally, the focus on a predominantly Western, U.S.-based sample limits the generalizability of the findings to other cultural contexts.</p>
<p>&#8220;Further research can test whether various male identities (e.g., feminist identity, gender identity, sexual orientation) can buffer against the relationships established in this research to prevent intimate partner violence perpetration and harmful mental health outcomes,&#8221; Chan said. &#8220;Subsequent research could also test whether other factors, such as anger or self-esteem, can explain the relationships between ostracism, intimate partner violence perpetration, and poor mental health beyond masculine gender role stress to better understand how this relationship may unfold.&#8221;</p>
<p>The study, &#8220;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01410-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Unmanliness of Ostracism: The Role of Masculine Gender Role Stress and Intimate Partner Violence in Men’s Mental Health</a>&#8220;, was authored by Rheal S. W. Chan and <a href="https://www.kaitakpoon.com/research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kai-Tak Poon</a>.</p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 03, 2024 at 08:00AM
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TITLE:
Exploring the psychedelic mirror: How psilocybin alters self-perception
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URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/exploring-the-psychedelic-mirror-how-psilocybin-alters-self-perception-220458

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How does psilocybin, a psychedelic substance found in magic mushrooms, affect perception of self? A recently published study in the <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/7/2/article-p129.xml"><em>Journal of Psychedelic Studies</em></a> found a considerable diversity of experiences by examining online posts from Reddit users who shared their encounters of gazing into the mirror while under the influence of psilocybin.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Psilocybin is known to have profound effects on consciousness, perception, and awareness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, no previous study has examined how psilocybin affects self-perception (how one views oneself in terms of qualities, characteristics, and emotions) and self-recognition (the ability or inability to correctly identify oneself), using mirror reflections. Mirror recognition is a test of self-awareness and self-identity, as it requires the ability to understand that the image in the mirror is oneself and not another person or entity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To investigate this topic, the Montclair State University researchers led by Sam Elias searched Reddit for posts that contained the keywords “psilocybin mirror” or “shroom mirror”. They screened the posts for inclusion criteria, such as explicit mention of psilocybin ingestion, no other substances consumed, and the description of the experience looking into the mirror.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They identified excerpts from the posts that related to the experience and categorized them into 15 categories based on the content and tone of the description. They analyzed the frequency and percentage of each category &#8211; i.e., how many times a particular phrase was mentioned that belonged to each category.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, they employed statistical tests to compare the categories related to self-recognition (”real self”- the ability to correctly recognize oneself, vs “unreal self” &#8211; the inability to correctly recognize oneself) and self-perception (”positive affect” vs “negative affect” vs “neutral affect”).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers found that out of 486 posts, 89 met the inclusion criteria and contained 775 excerpts. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most frequent categories were “visual change” (the excerpts reported changes in the visual field outside of the usual e.g. environment, face), “self” (the excerpts discussed the self in some way without classifying the self) as well as “cognitive change” (the excerpts reported changes in thoughts, beliefs, especially surreal, untrue and irrational).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elias and colleagues discovered no significant difference between “real self” and “unreal self”, meaning that psilocybin did not consistently impair self-recognition.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, they found that there was a significant difference between “positive affect” and “negative affect”, meaning that psilocybin tended to enhance positive self-perception. </span></p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They also found that other categories, such as “aging” (seeing oneself as younger or older specifically with visual changes) and “animal/entity” (seeing oneself as an animal or some kind of non-human entity) were rarely mentioned.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is a common conversation in the psychedelic space that one should be wary of looking at oneself in the mirror while under a dose of any psychedelic. With the results derived from the posts discussing what happened when someone looked in the mirror while on psilocybin, the positive affect to the experience was statistically significant compared to negative affect. This can suggest that the lore of not looking in the mirror while under the influence of psilocybin may not be the entire story,” the authors concluded.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers acknowledged some limitations of their study, such as the reliance on Reddit posts, which may not be representative of all psilocybin users. Future studies could use more controlled and experimental methods to examine the effects of psilocybin on self-perception and self-recognition using mirror reflections.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study, “<a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/7/2/article-p129.xml">Self-perception and self-recognition while looking in the mirror on psilocybin</a>”, was authored by Sam Elias, Stephanie Spivak, Alexa Alverez, Alejandro Gili Olivares, Maria Ferrol and Julian Paul Keenan.</span></p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

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DATE:
January 02, 2024 at 03:00PM
.
TITLE:
Climate change is altering animal brains and behavior − a neuroscientist explains how
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/climate-change-is-altering-animal-brains-and-behavior-%e2%88%92-a-neuroscientist-explains-how-220432

<p>Human-driven climate change is increasingly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0104">shaping the Earth’s living environments</a>. Rising temperatures, rapid shifts in rainfall and seasonality, and ocean acidification are presenting altered environments to many animal species. How do animals adjust to these new, often extreme, conditions?</p>
<p>Animal nervous systems play a central role in both enabling and limiting how they respond to changing climates. Two of my main research interests as a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qFFX_9KiimwC&amp;hl=en">biologist and neuroscientist</a> involve understanding how <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271250">animals accommodate</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cois.2017.06.004">temperature extremes</a> and identifying the forces that shape the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blx150">structure and function of</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-022-00873-5">animal nervous systems</a>, especially brains. The intersection of these interests led me to explore the effects of climate on nervous systems and how animals will likely respond to rapidly shifting environments.</p>
<p>All major functions of the nervous system – sense detection, mental processing and behavior direction – are critical. They allow animals to navigate their environments in ways that enable their survival and reproduction. Climate change will likely affect these functions, often for the worse.</p>
<h2>Shifting sensory environments</h2>
<p>Changing temperatures shift the energy balance of ecosystems – from plants that produce energy from sunlight to the animals that consume plants and other animals – subsequently altering the sensory worlds that animals experience. It is likely that climate change will challenge all of their senses, from sight and taste to smell and touch.</p>
<p>Animals like mammals perceive temperature in part with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02732">special receptor proteins</a> in their nervous systems that respond to heat and cold, discriminating between moderate and extreme temperatures. These receptor proteins help animals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07001">seek appropriate habitats</a> and may play a critical role in how animals respond to changing temperatures.</p>
<p>Climate change disrupts the environmental cues animals rely on to solve problems like selecting a habitat, finding food and choosing mates. Some animals, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.04.010">mosquitoes</a> that transmit <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.584846">parasites and pathogens</a>, rely on temperature gradients to orient themselves to their environment. Temperature shifts are altering where and when mosquitoes search for hosts, leading to changes in disease transmission.</p>
<p>How climate change affects the chemical signals animals use to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12128">communicate with each other</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/EN13055">harm competitors</a> can be especially complex because chemical compounds are highly sensitive to temperature.</p>
<p>Formerly reliable sources of information like seasonal changes in daylight can lose its utility as they become uncoupled. This could cause a breakdown in the link between day length and <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/1773/37034">plant flowering and fruiting</a>, and interruptions to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-physiol-021909-135837">animal behavior</a> like hibernation and migration when day length no longer predicts resource availability.</p>
<h2>Changing brains and cognition</h2>
<p>Rising temperatures may disrupt how animal brains develop and function, with potentially negative effects on their ability to effectively adapt to their new environments.</p>
<p>Researchers have documented how temperature extremes can alter individual neurons at the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jez.b.22736">genetic and</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0400773101">structural levels</a>, as well as how the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-016-0993-2">brain is organized</a> as a whole.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>In marine environments, researchers have found that climate-induced changes of water chemistry like ocean acidification can affect animals’ general cognitive performance and sensory abilities, such as odor tracking in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2195">reef fish</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12678">sharks</a>.</p>
<h2>Behavior disruptions</h2>
<p>Animals may respond to climate adversity by shifting locations, from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12439">changing the microhabitats</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13309">they use</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316145111">altering their</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-016-0504-0">geographic ranges</a>.</p>
<p>Activity can also shift to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-005-0030-4">different periods of the day</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.1768">or to</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.3354/cr00713">new seasons</a>. These behavioral responses can have major implications for the environmental stimuli animals will be exposed to.</p>
<p>For example, fish in warming seas have shifted to cooler, deeper waters that have dramatically different <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.0396">light intensity and color range</a> than their visual systems are used to. Furthermore, because not all species will shift their behaviors in the same way, species that do move to a new habitat, time of day or season will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.05.031">confront new ones</a>, including food plants and prey animals, competitors and predators, and pathogens.</p>
<p>Behavioral shifts driven by climate change will restructure ecosystems worldwide, with complex and unpredictable outcomes.</p>
<h2>Plasticity and evolution</h2>
<p>Animal brains are remarkably flexible, developed to match <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-022-00873-5">individual environmental experience</a>. They’re even substantially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-2236(00)01558-7">capable of changing</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2004.6.2/fgage">in adulthood</a>.</p>
<p>But studies comparing species have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-016-1353-4">seen strong</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1159/000006666">environmental effects</a> on brain evolution. Animal nervous systems evolve to match the sensory environments of each species’ activity space. These patterns suggest that new climate regimes will eventually shape nervous systems by forcing them to evolve.</p>
<p>When genetics have strong effects on brain development, nervous systems that are finely adapted to the local environment may lose their adaptive edge with climate change. This may pave the way for new adaptive solutions. As the range and significance of sensory stimuli and seasonal cues shift, natural selection will favor those with new sensory or cognitive abilities.</p>
<p>Some parts of the nervous system are constrained by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14188">genetic adaptations</a> while others are more plastic and responsive to environmental conditions. A greater understanding of how animal nervous systems adapt to rapidly changing environments will help predict how all species will be affected by climate change.<!-- 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/215035/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/climate-change-is-altering-animal-brains-and-behavior-a-neuroscientist-explains-how-215035">original article</a>.</em></p>
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psychbot , 6 months ago to psychology

.
DATE:
January 02, 2024 at 01:00PM
.
TITLE:
In the presence of attractive others, people claim reduced sociosexual desire
.
URL:
https://www.psypost.org/2024/01/in-the-presence-of-attractive-others-people-claim-reduced-sociosexual-desire-220429

<p>A new study published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02753-w"><em>Archives of Sexual Behavior</em></a> explored how individuals might alter their self-disclosure of sociosexual orientation in the presence of an attractive other.</p>
<p>Social desirability bias refers to the tendency to present oneself in a manner that is likely to be viewed favorably by others. This is seen as an adaptive strategy to achieve social goals. Some scholars draw a parallel between self-presentation and theatrical performance, where each social interaction serves as an opportunity to assume an appealing role. The influence of an audience, especially one deemed important, is crucial in this context. The presence of influential or attractive individuals, for instance, can significantly sway a person’s behavior, driven by the anticipation of either approval or disapproval.</p>
<p>Research suggests a strong impact of social desirability bias, especially in domains bound by rigorous social norms, such as sexual behavior. Consider the sexual double standard wherein promiscuous behavior is judged more harshly for women than for men. The current research investigates how people present their sociosexual orientation, a measure of sexual permissiveness, in socially charged situations.</p>
<p>Researcher Michal Mikolaj Stefanczyk first conducted a pilot study to select attractive models for the main study. Participants were shown short clips of potential models of the opposite sex; one male and one female model, who were rated as above average attractive and did not differ from each other in terms of attractiveness, were selected.</p>
<p>The main study involved 244 participants recruited through snowball sampling. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two experimental groups. In the experimental conditions, participants encountered an attractive male or female model, while the control group involved no others.</p>
<p>The Sociosexual Orientation Scale, which comprises three subscales, including past casual sexual activity, attitude toward unrestricted sexuality, and sexual desire for others without romantic relationship, was administered verbally by the model in the experimental conditions and self-reported by participants in the control condition. Participants in all conditions privately reported their sexual orientation on a scale of 1 (exclusively heterosexual) to 6 (exclusively homosexual), as well as their age, sex, relationship status and sociopolitical worldview (i.e., conservative, liberal).</p>
<p>A follow-up study was conducted to address the limitations of the control group. Specifically, while the experimental conditions involved verbalization of responses, the control group participants completed the key questionnaire in silence. As verbalization can affect responding, the researcher conducted an additional study with 188 participants to determine whether form of responding in an empty room (i.e., silent and written, or verbal into recording device) influences reporting of sociosexuality.</p>
<p>The results revealed that both men and women tend to report a more restricted sociosexual orientation when in the presence of an attractive person, regardless of the model’s gender. Importantly, this effect was specific to the Desire subscale of sociosexual orientation and did not extend to past sexual Behavior or Attitudes towards sexual permissiveness. Importantly, the follow-up study confirmed that this effect did not emerge from differences in modes of responding.</p>
<p>While people are comfortable sharing their past sexual behaviors and general attitudes towards sex, they are more reserved about disclosing personal desires, particularly in the presence of potential sexual partners. This reservation could stem from concerns about how expressing such desires might impact interactions with the attractive individual and potentially affect their reputation if gossip were to spread. The reluctance to disclose desires could be interpreted as either an altruistic consideration for the comfort of the attractive individual or an egoistic concern for one’s own image.</p>
<p>The author suggests that future research recruit more than one male and one female model for robust generalization of results.</p><div class="addrop-wrap" data-id="64749"><p style="text-align: center;">
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<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02753-w">People Declare Lowered Levels of Sociosexual Desire in the Presence of an Attractive Audience</a>”, was authored by Michal Mikolaj Stefanczyk.</p>
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