Psychology news

• After 2,000 Student Arrests, Some U.S. Schools Willing to Discuss Divestment

  04-05-2024 12:29 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthAnti-war demonstrations ceased this week at a small number of U.S. universities after school leaders struck deals with pro-Palestinian protesters to avoid disruptions of final exams and graduation ceremonies. The agreements at schools including Brown, Northwestern, and Rutgers stand in contrast to scenes of chaos and 2,400-plus arrests on 46 campuses nationwide since April 17.
  
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• Trauma can leave us emotionally numb – each step towards reconnection is a win | Diane Young

  09-06-2024 17:00 via theguardian.com
  
  The brain protects itself from pain by shutting down emotional responses – this can help us cope in the short term, but is problematic when it persistsThe modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their workTo the outside world, it seemed as if he had it all.At just 34, Kane* had already become a successful business owner. As a builder by trade, his revenue had soared over a decade, earning him millions. He had also invested in property, owning t
  
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• ‘We’ve talked for hundreds of hours’: the joy of volunteering as a telephone friend

  09-06-2024 15:00 via theguardian.com
  
  We’re 50 years apart and have never met, but my connection with Pauline is deeper than I could have imaginedAll best friends were strangers once. Why, then, does reaching out to someone you don’t know, making platonic connections in the modern world, feel like such a bold, even brave thing to do?Let me tell you about my friend, Pauline. Like all good friends, we make a point of catching up at least once a week, talking for hours about everything and nothing at all. But Pauline and I,
  
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• Come on, feel the noise: how I unplugged my headphones and reconnected with the world

  09-06-2024 11:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Worried she was missing out, Ella Glover took off her headphones for a month and rediscovered the soundscape of humanity, made space to listen to friends – and tuned in to her own thoughtsUntil about a month ago, the thought of leaving my flat without my headphones connected to my smartphone filled me with anxiety. Any length of time, whether a two-minute walk to the shop or a two-hour commute, with nothing but my own thoughts and the racket of the city to listen to, was enough to send me
  
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• Healthy Lifestyle May Slow Symptoms in Patients with Early Dementia

  08-06-2024 13:50 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsNew research suggests that healthy lifestyle habits can help preserve brain function in people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia. Over 70% of people who ate healthy, exercised regularly, and managed stress had their dementia symptoms either remain stable or improve without the use of drugs, researchers reported Friday in the journal Alzheimer's Research and Therapy. In contrast, nearly 70% showed a decline without these lifestyle...
  
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• Mental Health on College Campuses: Challenges and Solutions

  08-06-2024 13:49 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: U.S. News and World ReportAdjusting to college can be difficult, as students navigate newfound independence and harder courses. It can feel especially daunting for students who face mental health challenges, which were heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Campuses are now facing what experts call a mental health crisis. For example, 70% of students said they have struggled with mental health since starting college, according to a March 2024 survey of 3,649 college...
  
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• U.N. Chief Says World Is on "Highway to Climate Hell" As Record Heat Hits

  06-06-2024 19:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthThe planet just marked a new milestone, enduring 12 straight months of unprecedented heat, according to data from Copernicus, the European Union's climate monitoring service. Every single month from June 2023 to May 2024 was the world's hottest such month on record. Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres called on world leaders Wednesday to ban advertising fossil fuel products and find "an exit ramp off the highway to climate hell."
  
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• Spain Applies to Join South Africa's Genocide Case Against Israel

  06-06-2024 19:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthSpain became on Thursday the first European country to ask a United Nations court for permission to join South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. South Africa filed its case with the International Court of Justice last year. It alleged that Israel was breaching the genocide convention in its military assault that has laid waste to large parts of Gaza. Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Libya, and the Palestinians have also applied to...
  
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• Could Artificial Intelligence Put an End to Animal Testing?

  06-06-2024 19:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: BBCNews - BusinessFrom animal lovers to laboratory technicians, no one enjoys subjecting animals to scientific testing. It is instead done to help ensure that drugs and other substances are safe for eventual human use. Researchers have long sought non-animal alternatives. Artificial intelligence systems are now accelerating this work, and in some cases, AI is already proving to be more accurate than animal testing.
  
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• AI researchers build ‘future self’ chatbot to inspire wise life choices

  05-06-2024 06:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: Scientists at MIT hope talking to 60-year-old self will shift thinking on health, money and workIf your carefully crafted life plan has been scuppered by sofa time, bingeing on fast food, drinking too much and failing to contribute to the company pension, it may be time for a chat with your future self.Without ready access to a time machine, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have built an AI-powered chatbot that simulates a user’s older self and dish
  
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• Pebbling: the viral romance trend that humans have stolen from penguins

  04-06-2024 15:49 via theguardian.com
  
  While the birds pick up stones and offer them as a gift to the object of their desire, people are displaying similar behaviour onlineName: Pebbling.Age: Gentoo penguins have been doing it pre-social media. Continue reading...
  
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• Stress bragging: why workload boasts are bad for you – and your colleagues

  03-06-2024 15:56 via theguardian.com
  
  Are you in the habit of telling everyone how overstretched you are? A new study has found that it might make you less likable and less competent, while undermining your co-workersName: Stress bragging.Age: As a tactic, ancient; as a term, about three months old. Continue reading...
  
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• Palestinians Apply to Join U.N. Court Case Accusing Israel of Genocide

  03-06-2024 13:37 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: ABC News - InternationalPalestinian officials applied Monday to the top U.N. court for permission to join South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The request alleges that Israel's ongoing military operation is "part of a systematic effort to wipe Palestinian society and its culture and social institutions from the map." The request to the International Court of Justice was made on behalf of the "State of Palestine" and signed by a Palestinian Authority...
  
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• How learning about the science of shyness helped me

  02-06-2024 15:00 via theguardian.com
  
  I’ve managed to conquer my fears and build great friendshipsOn the day I received an offer from my first-choice university, I expected to feel elation and excitement. I had spent years preparing for this moment, and yet when it came, I felt only dread at the thought of freshers’ week and all the social challenges this would inevitably involve.I had always been something of a shrinking violet and the fact that I now had a close group of friends at school did not helped to assuagemy so
  
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• Free AI Website Matches Patients with the Most Effective Antidepressant

  02-06-2024 11:33 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthA free AI-powered website, www.MeAgainMeds.com, provides clinicians with evidence-based recommendations on the optimal antidepressant for their patients. "Many people with depression must try multiple antidepressants before finding the right one that alleviates their symptoms. Our website reduces the number of medications that patients are asked to try," said Farrokh Alemi, principal investigator and professor at George Mason University.
  
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• Admission Criteria for Graduate Psychology Programs Are Changing

  02-06-2024 11:33 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA MonitorOver the last few years, graduate psychology degree programs, both at the master's and doctoral levels, have shifted their admission criteria from an emphasis on standardized testing to components that reflect applicants' experiences. According to the most recent edition of Graduate Study in Psychology, doctoral programs placed the highest importance on letters of recommendation (85%), personal statements (84%), and interviews (74%).
  
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• Climate Activist Defaces Monet Paining in Paris

  02-06-2024 11:32 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsA climate activist has been arrested for defacing a Monet painting at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris to draw attention to climate change, authorities said Sunday. A woman representing Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response) was apprehended after sticking a poster on the French impressionist painting. The poster showed a barren red landscape, and the activist warned that this is what Monet would be painting in 2100 if climate change isn't radically..
  
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• Impact of Psychology Association's Apology to Indigenous Peoples

  02-06-2024 11:31 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA MonitorWhen APA leaders publicly apologized for psychology's contribution to the harms suffered by Native people, many Native and non-Native psychologists were moved to tears. It was at the 2023 convention for the Society of Indian Psychologists, and those in attendance were experiencing the result of a lengthy effort to change the way APA takes responsibility for its impact on Indigenous people. A year later, significant change finally seems on its...
  
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• Mediterranean Diet Cuts Mortality Risk by 23%, Study Finds

  01-06-2024 19:19 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthThe Mediterranean diet has long been regarded as a heart-healthy option, but a new study has found the diet may also help lower the risk of death. The study, published in JAMA Network Open Friday, examined 25,315 women over 25 years, finding a higher adherence to the diet—focused on fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains—was linked to a 23% reduced risk of death as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
  
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• LGBTQ+ Pride Month: Celebrations, Protests, and More

  01-06-2024 19:19 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthPride Month, the worldwide celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and rights, kicks off Saturday with events around the globe. But this year's festivities in the United States will unfold against a backdrop of dozens of new state laws targeting LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender young people. Here are some things to know about pride celebrations, their history, and the politics related to them.
  
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• Vermont Becomes 1st State to Force Oil Firms to Pay for Climate Change

  01-06-2024 18:37 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Huff Post Environment Vermont has become the first U.S. state to enact a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a share of the damage caused by climate change after the state suffered catastrophic summer flooding and damage from other extreme weather. Republican Governor Phil Scott allowed the bill to become law without his signature Thursday. Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York are considering similar measures despite intense lobbying by the American Petroleum...
  
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• Mental Health Is Another Battlefront for Ukrainians in Russian War

  01-06-2024 18:37 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - World NewsMore than two years after Russia launched its invasion, the toll on Ukrainians' mental health continues to climb day-by-day. It affects everyone, from children to soldiers, women who are suddenly single mothers, refugees separated from their families, and elderly men and women who cannot leave. But talking about the mental-health repercussions of the war is uncommon in Ukrainian culture, say experts, which compounds the problem even further.
  
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• AI May Help Drivers Detect Pedestrians and Obstacles Faster

  01-06-2024 18:37 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top NewsIt's every driver's nightmare: a pedestrian stepping in front of the car seemingly out of nowhere, leaving only a fraction of a second to brake or steer away. Although some cars have camera systems that can alert the driver or trigger emergency braking, these systems are not fast and reliable enough to be used in driverless cars. Now, researchers report in this week's issue of Nature that AI can reliably detect obstacles in as little as 20-30...
  
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• Three Black Men Sue American Airlines for Racial Discrimination

  30-05-2024 09:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsThree passengers are suing American Airlines after the company allegedly removed eight Black men from a flight due to a complaint about "offensive body odor." Video central to the lawsuit displayed a group of Black men who were not traveling together and did not know each other being removed from the flight. According to the suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, they were the only Black passengers on the flight.
  
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• Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollution Linked to Mental Health Risks

  30-05-2024 09:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top NewsA baby's exposure to air pollution while in the womb is associated with the development of certain mental health problems once the child reaches adolescence, finds a study published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open. Researchers hypothesize that pollution might negatively affect mental health through a variety of pathways, including by compromising the blood-brain barrier, promoting neuroinflammation, and directly damaging brain tissue.
  
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• Landmark: First Full Chromosome Sequences of Non-Human Primates

  30-05-2024 09:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google NewsResearchers have generated the first complete chromosome sequences of non-human primates. Published in Nature, these sequences uncover remarkable variation among the Y chromosomes of six different great ape species, revealing species diversity and insights into evolution. Because these primate species are the closest living relatives to humans, the new sequences can also provide insights into human evolution.
  
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• Study Identifies Brain Network Associated With Stuttering

  30-05-2024 09:46 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsStuttering is a neurological condition, not a psychological one, and scientists in Finland now believe they've found the disrupted brain network that may cause it. The study, published May 27 in the journal Brain, examined brain scans of 20 adults who developed a stutter after a stroke, as well as 20 scans of stutterers who did not have a stroke. Researchers estimate that 5-10% of children will develop a stutter, and 1% of adults struggle with...
  
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• Should we follow Lily Allen – and let our partner control our smartphone? | Arwa Mahdawi

  29-05-2024 12:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Allen’s husband decides the apps she is allowed to use and she decides his. It’s one of many approaches people are taking to try to ditch social media and unbreak their brainsAn annoying thing about being a parent is that you have to consistently model good behaviour. You can’t just shove crisps in your mouth and stare at your phone when you need a break.I’ve always spent an unhealthy amount of time staring at my phone, but I didn’t worry about my habit until I had
  
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• Toward a More Inclusive + Accessible Positive Psychology

  28-05-2024 19:41 via positivepsychologynews.com
  By Abimbola Tschetter -
  Disability and illness are both words that focus on deficits rather than strengths. Not only are the people who possess these conditions regarded in terms of deficits, but their needs are also overlooked. Regrettably, they are commonly excluded from considerations of optimal functioning and human flourishing.Positive psychology, distinguished by its focus on augmenting strengths rather than the abating deficits, offers potential to shift perceptions of disability and chro
  
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• Vatican Apologizes for Pope Francis' Use of Homophobic Slur

  28-05-2024 09:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthPope Francis has apologized for using an anti-gay slur during a meeting with bishops. The 87-year-old pontiff reportedly made the homophobic remark in a closed-door meeting on May 20 as he told Italian bishops that gay men shouldn't be allowed to train for the priesthood, adding that some of the seminaries already had an air of frociaggine—an offensive Italian term that translates roughly into the English term "f******y." On Tuesday, the...
  
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