Psychology news

• Nagging Kids About Weight May Backfire

  26-04-2016 18:40 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Google News - HealthWhen parents believe their children are overweight -- regardless of whether they are or not -- those kids are likely to gain weight, a new study suggests. "Parental perceptions may be something of a self-fulfilling prophecy," said study co-author...
  
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• Scientists Find Surprising Connection Between Vitamin C and Brain Health

  02-07-2026 08:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthCould something as simple as vitamin C help support a healthier aging brain? In a study of more than 2,000 older adults in Japan, researchers found that people with lower vitamin C levels in their blood also tended to have less gray matter and weaker connections in a key brain network involved in memory, attention, and other cognitive functions. The results were published on June 10 in the open access journal PLOS One.
  
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• Nearly 3 in 4 U.S. Scam Victims Report Mental Health Harm, Poll Finds

  02-07-2026 08:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraA tenth of adults in the U.S. directly or indirectly experienced a scam last year, adversely affecting their financial and emotional well-being, according to a new Gallup poll. The report by Gallup released on Tuesday indicated that 6% of U.S. adults were personally scammed in 2025, and 4% experienced a scam indirectly, with someone in their household affected. Gallup noted that scams can also leave victims more cautious and less likely to shop...
  
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• Huge Study Links Teen Marijuana Use to Serious Mental Illness

  02-07-2026 08:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthTeens who use cannabis may face a substantially greater risk of developing serious mental health conditions, including psychotic and bipolar disorders, according to a study of more than 463,000 adolescents. Researchers found cannabis use often preceded these diagnoses by nearly two years, strengthening concerns about its long-term effects on developing brains. The results appear in the journal JAMA Health Forum.
  
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• Brain Activity Under Anesthesia Challenges Theories of Consciousness

  02-07-2026 08:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Social Psychology The unconscious brain appears to be far more capable than commonly thought. Scientists have now found that patients under general anesthesia can still process language—distinguishing nouns, verbs, and adjectives while listening to stories. Even more remarkably, neural activity shows signs of predicting upcoming words before they are heard. The results challenge traditional ideas about consciousness and hint at new possibilities for...
  
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• Advocates Warn That Trump Actions May Signal Loss of Disability Rights

  02-07-2026 08:06 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PBS EducationFor decades, disabled people in the U.S. have fought for their rights to go to school and live alongside peers without disabilities—rights that may be losing ground under the Trump administration. Recently, the Department of Education announced it would shift oversight of special education to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, whose views on the limits of disabilities such as autism have drawn sharp rebukes from advocates and lawmakers.
  
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• U.S. High Court Says States Can Ban Transgender Girls From Girls' Sports

  01-07-2026 16:58 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsThe U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that states can ban transgender girls from participating in girls' sports at publicly funded schools. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion that upheld laws in Idaho and West Virginia. He rejected arguments that transgender athlete restrictions discriminate on sex or gender identity. "May schools determine eligibility for women's and girls' sports based on biological sex? The answer is yes,"...
  
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• Spain Heat Wave Kills Over 1,000 in Hottest First Six Months Ever

  01-07-2026 16:58 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesMore than 1,000 people died from heat-related causes during the recent heat wave in Spain, as the country recorded its hottest first half of the year on record, officials said on Wednesday. This number was more than double the 407 recorded in June 2025. The recent heat wave, which scorched much of Europe, was the continent's most severe on record. Experts say human-induced climate change is to blame.
  
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• U.S. Top Court Backs Birthright Citizenship in Rebuke to Trump

  01-07-2026 10:31 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesThe U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship is unlawful. In one of the most consequential decisions this year, the court ruled 6-3 to preserve the right to U.S. citizenship for nearly everyone born on U.S. soil. Trump issued his order on ⁠the first day of his second term last ⁠year as part of a range of policies aimed at cracking down on immigration, both legal and illegal.
  
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• German Heat Wave Is Over; Political Fallout Has Just Begun

  01-07-2026 10:24 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesThis past weekend saw recording-breaking temperatures exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Germany. These are life-threatening situations for residents of retirement homes, nursing homes, and hospitals with little or no air conditioning. Yet Germany doesn't have any national heat protection regulations that would require cooling systems in such facilities, despite a long history of expert warnings, which has now become a political issue.
  
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• Tuesday's Children Rebrands to Tuesday's Promise After 25 Years of Standing with 9/11 Families

  30-06-2026 17:34 via pr.com
  
  National charity honors nearly 25 years of service and foundation as a 9/11 response organization while committing to support 9/11 and military families of the fallen for a lifetime. [PR.com]
  
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• Europe's "Most Severe" Heatwave Due to Climate Change, Says Report

  26-06-2026 15:18 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraThe historic heatwave gripping Europe is part of a dangerous weather trend that can only be explained by human-caused climate change, say scientists from a highly respected international group. The extreme temperatures sweeping across Europe mark the region's "most severe" heatwave ever tracked for the month and would have been "virtually impossible" half a century ago, the World Weather Attribution group said in a report released on Friday.
  
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• More Than Pride: Japan's Turning Point for LGBTQ+ Rights

  26-06-2026 11:24 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Global VoicesTokyo's Rainbow Pride festival this June has become more than a celebratory festival of visibility. The atmosphere is now electrified as the Japanese Supreme Court is expected to issue its first unified constitutional ruling on same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ+ communities are taking to the streets to push for equal rights to marriage with the slogan: "May love prevail in the Supreme Court" (最高裁で愛が勝つ).
  
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• Common Threads Project Releases Community Impact Report Documenting Transformative Healing for Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

  25-06-2026 09:00 via pr.com
  
  Common Threads Project Releases 2025 Community Impact Report. Common Threads Project (CTP), a nonprofit delivering trauma-processing care for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, has released Heard. Held. Healing. — Its 2025 Community Impact Report.The report documents outcomes across seven program sites in the U.S., Ecuador, Nepal, Nigeria, and Ukraine. In 2025, 220+ survivors participated in healing [PR.com]
  
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• One in Six Babies in England Live in Overheated Homes, Analysis Finds

  25-06-2026 08:02 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: The Guardian - Climate CrisisOne in six babies in England live in overheated homes, causing sleep disruption and serious health risks, according to new analysis. The National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing found that more than 70,000 babies are living in overly hot homes as climate change drives record temperatures across the country. A rare red warning for extreme heat was issued for parts of England and Wales this week, with hundreds of schools...
  
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• New Book Offers Practical Solutions to Prevent Suicide in Jails and Prisons

  25-06-2026 00:17 via pr.com
  
  A correctional psychiatrist's 25-year journey into the hidden causes of suicide behind bars, and the practical lessons that can save lives and prevent lawsuits. [PR.com]
  
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• Malaysian Government Replaces the Term "LGBT" With "Deviant Culture"

  23-06-2026 16:31 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Global VoicesA Malaysian official said the government will stop using the term "LGBT" and instead use "budaya songsang," which means "deviant culture" in Malay, reflecting the intensified discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people in the country. During a Parliament session in February, a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Religious Affairs) said that ending use of the term will influence online algorithms and thus prevent the "normalization" of...
  
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• U.N. Reports Israel Is Intentionally Targeting Palestinian Children

  23-06-2026 16:30 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsA U.N. human rights committee said Tuesday that Israel is continuing to commit genocide in the Gaza Strip and is deliberately targeting Palestinian children. The U.N. International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory published a report concluding that Israeli authorities and military forces is intentionally committing genocide. The killings of children have continued after a cease-fire was agreed to in October.
  
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• Study Finds Subtle Link Between Speaking Speed and Politeness

  22-06-2026 17:54 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostNew research provides evidence that the speed at which a person speaks is related to how polite they are trying to be. The study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, reports that people tend to slow down their speech when trying to sound courteous, and that they perceive slower speech from others as more formal and polite. These insights show how subtle vocal changes may help people navigate everyday social interactions.
  
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• Your Heart May Quietly Shape How Your Brain Processes Information

  22-06-2026 17:53 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceTwo side-by-side squares of color flicker on a screen, and a study participant is asked to press a button whenever one of them briefly changes hue. What they don't know is that one square tends to change at the moment their heart contracts, whereas the other changes between beats. Even though they don't realize it, they respond differently to the two squares. That result is one of many suggesting that the heart may affect how the brain processes...
  
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• AI Is Getting Women Wrong and Perpetuating Gender Bias, Data Reveal

  22-06-2026 17:53 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Nations NewsAs artificial intelligence reshapes how people work, communicate, and access information, UN Women warned on Monday that the technology is reproducing old gender stereotypes, thereby amplifying online abuse and leaving women out of decisions that will define the digital future. To take one example, a recent study of 133 AI systems found that 44 percent demonstrated gender bias, and more than a quarter showed both gender and racial bias.
  
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• Omega-3 Supplements Do Not Prevent Dementia, Study Concludes

  20-06-2026 06:31 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthIf you're taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement to prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia, take note: A new study has found these supplements do not improve memory, cognition, or brain cell loss. The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial—the gold standard of science—published in The Lancet journal ebioMedicine. What does work? Exercise, stress reduction, quality sleep, and a plant-based diet that includes...
  
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• Like Humans, Other Great Apes Think Differently From One Another

  18-06-2026 17:42 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Association for Psychological ScienceScientists have long assumed that if a particular ability—such as using gestures to communicate—is found only in species closely related to humans, then the trait probably appeared late in our evolutionary history. As a new study suggests, however, many great apes species (including humans) have cognitive abilities that develop, wax, and wane throughout life, varying between individuals as different personalities and life experiences shape
  
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• U.S. Voters Link Rising Costs of Living to Climate Crisis

  18-06-2026 17:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: The Guardian - Climate CrisisU.S. political discourse has drifted away from the climate crisis amid a frontal assault on "wokeness" by President Donald Trump and his pugnacious promise to "drill, baby, drill" for more oil and gas. Yet polls show that roughly two-thirds of Americans say they are worried about the climate crisis, and the public continues to favor action to deal with it. In addition, U.S. voters now link rising costs of living to the climate crisis.
  
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• Reports of Antisemitism in Germany Remain High

  18-06-2026 17:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesGermany's Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism recorded over 8,700 cases they classify as antisemitic hostility in 2025, many of which were related to Israel. The 2025 report, published on Wednesday, documented a wide range of incidents that included death threats, verbal and physical attacks such as a well-publicized knife attack, and ominous Holocaust references. Over 40% of overt threats occurred...
  
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• A Daily Probiotic May Help Relieve Depression and Anxiety

  18-06-2026 17:41 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top NewsA small clinical trial suggests that probiotics may offer a surprising mental health boost for older adults with depression. Seniors who took a daily probiotic alongside their regular antidepressant treatment experienced slightly greater improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms than did seniors who received a placebo. The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
  
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• Patients Are Turning to Chatbots for Mental Health Help, Survey Finds

  18-06-2026 17:40 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA Press ReleasesMore than 75% of psychologists report that their patients are discussing artificial intelligence in therapy, according to a survey of 1,200 psychologists by the American Psychological Association. The survey also found that patients are using AI for mental health support, to find a diagnosis, or for friendship and intimacy, and many patients are now supplementing their relationship with a mental health professional with advice from AI chatbots.
  
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• Ringing in Your Ears Could Be Early Warning Sign of Hearing Loss

  17-06-2026 08:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthA common sign of hearing loss isn't complete silence—it's struggling to follow conversations, especially in noisy places. Experts say hearing loss and tinnitus, the ringing or buzzing many people experience, often start when delicate cells inside the ear become damaged from aging or long-term noise exposure. Beyond making it harder to hear, these conditions can affect sleep, concentration, mood, and even increase the risk of falls and...
  
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• Nearly All Children Globally Exposed to at Least One Climate Hazard

  17-06-2026 08:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraAlmost all children across the globe are exposed to at least one climate hazard, and the situation is expected to worsen unless greenhouse gas emissions are urgently reduced, says UNICEF's Children's Climate Risk Report. The report, published Tuesday, warns that climate hazards pose a threat to children on multiple fronts, with nearly half of the world's children exposed to at least three such hazards, putting their health, education, and...
  
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• Extreme Weather Whips Up Anxiety, But a Safety Plan Can Help

  17-06-2026 07:52 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA PsycPORT™: Psychology NewswireHurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather can also kick up storms of anxiety. Thankfully, there are several ways to reduce that stress, according to mental health experts who have helped people who have experienced disasters. One of the most important things to do is have a plan, they say. "Preparation is always one of the most powerful tools," says health economist Ruben Juarez, "not just for safety, but also for mental health."
  
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