Psychology news

• What the Science of Music Reveals About Cognition, Emotion, and Identity

  05-03-2026 16:50 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA MonitorMusic is an extraordinary feature of the human species. It unites us and conveys feeling when words fail. It speaks to our identity as individuals and as members of a group. It is universal—found in nearly every culture and society—yet wildly diverse. It is emotionally potent but cognitively complex. In all its intricacy, music is a mirror of the brain itself, and it has its own implications for cognition, emotion, and identity.
  
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• U.S. High Court Blocks California Ban on Schools Outing Trans Students

  05-03-2026 14:28 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PBS News HourThe U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for California schools to tell religious parents if their children identify as transgender without getting the student's approval, granting an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group. The order blocks for now a state law that bans automatic parental notification requirements if students change their pronouns or gender expression at school, there by allowing schools to out students to their...
  
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• Transforming Cellblocks Into Psychology Classrooms

  05-03-2026 14:19 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA MonitorWhen the 1994 Crime Bill eliminated Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students, higher education programs in prisons across the U.S. plummeted from nearly 1,000 in the 1990s to just 12 by 2005. That changed in 2023 when Pell Grant eligibility was restored. As a result, there has been an upsurge in colleges and universities partnering with correctional facilities to offer credited courses and degree programs that duplicate what's available...
  
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• U.S. Military Using Anthropic's Artificial Intelligence in Iran War Despite Ban

  05-03-2026 14:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsTwo sources familiar with the U.S. military's use of artificial intelligence confirm that the U.S. used Anthropic's Claude AI model over weekend for the attack on Iran — and is still using it. The Pentagon has not said exactly how the AI tool is being deployed, but it's being used despite a government-wide ban on the technology announced after a dispute last week with the Pentagon.
  
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• OpenAI Reaches Deal with Pentagon After Trump Drops Anthropic

  05-03-2026 14:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsOpenAI announced it secured a deal to provide artificial intelligence tools to the Pentagon hours after the White House told all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's AI services. OpenAI—a tech company founded by Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and others—developed applications such as ChatGPT and DALL-E. Contract negotiations between Anthropic soured after the company wanted limits on the government using AI to spy on Americans or create..
  
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• Is Bubble Tea Bad for You? New Research Raises Red Flags

  05-03-2026 14:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthThat photogenic cup of bubble tea may come with hidden downsides. Tapioca pearls made from cassava can absorb heavy metals like lead, and in large amounts they may slow digestion or even cause blockages. The drink is often loaded with sugar—sometimes more than soda—raising risks for cavities, obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. There are even reports linking frequent consumption to kidney stones and poorer mental health.
  
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• Boy's Birth Brings Hope for Amazon People Facing Extinction

  05-03-2026 14:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - World NewsPugapia and her daughters Aiga and Babawru lived for years as the only surviving members of the Akuntsu, an Indigenous people decimated by a government-backed push to clear parts of the Amazon rainforest for meat and dairy production. As they advanced in age without a child to carry on the line, many expected the Akuntsu to vanish when the women died. That changed in December, when Babawru—the youngest of the three, in her 40s—gave birth to...
  
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• Understanding Nutrition to Optimize Mental Health

  05-03-2026 10:56 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: APA MonitorGrowing evidence suggests that what we eat influences not just our physical health but also our mood, emotions, and overall well-being. Dietary changes such as reducing ultra-processed food intake and eating more fruits and vegetables—as well as taking certain nutritional supplements—have been associated with improvements in depression and other mental health problems in adults and with a healthier start to life for children.
  
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• ChatGPT As a Therapist? New Study Reveals Serious Ethical Risks

  05-03-2026 10:56 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Social Psychology As millions turn to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for therapy-style advice, new research raises a serious red flag: even when instructed to act like trained therapists, these systems often violate ethical standards of mental health care. In side-by-side evaluations with peer counselors and licensed psychologists, researchers found 15 distinct ethical risks—from mishandling crises to biased responses to "deceptive empathy" that mimics caring.
  
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