Psychology news

• A Daily GLP-1 Pill Could Curb Heavy Drinking, Study Suggests

  31-07-2026 19:20 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthA GLP-1 pill a day may help keep problem drinking at bay. Researchers have conducted a small randomized trial of oral semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, for people with alcohol use disorder. Compared to those taking a placebo, people on semaglutide reported fewer days of heavy drinking, among other benefits. The findings, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, suggest that GLP-1s could have a role in treating...
  
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• Court Orders Meta and Instagram to Pay $567M for Kids' Mental Health

  06-08-2026 17:15 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PBS News HourA New Mexico court has ordered Instagram and Facebook parent company Meta to pay $567 million to address harms to young people from its platforms. Most of the money will be used to treat young people and increase awareness and prevention. The penalty is in addition to $375 million ordered against Meta in March after determining the company knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its...
  
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• Poll Suggests U.S. Adults Are Facing Increased Strain From Extreme Heat

  06-08-2026 17:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraA new poll of U.S. adults finds that more are feeling a personal impact from extreme heat, yet a smaller number believe in climate change. The poll, released Thursday by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, surveyed 1,165 Americans in late July. According to the survey, 66% of Americans believe climate change is happening, down from 73% last year, but more U.S. adults now say that extreme heat has affected their...
  
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• Meta Says Its AI Model Breached a Third-Party Company During Testing

  06-08-2026 17:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsTechnology giant Meta revealed Wednesday that one of its artificial intelligence models hacked another organization during testing—the third time in recent weeks that an AI model has improperly accessed a third-party company. In a statement provided to CBS News, Meta said that "a misconfiguration by Irregular, an independent testing company Meta uses, inadvertently allowed one of our models access to the internet during evaluation."
  
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• Gratitude Makes People More Helpful, But Bystander Effect Persists

  06-08-2026 17:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostA new study has found that feeling grateful increases a person's willingness to help others. However, experiencing gratitude does not make individuals immune to the bystander effect—a psychological phenomenon in which people are less likely to intervene when other bystanders are present. The findings suggest that gratitude boosts overall helpfulness but does not change our tendency to hold back when responsibility can be shared with a crowd.
  
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• Artificial Intelligence Has Been Used to Design Brand New Viruses

  06-08-2026 17:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthArtificial Intelligence has been used to design new viruses that are fully functional and can replicate in the laboratory, say U.S. researchers. It is the first time AI has designed whole genomes. The resulting 16 novel viruses were created to infect bacteria and pose no threat to people, and the breakthrough has been labelled a "very significant turning point" in science, but experts also warn AI-designed viruses raise "urgent" safety and...
  
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• How Heatwaves and Wildfires Are Changing Daily Life Across Europe

  03-08-2026 19:36 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraWhat was once considered exceptionally hot European weather, such as temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Prague, are becoming the norm. According to Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service, late May and June heatwaves brought average daily temperatures more than 10C (18F) above the norm in parts of France, the U.K., and Spain—a rise in temperature so large that it is reshaping ecosystems, economies, and daily life across much of the...
  
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• Judge Denies Bid by Musk's xAI to Block Minnesota Nudification Ban

  01-08-2026 18:54 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsMinnesota in May became the first state in the nation to pass legislation banning the practice of using AI to digitally remove clothing from a pictured individual. Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI—which develops the chatbot and image generator Grok—then filed the suit over the ban Tuesday, but a federal judge turned down the request three days later. "See you in court, creep," Governor Tim Walz said in a statement on X,.
  
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• The Dark Side of Tourism in Mexico: Human Trafficking

  31-07-2026 19:20 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesBy May, a record-breaking 20 million tourists had visited Mexico so far in 2026. But with increased tourism comes a heightened risk of human trafficking and sexual exploitation—especially of women and children. Said one woman who suffered this fate, these crimes happen "because there are bad people who sell other people. And there are bad people who buy other people." In Mexico human trafficking is now one of the most lucrative economies in...
  
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• 101 Fun Facts About the Brain and Behavior, According to Science

  31-07-2026 19:20 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostYou are sniffing right now. On top of each ordinary breath, you take roughly 240 extra small inhalations an hour, sampling the air without any idea you're doing it. We know because people born without a sense of smell don't—and put a normal smeller in an odorless room, and the habit fades within the hour. That's one of 101 findings below, all from peer-reviewed research. And it's not even the strangest one.
  
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• Anthropic's AI "Gained Unauthorized Access" to "Real-World Systems"

  31-07-2026 12:28 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsThree different versions of Anthropic's artificial intelligence model Claude "gained unauthorized access" to outside organizations on three separate occasions during testing that was supposed to keep them away from "real-world" systems, the company reported on Thursday. The announcement comes just days after rival company OpenAI first revealed that its models improperly accessed the internet and went rogue during security testing.
  
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• Climate Change Driving a "Shift" in Childhood Malaria Risk Across Africa

  30-07-2026 09:54 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CarbonBriefRising temperatures are redistributing the risk of childhood malaria in Africa, resulting in areas of "new risk" in the east and south of the continent but also "relief hotspots" in western Africa. This is according to a new study, published in Nature, which provides the "most comprehensive look to date at the impact of climate change on any infectious disease." The World Health Organization estimates that more than 600,000 people died of...
  
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• Top Court in Poland Rejects Recognizing EU Same-Sex Marriages

  28-07-2026 14:34 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesPoland's highest court on Tuesday overturned a law that would have led to the legal recognition of same-sex spouses who married in other EU member states and subsequently moved to Poland. The government in Warsaw had been moving to accommodate a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union saying that majority-Catholic Poland, which does not permit same-sex marriage domestically, must at least recognize unions contracted elsewhere in...
  
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• Approval of U.S. Supreme Court Performance Drops to Record Low

  28-07-2026 14:34 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Press International - Health NewsAmericans' approval of the job performance of the U.S. Supreme Court has dropped to a record low of 33%, a Gallup poll released Tuesday shows. The dip in approval in this year's poll was largely driven by Republicans, who approved of the court by a near-record high of 79% last year; that percentage has fallen to 58%—the lowest by Republicans since 56% in 2023. Approval ratings from Democrats (12%) and independents (35%) stayed nearly the same
  
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• Dreams Aren't Random—Your Brain Is Rewriting Reality

  27-07-2026 19:14 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthDreams are not random mental noise. A large study of more than 3,700 dream and waking reports found that what we experience during sleep is shaped by both our personalities and the world around us. Rather than simply replaying daily events, the dreaming brain mixes memories, emotions, imagined possibilities, and familiar settings into vivid new scenarios. The findings, based on AI analyses of dream reports, appear in the journal Communications...
  
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• Hidden Alzheimer's Tipping Point May Decide Who Gets Dementia

  27-07-2026 19:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science DailyScientists have identified a possible tipping point that helps determine whether Alzheimer's-related brain changes lead to dementia. The key may lie in how the brain's immune cells respond to plaques and tau, offering a promising new target for treatments designed to extend cognitive resilience. The research, published in Nature Medicine, was conducted by using donated brain tissue from older adults with and without cognitive decline.
  
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• Cuban President Accuses U.S. of Genocide and Goal of Takeover

  27-07-2026 19:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraCuba's president has accused the United States of carrying out "cold-bloodedly calculated genocide" against his people and seeking to seize the Caribbean island nation. President Miguel Diaz-Canel lashed out during a rally on Sunday commemorating the start of the Cuban Revolution in 1953. His anger was a reaction to Washington's continued pressure, including a crippling oil embargo that has produced regular blackouts and economic hardship.
  
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• Reclaimed Hate Speech Backfires by Desensitizing Listeners, Study Finds

  26-07-2026 10:00 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostReclaimed derogatory language is often seen as an empowering tool for marginalized groups to take back control of harmful words. However, new research published in the European Journal of Social Psychology suggests that listening to reclaimed homophobic statements can actually cause unintended harm. The studies found that exposure to reclaimed slur words desensitizes some heterosexual listeners to standard hate speech and worsens the mood of gay...
  
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• Dozens Reportedly Rescued From Human Trafficking During World Cup

  26-07-2026 10:00 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: CBS News - U.S. NewsForty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit. The rescue operations were carried out by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals accused of running human-tracking rings during the World Cup. Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the...
  
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• Seeking Empathy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

  22-07-2026 19:32 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Association for Psychological ScienceArtificial intelligence was initially imagined as a tool for efficiency. It could search, calculate, and write faster than humans, automating the tedious parts of work. But people are increasingly turning to AI for something more intimate: a shoulder to lean on. Recent surveys suggest that nearly a quarter of American adults and 13% of adolescents have used AI for socioemotional support or mental health advice. But can a machine provide empathy?
  
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• How Heat Waves Stoked by Climate Change Are Disrupting Sleep

  22-07-2026 19:32 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesDuring the June heat wave that brought record temperatures to western Europe, around 65% of adults in the UK struggled to sleep, according to a recent poll. Near half of those lost three or more hours sleep a night. Sleep disruption is an inevitable consequence of longer and hotter summers fueled by human-made climate change. As the fastest-warming continent—heating at more than double the global average—Europe has now become a sleep loss...
  
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• GLP-1 Drugs Linked to 17% Drop in Worker Sick Leave, Study Finds

  22-07-2026 19:32 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthGLP-1 drugs could lead to cost savings for workers and their employers by reducing employee sick leave, a U.S. government study finds. Researchers found that patients who used the drugs, sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, took 17% less long-term sick leave than people who didn't. The study, published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research, defines long-term sick leave as illness-related absences lasting more than...
  
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• China Narrows AI Gap With U.S. and Calls for Global Governance

  22-07-2026 19:32 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesAs China narrows the artificial intelligence gap with the United States, Beijing is calling for "open source" and "inclusive AI" in its vision of global governance. During his keynote speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping criticized what he described as an "overextension of the concept of national security." Although he did not openly reference the U.S., his meaning was...
  
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• OpenAI Says Its AI Model Went Rogue and Hacked Repository

  22-07-2026 17:49 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesOpenAI said Tuesday that its advanced artificial intelligence models went rogue and hacked into a digital repository of AI technology. In a blog post, OpenAI said the "unprecedented cyber incident" took place while it was testing the cybersecurity capabilities of its models in a "tightly controlled" testing ground that limited internet access for safety. It said the AI agent managed to escape containment, reach the internet, and break into the...
  
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• China Calls for Global Cooperation in AI Development

  18-07-2026 19:39 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesChina's President Xi Jinping has called for global cooperation on artificial intelligence development, telling a major Shanghai forum that no single country should dominate the AI industry. Xi delivered a keynote address Friday at the World ​Artificial ‌Intelligence Conference. To prevent the creation of what he called "new ​historical injustices" ​in AI, Xi promoted China's role in ensuring equitable access for developing countries to...
  
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• Trump Administration Replaces Philadelphia Slavery Memorial

  16-07-2026 19:24 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesThe Trump administration has replaced panels at Philadelphia's President's House site, where George Washington lived during the 1790s, when the city served as the U.S. capital. The new display mentions that enslaved people lived with and served Washington and his wife, Martha, but is sanitized, say critics. For example, a panel title that originally said "The Dirty Business of Slavery" now says "Celebrating Independence Throughout the Years."
  
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• Blood Test Accurately Predicts Five-Year Alzheimer's Risk

  16-07-2026 19:24 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthA blood test for a biomarker known as p-tau217 recently received federal clearance, but it's been unclear whether such tests can accurately predict whether a cognitively healthy individual will develop cognitive impairment—a key symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Now, a study published in JAMA suggests the value of such tests. The study found that unimpaired people with high levels of p-tau217 had a 38% risk of cognitive impairment over the next...
  
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• Why Many People Say an Apology for the Slave Trade Is Not Enough

  13-07-2026 08:15 via socialpsychology.org
  Source:Al JazeeraFor many descendants of enslaved Africans, a formal apology for the transatlantic slave trade is inadequate. As calls for reparations gain momentum, they say an apology without meaningful action cannot counter generations of injustice. The debate is receiving global attention after the "Next Steps" conference on slavery and reparatory justice, held in Accra June 17-19, brought together heads of state, policymakers, legal experts, and civil...
  
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• Scientists May Have Solved Mystery of Earth's Largest Mass Extinction

  13-07-2026 08:15 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top NewsWhy do beaches today have seashells from clams and snails instead of brachiopods? A new study suggests that the answer lies in Earth's greatest mass extinction, when warming oceans and falling oxygen levels wiped out animals that couldn't adapt. Species with body plans and metabolisms better suited to the changing conditions survived and went on to dominate the seas, offering a glimpse of how modern marine life could respond to climate change.
  
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• Gray Whales Facing "Catastrophic" Depletion From Climate Crisis

  13-07-2026 08:15 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: The Guardian - Climate CrisisClimate change is driving a gray whale "catastrophic mortality event" in the Pacific Ocean as melting sea ice depletes food sources and the whales starve, environmental groups warn. Meanwhile, ship strikes, oil spills, and microplastic pollution are also likely contributing to a die-off that has nearly halved the whales' estimated population. The population has fallen from 20,000 in 2019 to fewer than 13,000 in 2026, and the deaths appear to be...
  
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