45 Interesting And True Psychological Facts

The Latest Way to Conquer Social Anxiety Uses a New Mindset

A new study suggests that you can conquer social anxiety by putting a ban on the thoughts that heighten it. If you’re someone who not only ruminates before an important event, but believe it’s helpful to do so, the present findings suggest that you consider a “ban” on this nonproductive thinking.


Mindfulness meditation training may help people unlearn fearful responses

Mindfulness meditation has shown promise for treating anxiety, and a new MRI brain scan study in Biological Psychiatry suggests this may be because mindfulness meditation helps people unlearn fearful responses and extinguish fearful associations, by providing a context similar to exposure therapy.

Study: Conspiracy theory believers tend to endorse other unsubstantiated beliefs as well

People who believe in conspiracy theories are also more likely to believe in pseudoscience and paranormal phenomena, according to new research, which indicate that some people appear to have a general susceptibility to believing unsubstantiated claims.

Having kids makes you happier, but only when they move out

Having kids makes you happier, but only when they move out, according to a new study, which suggests that parents are happier than non-parents later in life, when their children move out and become sources of social enjoyment rather than stress.

Study: Existential isolation linked to increased death thought accessibility

Existential isolation, feeling alone in one’s experience and separate from other human beings, is related to higher levels of death-related thoughts, suggests new research. Existential isolation is not just another form of loneliness, as loneliness did not produce the same effects.

Impostor Syndrome is more common than you think

Impostor Syndrome, when people feel like frauds even if they are actually capable and well-qualified, is more common than you think, with 20% of college students experiencing it in a new study. Seeking social support from those outside their academic program, like family and friends, reduced it.

Students who do not date are not social misfits

Students who do not date are not social misfits, suggests new study of 594 10th graders, which found that adolescents who were not in a romantic relationship had good social skills and low depression, and fared better or equal to peers who dated, refuting the notion that non-daters are maladjusted.

Husbands’ stress increases if wives earn more than 40 per cent of household income – new research

Husbands are least stressed when their wives earn up to 40% of household income but they become increasingly uncomfortable as their spouse's wages rise beyond that point and are most stressed when they are entirely economically dependent on their partner.

Meta-analysis of 83 studies produces ‘very strong’ evidence for a negative relationship between intelligence and religiosity.

Meta-analysis of 83 studies produces ‘very strong’ evidence for a negative relationship between intelligence and religiosity.

Anti-inflammatory agents may reduce symptoms of major depression

Anti-inflammatory agents may reduce symptoms of major depression, suggests a new study, which adds to the mounting evidence that there is a connection between emotional functioning and inflammation, suggesting that inflammation may trigger depression, almost like an allergic reaction.

New psychology research uncovers power-related motives behind men’s objectification of women

Men who endorse social hierarchies are more likely to objectify women when their own power is threatened, suggests new research. The sexual objectification of women by heterosexual men is driven not only by sexual motives, but also by power-related motives (the wish to maintain male dominance).

Helicopter parents say their actions are all about their children, but what they’re doing is reaping the rewards for themselves

Helicopter parents say their actions are all about their children, but what they’re doing is reaping the rewards for themselves, suggests new research, which found that high helicopter parenting leads to low mastery, self-regulation and social competence in young adults aged 18 to 24.

Are Men Really Funnier Than Women?

There is a stereotype that men are funnier than women. New research found that, on average, men appear to have higher humor production ability than women. Humor may play a role in mating, with an evolutionary basis. It is correlated with intelligence, which may explain why women value it.

“Companion dog acquisition” has a scientifically proven benefit

Dogs are great companions that can help you to feel less lonely, suggests new three-armed controlled study. New dog owners felt less lonely after they got a dog, and it happened quickly, within three months of acquiring a dog. They also had fewer negative emotions, such as nervousness or distress.

Research has found that toddlers with fewer spoken words have more frequent and severe temper tantrums than their peers with typical language skills

Research has found that toddlers with fewer spoken words have more frequent and severe temper tantrums than their peers with typical language skills. About 40% of delayed talkers will go on to have persistent language problems that can affect their academic performance.

Kids seem to learn about the idea of hypocrisy early in elementary school, new research suggests.

By 7 years old, kids get that hypocrisy is wrong, suggests new research, which discovered that children who were at least 7 years old began to predict future behavior based on a person’s statement about morals.

Men and Women (Sort of) Speak Two Different Languages

Men tend to use more abstract language than women, suggests new research that analyzed 600,000 blog posts and speeches by more than 1,000 Congress members. It found that women tend to speak about details and specifics, while men tend to speak about the bigger picture and ultimate purpose of action.

Can the psychedelic drug ayahuasca help fight suicide?

First study to explore impact of psychedelic drug ayahuasca on suicide, a randomized placebo-controlled trial in which individuals with treatment-resistant depression were administered one dose of ayahuasca or placebo, suggests that ayahuasca may show potential as an intervention for suicidality.

Doubting death: how our brains shield us from mortal truth.

Doubting death: how our brains shield us from mortal truth. The brain shields us from existential fear by categorising death as an unfortunate event that only befalls other people.Being shielded from thoughts of our future death could be crucial for us to live in the present.

Teen girls on birth control pills more likely to report increased crying, hypersomnia, and eating problems, compared with their nonusing counterparts, suggests a new study in JAMA Psychiatry.

Teen girls on birth control pills more likely to report increased crying, hypersomnia, and eating problems, compared with their nonusing counterparts, suggests a new study in JAMA Psychiatry.

New study suggests psychopathic men have a personality style that makes them attractive to women

Psychopathic men have a personality style that makes them attractive to women, suggests new study in Evolutionary Psychological Science. Psychopathy may include features that make men appear as more attractive romantic partners despite having a reduced interest in committed relationships.


Authoritarian mothering may indirectly contribute to alcohol problems by fostering maladaptive perfectionism

Authoritarian mothering may indirectly contribute to alcohol problems by fostering maladaptive perfectionism, linked with more depressive symptoms, suggests new study. However, authoritarian fathers promote high standards in offspring, which may protect against depression and using alcohol.

Firefighters’ Workplace ‘Brothers’ Can Ease Stress of a Dangerous Job, but Protecting Spouses from Knowing the Perils Can Ramp Up Anxiety

Strong same-sex friendships among male firefighters can help cut down on their stress, but loving relationships with their wives may actually increase anxiety for those who constantly face danger, suggests a new study, stemming from the desire to protect wives from awareness of the risks.


The Lost Art of Thinking for Pleasure. People around the world prefer to be distracted than to think good thoughts.

People around the world prefer to be distracted than to think good thoughts, finds a new global study of 11 countries. The preference for doing external activities such as reading, watching TV, or surfing the Internet rather than “just thinking” appears to be strong throughout the world.

Checking out attractive alternatives does not necessarily mean you’re going to cheat

Checking out attractive alternatives does not necessarily mean you’re going to cheat, suggests a new study involving 177 undergrad students and 101 newlywed couples. Journal of Family Psychology.


Teens who have a loving relationship with their mother are less likely to enter abusive relationships

Teens who have a warm and loving relationship with their mother are less likely to enter abusive relationships, even if her own marriage is full of conflict, suggests a new study. Positive parenting behaviors help children form positive models of themselves as lovable and worthy of respect.


Police Stops Among At-Risk Youth: Repercussions for Mental Health

Youths who experience intrusive police stops, defined by frisking, harsh language, searches, racial slurs, threat of force or use of force, are at risk of emotional distress and post-traumatic stress, suggests new study. 27% of these urban youths reported being stopped by police by age 15.


Here’s Why We Eat More When We’re With Friends And Family

We eat more when we’re with friends and family than alone, and are more likely to moderate the way we eat with people we don’t know, suggests new research. It may be due to the way our ancestors ate and shared food. Meal sizes were between 29% and 48% larger when eating with friends than when alone.


Being Single Beats Bad Relationships—and Even Neutral Ones Singlehood may be better than relationships that aren't even particularly bad.

Being single beats being in bad relationships, and even neutral ones that aren't particularly bad, suggests new study. On 7 different measures, single people did better than people in bad romantic relationships. But they also did better than people in relationships that were not that bad at all.


Hope is a Key Factor in Recovering from Anxiety Disorders

Hope is a key factor in recovering from anxiety disorders, suggests a new study, which found that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can result in clear increases in hope, associated with changes in anxiety symptoms, in social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and OCD.


New psychology research links conservative music, but not rebellious music, to maladaptive personality traits

Rebellious music genres such as rap, punk and heavy metal do not appear to be linked to maladaptive personality traits, suggests new US study, but conservative music such as country and gospel were weakly linked to traits that capture neurotic, hostile, and eccentric tendencies.


Study finds insufficient evidence of gaming as a clinical disorder

Study finds insufficient evidence of gaming as a clinical disorder. Rather than being negatively impacted by gaming itself, it’s suggested that young people who engage in dysfunctional gaming may be doing so in a bid to escape ““underlying frustrations and wider psychosocial functioning issues”.


Study highlights the role of emotion regulation in couples coping with clinically low sexual interest

Emotion regulation may help couples coping with clinically low sexual desire and/or arousal, suggests a new study, which found that couples who are better able to manage their emotions, reframing rather than concealing them, may experience greater psychological, relational, and sexual well-being.

New psychology study identifies ‘hypo-egoic nonentitlement’ as a central feature of humility

Humility is unrelated to downplaying your positive traits and accomplishments, suggests new research. Rather, what separates the humble from the nonhumble is the belief that your positive traits and accomplishments do not entitle you to special treatment, known as ‘hypo-egoic nonentitlement’.


The “kids these days effect”, people’s tendency to believe “kids these days” are deficient relative to those of previous generations, has been happening for millennia, suggests a new study.

The “kids these days effect”, people’s tendency to believe “kids these days” are deficient relative to those of previous generations, has been happening for millennia, suggests a new study. When observing current children, we compare our biased memory to the present and a decline appears.


Women who hold anti-feminist attitudes tend to fake orgasms more frequently, study finds. Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

Women who hold anti-feminist attitudes tend to fake orgasms more frequently, study finds.


Study finds liberals are no more likely to express gluten-avoidance than conservatives.  Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

Conservatives are just as likely as liberals to avoid gluten in their diet, finds a new study. This was true even when researchers broke political ideology down into social policy and economic policy. 'Be careful about stereotypes — food fads unite us all'.


People with lower emotional intelligence are more likely to hold right-wing views, study finds. Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

People with lower emotional intelligence are more likely to hold right-wing views, suggests new Belgian study, even after controlling for age, sex, and education level, indicating that deficits in emotion understanding and management may be related to right-wing and prejudiced attitudes.


Marital Satisfaction Is Linked to Women’s Sexual Desire. Declines in women's sexual desire predict lower satisfaction for both partners. Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

Marital satisfaction is linked to women’s sexual desire, suggests a new study, which found that women’s levels of sexual desire were not only lower than men’s at the beginning of their marriages, but much more variable than men’s. Men’s levels of sexual desire stayed higher and more constant.


Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle. Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

Liberals, relative to conservatives, express greater moral concern toward friends relative to family, and the world relative to the nation.


Lower risk of depression with elevated exercise

35 minutes a day of exercise may protect those at risk for depression. Individuals who engaged in at least several hours of exercise each week were less likely to be diagnosed with a new episode of depression, even in the face of high genetic risk for the disorder.


Using "time outs" to discipline children is not going to harm them or your relationship with them, suggests new study of almost 1,400 families.

Using "time outs" to discipline children is not going to harm them or your relationship with them, suggests new study of almost 1,400 families. Children's anxiety or aggressive behaviour did not increase. In contrast, when parents said they used physical punishment, children became more aggressive.


Conflict is unavoidable but how a couple behaves after is important, suggests new study, which found that actively repairing the relationship

Conflict is unavoidable but how a couple behaves after is important, suggests new study, which found that actively repairing the relationship through expressions of affection can bring partners back to pre-conflict feelings and a higher level of intimacy, but avoidance is generally negative.


Negative news is more often published than positive news because on average. humans tend to react more strongly to negative information, according to a new, global study.

Negative news is more often published than positive news because on average. humans tend to react more strongly to negative information, according to a new, global study.


People Think About Breaking Up More When They Look Outside Their Relationship For Psychological Fulfilment - Mind Blowing Psychology Facts.

People think about breaking up more when they look outside their relationship for psychological fulfillment, suggests a new study, which found that the more emotional support people received from outside their romantic relationship, the more negatively they rated their relationship.

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