New research shows that people post more on social media when bad weather hits, sometimes even more than during large social events in the United States.
Podcast: This episode explores whether children鈥檚 weaker selective attention is a hidden strength by addressing findings on attention, memory, and childhood learning.聽
Exposure therapy, in which patients gradually face the things and situations they fear, is among the most effective treatments for anxiety disorders, yet it remains underutilized (Pittig, Kotter, & Hoyer, 2019). Some patients may find it too intimidating while clinicians may struggle with the lack of control and the challenge of repeatedly creating experiences such as flying in a plane or talking in front of a large crowd. A new paper in Clinical Psychological Science highlights virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) as an effective option and explores how it may work. The research suggests that patients may be more willing to try virtual reality as they can be assured it is not actually real, and clinicians can manipulate the simulated experiences.
OCD can be treated, but people with the disorder tend to have a lower quality of life than neurotypical people. A recent study theorized that decision making could be, at least partly, to blame.
Podcast: Under the Cortex features Michael Kramer from the University of Zurich to discuss how, as individuals step up to provide care for loved ones in need, they face their own mental health challenges.
Psychological Science in the Public Interest聽(Volume 25, Issue 2)Read the Full Text (PDF,聽HTML) Hello Kitty has eyes but no mouth. The unique anatomy of the world-famous Japanese cartoon girl, who appears to be a cat, reflects an important aspect of her nation鈥檚 cultural norms鈥攕he doesn鈥檛 need a mouth because in Japan, it is more important to read the feelings of others than to broadcast your own.
Researchers led by Jana Berkessel of the University of Mannheim in Germany collected archival data on more than 3.4 million people living in the United States and United Kingdom. They found evidence that obesity tends to spur lighter medical and psychological harms when those who struggle with the disorder feel less conspicuous.聽聽
The Association for Psychological Science and Sage announce the launch of Advances in Psychological Science Open, a fully open-access journal that will publish high-quality empirical, technical, theoretical, and review articles, across the full range of areas and topics in psychological science.