Social SciencePsychology

Psychology

Silhouette of walking on footpath
Psychology

Interactions with friends and family may boost our immune system

Pranjal Malewar

Loneliness linked to higher risk of heart disease and stroke and susceptibility to infection.

Group of people cheering arms
Psychology

Long-distance friendships can positively influence community-based conversation

Pranjal Malewar

Friendships from afar may offer unexpected benefits for environmental conservation.

Man receiving gift
Psychology

Study finds: Giving a gift late Still delivers joy

Pranjal Malewar

Researchers found that recipients aren't nearly as upset about getting a late gift as givers assume they will be.

A girl with a dreamy view leans to a wall in a cafe
Psychology

Parent’s suicide age linked to higher offspring suicide risk

Pranjal Malewar

The findings support the idea of a dynamic process of grief.

Male and female hands with exotic cocktails
Psychology

The length of your fingers may hold a vital clue to your drinking habits

Pranjal Malewar

How long ring fingers can point to a love of alcohol?

UnhappyHappy face character
Psychology

Masks make it difficult to read emotions, study

Pranjal Malewar

Decoding emotions, especially sadness, behind masks requires extra brain power.

High angle woman holding smartphone
Psychology

Study challenged the perception heavy social media use

Pranjal Malewar

It was important to stress the findings.

image showing thinking symbol
Psychology

Neglecting “unknown unknowns” can impact decision-making

PLOS

Study proposes a new bias: the tendency to assume one has adequate information to make a decision.

Psychology

Dungeons and Dragons helps autistic layers gain confidence

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Dungeons and Dragons provided a sense of escapism and comfort, with many participants applying their experiences to their daily lives.

kid stressed
Psychology

Why kids struggle with focus

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Children often struggle to focus on tasks because they explore too much, gathering extra information even when they know what they need.

Desperate Woman Struggling with Addiction in Darkness
Psychology

Placebos can reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression

Dr. Prajakta Banik

People who knowingly took placebos had a significant drop in stress, anxiety, and depression within two weeks.

Engagement ring with a stone on the gentle bride's hand
Psychology

Marriage boosts health and well-being in aging men

Pranjal Malewar

It is known how marriage changes in old age affect successful aging. Scientists wanted to determine if different marriage patterns relate to physical health...

Beautiful woman in black protective masks sitting on the couch at home Quarantine
Psychology

Illinois youth’s mental health crises declined after COVID

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Outpatient ER visits for depression and anxiety dropped and in-patient hospitalization rate stayed the same, indicating mental health crisis.

mental health stigma
Psychology

Predictable patterns in mental disorder symptoms

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Mental disorders like depression and anxiety have many symptoms, people with the same diagnosis can show different combinations of symptoms.

Side view Sitting by the table together Woman is with golden retriever dog at home
Psychology

Dogs react to human stress by making more pessimistic choices

Dr. Prajakta Banik

New research from the University of Bristol shows that dogs pick up on human stress smells, making them more pessimistic about their choices. Published...

thunderstorm
Psychology

Can LSD provide psychological strength and resilience?

PLOS

Results from 5 million unemployed US job seekers cast doubt on the link between psychedelics and resilience.

Young guy sleeping in bed wearing smartwatch or sleep tracker
Psychology

Adding 46 minutes of sleep can measurably increase the ‘positives of life’

Pranjal Malewar

New study reveals how adding 46 minutes of sleep can measurably increase ‘positives of life’.

Rearview of diverse people hugging each other
Psychology

College students have less empathy when they are less alert

Pranjal Malewar

Changes in alertness may undermine an individual’s ability to empathize.

Two old friends who havent seen each other for a long time are reunited
Psychology

Rekindling old friendships is as scary as making new ones, study

Pranjal Malewar

Don’t be a stranger!

Close up of passionate young asian couple having sex on bed
Psychology

How partner gender influences women’s sexual expectations

Pranjal Malewar

Partner gender plays a significant role in how women approach sex.

Depressed child
Psychology

Study reveals broader impact of childhood adversity

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Childhood adversity linked to adult mental health issues.

Cute Minimal Simple Cartoon Background
Psychology

Emotional facial expressions are not universally produced and understood

Pranjal Malewar

Language and culture may influence how our brain processes emotional faces.

Depressed woman sitting against wall
Psychology

UK study exposes ‘Loneliness Loop’ in youth intimate partner violence cycle

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Youth and intimate partner violence: Support in England.

man praying on the bible in the light candles selective focus
Psychology

Why is religious attendance linked to anxiety in U.S. South Asians?

Pranjal Malewar

Study examines anxiety, emotional neglect from fellow congregation members.

Group of worried friends comforting sad young man who is having problems
Psychology

40% of underprivileged youths lack essential mental health support

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Mental health struggles: 4 in 10 Young people in disadvantaged areas face support barriers.

Digital detox
Psychology

A digital detox may not improve wellbeing, study

Pranjal Malewar

Social media users who reduced usage for a week saw decreases in both positive and negative emotions.

young woman wearing embroidered shirt
Psychology

Viewing sexualized Instagram posts increases dissatisfaction among young female adults

Pranjal Malewar

Instagram’s body image effect.

Image showing love-heart
Psychology

Study highlights where and how we feel different kinds of love

Amit Malewar

Where do we feel love?

Sad schoolboy sitting in corridor
Psychology

Inflammatory signs of teen depression vary by gender

Dr. Prajakta Banik

Gender-specific inflammatory markers in adolescent depression.

Image showing couples
Psychology

Confirmed: Opposites don’t attract

Pranjal Malewar

Birds of a feather are indeed more likely to flock together, study indicates.

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