Summary: A large-scale study with 600 participants shows that music can genuinely evoke feelings of companionship by sparking social imagination. When participants listened to folk music, they imagined vivid social…
Category: Psychology
Hormonal Contraceptives Influence Memory of Emotional Events
Summary: A new study reveals that hormonal contraceptives may shape both emotional responses and memory processing in women. Compared with naturally cycling women, users of hormonal birth control had stronger…
Brain Cells Behind Depression Identified
Summary: Researchers analyzing post-mortem brain tissue found two cell types altered in people with depression: excitatory neurons that regulate mood and stress, and microglia that manage inflammation. The findings highlight…
The Midlife “Unhappiness Hump” Has Vanished, But at a Cost
Summary: A new large-scale study finds that the long-observed “unhappiness hump,” where mental distress peaked in midlife, has disappeared. Instead, younger people now report the highest levels of anxiety, depression,…
Cannabis Linked to Reduced Insomnia and Anxiety
Summary: A new study suggests cannabis-based medical products may help people with insomnia sleep better over the long term. Across 124 patients followed for up to 18 months, participants consistently…
Breathwork and Music Trigger Psychedelic-Like Bliss in the Brain
Summary: New research shows that practicing breathwork while listening to music can induce profound altered states of consciousness similar to those caused by psychedelics. Using self-reports and brain imaging, scientists…
Big Five No More? New Study Uncovers Hidden Personality Traits
Summary: For 40 years, the Big Five personality model has dominated psychology, but new research suggests it may be incomplete. Using taxonomic graph analysis, researchers mapped personality from the ground…
Belief in Success and Meaning in Life Boost Well-Being
Summary: New research shows that meaning in life and self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed—are critical for well-being, regardless of sex. Men reported higher levels of passion and self-efficacy,…
High-THC Cannabis Linked to Psychosis and Addiction
Summary: A systematic review of nearly 100 studies found that high-THC cannabis products are linked to negative mental health outcomes, particularly psychosis, schizophrenia, and cannabis use disorder. While some therapeutic…
