Children’s Curiosity or Memory Gaps? Why Kids Over-Explore Tasks

Summary: Children often gather more information than needed to complete a task, even when they know the solution. A new study suggests this “over-exploration” might stem from either natural curiosity…

How Logical Thinking and Empathy Define Wisdom

Summary: A new study reveals that people across 12 countries and five continents perceive wisdom through two key dimensions: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. Reflective orientation includes logical thinking and…

Knowingly Taking Placebos Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Summary: Researchers have discovered that nondeceptive placebos—placebos given with the full knowledge that they are placebos—can effectively manage stress, even when administered remotely. In a two-week randomized controlled trial, participants…

Memory Cues May Help Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Summary: A study suggests that recalling past alcohol experiences before drinking can slow down consumption, indicating a potential strategy to reduce alcohol intake. In the study, women who remembered a…

Psychosis Cognitive Impairment Linked to Brain Network

Summary: New research reveals that cognitive impairments in psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are connected to brain network organization. This connection is evident even before the first psychotic…

High-Dose Psilocybin Shows Potential as an Antidepressant Treatment

Summary: A meta-analysis suggests that high doses of psilocybin may alleviate depressive symptoms similarly to the SSRI drug escitalopram. While the effect size was small, psilocybin outperformed placebo in clinical…

Childhood Inflammation Linked to Later Mental Health Risks

Summary: Children with persistent inflammation are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders like psychosis and depression in early adulthood. A study found that elevated inflammation markers, particularly…

Neuroticism Alters How Personality Affects Self-Control

Summary: Personality traits like conscientiousness and extraversion are linked to higher self-control, while neuroticism can weaken this effect, especially in specific types of self-control like resisting temptation or initiating proactive…

Digital Swiping Increases Boredom, Reduces Video Enjoyment

Summary: Swiping through online videos to alleviate boredom may actually make people more bored and less satisfied with the content, according to new research. The study found that switching between…

Why Are We Drawn to Events Focused on Death and Disaster?

Summary: Researchers have developed a new framework to understand why people are fascinated by events centered around themes of death, disaster, and suffering. These “dark events” include everything from historical…