PsyPost

PsyPost is a privately-owned news platform that focuses on psychology and neuroscience. It aims to share the newest findings related to human behavior, thought processes, and societal trends. The site features updates on breakthroughs in areas such as psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, sociology, and other related disciplines.

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Seeing struggle as growth linked to higher self-esteem and life satisfaction

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Mane Kara-Yakoubian

Believing that daily hardships build character might help to boost well-being and motivation, according to a new study published in Self & Identity. What happens when people believe that life’s struggles are not only unavoidable but also transformative? The answer lies in a mindset called “difficulty-as-improvement”—the belief that hardships build character, purify one’s spirit, or lead to personal growth.
Moral self-concept in kindergarten predicts better social skills in early school years, study finds

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Mane Kara-Yakoubian

Children’s views of themselves as moral individuals can boost their social and emotional skills — and vice versa — according to a longitudinal study published in Cognition & Emotion. Socioemotional competencies, such as emotion regulation, empathy, and prosocial behavior, are essential for children’s successful social functioning and psychological development.
Reduced memory specificity linked to earlier onset of psychiatric disorders in youth

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Mane Kara-Yakoubian

A new meta-analysis published in Psychological Bulletin found that difficulties recalling specific personal memories predicted earlier onset of mental illness in youth, especially depression. Mental illness often begins during adolescence, but efforts to prevent it have had limited success. Researchers have sought modifiable cognitive markers that could help predict which young people are at greatest risk.
Do dark personality traits predict vote choices in U.S. presidential elections?

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

A new study published in the International Journal of Psychology sheds light on how personality traits, moral decision-making, and political attitudes are linked to voting behavior in the 2020 United States presidential election. The researchers found that political attitudes—particularly support for social hierarchy and authoritarian views—were stronger predictors of vote choice than personality traits like narcissism or sadism.
Anxious-depressed individuals underestimate themselves even when they’re right

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

New research published in Nature Communications sheds light on why individuals with anxiety and depression often remain underconfident in their abilities—even when their actual performance is intact. The study found that people with more anxious-depressive symptoms are less responsive to moments when they feel confident, which may prevent them from building a more accurate and positive overall belief in their capabilities.
Ayahuasca entity encounters linked to lasting religious belief changes, especially in men

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Vladimir Hedrih

An online survey of ayahuasca users found that non-religious individuals tend to become more religious after experiencing entity encounters while under the influence of the substance. Although men were less likely to be religious before these experiences, gender differences in religious beliefs disappeared after the encounters. The research was published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.
Older women dating younger men report higher sexual satisfaction, study finds

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

A new study published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy sheds light on the dynamics of age-gap relationships and how they relate to sexual satisfaction, confidence, and overall relationship well-being. The results show that relationship satisfaction was especially important for men in these relationships, while women’s satisfaction was more closely tied to sexual functioning.
Genetic and biological clues point to inflammation’s role in mental health

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

A large study in the Netherlands has found that inflammation is consistently linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as subtle impairments in cognitive function—particularly memory and attention. The researchers used both observational and genetic approaches to better understand whether these associations might be causal.
Study links anorexia nervosa to elevated opioid receptor levels in brain’s reward centers

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

A new neuroimaging study published in Molecular Psychiatry provides evidence that anorexia nervosa is associated with altered activity in the brain’s opioid system. Women with anorexia had higher levels of mu-opioid receptor availability in key areas of the brain involved in reward processing, such as the caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens.
Feeling unseen fuels support for the populist right, study finds

2 weeks ago | psypost.org | Eric W. Dolan

A new study published in American Behavioral Scientist sheds light on why some citizens embrace right-wing populist attitudes, particularly in Western democracies. Researchers found that when people feel disrespected or unrecognized by political elites—not as individuals, but as members of the national community—it can trigger feelings of social identity threat.