Which alternative explanations for the relationship between diet and mental health does this study allow us to rule out? Photo credit: ArturVerkhovetskiy/Deposit Photos Here's a simple headline to work with: "Kids who eat more fruits, vegetables have better mental health". The story appears on a mega-site called studyfinds.org, which provides multiple summaries of science research. …
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What do the studies suggest about why people procrastinate? Photo credit: Timothy Hodgkinson/Shutterstock The BBC magazine, Science Focus, collected a set of studies on procrastination that might help students at the beginning of a new school year. The journalist opens with a couple of simple frequency claims. [If you procrastinate,] you’re not alone: an estimated …
This project provided several frequency claims you can analyze. Photo credit: LukaFunduk/Deposit Photos Before you read on, take out a pencil and draw the Apple logo (no peeking at your own device!) Now try to draw the Adidas logo, too (no peeking at your feet, either). Which one was easier? How confident are you in …
The data came from Japan, where hot baths (whether at home, in local bathhouses, or in hot springs) are a well-loved practice. Photo credit: nitis.s/Shutterstock Sigh....even the imprimatur of Harvard Medical School doesn't stop writers from tacking causal headlines onto correlational studies. In this example, the journalist writes, "The study is only observational [i.e., correlational] …
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The coded stereotypicality of the drawing was a dependent variable in one of the studies. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Jin Goh. Citation: Goh, J. X., Bandt-Law, B., Cheek, N. N., Sinclair, S., & Kaiser, C. R. (2021). Narrow prototypes and neglected victims: Understanding perceptions of sexual harassment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online …
Continue reading People believe claims of sexual harassment more when women are attractive
Does the study's design support the causal claim the journalist attached to it? Photo credit: R.O.M/Shutterstock Some journalists simply cannot resist attaching a causal claim to a study where it doesn't belong. Here's an example from the trade magazine, Inside Higher Ed, which reprinted a piece from Times Higher Education. The headline reads, "Scientists urged …
Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan: An evidence-based app. Photo courtesy of Dr. Oettingen/Woopmylife. Here's another podcast-based post. NPR's Hidden Brain podcast frequently uses psychological research to illuminate a variety of psychological topics. Today's post is based on a Hidden Brain episode called You 2.0: WOOP, WOOP! The episode asks,"is there a methodical way to …
The more privilege people have, the less empathy they have for people lower in status. But that can change with increased perspective-taking. Photo credit: Clay Banks/Unsplash The spring of 2020 has seen sustained, worldwide, democratic protests, led by Black Lives Matter and demanding social justice and police reform in the U.S. After this spring, American support …
Dr. Santos provides evidence-based ways to enhance well-being during this pandemic. Credit: Yale University How can people enhance their wellbeing during the Coronovirus pandemic? Dr. Laurie Santos (pictured) has been meeting with several news outlets, sharing evidence-based tips from her psychology of well-being class at Yale University. A version of the course is also offered …
Continue reading Evidence-based tips for well-being during a pandemic
The effect of screen time on well-being is likely to depend on moderators such as what's on the screen, when it's used, and who's using it. Photo: Eric Nathan / Alamy Stock Photo I can't promise this is the last article on screen time research that I will blog about. But this long-form piece by …