Category: General Psychology

2023-24, General Neuroscience, General Psychology

Combined Personological and Motivational Correlates Drive Conspiratorial Ideation

Author: Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Heightened paranoia and feelings of antagonism towards others are among the strongest indicators of conspiratorial ideation. Conspiracy theories are generally unsubstantiated explanations for specific events or circumstances that attribute said events to powerful individuals or groups secretly working in tandem. It remains disputed that either the number of conspiracy theories or the extent of public belief in … Continue reading Combined Personological and Motivational Correlates Drive Conspiratorial Ideation

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General Psychology, Neurology, Psychology

Quantifying Affectionate Touch in Romantic Relationships

Julia Chivu ’23 Across cultures and continents, affection serves as a universal bond that unites romantic partners. Researchers from various institutions worldwide collaborated on two studies to better understand and quantify the dynamic between love and touch. The first study sought to investigate the global association between love and touch-related behaviors. The second study examined the correlation between frequencies of affectionate touch and love amongst … Continue reading Quantifying Affectionate Touch in Romantic Relationships

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Psychology

Playing traditional cultural games results in greater love for your country?!

Maria Sazonova ‘ 26 Figure 1: Small children joyfully playing Petak Umpet  Petak Umpet is an Indonesian variation on the widespread game of hide and seek, one that provides cultural insight and preservation. Education of the young is extremely important for the wellbeing and future advancement of the State, and traditional games are important cultural based learning resources. A research team from The University of … Continue reading Playing traditional cultural games results in greater love for your country?!

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General Psychology, Psychology

A Mother’s Love: How Maternal Instinct Might be Triggered by Texture

Sidney Padmanaban ’26 Figure 1 Ducklings will often follow the first animal to imprint on them, even if it isn’t a duck. Imprinting, when a young animal comes to recognize another being as an object of habitual trust, is instinctual and a very important part of relationships. As soon as babies are born, they begin to become imprinted by the people in their lives. Previously, … Continue reading A Mother’s Love: How Maternal Instinct Might be Triggered by Texture

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Health, Neurology, Neuroscience, Psychology

Where Do We Feel Love?

Julia Chivu ‘ 23 Figure 1  A person looking off to the side while clutching a neon red heart in a dimly lit environment.  Love has compelled psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and other scholars to try and understand its complexities and implications. Researchers from Aalto University sought to understand how 27 different types of love, including parental, romantic, sexual, and religious love, are perceived and experienced … Continue reading Where Do We Feel Love?

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Neurology, Psychology

Maternal Empathetic Cortical Responses Synchronize with Neonatal Pain Perception

Vignesh Subramanian ‘ 24 Figure 1: The heel prick of an infant’s foot, which often induces momentary pain for the infant. The early psychophysical development of newborns relies heavily on having strong emotional bonds with caregivers. Compared to other animals, human infants are born highly dependent on their parents, undergoing a prolonged period of extensive neural organization and brain development that requires greater parental sensitivity … Continue reading Maternal Empathetic Cortical Responses Synchronize with Neonatal Pain Perception

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Drug Discovery, Pharmacology, Psychology

Microglial Depletion Promotes Maternal Behavior in Nulliparous Rats

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 The period during and immediately following childbirth, known as the peripartum period, is marked by major changes in the mother’s hormone levels, immune function, and neurological activity. These changes include structural brain alterations with a significant impact on postpartum behaviors, such as maternal-infant bonding, that are essential for the well-being of the offspring. Many neuroimmune alterations emerging in late pregnancy remain unclear … Continue reading Microglial Depletion Promotes Maternal Behavior in Nulliparous Rats

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2022-23, education, General Psychology, Psychiatry

Youths Making School Threats Have Significant Psychiatric and Experiential Similarities

Vignesh Subramanian ’24 Amid spikes in school threats, school shootings, and the proportion of K-12 students requiring emergency psychiatric interventions and referrals at schools in the United States, attention is increasingly being focused on the characteristics and needs of youths predisposed to violence or mental health crisis. Decades of research have repeatedly found that students who threaten or engage in attacks against people and campuses … Continue reading Youths Making School Threats Have Significant Psychiatric and Experiential Similarities

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2022-23, Depression, General Psychology, Psychology

Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals at Greater Risk For Suicidal Ideation

Jessica George ’24 Suicide has been a long standing issue in the United States, with several socio-demographic and economic factors affecting an individual’s susceptibility to suicide risk. Transgender and gender diverse individuals (TGD) are at especially high risk. Given the high rates of suicide among TGD, as well as the lack of research in this area, it is important to address this gap. Dr. Kirakosian … Continue reading Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals at Greater Risk For Suicidal Ideation

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2022-23, General Psychology, Sociology, Year

Effect of acculturative stress and internalization on body image of deaf women 

By Shahzadi Adeena, Class of 2025 Figure 1 : Two women talking to each other in sign language Body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors are causes for concern, as they are associated with psychological disturbances. Although research on body image concern has primarily focused on white women, the extent of such concerns varies among cultural groups. Factors such as cultural identity confusion, acculturation status (the … Continue reading Effect of acculturative stress and internalization on body image of deaf women 

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2022-23, General Neuroscience, General Psychology, Neuroscience, Psychology

Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

By: Jessica George, Class of 2024 Figure 1: Global frontal brain activity may be a biomarker for non-planned or impulsive suicide attempts Suicide is a serious public health concern and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. One of the major challenges in preventing suicide is the frequent non-planned or impulsive nature of suicidal behavior, leaving little opportunity for intervention. Therefore, it is essential … Continue reading Non-planned and impulsive suicide attempts associated with low activity of frontal brain 

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2022-23, Biology, Psychology

Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

Sydney Giron ’26 The olfactory system is involved in ingestive behavior, awareness of environmental hazards, and social interactions. Olfactory function has been used as both a diagnostic and prognostic marker for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Previous studies suggest an association between olfactory impairments and negative symptoms that are associated with psychotic disorders. These symptoms include avolition, which is a lack of motivation and alogia, which … Continue reading Pleasant and Unpleasant Odor Identification Ability is Associated with Distinct Dimensions of Negative Symptoms across Multiple Psychotic Disorders

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