New research suggests that those with a more diverse set of life experiences see more discrete 'events' daily than those who are isolated: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Are we about to answer some of the biggest questions about dreaming? A new paper describes an organisational effort to point us in the right direction, potentially supercharging dream research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

The relative positions of gesturing hands can help or hamper our ability to perceive the emotions they seek to emphasise, according to a new study: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

While some find forgiving themselves an easy process, others find it harder to navigate. A new paper charts the path of this process, offering insights for practice: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

What does it take for LGBT+ people to feel accepted, rather than just tolerated, at work? A recent study suggests that embracing differences, rather than emphasising being ‘identity-blind’, may be the best approach: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

What does it take for LGBT+ people to feel accepted, rather than just tolerated, at work? A recent study suggests that embracing differences, rather than emphasising being ‘identity-blind’, may be the best approach: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

When it comes to reconnecting with old friends, there may be hope for us all, according to a new paper: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Are we about to answer some of the biggest questions about dreaming? A new paper describes an organisational effort to point us in the right direction, potentially supercharging dream research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

A new study finds that those with high levels of depersonalisation have ‘distinct, yet inaccurate’ face perception abilities: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Should dodging a taxi fare be punished by a walk the same length as the ride? If you think so, it seems you're not alone. New work explores the increasing trend towards using imaginative punishments for low-level crimes in the US: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

While getting enough sleep is crucial, the regularity of when we go to sleep also plays a protective role when it comes to depression and anxiety, says new study: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Should dodging a taxi fare be punished by a walk the same length as the ride? If you think so, it seems you're not alone. New work explores the increasing trend towards using imaginative punishments for low-level crimes in the US: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

"good advice should balance doing more with doing less... while well-meaning, it can unintentionally make mental health feel like an endless list of chores." I think even mental health professionals have a bias for additive advice. This is an interesting concept that definitely needs more research

New research finds that people prefer to advise others to engage in more tasks to benefit their mental health, rather than dial their activities back to create breathing room: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Happy birthday to us! 🎂 Research Digest is 22 today, if you can believe it. Where does the time go? We’ve grown a massive amount since our inception. Our pages now boast north of 4400 articles on psychological research through the years. Check it out: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

When it comes to feeling lonely, it’s not always about how much time we spend alone, but how we conceptualise the experience, according to new research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Contrary to some previous work, a new study suggests that both conspiracy believers and non-believers use analytic thinking styles: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

The brain doesn't reorganise itself following amputations, according to a new study published this week in Nature Neuroscience. The findings may help explain some amputees’ sensory experiences, and seemingly upend some long-held beliefs in the cognitive sciences: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Even perceiving someone who’s sick ramps up our immune response, according to new research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

The brain doesn't reorganise itself following amputations, according to a new study published this week in Nature Neuroscience. The findings may help explain some amputees’ sensory experiences, and seemingly upend some long-held beliefs in the cognitive sciences: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

How early can we tell if someone (or something) is behaving in a prosocial way? A new study suggests that we may have the ability from birth: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

🎉1 million readers, thanks to you! To celebrate this milestone, the @psychmag.bsky.social & @researchdigest.bsky.social team have picked some of their standout articles from the past year. The best of 2025 so far: www.bps.org.uk/news/psychol...

🎙️In the latest episode of PsychCrunch, Tabby Taylor Buck delves into the world of unconventional therapeutic activities. From rock climbing to DND to cold water immersion, what therapeutic threads run through our trivial pursuits? Find out with episode 42: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do common psychological models capture the complexity of living with chronic illness? A recent study would argue not - and provides a lens through which to better capture the experience: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

More research is needed to develop effective mental health support for witnesses to the climate crisis, according to a new meta-analysis: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

How early can we tell if someone (or something) is behaving in a prosocial way? A new study suggests that we may have the ability from birth: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

More research is needed to develop effective mental health support for witnesses to the climate crisis, according to a new meta-analysis: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Pain is a complex phenomenon, made up of three distinct components: sensory, emotional, and cognitive. New research suggests that these facets develop at different rates, opening up yet more questions about how newborns experience pain: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Would striking up a friendship with a robot make you more receptive to being around them? New research suggests so, finding that playful antics from synthetic friends lead us to see them as more human: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do common psychological models capture the complexity of living with chronic illness? A recent study would argue not - and provides a lens through which to better capture the experience: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Have workplace training modules been missing a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to preventing abuse from managers? Recent research suggests that it's not all about stress. Sometimes, it's about control: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

This reminds me of the problem we and others have long studied in empathy research on compassion collapse, and the role of motivated disengagement. Redefining whether harm is in the picture might be an effective means of actively gatekeeping and reappraising empathic emotions out of the picture.

Perceiving issues as severe or widespread can lead people to disengage from finding solutions, a recent study finds: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do you remember what it was like to start school? Intimidating new places, a new schedule, lots of potential friends and foes... 🎙️In the new episode of PsychCrunch, Professor Claire Hughes provides expert insights into this dynamic period: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Crocodile tears are hard to spill, but most of us can still spot them. New research, however, finds that our ability to spot them seems to be affected by factors beyond just facial expressions: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do we see religious belief as the default? A new study investigates: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do you remember what it was like to start school? Intimidating new places, a new schedule, lots of potential friends and foes... 🎙️In the new episode of PsychCrunch, Professor Claire Hughes provides expert insights into this dynamic period: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Does happiness really come from within? Recent research finds that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Easy-to-understand shortform science videos can lead people to overestimate their scientific abilities, according to a new study: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Feeling free to say no might produce a more genuine yes, according to new research. The study in question suggests that offering specific wording to decline a request can increase how free we feel to say no, without necessarily changing our answer: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Fascinating, and instructive, and frankly I feel personally attacked

Take a look at our recent paper on children’s understanding of aha moments, featured in this edition of @researchdigest.bsky.social 💡

Ever wondered how that last cup of coffee might affect your brain while you sleep? A new study's got answers for you: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Students become less conscientious, open, and agreeable as term time wears on, a new study suggests: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

A new paper from academics at @york-university.bsky.social identifies asymmetrical application of the idea of karma, which may reinforce some believers' own sense of virtue: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Ever wondered how that last cup of coffee might affect your brain while you sleep? A new study's got answers for you: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do sorries really have the harder words? Apologies with longer words, that are more effortful to speak, are perceived as more sincere, according to new research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

When was your last 'aha' moment? Knowing that sudden flashes of insight can be joyous occasions might develop early, but understanding why may take longer, according to new research. www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Do sorries really have the harder words? Apologies with longer words, that are more effortful to speak, are perceived as more sincere, according to new research: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...

Work examining the influence of rape myths on convictions finds that their use in court is associated with more lenient sentences: www.bps.org.uk/research-dig...