News
Breastfeeding may give babies early practice in self-control, longitudinal study suggests
2+ hour, 10+ min ago (1466+ words) Scientists designed the study to explore how early life experiences shape a psychological concept known as executive function. Executive function refers to the underlying mental processes that help people manage their thoughts, actions, and emotions to achieve specific goals. These…...
Conservative social attitudes are linked to higher fertility across 72 countries, with stronger effects among women
4+ day, 10+ min ago (318+ words) A study published in Evolutionary Psychological Science found that people who endorsed more conservative social attitudes tended to report having more children across a large international sample, suggesting that these attitudes may be linked to contemporary reproductive patterns. Social attitudes…...
High nighttime temperatures during pregnancy linked to increased autism risk in children
1+ week, 2+ day ago (520+ words) An analysis of data from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals collected between 2001 and 2014 found that children whose gestational weeks 1-10 and 30-37 coincided with periods of very high nighttime temperatures had a 13-15% higher risk of being diagnosed with autism by age…...
Feeling like you slept poorly might take a heavier toll on new parents than actual sleep loss
3+ week, 3+ day ago (273+ words) A new study published in Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation suggests that depression and anxiety may play a growing role in sleep problems among new parents, particularly as their baby gets older. Researchers wanted to better understand…...
Children are less likely to use deception after being given permission to deceive, study finds
3+ week, 4+ day ago (511+ words) A set of three studies of 36- to 83-month-old Singaporean children found that they were less likely to use deception in a strategic game after they were given explicit permission to deceive. The paper was published in Developmental Science. Deception is…...
Your brain might understand music theory better than you think, regardless of formal training
3+ week, 6+ day ago (1040+ words) A recent study published in Psychological Science provides evidence that people naturally absorb the underlying rules of music just by listening to it over their lifetime. The findings suggest that both trained musicians and people with no musical background use…...
Maternal exposure to short-chain PFAS causes persistent memory problems in adult rats
3+ week, 6+ day ago (1030+ words) Exposure to supposedly safer alternatives to traditional forever chemicals during pregnancy and nursing causes lasting memory and learning problems in adult rats. The animal research suggests that early contact with these synthetic compounds interferes with normal brain development. The study…...
A diet based on ultra-processed foods impairs metabolic and reproductive health, study finds
1+ mon, 4+ day ago (511+ words) An experimental study looking into the health effects of a 3-week ultra-processed food diet found that such a diet impairs both metabolic and reproductive health compared to a diet based on unprocessed foods. The adverse effects of the ultra-processed food…...
The biological roots of the seven deadly sins might start in the womb
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (392+ words) Psy Post Psy Post's Pod Watch highlights interesting clips from recent podcasts related to psychology and neuroscience. On Monday, February 9, the Huberman Lab podcast, hosted by Andrew Huberman, featuring Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden, explored the biological roots of human behavior....
No association found between COVID-19 shots during pregnancy and autism or behavioral issues
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (351+ words) Psy Post No association found between COVID-19 shots during pregnancy and autism or behavioral issues Recent research provides new evidence regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations during pregnancy. The study, presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting,…...