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Life Sciences - Psychology - 11.07.2023 
Orexin influences pupil size
The way the brain regulates pupil size is different from previously thought: fundamentally responsible is the neurotransmitter orexin, as researchers at ETH Zurich have now shown. This discovery could well alter our understanding of consciousness and illnesses such as narcolepsy and Alzheimer's. "The effect was so strong, we knew immediately that we were onto something important," recalls Nikola Grujic, a postdoc in the Neurobehavioural Dynamics Laboratory at ETH Zurich.
Psychology - Economics - 30.05.2023 
Mindful meditation helps us make better decisions
People who meditate every day are less likely to avoid negative information. This is a finding in a new study by a research team including researchers from ETH Zurich. Smart decision makers gather all the pertinent information, and weigh the pros and cons dispassionately. This also includes gathering information that could prove unsettling or unpleasant.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 17.04.2023 
How music can prevent cognitive decline
A team from UNIGE, HES-SO Geneva and EPFL shows the positive impacts of musical activities to counteract brain ageing. Normal ageing is associated with progressive cognitive decline. But can we train our brain to delay this process? A team from the University of Geneva , HES-SO Geneva and EPFL has discovered that practicing and listening to music can alter cognitive decline in healthy seniors by stimulating the production of grey matter.
Health - Psychology - 29.03.2023 
Transportation Noise Increases Risk for Suicides
Mental health disorders affect nearly one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of suicide. A study by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) has now found that the risk to commit suicide increases for people exposed to high levels of transportation noise. The results were published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 14.03.2023 
Detecting hidden brain states
Mental health disorders can only be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms - and individual outcomes cannot be accurately predicted. An ETH scientist hopes to change that with the help of mathematical models. Why do we have emotions? Klaas Enno Stephan, a professor at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, considers the question carefully before answering: "It seems very plausible that the purpose of the emotions is to make us aware of unconscious processes in the body." As a doctor and researcher, Stephan is particularly interested in the interaction between brain and body.
Psychology - 14.02.2023 
EMDR, an effectiveness as miraculous as it is mysterious
Treating post-traumatic stress disorder with EMDR has been proven to be effective, but the mechanisms behind this therapeutic technique remain poorly understood. Three researchers from the University of Freiburg suspect that working memory plays a crucial role . A person who has been assaulted is at high risk of experiencing psychological trauma.
Health - Psychology - 06.02.2023 
Mental Health Distress Increased for Zambian Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A study by Swiss TPH and partners found that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mental health concerns among mothers in Zambia. The study highlights the need for public health interventions for vulnerable groups in low-resource settings. The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One.
Psychology - Social Sciences - 31.01.2023 
Good and bad sleep
When children's sleep patterns are altered by external factors, this can have consequences. This is the conclusion of a study from the University of Freiburg, which analyzed the sleep of children during the pandemic and their behavior six months later . The confinement of spring 2020 clearly affected the sleep of babies and young children.
Psychology - Media - 23.01.2023 
When mental health moves through social media
Can a Tweet or a post on Instagram tell us something about our mental health? How meaningful is the relationship between well-being and the use of these platforms? To answer these questions, Marta Fadda, a researcher in bioethics at Università della Svizzera italiana, Oliver Grübner, a health geographer, and Marcus Wolf, a psychologist, at the University of Zurich conducted a series of studies to demonstrate the usefulness of social platforms for mental health research.
Psychology - Health - 12.01.2023
Psychology - Life Sciences - 05.01.2023 
Managing emotions better could prevent pathological ageing
A team from the University of Geneva deciphers how negative emotions durably modify brain activity in the older adults . Negative emotions, anxiety and depression are thought to promote the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. But what is their impact on the brain and can their deleterious effects be limited? Neuroscientists at the University of Geneva observed the activation of the brains of young and older adults when confronted with the psychological suffering of others.
Psychology - 07.12.2022 
Decoy products influence our decisions
When people have the choice between two products, a third option can influence their decision by shifting their focus. Researchers from the University of Basel have shown, however, that whether one object is preferred over another depends on which visual features are being used to form an opinion. We know all too well that we can often be distracted by certain special offers as we shop.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 28.11.2022 
Why we display belonging on Social Media
Previous research on social media has mainly focused on how often people use it. Researchers from the University of Basel and the University of Koblenz-Landau have developed a new construct for measuring why people spend so much time on these platforms - and what content they post. November 2022 Are you the sort of person who likes to post photos on Instagram or Facebook and tag people in them? Do you frequently add things like "#bestfriends" or "BFFs"- If so, you probably have a high level of DTBP, or desire to belong publicly.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 07.11.2022 
Summer camps promote altruism in children
A team from the University of Geneva shows that participating in camps helps develop valuable socio-emotional skills. Be able to control oneself, cooperate or help others: having socio-emotional abilities is essential for those who wish to interact positively with their peers. These skills are largely acquired during childhood and can be trained in different contexts, such as school, family or leisure.
Psychology - 27.10.2022 
The weak coherence of conspiracy texts
Regardless of the topic, conspiracy texts refer to a greater number of themes and are less coherent than non-conspiracy writings. This is the result of the largest comparison ever carried out between texts supporting these theories and non-conspiracy writings, i.e. 96,000 articles analyzed in total.
Psychology - 14.10.2022 
Too much motivation affects our decision-making
A team from the UNIGE, in collaboration with EPFL, reveals how motivation influences the neural circuits of perception and impacts decision-making. In a good or a bad mood, focused or distracted, in dire or no need: our internal states directly influence our perceptions and decision-making. While the role of motivation on the performance of behavioural tasks has been known for more than a century - thanks to the work of psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dilligham Dodson - its precise effect on the brain remains unclear.
Psychology - Health - 06.10.2022 
New function of the cerebellum
The cerebellum is known primarily for regulation of movement. Researchers at the University of Basel have now discovered that the cerebellum also plays an important role in remembering emotional experiences. The study appears in the journal PNAS. October 2022 Both positive and negative emotional experiences are stored particularly well in memory.
Health - Psychology - 29.08.2022 
Sensor-based early detection of age-related diseases from home
Researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital have demonstrated how sensors that record movement patterns could help detect health problems in the elderly, including old-age depression, risk of falls or cognitive impairment, at an early stage. In the future, this could help seniors to live a self-determined life at home for longer and relieve increasing pressure on the healthcare system.
Social Sciences - Psychology - 13.07.2022 
Social Development of Infants Unaffected by Covid-19 Pandemic
Health issues and loss, social isolation and mental health problems - the pandemic has had a drastic effect on our society. But how have the youngest members of society been coping with these changes? Researchers at the University of Zurich have found that the presence of parents and caregivers is enough to mitigate the pandemic's negative effects on the social development of infants.
Health - Psychology - 01.07.2022 
New Diagnosis for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently listed a new sibling diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), termed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). An international team with the involvement of the University of Zurich has now summarized the symptoms of the long-awaited new diagnosis and issued guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment.
Psychology
Results 1 - 20 of 71.
The way the brain regulates pupil size is different from previously thought: fundamentally responsible is the neurotransmitter orexin, as researchers at ETH Zurich have now shown. This discovery could well alter our understanding of consciousness and illnesses such as narcolepsy and Alzheimer's. "The effect was so strong, we knew immediately that we were onto something important," recalls Nikola Grujic, a postdoc in the Neurobehavioural Dynamics Laboratory at ETH Zurich.
People who meditate every day are less likely to avoid negative information. This is a finding in a new study by a research team including researchers from ETH Zurich. Smart decision makers gather all the pertinent information, and weigh the pros and cons dispassionately. This also includes gathering information that could prove unsettling or unpleasant.
A team from UNIGE, HES-SO Geneva and EPFL shows the positive impacts of musical activities to counteract brain ageing. Normal ageing is associated with progressive cognitive decline. But can we train our brain to delay this process? A team from the University of Geneva , HES-SO Geneva and EPFL has discovered that practicing and listening to music can alter cognitive decline in healthy seniors by stimulating the production of grey matter.
Mental health disorders affect nearly one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of suicide. A study by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) has now found that the risk to commit suicide increases for people exposed to high levels of transportation noise. The results were published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Mental health disorders can only be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms - and individual outcomes cannot be accurately predicted. An ETH scientist hopes to change that with the help of mathematical models. Why do we have emotions? Klaas Enno Stephan, a professor at ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, considers the question carefully before answering: "It seems very plausible that the purpose of the emotions is to make us aware of unconscious processes in the body." As a doctor and researcher, Stephan is particularly interested in the interaction between brain and body.
Treating post-traumatic stress disorder with EMDR has been proven to be effective, but the mechanisms behind this therapeutic technique remain poorly understood. Three researchers from the University of Freiburg suspect that working memory plays a crucial role . A person who has been assaulted is at high risk of experiencing psychological trauma.
A study by Swiss TPH and partners found that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mental health concerns among mothers in Zambia. The study highlights the need for public health interventions for vulnerable groups in low-resource settings. The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One.
When children's sleep patterns are altered by external factors, this can have consequences. This is the conclusion of a study from the University of Freiburg, which analyzed the sleep of children during the pandemic and their behavior six months later . The confinement of spring 2020 clearly affected the sleep of babies and young children.
Can a Tweet or a post on Instagram tell us something about our mental health? How meaningful is the relationship between well-being and the use of these platforms? To answer these questions, Marta Fadda, a researcher in bioethics at Università della Svizzera italiana, Oliver Grübner, a health geographer, and Marcus Wolf, a psychologist, at the University of Zurich conducted a series of studies to demonstrate the usefulness of social platforms for mental health research.
Placebo reduces feelings of guilt
Guilt is an uncomfortable feeling and can be burdensome. Researchers at the University of Basel have shown that placebos can help reduce feelings of guilt, even when the placebo is administered openly. People don't always behave impeccably in relationship to others. When we notice that this has inadvertently caused harm, we often feel guilty.
Guilt is an uncomfortable feeling and can be burdensome. Researchers at the University of Basel have shown that placebos can help reduce feelings of guilt, even when the placebo is administered openly. People don't always behave impeccably in relationship to others. When we notice that this has inadvertently caused harm, we often feel guilty.
A team from the University of Geneva deciphers how negative emotions durably modify brain activity in the older adults . Negative emotions, anxiety and depression are thought to promote the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. But what is their impact on the brain and can their deleterious effects be limited? Neuroscientists at the University of Geneva observed the activation of the brains of young and older adults when confronted with the psychological suffering of others.
When people have the choice between two products, a third option can influence their decision by shifting their focus. Researchers from the University of Basel have shown, however, that whether one object is preferred over another depends on which visual features are being used to form an opinion. We know all too well that we can often be distracted by certain special offers as we shop.
Previous research on social media has mainly focused on how often people use it. Researchers from the University of Basel and the University of Koblenz-Landau have developed a new construct for measuring why people spend so much time on these platforms - and what content they post. November 2022 Are you the sort of person who likes to post photos on Instagram or Facebook and tag people in them? Do you frequently add things like "#bestfriends" or "BFFs"- If so, you probably have a high level of DTBP, or desire to belong publicly.
A team from the University of Geneva shows that participating in camps helps develop valuable socio-emotional skills. Be able to control oneself, cooperate or help others: having socio-emotional abilities is essential for those who wish to interact positively with their peers. These skills are largely acquired during childhood and can be trained in different contexts, such as school, family or leisure.
Regardless of the topic, conspiracy texts refer to a greater number of themes and are less coherent than non-conspiracy writings. This is the result of the largest comparison ever carried out between texts supporting these theories and non-conspiracy writings, i.e. 96,000 articles analyzed in total.
A team from the UNIGE, in collaboration with EPFL, reveals how motivation influences the neural circuits of perception and impacts decision-making. In a good or a bad mood, focused or distracted, in dire or no need: our internal states directly influence our perceptions and decision-making. While the role of motivation on the performance of behavioural tasks has been known for more than a century - thanks to the work of psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dilligham Dodson - its precise effect on the brain remains unclear.
The cerebellum is known primarily for regulation of movement. Researchers at the University of Basel have now discovered that the cerebellum also plays an important role in remembering emotional experiences. The study appears in the journal PNAS. October 2022 Both positive and negative emotional experiences are stored particularly well in memory.
Researchers at the University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital have demonstrated how sensors that record movement patterns could help detect health problems in the elderly, including old-age depression, risk of falls or cognitive impairment, at an early stage. In the future, this could help seniors to live a self-determined life at home for longer and relieve increasing pressure on the healthcare system.
Health issues and loss, social isolation and mental health problems - the pandemic has had a drastic effect on our society. But how have the youngest members of society been coping with these changes? Researchers at the University of Zurich have found that the presence of parents and caregivers is enough to mitigate the pandemic's negative effects on the social development of infants.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently listed a new sibling diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), termed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). An international team with the involvement of the University of Zurich has now summarized the symptoms of the long-awaited new diagnosis and issued guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment.
