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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 - Health - 13.05.2022 
How sleep helps to process emotions
Researchers at the Department of Neurology of the University of Bern and University Hospital Bern identified how the brain triages emotions during dream sleep to consolidate the storage of positive emotions while dampening the consolidation of negative ones. The work expands the importance of sleep in mental health and opens new ways of therapeutic strategies.
Health - Psychology - 23.03.2022 
Long Covid symptoms much more common for those infected
A year after being infected with coronavirus, those affected are much more likely to suffer from typical long Covid symptoms, such as fatigue, than people who have never had a positive PCR test for coronavirus.
Life Sciences - Psychology - 28.02.2022 
Familiar objects can prevent autism-like behaviors in mouse model
The emergence of autism traits can result from different factors, such as a person's environment and genetic background. FMI researchers and their Novartis collaborators showed that exposing mice with an autism mutation to a new environment can trigger autism-like behaviors — through faulty signaling in the brain.
Sport - Psychology - 20.01.2022 
Exercise aids the development of memory
Our working memory stores information for periods of several seconds and plays an important role in academic performance. According to findings from researchers at the University of Basel and Nagoya University, the development of this component of memory in children and adolescents is benefited by exercise - and particularly by types of exercise that require a lot of coordination.
Psychology
Results 1 - 20 of 67.
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.
Researchers at the Department of Neurology of the University of Bern and University Hospital Bern identified how the brain triages emotions during dream sleep to consolidate the storage of positive emotions while dampening the consolidation of negative ones. The work expands the importance of sleep in mental health and opens new ways of therapeutic strategies.
A year after being infected with coronavirus, those affected are much more likely to suffer from typical long Covid symptoms, such as fatigue, than people who have never had a positive PCR test for coronavirus.
The emergence of autism traits can result from different factors, such as a person's environment and genetic background. FMI researchers and their Novartis collaborators showed that exposing mice with an autism mutation to a new environment can trigger autism-like behaviors — through faulty signaling in the brain.
Our working memory stores information for periods of several seconds and plays an important role in academic performance. According to findings from researchers at the University of Basel and Nagoya University, the development of this component of memory in children and adolescents is benefited by exercise - and particularly by types of exercise that require a lot of coordination.
