Science · Psychology
which neural circuits mediate curiosity-driven learning in adults?
Curiosity-driven learning in adults is supported by an interacting network that links reward circuitry with hippocampal memory systems. Functional neuroimaging and animal electrophysiology converge on a core loop in which
how do personality traits influence susceptibility to persuasive misinformation?
Personality shapes how people evaluate and share information through stable dispositions that influence cognition, emotion, and social behavior. Research grounded in the Big Five framework links traits like openness, conscientiousness,
why do individuals sometimes prefer harmful group norms over accurate information?
People sometimes choose harmful group norms over accurate information because social belonging, cognitive shortcuts, and identity-protective motivations often outweigh raw facts in everyday decision-making. Evidence from classic and contemporary research
how does the gut microbiome influence anxiety and depression?
The community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes in the digestive tract shapes brain function and emotional states through several interlocking routes. Research led by John F. Cryan and
why do bystanders fail to intervene during emergencies?
Core psychological mechanisms
Research by John M. Darley Princeton University and Bibb Latané Columbia University established the basic explanation for why observers often do not act: diffusion of responsibility. When many
how does bilingualism influence cognitive flexibility across the lifespan?
Bilingualism engages the brain in ongoing selection and suppression of competing languages, and that practice shapes cognitive flexibility across life. Studies led by Ellen Bialystok York University link bilingual experience
how does chronic stress impact cognitive functioning?
Chronic stress alters cognitive functioning by reshaping brain circuits, hormonal responses, and everyday capacities for attention, memory, and decision-making. Decades of neuroscience research link long-term activation of the stress response
what promotes sustained motivation in long-term behavior change?
Sustained motivation for long-term behavior change depends on interacting psychological, social, and environmental systems rather than a single trait or tactic. Research across psychology and behavior science identifies repeatable mechanisms
what neural mechanisms underlie habit formation?
Habit formation arises from coordinated activity across cortical and subcortical circuits that shift control from deliberate, outcome-sensitive actions to fast, automatic stimulus–response routines. This transition depends on synaptic plasticity in
how do micro-expressions reveal concealed emotions?
Micro-expressions are brief, involuntary facial movements that can leak emotional states a person is trying to hide. Research by Paul Ekman, University of California, San Francisco, established that these fleeting