Psychology
18 Jun 2026
Teenagers whose parents are more distracted by phones are more insecure
Teenagers who report competing with caregivers’ phones for attention are more likely to have insecure attachment styles, which could damage wellbeing
165 news posts in Psychology
Psychology
16 Jun 2026
Cuddling cats might make us feel worse when under stress
Researchers find more interaction with pets during stressful moments may not help stress-reduction but – in some cases – intensify negative feelings
Psychology
29 May 2026
‘We cannot ban our way out of a youth mental health crisis’: social media bans for teenagers lack evidence and pose risks, scientists say
Bans on teenagers’ social media use are gathering pace worldwide. Their proponents claim that social media bans will improve young people’s mental health, but what evidence supports these claims? In their new Frontiers in Developmental Psychology article, Dr Monika Neff Lind and her co-authors argue that there is no solid scientific evidence behind these bans, and reason to believe they could backfire. In this guest editorial, Neff Lind explains why she and her colleagues doubt that social media bans will work, and how bans should be evaluated to determine whether they have any positive effects.
Psychology
27 Mar 2026
‘Sometimes an adult should shut up and go away’: scientists reveal the qualities that kids need in play
For better play, give children space to choose and accessible games, scientists say
Psychology
26 Mar 2026
Struggling to identify emotions may increase vulnerability to TikTok addiction
Research shows that problems with focus and identifying emotions may make young people more vulnerable to short video addiction, but mental training can help
Psychology
08 Dec 2025
Are you more likely to buy a one-star-reviewed item if it’s just for an acquaintance? Here are five articles you won’t want to miss
With less than one month before the holidays, many of us are gearing up for the annual Christmas shopping extravaganza. We’re highlighting five articles you won’t want to miss before hitting the shops.
Psychology
13 Aug 2025
Now you see me, now you don’t: how subtle ‘sponsored content’ on social media tricks us into viewing ads
Scientists find that people mostly avoid social media ads when they see them, but many ads blend in seamlessly.
Psychology
24 Jul 2025
Students more likely to pass oral exams at noon — and that might apply to job interviews, too
Physiological rhythms could explain why Italian university students were more likely to fail exams early or late in the day.
Psychology
07 May 2025
Humans prefer to put more effort into empathizing with groups than with individuals
Study participants asked to choose whether to empathize with or describe people preferred to empathize with groups, despite finding it difficult and distressing.
Psychology
28 Mar 2025
Those constantly distracted by their phone will just find other ways to procrastinate if it isn’t nearby
A researcher put physical distance between people and their phones and found that our devices may not be the cause of our distraction – it’s what we do with them.
Psychology
10 Feb 2025
Scientists find that a playful approach to life activates ‘lemonading’, which helps people cope with adversity
Highly playful people are realistic about their circumstances, scientists say, but they are more resilient in the present and more optimistic about the future.
Psychology
11 Oct 2024
Different types of teenage friendships critical to wellbeing as we age, scientists find
Scientists find that peer acceptance in young teenagers, and close friendships in older teenagers, predict low social anxiety and high life satisfaction in young adults.
Psychology
06 Jun 2024
How many days has it been since your last fit of laughter? Here are five Frontiers articles you won’t want to miss
At Frontiers, we bring some of the world’s best research to a global audience. But with tens of thousands of articles published each year, it’s impossible to cover all of them. Here are just five amazing papers you may have missed.
Psychology
19 Mar 2024
Is your partner’s disturbed sleep keeping you up at night? Letting go of unattainable dreams may keep you both happy in bed
Research has now shown that the habit of letting go of unattainable goals helps people to stay satisfied with their romantic relationship if their partner experiences sleep problems. Such ‘letting go’ could also be learned, for example through training by clinical psychologists. But the results also showed that being too ready to replace unattainable goals with alternatives can worsen mutual satisfaction with a relationship, perhaps because this prevents spouses from putting more time and effort into it.
Psychology
26 Jan 2024
Writing by hand may increase brain connectivity more than typing on a keyboard
New research has shown that writing by hand leads to higher brain connectivity than typing on a keyboard, highlighting the need to expose students to more handwriting activities