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The Personality Trait That Makes People Feel Comfortable Around You
Some people can walk into a room and instantly put everyone at ease. Others seem to make teeth clench and eyes roll no matter what they do. A small body of psychology research supports the idea that the way a person tends to make others feel is a consistent and measurable part of his personality. Researchers call it “affective presence.” This concept was first described nearly 10 years ago in a study by Noah Eisenkraft and Hillary Anger Elfenbein. They put business-school students into groups, had them enroll in all the same classes for a semester, and do every group project together.
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New Research From Clinical Psychological Science
A sample of research exploring: genetic associations anxiety, depression, and executive function; motivation and emotion regulation in depression; and sense of agency over thoughts in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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NIH is Revising Its Definition of Behavioral and Social Science and is Asking for Your Input
NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research wants your input on a new definition of behavioral and social sciences research that it has drafted. OBSSR should hear from individual scientists like you: What do you think about the new definition?
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Showing Yourself Compassion Can Have Mental and Physical Benefits
Showing love for your nearest and dearest is a hallmark of Valentine’s Day, but research suggests that you may want to save some of that love and compassion for yourself.
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The Kids (Who Use Tech) Seem to Be All Right
Social media is linked to depression—or not. First-person shooter video games are good for cognition—or they encourage violence. Young people are either more connected—or more isolated than ever. Such are the conflicting messages about the effects of technology on children’s well-being. Negative findings receive far more attention and have fueled panic among parents and educators. This state of affairs reflects a heated debate among scientists. Studies showing statistically significant negative effects are followed by others revealing positive effects or none at all—sometimes using the same data set.
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6 ways parents can help kids strike a balance between screen time and the real world
When it comes to kids and screens, it often feels as though parents are wearing headphones with conflicting messages piped into each ear. On one side: a steady drumbeat of increasingly dire warnings about game addictions and the developmental consequences of letting kids spend too much time on devices. On the other side: the powerful siren song of phones, laptops, tablets and video games. Our kids are constantly nagging us for access — more time for playing games, doing homework, catching up with friends or watching endless hours of YouTube. As with everything, it’s up to parents to find balance.
