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Generally seen as shared by all humanity, common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with implications for the future of artificial intelligence. Emma Young reports IN THE [...]

Manipulating the scenes that play out in our heads as we sleep can boost learning, break bad habits, banish nightmares and more, finds Emma Young WHEN an ancient Egyptian sought [...]

The article explores the concept of happiness and its cultural variations. It highlights that the pursuit of happiness is primarily valued in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies, while other cultures may prioritize different aspects of well-being. The article also discusses the potential drawbacks of actively pursuing happiness and suggests that psychological richness and a sense of meaning in life may be important factors for overall well-being. The research emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural perspectives and individual differences when studying happiness and well-being. [Extracted from the article]

Kinship caregivers raise relative children who are unable to be cared for by their parents. Most kinship caregiving takes place outside the child welfare system (“informal” care), meaning that caregivers do not have access to foster care payments to offset the costs of child rearing. The main source of financial support for informal kinship caregivers is Child-Only TANF, which is inadequate to meet the full range of caregiver needs. To address this funding gap, the authors present a comparative policy analysis of seven programs in six states that have implemented supplemental state funds for informal kinship caregivers. The authors analyze key features of each program and compare the socioeconomic and political characteristics of states that offer supplemental caregiver benefits to those of states that do not. Recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.

Firefighters in the line of duty are exposed to many hazardous air toxics released from burning vegetation and other materials that may cause severe health risks. Current literature does not consider complex mixtures and cumulative impacts of these air toxics when assessing firefighter exposure risk. This study aims to determine if cumulative exposure to mixtures of air toxics will put firefighters at risk in the context of current firefighter exposure regulations. This was tested using CO exposure and air toxics data collected during prescribed burns. Personal CO monitors were deployed to 122 firefighters at 31 prescribed burns across Australian temperate forests. CO concentrations were used to determine equivalent exposures for air toxics using their emission ratio, which were then used to calculate cumulative exposure. Average personal monitor CO exposure was 9.2 ppm across all burns, with 1-min maximum ranging between 0.3 and 703 ppm. Work safe Australia exposure standards were exceeded for 6 firefighters out of 122. Five individual firefighters had average cumulative exposures exceeding 100% exposure limit. Six toxicological classes were identified to be the most hazardous, causing eye disorders, upper and lower respiratory disorders, skin disorders and cancer. Across these classes, three toxins contributed significantly to the cumulative exposure; respirable particles (< 3 μm), formaldehyde and acrolein. Using the cumulative exposure methodology as described here and a reduction in the CO exposure standards to account for the numerous air toxics emitted during a fire would supply decision makers with a tool to better identify exposure risks.

This article discusses the existence of taboo topics in the field of psychology and the potential self-censorship that researchers may engage in when studying these topics. The article highlights the conflicting views among psychology professors on various taboo statements, such as the role of gender biases in STEM fields and the genetic contribution to IQ differences. The study also explores the professors' attitudes towards self-censorship, concerns about social media attacks, and the handling of controversial research. The findings reveal a lack of consensus among scholars and differences based on demographics, such as gender and political beliefs. However, the researchers acknowledge the limitations of the study and emphasize the need for further research to understand the diversity of perspectives among psychological scientists. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the psychology of secrets, revealing that the average person has about 13 secrets, five of which they have never shared with anyone. Research has shown that secrets can have psychological effects, with brooding about a secret being the most harmful aspect. Secrets that evoke shame are more psychologically damaging than those that evoke guilt. The article also discusses the risks and benefits of confessing secrets, finding that people often overestimate how harshly they will be judged. It highlights the importance of choosing the right person to confide in, as some friends may be more likely to pass on secrets than others. Overall, the article provides insights into the nature of secrets and their impact on individuals. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study found that babies' cries do not contain any clues about their cause. Researchers at the University of Saint-Etienne in France created a dataset of crying sequences from 24 babies at different ages and asked parents to note the cause of the crying. They then used artificial intelligence and human listeners to try to identify the cause based on the sound of the cries. Both the AI and the human listeners were no better than chance at determining the cause. However, the study did find that parents were often correct in their predictions about the cause of their baby's crying based on their background knowledge. The researchers suggest that a baby's cry may be more useful for signaling its identity rather than a specific category of distress. [Extracted from the article]

A study conducted by Spike W.S Lee and Cecilia Ma at the University of Toronto found that individuals who are more sensitive to physical pain are more likely to endorse some conservative stances, regardless of their own political affiliation. The researchers used the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) to measure pain sensitivity and found that higher pain sensitivity predicted greater endorsement of conservative moral foundations, particularly among liberals. The study also found that individuals who are more sensitive to pain are more likely to support contentious political attitudes held by their ideological opponents. The researchers suggest that this may be due to the perception of harm resulting from violations of moral foundations associated with their opponents. Further research is needed to fully understand the factors at play. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied suggests that leaders who bend the rules, rather than strictly following or breaking them, are perceived as more effective. The researchers conducted two experiments involving hypothetical scenarios and found that rule-benders were seen as more dominant and prestigious than rule-abiders or rule-breakers. However, the study also highlights the potential negative consequences of rule-bending leaders, as they may encourage others to engage in dubious behavior. The researchers suggest that understanding the appeal of rule-bending leaders can help prevent their appointment to positions of power. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study challenges the idea that inner speech, or an internal monologue, is a universal aspect of human experience. The study, conducted by researchers at Aarhus University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, found that some individuals have a near-absent inner voice, which they refer to as "anendophasia." The study examined the impact of anendophasia on cognitive tasks and found that individuals with a near-absent inner voice performed poorly on certain tasks compared to those with constant inner speech. However, speaking the task words aloud equalized the performance between the two groups. The study suggests that there can be significant differences in the human mental experience and hopes to establish a community around the phenomenon of anendophasia. [Extracted from the article]

Youth with foster care experience are far more likely to face mental health challenges than their peers in the general population. Non-talk alternative treatments such as art therapy, movement therapy, music therapy, and equine-assisted psychotherapy show promise for these youth. However, as of now, there is no clear agreement between or guidance offered to states on whether alternative therapies are covered by Medicaid, which is the primary insurance for most youth with foster care experience. This paper offers policy recommendations on this issue in order to achieve equitable access to mental health care for youth with foster care experience.