10 Amazing New Things We’ve Learned About the Human Psyche

Human psychology is one of science’s most complicated subjects, second only to cat psychology. Accordingly, getting deeper into the human psyche is like sculpting a huge piece of marble: sometimes you get better detail with a chisel than a jackhammer.

The following entries provide an overview of the cool new things we’re learning about how our minds work, whether via chisel or jackhammer (I’ll let you decide which is which).

Related: Top 10 Myths About the Human Brain

10 Kids Who Eat Seafood Are Well-Behaved

Seafood isn’t just tasty—it can promote better brain development for kids who eat their shrimp and salmon. Eating seafood during childhood has been linked to prosocial behaviors in children at ages 7 and 9, according to recent research from the University of Bristol, which utilized survey data from nearly 6,000 participants of the “pioneering” Children of the 90s study.

The findings explore the links between fish intake and behavioral development, focusing on prosocial aspects like friendliness, altruism, and the propensity to share—in other words, the traits that help make the world a better place. In contrast, the children who had consumed the least amount of seafood by age 7 showed more negative social behaviors overall.

Additionally, almost all the children were not getting the recommended amount of fish, which is at least two portions a week, including a fattier option such as salmon. Seafood provides many essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids as well as selenium and iodine, yet fears of overconsumption have led to parents serving fewer portions.^[1]

9 Phrasing Affects How We Feel About Being Alone

What if you could fight loneliness with words? Solitude can be terrible for both physical and mental health, but when battling negative emotions, perception may be half the battle. Or at least a quarter?

Human psychology is tricky, but it doesn’t always have to be super tricky. Sometimes, simply reframing how you phrase or perceive something can yield a positive psychological shift.

As an example, research involving nearly 700 adults and undergraduate students found that referring to time alone as “me-time” rather than “isolation” is enough to potentially change the emotional association from negative to positive.

When linguistic framing referred to it as “me-time,” people enjoyed it more and associated it with self-care and relaxation. It seemed beneficial and something to seek out. But those who experienced “isolation” did not get as much of a positive boost, as they were burdened by connotations of social exclusion and loneliness. In terms of what they thought about, the “isolation” group was likelier to focus on schoolwork, whereas the “me-time” group reflected on personal growth.^[2]

8 Sleeping Too Much Impairs Various Brain Functions

A study from UT Health San Antonio recently explored the detriments of oversleeping, finding that those who caught too many Zs tended to perform worse on numerous measures of cognition. These findings were part of the Framingham Heart Study, which tracks “1,853 dementia-and-stroke-free participants” in the community of Framingham, Massachusetts. This latest sleep research focused on participants ages 27 to 85, with an average age of 50.

The researchers discovered that sleeping more, but not less, was linked to lower cognitive performance in visuospatial skills, memory, and other abilities. As a result, getting too much sleep may impair a range of daily functions such as problem-solving, attention, future planning, and impulse control. Additionally, people with depressive symptoms showed the most cognitive decline from excessive sleep.^[3]

7 REM Sleep Helps Tame Unpleasant Memories

Sleeping is awesome, and that’s a bit of an understatement. So scientists are continuously exploring or confirming the many ways that a good night’s sleep improves our brains. Recently, a sleep study from the University of East Anglia found that sleep helps with memory.

Well, duh, you’re probably thinking—of course, sleep helps us remember things. But it’s actually the opposite: sleep helps us forget.

For many people, unpleasant memories often intrude into conscious awareness, especially if reminded of them—and we all know that even the most random things can inadvertently inspire the intrusion of unwanted remembrances.

When comparing the brain scans of well-rested and unrested participants, multiple memory-associated brain regions showed either increased or reduced activity. It was REM (rapid eye movement) sleep—the dreaming phase—that appeared to be critical for helping people prevent unpleasant memories from intruding into their daily lives. So there’s one more reason to put away the midnight memes and catch a few extra Zs.^[4]

6 “Psychological Booster Shots” Fight Misinformation

“Psychological booster shots” can steel the mind just as booster shots steel the immune system. Researchers from various universities have trialed different psychological interventions to help participants resist misinformation. The research involved five studies comprising over 11,000 individuals and three cognitive strategies.

These “misinformation-prevention methods” included a text-based strategy, in which participants read preemptive tips and tricks that explained common misinformation tactics.

Secondly, a video-based method exposed the type of emotional manipulation that’s frequently used to spread misinformation.

Finally, an interactive game helped people detect misinformation by allowing them to create their own, personally weaving fictitious stories.

The good news is that these interventions did help people resist misinformation. The bad news is that the effects did not last long. However, supplying the “psychological booster shots” in the form of small reminders allowed participants to once again fortify their minds.^[5]

5 An Interesting Norwegian Study on Long COVID

A scientific collaboration between Akershus University Hospital and the University of Oslo explored some of the potential neurological effects of long COVID, turning up some possibly surprising findings. For context, the study was not gigantic: it included 466 young people, between the ages of 12 and 25, who were tested at six-month intervals.

Most of the study participants had previously had COVID-19, while the control group was composed of 85 individuals who had not previously been infected.

Half of the COVID-19 group had suffered from “persistent post-infective symptoms” like “concentration difficulties, poorer sleep and memory, and pain.” So they were examined by doctors, had bloodwork done, and underwent neurocognitive testing.

The conclusion of the study? No brain damage in those who had COVID. And no real differences in tests of memory, concentration, and sleep.

The importance of this study isn’t in attempting to prove or disprove long COVID. It’s the fact that clinical tests were carried out, rather than self-reported surveys or other less-precise methods used in other studies, which has implications far beyond COVID itself. However, it’s worth noting that older age groups or those with more severe infections might have fared differently.^[6]

4 Women Talk More Than Men

The old, globally prevalent stereotype is that women talk more than men. But has anyone ever tested this, scientifically? The answer is yes. Also, the answer to whether women really talk more than men may be yes—but it depends on age.

It all began with a 2007 University of Arizona study, which said that women and men speak equally: about 16,000 words per day.

Yet newer, in-depth examinations presented more detailed information. First, we’re all speaking less in general, thanks to the encroachment of digital communications. More importantly, women average about 3,000 more words than men—but only women between the ages of 25 and 64, a pretty big range, explained shortly.

This info is also courtesy of the University of Arizona. But this time, researchers studied over 630,000 recordings from 22 studies, based on nearly 2,200 people who wore recording devices. The discrepancy may be due to women talking more to their children, as the age range includes the childbearing years.^[7]

3 Falsehoods Take Hold When We’re Tired

We’re all tired nowadays, and it’s hindering our ability to discern the truth from falsehoods. Do you ever wonder why some people (whether your acquaintances, random internet folks, or TV talking heads) believe certain things? Part of it may be due to the fact that they’re tired, suggests a new study involving more than 1,000 people.

The study encompassed two experiments, each with over 500 participants. In one, people performed a sleep questionnaire, then read an article about the Notre Dame Cathedral fire—however, some people were also supplied a little conspiracy theory about a cover-up. The sleep-deprived were more likely to believe it.

The second part of the study explored the underlying mechanism of conspiracy-theory susceptibility. The culprit? Depression rears its ugly head yet again. Rather than paranoia or anger, it can be poor sleep, insomnia, and associated depression that serve as big instigators in fueling conspiratorial mindsets.^[8]

2 Gadget Use Linked to Better Mental Health for Older Folks

Some say that internet use can make you unhappier and dumber, but that’s only if you use it wrong. If you just laugh at memes and make baby sounds at cat videos, gadget use can provide great stress relief—and also better brain health for older adults, according to the University of Texas.

This huge research project examined data from more than 411,000 individuals ages 50 and over and found that digital-device engagement boosted cognitive wellbeing and protected against dementia.

The study may debunk the misconception of “digital dementia” and also highlights how fast time flies; as per co-author Jared Benge, “the generation that brought us the digital revolution is now reaching the age where dementia risks emerge.” Wow, they grow up so fast.

The research analyzes 57 studies and found some positive trends. The better brain health for tech users persisted even when controlling for socioeconomic factors. And this protective effect was on par with—or stronger than—established brain boosters like physical activity and education, across all age groups, including the 65-and-up crowd.^[9]

1 Future Fix for Anxiety: Probiotics?

The treatment for anxiety may be hidden within us—and not in a figurative New Age sort of sense. Duke-led research has found evidence that gut microbes are linked to anxiety.

Specifically and scientifically, microbial metabolites (called indoles) have been implicated in anxiety-like behaviors. It’s the lack of microbes that is associated with detrimental consequences in how the brain functions, especially in the region controlling fear and anxiety.

This research is important for introducing new ways to potentially treat anxiety and similar mental health issues in humans and, in theory, any creature with a gut. Instead of the current common medications, which may cause side effects or may not produce a long-term fix, doctors may one day treat anxiety disorders with probiotics.

By altering the brain signaling behind mental health disorders, medical science may have found one of the safer and more accessible avenues for treatment. Now let’s hope they next find the gut microbes responsible for big biceps and quads.^[10]