they ain’t afraid of no ghosts Low-frequency infrasound (below 20 Hz) can raise cortisol levels in saliva and increase irritability. […]
Category: psychology
“Cognitive surrender” leads AI users to abandon logical thinking, research finds
“Lowering the threshold for scrutiny” Overall, across 1,372 participants and over 9,500 individual trials, the researchers found subjects were willing […]
Study: Sycophantic AI can undermine human judgment
Subjects who interacted with AI tools were more likely to think they were right, less likely to resolve conflicts. We […]
What ice fishing can teach us about making foraging decisions
Ice fishing is a longstanding tradition in Nordic countries, with competitions proving especially popular. Those competitions can also tell scientists […]
The science of how (and when) we decide to speak out—or self-censor
Skip to content The study’s main takeaway: “Be bold. It is the thing that slows down authoritarian creep.” Freedom of […]
Being Santa Claus is a year-round calling
Not just a seasonal gig Frankly, what’s most interesting about the paper isn’t those three fundamental categories, but the personalized […]
Does swearing make you stronger? Science says yes.
The result: Only the F-word had any effect on pain outcomes. The team also measured the subjects’ pain threshold, asking […]
Research roundup: 6 cool stories we almost missed
The assassination of a Hungarian duke, why woodpeckers grunt when they peck, and more. Skull of remains found in a […]
Do animals fall for optical illusions? It’s complicated.
A tale of two species View from above of the apparatuses used for ring doves (A) and guppies (B). Credit: […]
Believing misinformation is a “win” for some people, even when proven false
Why people endorse misinformation Our findings highlight the limits of countering misinformation directly, because for some people, literal truth is […]