r/psychology

Excessive daydreaming is strongly linked to widespread mental health disorders. Research suggests that maladaptive daydreaming warrants formal recognition by psychiatric professionals.

Highly intelligent people are more likely to ditch old habits for better ideas. Study found that higher openness to experience was also associated with switching to novel solutions, but specifically to those that were similar or worse in quality than the existing solutions.

Strict height preferences in dating are linked to sexist attitudes, new study finds. Heterosexual men and women who place high importance on a romantic partner’s height are more likely to endorse traditional gender norms.

Perfectionism is skyrocketing in young adults and economic pressure might be the culprit. Young adults are increasingly struggling with fear of failure, a psychological shift that tends to worsen existing mental health challenges.

New research indicates sounds you can't hear can spike your cortisol levels, offering a biological reason for sudden creepy feelings

Depression isn’t just in the head: Scientists find altered genetic activity in white blood cells. This provides evidence that the biological footprints of depression extend well beyond the brain and into the immune system, offering a whole-body perspective on the condition.

TIL that the "spotlight effect" is a psychological phenomenon where people overestimate how much others notice their appearance, mistakes, and behavior.

Being seen as unattractive as a teen is linked to an earlier death for women, but not for men. Physical attractiveness could serve as an observable indicator of underlying health and physiological resilience.

Adults with ADHD may pay high price to mask traits and fit in. More than 91% of adults with ADHD reported hiding, suppressing or compensating for ADHD traits. They may pretend to pay attention, suppress their urge to fidget, rehearse conversations or over-prepare for meetings to fit social norms.

Mental health is emerging as a source of political identity, particularly among younger (Gen Z) and more liberal Americans. They believe people with mental illness should work together to change laws unfair to them and tend to support increased healthcare, education, and welfare spending.