A study in Taiwan found that individuals more motivated to play online games tended to show higher post-game imagination, which was associated with greater creativity. The research combined a survey and an experiment using Genshin Impact and Roblox, with EEG measurements to observe brain activity changes. The findings support a model in which gaming motivation enhances imagination, and imagination in turn fosters creative outcomes, though the small experimental sample limits generalizability.

It highlights how motivation, imagination, and creativity may interrelate within digital gaming contexts. It also demonstrates mediation analysis and the integration of neurophysiological data to understand creative cognition. This contributes to ongoing discussions in psychology about how technology can influence cognitive processes and learning.

Article Title: Online gaming might contribute to creativity, study finds

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/online-gaming-might-contribute-to-creativity-study-finds/

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#Creativity #Imagination #OnlineGaming #PsychologyResearch #CognitiveScience

This article reports a study showing that the public underestimates coercive control when the victim is male, with greater recognition of abuse when the victim is female, across both obvious and subtle forms of control. It also notes broader implications for LGBTQ+ victims and highlights the need for inclusive understanding and resources.

The findings are of interest to psychology readers because they reveal how gender and sexual orientation shape perceptions of abuse, underscoring the role of social stereotypes in recognizing and responding to coercive dynamics in relationships.

Article Title: People view coercive control in relationships as less harmful when the victim is a man

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/people-view-coercive-control-in-relationships-as-less-harmful-when-the-victim-is-a-man/

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#coercivecontrol #relationshipabuse #genderstudies #domesticabuseawareness #psychologyresearch

Having an AI Therapist Could Be Risky. Millions are turning to AI chatbots for therapy-style advice. New research says these systems may break basic mental-health ethics rules. #MentalHealth #AIethics #ChatGPT #PsychologyResearch #TechAndHealth
https://www.instagram.com/p/DW4d9BGjCEq/
Howard G. Smith MD, AM on Instagram: "Having an AI Therapist Could Be Risky Millions are turning to AI chatbots for therapy-style advice. New research says these systems may break basic mental-health ethics rules. Computer science and clinical psychologists at Brown University tested AI chatbots asked to act like therapists and found 15 different ethical risks. In simulated counseling sessions, the systems sometimes reinforced harmful beliefs, mishandled crisis situations, and showed bias. Here are the shortcomings. First and most important is what scientists call “deceptive empathy.” Chatbots use phrases like “I understand” or “I see how you feel,” which sounds supportive. Problem is that AI doesn’t actually understand emotions or context the way a human therapist does. Second issue: accountability. Human therapists must follow professional standards and can be disciplined for malpractice. But AI systems currently have no comparable oversight. On the positive side, the researchers point out that AI can help expand availability of mental-health support where therapists are scarce. Bottom line: strong safeguards and regulations are needed before relying on chatbots for serious mental-health care. References on my website. #MentalHealth #AIethics #ChatGPT #PsychologyResearch #TechAndHealth"

0 likes, 0 comments - drhowardsmithreports on April 8, 2026: "Having an AI Therapist Could Be Risky Millions are turning to AI chatbots for therapy-style advice. New research says these systems may break basic mental-health ethics rules. Computer science and clinical psychologists at Brown University tested AI chatbots asked to act like therapists and found 15 different ethical risks. In simulated counseling sessions, the systems sometimes reinforced harmful beliefs, mishandled crisis situations, and showed bias. Here are the shortcomings. First and most important is what scientists call “deceptive empathy.” Chatbots use phrases like “I understand” or “I see how you feel,” which sounds supportive. Problem is that AI doesn’t actually understand emotions or context the way a human therapist does. Second issue: accountability. Human therapists must follow professional standards and can be disciplined for malpractice. But AI systems currently have no comparable oversight. On the positive side, the researchers point out that AI can help expand availability of mental-health support where therapists are scarce. Bottom line: strong safeguards and regulations are needed before relying on chatbots for serious mental-health care. References on my website. #MentalHealth #AIethics #ChatGPT #PsychologyResearch #TechAndHealth".

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The article discusses how social anxiety in young adults is linked to a higher risk of developing digital addictions, with social comparison on online platforms identified as a key mechanism. A longitudinal study with 330 participants shows that anxiety can lead to increased online comparison, which in turn predicts addictive digital behaviors over time.

This topic is of interest to psychology readers because it highlights how emotional vulnerabilities interact with online environments and social comparison processes, shaping emerging patterns of digital dependence.

Article Title: Anxious young adults are more likely to develop digital addictions

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/how-social-anxiety-and-screen-time-comparison-fuel-digital-addiction-2026-03-26/

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#digitaladdiction #socialanxiety #socialcomparison #emergingadulthood #psychologyresearch

The article explores how belief that words can cause lasting psychological harm is connected with political orientation, demographics, and mental health indicators, using the Words Can Harm Scale and findings from a U.S. sample. It also discusses implications for debates on censorship, trigger warnings, and safe spaces.

This topic is of interest to psychology because it links beliefs about language with measures of personality, emotion regulation, empathy, victimhood, and mental health, illustrating how cognition and affect can relate to social attitudes and well-being.

Article Title: Belief in the harmfulness of speech is linked to both progressive ideology and symptoms of depression

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/belief-in-the-harmfulness-of-speech-is-linked-to-both-progressive-ideology-and-symptoms-of-depression/

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#speechbeliefs #mentalhealth #free speech #censorship #psychologyresearch

The article examines audio recordings from Milgram’s obedience studies, revealing that many participants who appeared to obey still breached the study’s rules in meaningful ways. This finding suggests that the laboratory environment often devolved into unauthorized actions, challenging assumptions about compliance and coercion. The analysis uses original audio tapes to reassess how obedience operated in the classic experiments.

This piece highlights how procedural violations can shape interpretations of human behavior under authority, making it of interest to readers focused on psychology. It raises questions about how contexts and hidden norms influence actions beyond stated instructions.

Article Title: Audio tapes reveal mass rule-breaking in Milgram’s obedience experiments

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/audio-tapes-reveal-mass-rule-breaking-in-milgram-s-obedience-experiments-2026-03-26/

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#Milgram #Obedience #ProceduralViolations #PsychologyResearch #ExperimentAnalysis

This piece examines how older adults in new romantic relationships experience stronger emotional and physical reactions to daily partner tensions than younger daters, challenging assumptions about aging and emotional resilience. It also contrasts these effects in newly dating versus long-standing married couples.

Interest for psychology readers stems from its exploration of how relationship context alters age-related emotional processing, highlighting gender differences and the interplay between psychosocial aging and physiological stress responses in the early stages of dating.

Article Title: New relationships take a surprising physical toll on older adults

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/new-relationships-take-a-surprising-physical-toll-on-older-adults/

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#aging #relationships #emotionalreactivity #psychologyresearch #olderadults

A self-guided digital mental imagery program shows promise for lowering anxiety in university students by guiding participants to vividly imagine achieving personal goals, which reduces the urge to avoid stressful situations. The approach emphasizes multisensory imagery to build motivation for facing anxiety-provoking situations.

This article is of interest to psychology enthusiasts because it highlights a self-guided intervention that targets the cognitive and sensory processes linked to anxiety, offering accessible strategies that may complement traditional therapies and reduce barriers to treatment.

Article Title: Self-guided mental imagery training shows promise in reducing anxiety

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/self-guided-mental-imagery-training-shows-promise-in-reducing-anxiety/

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#MentalImagery #AnxietyReduction #DigitalInterventions #FunctionalImageryTraining #PsychologyResearch

The article reports that everyday mental quirks such as déjà vu and tip-of-the-tongue states may arise naturally as byproducts of a resting mind, with a laboratory paradigm capturing a broad range of spontaneous cognitive experiences beyond involuntary memories. The findings suggest these phenomena share common cognitive mechanisms and can emerge when attention is not fully occupied.

This topic is of interest to psychology enthusiasts because it highlights how spontaneous mental events reflect ordinary cognitive processing, offering a window into how memory, metacognition, and attention interact in everyday life.

Article Title: Everyday mental quirks like déjà vu might be natural byproducts of a resting mind

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/everyday-mental-quirks-like-deja-vu-might-be-natural-byproducts-of-a-resting-mind/

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#spontaneouscognition #dejavu #tipofthetongue #memorymetacognition #psychologyresearch

The article describes a new neuroscience study linking heightened activity in the brain's visual processing center with subclinical social anxiety in young adults, and explains how this hyperactivity relates to brain connectivity and structure. It highlights early neurological markers that could inform future detection and intervention strategies for social anxiety.

This work is of interest to psychology enthusiasts because it connects brain function and structure to anxious experiences in social contexts, illustrating how neural networks may underlie emotional and perceptual processing during social evaluation.

Article Title: New neuroscience study links visual brain network hyperactivity to social anxiety

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/new-neuroscience-study-links-visual-brain-network-hyperactivity-to-social-anxiety/

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#neuroscience #socialanxiety #visualcortex #functionalconnectivity #psychologyresearch