Psychology

People tend to interpret karma differently for themselves and others—seeing their own good fortune as deserved reward while viewing others’ misfortunes as justified punishment—according to new psychological research on self-serving biases and belief in a just world.

Twin study demonstrates long-term impact of childhood warmth on personality traits, life outcomes.

APA is launching the APA Style Manual, an electronic, full-text resource providing comprehensive APA Style support, interactive lessons, and mobile accessibility for institutions, available summer 2025.

A widely used depression prevention program effectively reduced symptoms in white youth but not Black youth, highlighting the urgent need for culturally tailored mental health interventions, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

Retiring abroad may seem like a dream, but research shows that international retirees face a higher risk of social loneliness due to reduced connections with family and challenges forming new friendships.

APA has adopted new policies to safeguard the privacy of neural, cognitive, and psychological data collected by consumer technology, reaffirming the right to mental privacy and calling for comprehensive legal protections.

APA is partnering with Perusall to offer over 440 books, enabling educators and students to engage in interactive, collaborative learning with key psychological texts.

APA’s Healthy Video Viewing: A Guide for Parents of Teens offers research-based advice to help parents navigate their teens' video consumption, promoting mindful choices, critical thinking, and a healthy digital balance.

A study published by the American Psychological Association finds that professional artists still outperform AI in generating creative AI-assisted artwork, highlighting the ongoing edge of human creativity—at least for now.

Research suggests that narcissists are more likely to feel ostracized due to both actual social rejection and their heightened sensitivity to ambiguous social cues, creating a cycle where exclusion and narcissistic traits reinforce each other.

Satire, often seen as harmless humor, can dehumanize people and reduce them to caricatures, according to new research from the American Psychological Association.

Optimism boosts savings, with the strongest impact on lower-income individuals, highlighting its potential as a key psychological resource for financial security.

Research reveals how personality traits, birth order, and gender influence parental favoritism, offering insights into family dynamics and the importance of fair treatment.

APA commends SAMHSA's decision to expand contingency management incentives, a proven treatment for stimulant use disorders, marking a vital step toward saving lives and improving recovery outcomes.

Low reimbursement rates, administrative burdens, and problems getting paid are cited as barriers to working with insurance.

More than 7 in 10 U.S. adults hope to avoid political discussions with family over the holidays

APA issues first-ever recommendations to guide parents, policymakers, and tech companies in helping teens manage video content for safer, healthier online experiences.

New research reveals that using abbreviations in text messages can make texters appear insincere and reduce response rates, challenging assumptions about casual communication and suggesting a link between effort in texting and stronger social connections.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased family dinners led to enhanced family connections and positive interactions, with many families even using technology to bond with distant relatives.

The 2024 Stress in America™ survey reveals that concerns about the nation's future, the economy, and the upcoming U.S. presidential election are major sources of stress, with fears of election-related violence and strained relationships adding to the tension across political parties.

Research highlights that Americans value volunteering for strangers more than unpaid caregiving for family and friends, despite the essential societal contributions both forms of help provide.

Wendi S. Williams, PhD, provost at Fielding Graduate University, has been elected 2026 president of the American Psychological Association, bringing her expertise in liberation psychology and feminist perspectives to promote the well-being of diverse women and girls.

Workers prefer to collaborate with higher-paid colleagues but tend to hire subordinates with a lower salary history, highlighting the impact of pay transparency on workplace behavior.

APA has passed a resolution supporting a population health-based approach to working with immigrants, emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive mental health care and condemning harmful policies, while highlighting the resilience of immigrant communities and the critical role of psychological science in their well-being.

Research shows that constantly scrolling through online videos to relieve boredom may actually increase boredom and reduce satisfaction, suggesting that staying focused on content could enhance viewing experiences.

APA’s Council of Representatives approved key measures on psychology’s role in AI, global human rights for women and girls, a ceasefire in the Israel/Hamas war, and advocacy for restitution for politically inflicted trauma.

Research reveals that mental exertion is commonly associated with unpleasant feelings, challenging the notion that people enjoy mentally demanding tasks.

Judging one's own happiness can lead to decreased life satisfaction and well-being due to increased negativity and disappointment, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

APA’s special issue of American Psychologist addresses the history of racism within the field of psychology, highlighting research on systemic inequities and presenting actionable steps to advance racial equality.

A study published by APA found that narcissism tends to decline from childhood through older adulthood, though individuals who are more narcissistic than their peers in childhood typically remain more narcissistic as adults.