In The News: Department of Psychology

L.A. Parent

The first time a child refuses to go to school, it can feel confusing — maybe even a little annoying. But when this pattern goes on for days, weeks or months, it can disrupt entire family systems and impact the mental health of the whole family unit. Advice such as “just be firmer,” or “maybe they just need more time,” is often well-intentioned, but it rarely addresses the heart of the issue.

Parade

Discover how this feedback can manifest as traits in adulthood.

NPR

"Consciousness is under siege," says author Michael Pollan. His new book, A World Appears, explores consciousness on both a personal and technological level.

Parents

A new survey shows why girls play sports, and here's a hint—it's not all about winning.

Guardian

Scientists and philosophers studying the mind have discovered how little we know about our inner experiences

BetterSleep

The clock ticks past 2am. Your body is screaming for rest, but your brain just won’t quit. Instead, it replays every embarrassing thing you’ve said in the past ten years or plans for unlikely worst case scenarios. Plus, the lack of sleep will only make the anxiety worse tomorrow. You definitely need something to break the cycle, but the search for the best sleep aid for adults with anxiety has only added more anxiety and overwhelm to your plate so far.

Popular Mechanics

What if pretending that you’re younger could really make you appear younger?

Science News

For more than a century, psychologists thought that the infant experience was, as the psychologist and philosopher William James famously put it, a “blooming, buzzing confusion.” But new research suggests babies are born with a surprisingly sophisticated neurological toolkit that can organize the visual world into categories and pick out the beat in a song.

Fox News

The popularity of cannabis continues to rise in 2026, with statistics showing that around 15% of Americans are current users, and more than 22% have used it sometime in the past year. As more people cut out alcohol amid the Dry January trend, dispensaries have reported a surge in marijuana sales, leading to what some industry insiders and media outlets have dubbed "High January."

Fox News

The popularity of cannabis continues to rise in 2026, with statistics showing that around 15% of Americans are current users, and more than 22% have used it sometime in the past year. As more people cut out alcohol amid the Dry January trend, dispensaries have reported a surge in marijuana sales, leading to what some industry insiders and media outlets have dubbed "High January."

Vice

A gripping look at how legal sports betting transformed fandom, blurred the lines between sport and profit, and reshaped a generation raised on the thrill to bet.

Medscape

While exercise has long been a go-to approach for physical health, a new meta-analysis demonstrates that it is equally as effective for mental health, too. The authors found that exercise may be moderately more effective than a control intervention for reducing depression symptoms.