cognitive-psychology

The scientific investigation of the human emotional landscape has undergone a paradigm shift, moving from the reductionist constraints of two-dimensional models to the expansive complexity of multidimensional functional architectures. For much of the late 20th century, the field of affective science was dominated by the circumplex model of affect, which posited that all emotional experiences coul…

This paper presents the Core Emotion Framework (CEF) as a structural constructivist resolution to the century long divide between discrete emotion theories and psychological constructionism. Rather than treating emotions as biological primitives or culturally contingent labels, the CEF models emotional life as a set of ten universal functional operators within a “Human Operating System.” These op…

IntroductionIn adults, Metacognitive therapy (MCT) for Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has demonstrated to be an effective treatment, and even superior to comparisons in randomized controlled trials. One explanation for these results can be that MCT directly modifies dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs (including beliefs about worry as uncontrollable) which in the metacognitive model are assum…

BackgroundCancer patients often face concurrent challenges of cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) and opportunities for post-traumatic growth (PTG), but existing research primarily adopts a variable-centered approach, failing to capture the heterogeneous co-occurrence patterns of CRCI and PTG or identify key predictors of these patterns. This study aimed to explore latent profiles of psych…

Background and AimsAnxiety and depression symptoms are common among autistic youth, yet little is known about the pattern and relationship of their trajectories from childhood into adolescence, a period of increasing social and academic demands.MethodsThis study used parallel process latent growth curve models to examine joint trajectories, including initial levels and rate of change in caregiver…

People living with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are routinely offered treatment aimed at reducing symptoms and improving daily functioning. Yet ... Read more

A study explored whether women visualised a vaccine would have an impact on their babies and if that affected their decision to be vaccinated

IntroductionThis study aimed to rigorously evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS) for use with early adolescents aged 10–14 years within Turkish culture. Given developmental differences in cognitive and self-regulatory capacities during early adolescence, the study sought to determine whether the original scale structure is appropriate for this age group and c…

The historical progression of affective science has been defined by an enduring ontological friction, often characterized by scholars as a "hundred-year war" between two seemingly irreconcilable paradigms. On one side of this deep-seated schism stand discrete emotion theories, most prominently the "basic emotion" framework championed by researchers such as Paul Ekman and Carroll Izard. This tradi…

This paper proposes the Negative-Maintaining Growth Mindset (NM-GM) Model, an integrative framework that extends Carol S. Dweck’s growth mindset theory. Drawing on the author’s introspective analysis, the model illustrates how individuals with an innately extreme positive disposition can develop a robust problem-solving architecture by intentionally maintaining negative awareness and rapidly conv…

Affective science remains divided between discrete emotion theories and psychological constructionism, a century long conflict over whether emotions are biologically fixed categories or emergent conceptual events. The Core Emotion Framework (CEF) proposes a structural constructivist alternative: a 10 operator functional ontology organized within a 3×3+1 hub architecture. This paper evaluates whet…

When you confront your worst fear, it usually goes away and becomes less intimidating.

A new psychological study finds that people with high levels of psychopathy and Machiavellianism are more likely to approach romance with hostility and use coercive tactics in the bedroom.

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72467-9 How and when face perception and face memory interact is debated. Here, the authors introduce the FMP task and use it to show that these processes are largely independent, interacting only when face-specific interference forces feature-based processing.

Ego, from the Latin "I", is the psychological structure that organises our self-perception, consciousness, and identity. It acts as a mediator between instincts and morality, helping us interpret reality. Although necessary for self-esteem, an unchecked ego can distort reality and generate defensive behaviour. From a software development perspective — or when building a professional career — it i…

For many, romantic partnerships are at the heart of our well-being in life. Yet, these same relationships can be fraught or hard to maintain. Spouses become bored with each other, grow in different directions, or are no longer sexually satisfied, and they separate or divorce. Infidelity among committed partners is also strikingly common, with somewhere between 20-25% of couples reporting at least…

Free speech isn’t just political—it’s essential to mental health. A free speech culture strengthens cognitive resilience, emotional regulation, and psychological growth.

The historical arc of affective science has been defined by a deep-seated ontological friction, frequently characterized as a "hundred-year war" between two irreconcilable paradigms. On one side of this schism stand discrete emotion theories, most notably the "basic emotion" framework championed by Paul Ekman and Carroll Izard. This tradition posits that emotions such as anger, fear, and joy are …

A researcher from the University of Kansas has led a large-scale study of university undergraduates to better understand how psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders are connected.

In The Roles of Representations in Visual Perception. Cham: Springer Verlag. pp. 47–69. 2024There has been a long-standing debate in philosophy and psychology about the role of representation in visual perception. Here, we argue on the basis of evidence from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience that episodic and schematic memory representations are pivotal to the visual perception of objects …