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Networking Bliss: How Social Ties Boost Happiness
Read more: Networking Bliss: How Social Ties Boost HappinessIn two previous posts, I reviewed studies of social contagion effects on alcohol use among adults and self-harm in adolescents. Prior studies of social contagion effects frequently focus on negative outcomes of such contagions, such as the spread of mass hysteria or depression. The present study focused on the construct of happiness and whether happiness…
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Walk This Way: Personality Traits That Predict Fitness Success
Read more: Walk This Way: Personality Traits That Predict Fitness SuccessEveryone knows that consistent physical exercise is vital to a healthy body and mind, but “less than a quarter of US adults reach the nationally recommended amount of regular exercise” (p. 1). An expanding body of research continues to investigate why people fail to consistently exercise. Many interventions attempt to induce behavior change and increase…
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Beyond the Pew: The Devotion-to-Diapers Link
Read more: Beyond the Pew: The Devotion-to-Diapers LinkThe well-known commandment from Genesis to “multiply and replenish the earth” is interpreted by Christians as a mandate to procreate. In the 1960’s, studies comparing childbearing among Catholics, Jews, and Protestants found that Catholics had the highest childbearing rates, followed by Protestants, and Jews. However, later studies observed a sharp decline in Catholic childbearing rates,…
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Marital Status, Mortality Risk, and Gender: Who Will Live the Longest?
Read more: Marital Status, Mortality Risk, and Gender: Who Will Live the Longest?In the United States, there is a growing trend among young adults to avoid marriage altogether. Currently, 25% of people aged 40 have never married.[i] The Institute for Family Studies predicts that “one-third of men and women who turn 45 in 2050 (those who are about 18 or 19 today) will not have married”.[ii] There…
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Self-Harm and Social Contagion in Adolescents
Read more: Self-Harm and Social Contagion in AdolescentsSelf-harm, defined as the “deliberate destruction or alteration of one’s body tissues without suicidal intent” (p. 2), is strongly associated with suicide in research findings. “Explicit depictions of self-harm are now easily accessible via popular content-sharing platforms such as Instagram and Youtube” (p. 2) lending itself to possible social contagion effects. What are the connections…
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Dissect Your Demons: Expressive Writing Neutralizes Workplace Retribution
Read more: Dissect Your Demons: Expressive Writing Neutralizes Workplace RetributionA leading proponent of the psychological benefits of journaling, Andrew Huberman has extensively reviewed research and made recommendations for journaling to address difficult, even traumatic, experiences. Among the proposed benefits of journaling, Huberman claims that journaling about a difficult life experience can bring not only improved mental health but also enhanced physical health and long-lasting…
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