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Tag: Behavior & Decision Psychology

  • Anxiety disorders show hyper-scanning and hyper-pursuit eye patterns

    What the study found

    The study found that people with anxiety disorders showed distinct eye movement patterns compared with people with depressive disorders and healthy controls. These patterns were called hyper-scanning, meaning increased visual scanning during free viewing, and hyper-pursuit, meaning stronger-than-usual smooth tracking of moving targets.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that these eye movement patterns may serve as measurable behavioural markers for distinguishing anxiety disorders from other affective disorders. The findings also suggest that eye-tracking could be a promising way to study mechanisms such as vigilance and prediction in anxiety.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers recorded eye movements in 91 patients with anxiety disorders, 118 with depressive disorders, and 98 healthy controls. Participants completed free viewing of neutral stimuli, a smooth-pursuit task, and a fixation-stability task, and the team used principal component analysis to identify latent eye movement dimensions and machine learning models to test classification performance.

    What worked and what didn't

    Compared with both depressive disorder patients and healthy controls, the anxiety group showed increased saccade frequency and path length during free viewing, along with increased velocity gain, fewer intrusive saccades, and more catch-up saccades during smooth pursuit. Principal component analysis identified six latent components, and among them active visual exploration, pupillary arousal, and smooth-pursuit control showed robust group differences. The machine learning models achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.82 for anxiety versus healthy controls, 0.83 for depression versus healthy controls, and 0.61 for anxiety versus depression.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the reported study design and sample groups. The summary provided here is limited to the findings and methods stated in the abstract.

    • People with anxiety disorders showed hyper-scanning during free viewing and hyper-pursuit during smooth pursuit.
    • The anxiety group differed from both depressed patients and healthy controls on several eye movement measures.
    • Six latent eye movement components were identified, including active visual exploration, pupillary arousal, and smooth-pursuit control.
    • Classification performance was stronger for anxiety versus healthy controls and depression versus healthy controls than for anxiety versus depression.
    • The authors suggest eye-tracking may help differentiate affective disorders.

  • Corticosteroid use is linked to more depressive symptoms

    What the study found

    The review found that corticosteroid use was associated with more severe depressive symptoms, and that manic symptoms were more frequent than depressive symptoms during the acute phase, defined as the first 8 weeks after treatment started. Psychotic symptoms were uncommon, and anxiety was not consistently associated with corticosteroid use.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that routine monitoring for mood and psychotic changes is warranted, especially early after corticosteroid initiation and in older patients or those receiving higher daily doses. The study suggests these findings may help clinicians watch for mental health changes while balancing them against the physical benefits of corticosteroid therapy.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies in medical corticosteroid users. They searched MEDLINE and Embase through 10 October 2025, screened additional hand-searched records, and excluded randomized controlled trials and several study types not aligned with their question. They pooled results with random-effects meta-analyses, assessed study quality with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, rated certainty with GRADE, and ran an exploratory meta-regression for dose, duration, cumulative dose, age, and sex.

    What worked and what didn't

    Compared with non-users, corticosteroid use was associated with higher depressive symptom scores (standardized mean difference 0.92). During the acute phase, manic symptoms were more frequent than depressive symptoms (odds ratio 2.42), while psychotic symptoms were estimated at 2.4% of users. Anxiety showed no significant association, and the exploratory meta-regression suggested higher daily dose and older age were associated with greater depressive severity, whereas cumulative dose, treatment duration, and sex were not.

    What to keep in mind

    The certainty of evidence was generally low to very low across pooled outcomes, even though study quality was generally moderate to high. The moderator findings from meta-regression were explicitly described as exploratory and should be interpreted cautiously. The review also notes between-study variability, and the abstract does not describe limitations beyond these points.

    • Seventy-three observational studies were included, with a total sample of 3,759,659 people.
    • Corticosteroid use was associated with higher depressive symptom scores than non-use.
    • In the first 8 weeks after starting treatment, manic symptoms were more frequent than depressive symptoms.
    • Psychotic symptoms were estimated in 2.4% of corticosteroid users.
    • Anxiety was not significantly associated with corticosteroid use.
    • Higher daily dose and older age may be linked to greater depressive severity, but this finding is exploratory.
  • Children’s taking depends on relative status and gender

    Children’s taking depends on relative status and gender

    What the study found

    The study found that children’s resource taking changed with relative status, which means whether they were in a winning or losing position compared with another child. When status was low, children took more than half the tokens; when status was high, they did not differ from an equal split. Gender differences appeared only when status was equal.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that the findings indicate early sensitivity to social status and help specify when gender differences in taking emerge. The study suggests that taking is calibrated to socially instantiated relative status rather than performance alone.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers ran two preregistered studies with 4- to 8-year-old children. In Study 1, children competed in a ‘Where’s Waldo?’ task against a pre-recorded peer and were randomly assigned to win or lose, then chose how many tokens to take from either a prior winner or loser. In Study 2, children played against the clock without a peer competitor and were randomly assigned to succeed or fail before taking tokens from peers.

    What worked and what didn't

    In Study 1, low-status children taking from high-status peers took more than half the tokens, while high-status children taking from low-status peers did not differ from an equal split. Under equal status, boys took more than half, whereas girls did not differ from an equal split. In Study 2, children in the non-social context took more than half of their peers’ tokens.

    What to keep in mind

    The summary does not describe additional limitations beyond the study designs themselves. The findings are based on two preregistered studies with children ages 4 to 8, so the abstract does not support claims beyond that age range or beyond the tasks used here.

    • Children with low relative status took more than half the tokens from another child.
    • Children with high relative status did not differ from an equal split.
    • Under equal status, boys took more than half while girls did not.
    • In a non-social context, children took more than half of peers’ tokens.
    • The authors say taking is calibrated to social relative status, not performance alone.

  • Mothers of autistic adolescents reported greater caregiving strain during COVID-19

    What the study found

    The study found that mothers caring for autistic adolescents in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala faced increased emotional labor, social isolation, and caregiving demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also reports that these mothers used adaptive routines, self-care, and online support networks to cope.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that systemic reforms are needed to better support these caregivers. The findings indicate that strong support networks matter for maternal well-being.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers studied the lived experiences of seven mothers caring for autistic adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. They used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, family resilience theory, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (a method for examining personal experience) to look at changes in routines, social support, and access to institutions.

    What worked and what didn't

    According to the findings, adaptive routines, self-care behavior, and online support networks helped mothers cope. The abstract also says that social stigma and insufficient formal support worsened emotional labor, social isolation, and caregiving burden.

    What to keep in mind

    The study is based on seven mothers in one location, so the findings are limited to this small group. The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the scope of the sample and setting.

    • Seven mothers caring for autistic adolescents were interviewed about their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • The study reports increased emotional labor, social isolation, and caregiving demands.
    • Social stigma and insufficient formal support made these challenges worse.
    • Mothers used adaptive routines, self-care, and online support networks to cope.
    • The authors conclude that systemic reforms are needed to improve support for caregivers.

  • Early intervention linked to better third-grade academic outcomes

    What the study found

    The study found that children who received early intervention services before age 3 had better third-grade academic outcomes than children who did not. The authors report higher English language arts scores and higher chances of meeting test-based standards in both math and English language arts.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that early intervention services for children younger than 3 years with moderate to severe developmental delays or disabilities had tangible academic benefits later in childhood. They also suggest that future research should examine which service plans are most beneficial for children with different needs.

    What the researchers tested

    They used propensity score matching, then linear and log-binomial regression to compare standardized third-grade math and English language arts scores and the likelihood of meeting test-based standards.

    What worked and what didn't

    The abstract reports evidence of heterogeneity: test score benefits were greater among children who required special education, those from lower socioeconomic status households, and those born to immigrant mothers.

    What to keep in mind

    This was an observational cohort study, so the abstract does not claim that early intervention caused the later academic outcomes. The summary also does not describe specific intervention types, and it focuses on children in New York City who attended public elementary school through third grade.

    • Children who received early intervention before age 3 had better third-grade academic outcomes.
    • English language arts scores were higher among children who received early intervention.
    • Children who received early intervention were more likely to meet standards in both math and English language arts.
    • Benefits appeared larger for children needing special education, from lower socioeconomic status households, and born to immigrant mothers.
    • The study used linked New York City public health and education records from children born between 1994 and 1998.

  • Voluntary effort was linked to greater accuracy motivation

    What the study found

    The study found that when people chose to exert maximal mental effort, they showed a greater preference for getting answers correct. The researchers did not find a consistent group-level change in the habitual bias toward reading words in the task.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that voluntary investment of cognitive effort may be driven mainly by stronger motivation for accuracy, rather than by directly suppressing habitual response tendencies. They also suggest this computational approach may be relevant in clinical settings where intentional effort allocation is impaired in psychiatric and neurological disorders.

    What the researchers tested

    Twenty healthy young adults completed the Stroop task, in which they had to name the font color of a color word while ignoring the word itself. They did this under two conditions: with maximum exertion and as relaxed as possible. Their behavior was modeled with a two-layer generative model based on active inference, a computational framework that describes behavior in terms of expected outcomes and internal beliefs.

    What worked and what didn't

    The model estimated two latent parameters: a habitual bias toward word reading over color naming, and motivation to perform the task correctly. Maximal effort was associated with increased motivation for correct performance. By contrast, the relationship with habitual word-reading bias did not show a consistent group effect.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract describes a small study with twenty healthy young adults, so the findings are limited to that group. It also does not report detailed limitations beyond the suggested clinical relevance.

    • Twenty healthy young adults completed the Stroop task under maximal effort and relaxed conditions.
    • A computational active inference model estimated habitual word-reading bias and motivation for correct performance.
    • Voluntary maximal effort was associated with greater preference for correct performance.
    • The study did not find a consistent group effect for habitual word-reading bias.
    • The authors suggest the approach may be relevant to disorders involving impaired intentional effort allocation.

  • Problematic short-form video users show more impulsive decisions

    What the study found

    The study found that problematic short-form video users showed weaker inhibitory control than matched controls. The authors link this to a more impulsive decision-making pattern, rather than to abnormal information accumulation or response bias.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors suggest these findings help explain the cognitive processes behind inhibitory control deficits in problematic short-form video users. They also state that the study offers novel implications for intervention in behavioral addictions.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers compared 30 problematic short-form video users with 28 matched controls. Participants completed a go/no-go task, which measures the ability to withhold a response, and a contingency degradation task, which assesses habitual tendencies; the go/no-go data were analyzed with a drift-diffusion model, or DDM, to estimate latent information-processing mechanisms.

    What worked and what didn't

    Compared with controls, problematic short-form video users showed a higher false-alarm rate and lower boundary separation in the go/no-go task. There were no significant group differences in the other DDM parameters. In the contingency degradation task, they showed a stubborn ratio score during action-outcome congruence transitions, and this score correlated positively with the boundary separation index.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract does not describe limitations in detail. The findings come from a relatively small sample and from the tasks and measures used in this study.

    • Problematic short-form video users showed a higher false-alarm rate than matched controls.
    • They also showed lower boundary separation in the go/no-go task.
    • No significant group differences were found in the other drift-diffusion model parameters.
    • In the contingency degradation task, problematic short-form video users showed a stubborn ratio score during action-outcome congruence transitions.
    • The authors link the inhibitory control deficit to a more impulsive decision-making pattern and insensitivity to task-setting changes.

  • Vietnamese undergraduates reported high flow in online EFL learning

    What the study found

    Vietnamese undergraduates in online English as a foreign language (EFL) learning reported a high overall level of flow, meaning a state of deep engagement and immersion. The study also found that some flow dimensions were more prominent than others, and that students described both supports and obstacles to staying engaged.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that flow may help facilitate deep learning in online EFL learning. They also suggest that educators should design online lessons with clear goals, immediate and constructive feedback, task difficulty that matches learners' skills, fewer distractions, and attention to contextual and culturally sensitive factors.

    What the researchers tested

    The study used a mixed-methods design with 239 Vietnamese EFL university students completing a survey and 12 students taking part in semi-structured interviews. The qualitative data were analyzed using narrative-integrated thematic analysis, and the study examined flow through eight dimensions.

    What worked and what didn't

    Students described teacher support, interactive learning activities, clear goals, a constructive learning environment, and positive social interactions as important for maintaining flow. Barriers included difficulty maintaining focus, expectations for self-directed learning, culturally shaped norms, and technology infrastructure problems.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract does not describe the study's limitations in detail. The findings are based on Vietnamese undergraduate EFL learners in an online learning context, so the scope described in the summary is specific to that group.

    • The study reported a high overall level of flow in online EFL learning among Vietnamese undergraduates.
    • Immediate feedback, balance between challenges and skills, and loss of self-consciousness were the strongest flow dimensions.
    • Highly Focused Concentration/Attention was the lowest reported flow dimension.
    • Students described teacher support, interactive activities, clear goals, and positive social interactions as helpful for maintaining flow.
    • Barriers included difficulty focusing, self-directed learning expectations, culturally shaped norms, and technology infrastructure issues.

  • Alcohol-cue P3b tracked heavier drinking in more severe AUD

    What the study found

    Alcohol images produced larger P3b responses than non-alcohol images overall, and this alcohol-specific response was strongest in participants with more severe alcohol use disorder. The findings also linked stronger cue-related responses with heavier real-world drinking when drinking was measured objectively.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that alcohol cue-elicited P3b may be a neurocognitive marker with ecological validity for understanding individual differences in alcohol use disorder. The study suggests this measure is sensitive to clinically meaningful severity differences and to heavier drinking in everyday life.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers studied heavy drinking adults from the local community, including 47 participants in the main analysis. They combined two weeks of ecological momentary assessment, which means repeated in-the-moment reports in daily life, with continuous transdermal alcohol monitoring and a laboratory electroencephalography visual oddball task that presented alcohol, non-alcohol beverage, and household-object images.

    What worked and what didn't

    Alcohol images elicited significantly larger P3b amplitudes than non-alcohol images across the sample. The alcohol-specific P3b increase was concentrated among participants with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, and in that group it was associated with more binge-level days and higher peak estimated consumption from transdermal monitoring. Retrospective baseline drinking reports and in-vivo ambulatory self-reports did not show consistent associations with the neural response.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract describes a sample of heavy drinking participants recruited from the local community, so the findings may not extend beyond that group. The available summary does not provide additional limitations.

    • Alcohol images triggered larger P3b brain responses than non-alcohol images.
    • The alcohol-specific P3b effect was strongest in participants with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder.
    • More binge-level days and higher peak estimated consumption were linked to stronger alcohol-cue P3b responses in the pronounced AUD group.
    • Objective transdermal alcohol monitoring showed associations that retrospective baseline and self-reported ambulatory drinking did not.
    • The authors describe P3b as a possible neurocognitive marker with ecological validity.

  • Task learning increased redundancy in macaque visual cortex

    What the study found

    Task learning increased redundancy, meaning overlap in how information was distributed across neurons, in macaque visual cortex area V4. The study also found that this redundancy did not reduce information; it increased the information carried by individual neurons.

    Why the authors say this matters

    The authors conclude that these findings support a Bayesian inference view, in which information is distributed across neurons during learning. They suggest that sensory processing in the brain reflects a generative rather than discriminative inference process.

    What the researchers tested

    The researchers tracked population responses in macaque cortical area V4 while monkeys learned visual discrimination tasks. They compared two hypotheses about how learning changes sensory representations: one predicting reduced redundancy and one predicting increased redundancy.

    What worked and what didn't

    The data strongly supported the Bayesian predictions. Task learning increased redundancy in neural responses over weeks of training and within single trials, and this increase was accompanied by greater information carried by individual neurons.

    What to keep in mind

    The abstract does not describe specific limitations. The findings are based on macaque area V4 during visual discrimination learning, so the scope reported here is limited to that setting.

    • Learning a visual discrimination task increased redundancy in macaque V4 neural responses.
    • The increased redundancy did not reduce information overall.
    • Individual neurons carried more information after learning.
    • The results supported the Bayesian inference hypothesis over the reduced-redundancy hypothesis.
    • Redundancy increased both over weeks of training and within single trials.