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How Lack of Independent Play Is Impacting Children’s Mental Health
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: We've been hearing a lot about the mental health crisis among children. Researchers have looked at a number of reasons, from social media use to isolation during the pandemic. But a recent commentary published in the Journal of Pediatrics looked at another factor - the decline of independent activity and play for children. Peter Gray is the lead author of that piece. For years, he's been following the trend of declining mental health in kids and the declining levels of independent play. He joins us now. Welcome. PETER GRAY: I'm very happy to be here.
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Humans Absorb Bias From AI—and Keep It After They Stop Using the Algorithm
Artificial intelligence programs, like the humans who develop and train them, are far from perfect. Whether it’s machine-learning software that analyzes medical images or a generative chatbot, such as ChatGPT, that holds a seemingly organic conversation, algorithm-based technology can make errors and even “hallucinate,” or provide inaccurate information. Perhaps more insidiously, AI can also display biases that get introduced through the massive data troves that these programs are trained on—and that are indetectable to many users. Now new research suggests human users may unconsciously absorb these automated biases.
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Don’t Shut Down Your Anger. Channel It.
There is an upside to feeling angry. According to research published this week in the “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” anger is more helpful at motivating people to overcome obstacles and meet their goals than a neutral emotional state. In a series of seven experiments, researchers recruited undergraduate students at Texas A&M University and, in some cases, elicited anger by showing the students images that insulted their school, like people in Aggie shirts wearing diapers and carrying baby bottles. “It worked well,” said Heather C. Lench, the lead author of the study and a professor in the psychological and brain sciences department at Texas A&M. ...
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How to Break Up With Your Therapist
If you’ve ever been in therapy, you know that the relationship is unique. You might tell your therapist things you wouldn’t share with your loved ones. “It’s the most intimate professional relationship you’ll ever have,” said John Norcross, a professor of psychology at the University of Scranton. So what should you do when you’re ready to move on? Even when people feel as if they’ve gotten what they need from therapy, leaving can bring up anxieties, Dr. Norcross said. And while clients are the ones to initiate most therapy terminations, not everyone goes about it in a healthy way, he explained. It may be tempting to ghost your therapist once you realize you’re through, said Dr.
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Children Face Unequal Treatment in the Classroom—With Devastating Consequences
As a university student studying psychology, I observed classrooms in a local elementary school to learn more about teacher feedback. On one occasion, an 11-year-old boy named Mark received a six out of 10 on a test he had taken a week earlier. In response to his disappointment, the boy’s teacher said, “It’s okay, Mark—not everyone has to be an Einstein.” The comment stuck with me. Unlike his classmates, Mark was from a lower socioeconomic background. His parents were struggling financially and were unable to help him with his homework. Mark shared his bedroom with his siblings, so he didn’t have a quiet place to study at home.
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Healing 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life
We all tell stories about ourselves, often without realizing we’re doing so. How we frame those stories can profoundly shape our lives. In the kickoff episode to our monthlong series on healing, psychologist Jonathan Adler shares how to tell our stories in ways that enhance our wellbeing. ...
