Brilliant Bats And Creative Outsiders: The Week ’s Best Psychology Links

Our weekly round-up of the best psychology coverage from elsewhere on the web Bats are apparently able to imitate specific sounds, an ability shown by just a few other mammals and some birds. The bats’ calls were recorded, and the sound manipulated before being played back to them. Within a month, the bats had learned to copy the sounds in exchange for a food reward, reports Layal Liverpool at New Scientist. Studying vocal production in other animals can help psycholinguists understand the evolution of human speech. A new drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia has shown promising results in a clinical trial. The compound SEP-363856, developed by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, reduced symptoms in patients who were early in the course of schizophrenia, repots Kelly Servick at Science. This appeared to include a decrease in negative symptoms like blunted emotion, which are notoriously difficult to treat, although further research is needed to confirm these findings. Being considered a “weirdo” or outsider clearly has its downsides — but it may also boost your creativity, writes Olga Khazan at The Atlantic. Various studies have found that people who do not fit into a particular group tend to show greater creative thinking. We know that our mental health is influenced by our interactions with family members — so a new programme seeks to treat childhood anxiety indirectly, by providing sessions for parents instead of children themselves. Recent trials suggest tha...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Weekly links Source Type: blogs