News
Worried about making friends in college? Psychology experts share strategies for easing the transition
The first year of college can be tough, but these tips on making friends, managing loneliness and building connections can ease the transition.
August 20, 2024
What is dissociative identity disorder? Psychologist explains the reality behind the condition that Hollywood has turned into fantasy
Although it remains misrepresented and controversial, DID is a reality for people like folk legend Joan Baez –– and a testament to the power of the human mind, a Northeastern psychologist says.
August 14, 2024
‘Digital phenotyping’ project studying social media’s effects on adolescents expands to include character development
In her research, Rodman studies social media’s effects on adolescents as they mature, and especially how they respond in stressful circumstances. In the Character Virtue Development program, Rodman identified an overlap: an interest in the overall well-being of adolescents.
July 02, 2024
How many steps should you be taking a day? ‘There’s certainly nothing special about 10,000,’ a longevity expert says
Feel that buzz? It’s your fitness tracker reminding you to move so you can hit your goal of 10,000 steps a day. But many users of these devices are already aware of the reality that this is an arbitrary benchmark that, according to Ram Hariharan, an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University’s College of Engineering. […]
June 07, 2024
Roux researcher receives top award for work on sleep problems in children with autism
Bree Taylor, a research assistant professor in life sciences and medical science at Northeastern University’s Roux Institute, has always been fascinated by sleep. More specifically, the intersection of sleep and behavior and mental health, specifically in the context of children with autism. Taylor, an emerging researcher in the field of mental and behavioral health, was […]
May 24, 2024
How do songs and speech compare around the world? Northeastern music scientist contributes to groundbreaking study
Assistant Professor Psyche Loui contributed a Cantonese folk tune to a groundbreaking study comparing speech and music across 55 world cultures.
May 22, 2024
Fiona Howard’s body was collapsing. Now she’s a world-ranked para dressage rider aiming for the Paris Olympics
Perched at the entrance of a stadium in Ocala, Florida, in mid-March, Fiona Howard takes a breath and coaxes a large, dark bay gelding with a gash of white down his face into a smooth trot. She and the horse, an 11-year-old Hanoverian called Diamond Dunes, have only known each other a week. But their […]
May 22, 2024
A biological trigger of early puberty is uncovered by Northeastern scientists
The onset of puberty has been creeping downward for decades. In the United States, the average age of girls reaching puberty ranges from 8.8 to 10.3 years old. The early start of puberty, which is associated with many health risks, can be triggered by chronic stress in children. New research by Northeastern scientists has identified […]
May 17, 2024
Our brains trick us into thinking consciousness can reside outside the body, new Northeastern research says
The origins of consciousness have been debated by philosophers for centuries. Each conscious person has a sense of “being me,” which invariably gives rise to the question of where that sense originated — from within or outside the body, says Northeastern University psychology professor Iris Berent. “How do human brains give rise to this experience? […]
May 10, 2024
Can pickleball, tennis and other racquet sports really help you live longer?
Racquet sports are clearly having a moment. The pickleball revolution is continuing apace, with partnerships, leagues and playing courts springing up seemingly by the day. And in a world without Roger Federer and Serena Williams, tennis has maintained its popularity among most age groups, new polling suggests. What’s more, research suggests that picking up a racquet might […]
May 09, 2024
What goal-directed learning is and why it’s important for adolescents to learn from their actions, researcher says
Imagine you’re at a carnival and want to win a big stuffed toy. You play different games and, if successful, collect tickets. But it’s not the tickets you care about, it’s the big toy they’ll buy. And you’re likely to stick to the easier games to earn as many tickets as possible. An experience like […]
April 29, 2024
Expanded mental health and wellness programs launched at Northeastern with help of student leaders
Matty Coleman and Federica Ciummo convened students and administration officials to enhance Northeastern’s mental health and wellness offerings.
April 17, 2024
Science and religion can get along, says former director of the National Institutes of Health
Science and religion are typically thought to be at odds with one another, but Francis Collins doesn’t see it that way. The former director of both the National Institutes of Health and National Human Genome Research Institute, Collins is also a man of devout faith. Looking at the distrust and increasingly fractious divide between scientific […]
April 09, 2024
Can pottery be therapy? This psychology student thinks so.
The Create ceramics studio in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood is a tapestry of gentle, sturdy neutrals. Earthenware pots, bowls and teacups awaiting paint jobs rest on light gray shelves; white drop cloths and stone potter’s wheels take up most of the wood floor, all of it bathed in low afternoon sunlight gushing through storefront windows. But […]
March 28, 2024