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(https://www.psypost.org/online-incel-forums-generate-dark-emotional-energy-that-reinforces-toxic-group-identity/) Online incel forums generate “dark emotional energy” that reinforces toxic group identity
May 8th 2025, 10:00

A new study published in (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00016993251317963) Acta Sociologica has found that online incel communities maintain their coherence and ideological commitment not through the positive emotions usually associated with social bonding, but through a shared emotional atmosphere dominated by despair, resentment, and nihilism. Drawing on sociologist Randall Collins’ theory of interaction rituals, the researchers introduce the concept of “dark emotional energy” to explain how such communities build group identity through repeated exchanges of negative emotions.
The research focused on Incels.is, one of the most active online forums for self-described incels—men who identify as “involuntarily celibate.” While the site claims to provide a space for those struggling with loneliness or romantic rejection, its discussions are often steeped in misogyny, violence, and despair. The researchers set out to understand how and why users engage repeatedly in these interactions, especially when they seem to cause more harm than comfort.
While many people feel lonely or face difficulties with romantic relationships, incels sometimes interpret these experiences through a rigid, fatalistic ideology that blames women and society at large. Central to this worldview is the belief that physical appearance, particularly facial structure and height, determines one’s romantic success.
This outlook—referred to as the “black pill”—portrays the dating world as a brutal hierarchy in which only the most attractive men have value, while others are doomed to lifelong rejection. Incels position themselves at the bottom of this hierarchy and view their perceived status as both biologically determined and socially reinforced.
Prior research has described how this ideology builds a strong sense of group identity, often by embracing misogyny and nihilism. But the researchers behind this new study wanted to go a step further. Rather than focusing only on what incels believe, they asked how everyday interactions on the forum help sustain the group and its toxic ideology. Specifically, they explored why members stay engaged in a community that seems to deepen rather than alleviate personal suffering.
“I’ve long been interested in radicalization processes and the role the internet plays in them,” said study author (https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/antontornberg) Anton Törnberg, an associate professor in sociology at the University of Gothenburg and co-author of (https://amzn.to/44ucqIm) Intimate Communities of Hate: Why Social Media Fuels Far-Right Extremism.
“In my research, I’ve mainly focused on various forms of far-right movements and how different types of social media platforms contribute to their development. The incel movement stands out in a fascinating way here. Unlike many other social movements, it centers around a negative self-image and is largely built on a destructive collective identity.”
“Incel ideology is deeply ambivalent and contradictory,” Törnberg explained. “Members often place themselves at the very bottom of the societal hierarchy, describing themselves as ‘subhumans’ in relation to both women and so-called ‘Chads’—men epitomized by physical attractiveness, sexual success, and dominance.”
“But at the same time, they tend to claim moral and intellectual superiority over both of these groups, whom they see as shallow and unintelligent. The incel community also has a strong internal hierarchy, where members compete over who is the most marginalized. All of this raised a set of important questions for us: Given this highly destructive ideology and toxic group dynamic, what is it that actually compels members to repeatedly engage with and reinforce these ideas? And how do internal interactions help sustain and strengthen the ideology within these online communities?”
To investigate this, the researchers conducted a five-week online observation of Incels.is, drawing on a qualitative method known as psychological discourse analysis. In the first phase, they passively observed the forum to identify common themes, language patterns, and interaction styles. In the second phase, they selected ten highly active threads for a more detailed analysis, focusing on how users interacted with one another and how group identity was formed and maintained through those conversations. The study did not involve any direct engagement with forum users, and efforts were made to protect anonymity.
The analysis revealed that incel forums display many of the features of what Collins calls “interaction rituals.” These include a shared focus of attention (such as a thread about a woman’s supposed betrayal), a clear in-group identity marked by special language and norms, and a shared emotional atmosphere. But unlike typical interaction rituals, which generate positive emotional energy—feelings of connection, excitement, or purpose—the emotional energy generated in these forums was largely negative.
In one detailed example, a member posted about a sex worker who claimed to have fallen in love with him. Instead of receiving empathy or constructive advice, most responses were mocking or harshly cynical. Members accused him of being naïve, questioned whether he was a “true incel,” and encouraged him to emotionally distance himself or commit suicide. Despite this, the original poster remained engaged in the thread, continuing to seek advice and reflect on his feelings. His emotional state deteriorated throughout the conversation, culminating in expressions of suicidal ideation.
This and other threads suggest that while incel interactions meet the structural criteria of rituals that build social cohesion, the emotional content is almost entirely negative. Members frequently bond over despair, hopelessness, and shared rage. Some even compete over who is most hopeless, who is the ugliest, or who has suffered the most rejection. These patterns of interaction generate what the authors call “dark emotional energy”—a perverse form of group cohesion based not on joy or pride, but on mutually reinforced hopelessness.
In this context, emotional pain and despair function as symbols of group identity. Sharing one’s depression or bitterness becomes a way of proving authenticity and belonging. Even suicidal ideation is normalized and sometimes encouraged in a dedicated forum subcategory. Positive or hopeful posts are often dismissed or met with hostility, as they contradict the community’s shared narrative of inescapable misery.
While some sociological theories suggest that failed rituals produce low energy and lead people to disengage, this study suggests a different dynamic. In the incel community, repeated expressions of emotional pain do not drive members away; they draw them deeper into the group. The researchers argue that this cycle is not merely a failure of traditional rituals but a different kind of ritual altogether—one that produces cohesion through shared darkness rather than shared joy.
“One thing that stood out was that even communities that seem deeply self-destructive, like these incel forums filled with hopelessness, misogyny, and talk of suicide, can still function as strong social groups,” Törnberg told PsyPost. “What keeps people coming back isn’t support or positivity, but a shared emotional experience based in bitterness and despair. We show how what we call ‘dark emotional energy’ acts like a kind of glue that binds the group together. It’s a powerful reminder that harmful ideologies don’t always spread through hope or vision—sometimes they spread through shared pain and resentment.”
The study also highlights the importance of language and symbols in this process. Forum members use unique slang, memes, and coded language that help define group boundaries and exclude outsiders. These linguistic practices foster a strong sense of “us vs. them,” reinforcing the belief that only incels truly understand the realities of modern gender dynamics.
The researchers caution that their findings are specific to Incels.is and may not apply to all individuals who identify as incel. Many men who struggle with loneliness or rejection do not embrace misogynistic ideologies.
“Our study focused on one specific forum—Incels.is—so we’re not saying this applies to everyone who identifies as involuntarily celibate,” Törnberg noted. “Many men experience loneliness without ever embracing misogyny or extremist ideas. Also, since this was an observational study, we don’t know what members truly feel on a personal level—we can only analyse how they express themselves publicly in line with the forum’s norms. It’s very possible that members feel one thing privately but express another, shaped by what is acceptable or expected in the community. Future studies with interviews could offer deeper insight into that.”
Nonetheless, the findings raise serious concerns about the psychological and social consequences of participation in such online communities. Not only do these forums reinforce a destructive worldview, but they also create an environment where despair and hate are not just expressed—they are rewarded.
“One area I’m especially interested in now is how and when the emotional energy generated in these types of extremist online environments spills over into offline violence,” Törnberg said. “I believe this could give us crucial insights into the connection between online radicalisation and political violence in the real world.”
“This study isn’t just about incels—it’s about the emotional forces that make online hate groups stick. We tend to think of radicalisation as an intellectual or ideological process. But our findings suggest it’s just as much about emotion—how people feel, how those feelings are validated, and how they become the basis for group identity. If we want to counter toxic online cultures, we need to start by understanding that emotional core.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/00016993251317963) Rituals of resentment: How dark emotional energy fuels incel identity and solidarity,” was authored by Patrik Kallio and Anton Törnberg.

(https://www.psypost.org/scientists-use-economic-game-to-reveal-sex-differences-in-jealousy-triggers/) Scientists use economic game to reveal sex differences in jealousy triggers
May 8th 2025, 08:00

Jealousy is triggered in response to real-world cues of resource allocation in romantic relationships, according to a new study published in (https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049241289232) Evolutionary Psychology.
Jealousy is considered to be a protective emotion, emerging early in childhood and evolving as a way to defend important social relationships from perceived threats. In romantic contexts, researchers have observed distinct patterns in how men and women respond to potential threats. Evolutionary theories propose that jealousy evolved differently in men and women due to reproductive asymmetries, with women being more sensitive to losing a partner’s resources, while men are attuned to cues of sexual infidelity that threaten paternity certainty.
María Teresa Barbato and colleagues explored whether these sex differences in jealousy could be triggered through economic decisions involving real partners. By adapting a modified version of the dictator game, a common tool in behavioral economics, the researchers investigated whether observing a partner allocate or receive money from a potential rival would differentially elicit jealousy in men and women.
The researchers recruited 56 heterosexual couples (112 participants in total), with an average age of 23.5 years and average relationship duration of approximately 33 months. Participants were invited to a lab setting, where they sat apart from their partners and completed an online protocol via Qualtrics. Each individual completed a sociodemographic survey and psychological scales measuring general trust and different dimensions of jealousy (reactive, anxious, and possessive).
Participants were then introduced to a pre-game allocation task to familiarize them with the dictator game, where a fixed amount of money is distributed between two people. Next, participants were randomly shown one of two experimental conditions. In the “investing” condition, they were told their partner had allocated $100 to an opposite-sex stranger and only $30 to them.
In the “receiving” condition, they were told a same-sex stranger gave $100 to their partner and only $30 to that stranger’s own partner. The experimental design allowed each person to play the role of both observer and participant in these scenarios, with sex and condition (invest vs. receive) serving as the primary factors of interest.
After reading the outcome, participants rated their level of jealousy on a scale from 1 (none) to 5 (extreme), as well as other emotions like happiness or indifference. Following the game, a debriefing explained the deception, with support offered by a psychologist if needed.
Women reported significantly more jealousy than men when observing their partner invest money into a potential female rival. They also reported greater jealousy when comparing this investing condition to the receiving condition, where their partner received money from a rival. These findings support the evolutionary hypothesis that women are especially sensitive to cues suggesting their partner may divert resources to another woman, reflecting fears of lost support or emotional commitment. Although men showed a slight increase in jealousy when their partner received money from another man, this effect was not statistically significant.
Across all participants, the act of the partner investing resources in a rival provoked stronger jealousy than receiving resources from one, suggesting that active diversion of support was more emotionally impactful than passive receipt. Individual differences in jealousy traits, particularly reactive and anxious jealousy, amplified the emotional responses to the scenarios.
Other factors such as trust in the partner, age, socioeconomic background, and relationship length did not significantly influence how jealous participants felt.
Of note is that the jealousy-evoking manipulation may not have adequately simulated the core cues of sexual infidelity for men, limiting the ability to fully engage their evolved jealousy mechanisms. Additionally, the relatively small sample size and lack of rival characteristics (e.g., attractiveness) may constrain the generalizability of the results.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1177/14747049241289232) Jealousy as Predicted by Allocation and Reception of Resources in an Economic Game,” was authored by María Teresa Barbato, Ana María Fernández, Carlos Rodriguez-Sickert, José Antonio Muñoz, Pablo Polo, and David Buss.

(https://www.psypost.org/new-study-ai-can-identify-autism-from-tiny-hand-motion-patterns/) New study: AI can identify autism from tiny hand motion patterns
May 8th 2025, 06:00

Subtle differences in how people grasp everyday objects may help identify autism, according to a new study published in (https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70049) Autism Research. By analyzing the fine motor movements of young adults during a simple grasping task, researchers were able to distinguish autistic from non-autistic individuals with more than 84% accuracy using machine learning techniques. These findings suggest that small variations in motor control may serve as reliable indicators of autism, potentially paving the way for non-invasive diagnostic tools based on natural behavior.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by social and communication challenges as well as repetitive behaviors. But movement differences—often referred to as motor abnormalities—are also common and may appear in infancy, long before core social symptoms become apparent. Previous studies have shown that many autistic individuals exhibit altered coordination, clumsiness, or inconsistent movement patterns. These motor issues are now recognized as more than just secondary symptoms; they may reflect core differences in how autistic brains process sensory and motor information.
Because of this, researchers have begun investigating whether specific motor patterns could aid in identifying autism. In particular, reach-to-grasp movements—which are among the most basic and frequent actions people perform—offer a window into motor planning and control.
Earlier studies have reported that autistic individuals show distinctive patterns during these actions, such as slower movement speeds or delayed hand shaping. Still, most studies used artificial tasks or measured a limited set of movement features. This new research sought to test whether a naturalistic, real-world grasping task, using minimal equipment, could provide enough information to reliably classify participants based on autism diagnosis.
“My research centers on how the visual system extracts information to help us recognize and interact with objects in the world,” said study author (https://www.yorku.ca/health/lab/freud/) Erez Freud, an associate professor and York Research Chair in Visual Cognitive Neuroscience at the Centre for Vision Research at (https://discover.academics.yorku.ca/Erez.Freud) York University.
“In recent years, my lab has become increasingly focused on how these abilities—perception and action—emerge throughout development and how they may be altered in cases of atypical development, such as in autism. We believe that by better understanding the specific perceptual and motor challenges autistic individuals face, we may be able to design early, objective diagnostic tools. These tools could significantly improve the support and interventions available to autistic individuals and their families.”
The researchers recruited 59 young adults—31 autistic and 28 non-autistic—matched in age and IQ. Each participant was asked to grasp a series of rectangular objects of varying lengths using just their thumb and index finger. The movements were recorded with a motion tracking system that monitored the three-dimensional positions of the fingers during each grasp. Only two passive markers—one on the thumb and one on the index finger—were used. This minimal setup allowed for a more practical and accessible approach than earlier studies that used full-body motion capture or complex equipment.
Each participant completed 120 grasping trials. From the recorded data, the researchers extracted over a dozen kinematic features, such as the maximum distance between fingers during a grasp, how fast the fingers moved, how long the movement lasted, and the trajectory of the fingers in space. These features captured key aspects of how the brain controls the hand during object interaction.
To explore whether these features could predict autism, the researchers trained five types of machine learning models, including logistic regression, support vector machines, and decision tree ensembles. Importantly, the models were trained and tested using a “leave-one-subject-out” approach. This means that the algorithm learned from all but one participant and then tried to predict whether that left-out participant was autistic. This process was repeated until every participant had been left out once. This method ensures that the results are not overfitted to any individual’s data and can generalize across people.
Across all five models, the accuracy of classifying autistic versus non-autistic participants exceeded 84%, with some models reaching 89%. These results remained strong even when evaluating performance on individual trials, not just averages across participants. In addition, the models achieved area under the curve (AUC) scores of over 0.95 at the subject level, meaning they had excellent discrimination ability.
“The key takeaway is that how we move—especially how we coordinate vision and action—can offer important insights into how the brain works,” Freud told PsyPost. “In autistic individuals, we find distinctive visual-motor patterns that could be leveraged as diagnostic markers, particularly when analyzed using computational methods. These subtle behavioral differences are often overlooked, yet they might hold critical information about underlying brain function.”
Interestingly, the researchers also tested whether fewer features could still yield good results. They created smaller models using just eight kinematic variables that were not highly correlated with each other. Even with this reduced feature set, classification accuracy remained high—above 82%. These features spanned different domains, including timing (like when the fingers reached maximum separation), velocity (how fast the hand moved), and spatial position (where the fingers traveled in space). This finding suggests that autism-related motor differences are spread across multiple aspects of grasping behavior, and no single feature explains everything.
In contrast, when the researchers selected features that were strongly correlated with each other—often ones commonly used in motor control research—the models performed worse. This highlights the importance of choosing features that capture distinct dimensions of movement when using machine learning for classification.
The study also replicated some known differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals at the group level. Autistic participants showed longer movement times, meaning they took more time to grasp the object. They also exhibited slightly different timing in how their fingers opened and closed during the movement, especially when object size varied. However, these group-level comparisons, while informative, were not as reliable for distinguishing individual participants as the machine learning models.
“Previous studies have documented differences in how autistic individuals move and grasp objects,” Freud said. “Our findings extend this work by showing that these differences are not just present, but measurable in a consistent and structured way—even during naturalistic, real-world tasks.”
The researchers emphasize that the strength of their approach lies in its simplicity. By using only two markers and a straightforward grasping task, they demonstrated that autism-related motor differences can be detected in a natural, unobtrusive setting. Unlike studies that rely on brain scans, complex diagnostic interviews, or artificial tasks, this method could be easily adapted for use in clinics or schools. It may also help identify autistic individuals who do not meet traditional diagnostic criteria but still experience challenges in motor control.
But the study has some limitations. The sample consisted only of young adults with normal IQ levels. It’s unclear whether the same methods would work as well in children, who are a primary target for early diagnosis. In addition, while the models performed well in distinguishing autistic from non-autistic participants, they did not attempt to classify subtypes of autism or predict symptom severity. Future studies could expand this approach to younger populations or explore whether grasping patterns correlate with other features, such as sensory sensitivities or social behaviors.
“This study focused exclusively on adults,” Freud noted. “We chose this approach to rule out the possibility that any observed differences were simply due to delayed development. However, to truly assess the diagnostic potential of these findings, future work needs to examine younger populations. Additionally, we are investigating whether these visuomotor signatures are specific to autism or whether they can also help distinguish between different neurodevelopmental conditions.”
“Our long-term goal is to understand how visuomotor behaviors unfold across the lifespan in both typical and atypical development. By integrating computational tools with behavioral data, we hope to uncover robust markers of brain function and dysfunction. Ultimately, this could lead to the creation of simple, accessible diagnostic tools based on everyday movements.”
“This study was the product of a collaborative effort,” Freud added. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and insight of my PhD student Zoha Ahmad, as well as my colleagues Professor Bat-Sheva Hadad from Haifa University and Professor Eitan Shelef from the University of Pittsburgh. Scientific progress is deeply collaborative, and this project is a great example of that.”
The study, “(https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aur.70049) Effective Autism Classification Through Grasping Kinematics,” was authored by Erez Freud, Zoha Ahmad, Eitan Shelef, Bat Sheva Hadad.

(https://www.psypost.org/men-with-lifelong-premature-ejaculation-show-higher-impulsivity-and-psychological-distress-study-finds/) Men with lifelong premature ejaculation show higher impulsivity and psychological distress, study finds
May 7th 2025, 18:00

Men with lifelong premature ejaculation tend to score higher on measures of impulsivity, suggesting that difficulties with self-control may contribute to the severity of this common sexual dysfunction. The findings, published in (https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae169) The Journal of Sexual Medicine, also indicate that depression and anxiety are more prevalent among affected individuals, highlighting the complex psychological dimensions of the condition.
Premature ejaculation is the most frequently reported sexual dysfunction in men and is typically defined as ejaculation that occurs earlier than desired—often within one minute of vaginal penetration. While treatments and explanations for the condition have varied, researchers have long debated whether psychological, neurobiological, or relational factors are primarily to blame. The current study aimed to better understand how impulse control might relate to the severity of premature ejaculation, particularly among men with lifelong symptoms.
The research team focused on a sample of 80 heterosexual men between the ages of 18 and 45. Forty men diagnosed with lifelong premature ejaculation were recruited from a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Türkiye, while the control group of 40 men had no history of sexual or psychiatric dysfunction. To be eligible, participants had to be in regular sexual relationships for at least six months and engage in vaginal intercourse at least once a week.
Ejaculation times were objectively measured by participants and their partners using stopwatches during intercourse, a method chosen to minimize bias and subjectivity. All participants completed a battery of psychological assessments. These included the Arabic Index of Premature Ejaculation to evaluate symptom severity, the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale to assess various aspects of impulsivity, and two widely used inventories measuring depression and anxiety.
The researchers found that men with premature ejaculation scored significantly lower on the Arabic Index of Premature Ejaculation, indicating more severe symptoms. These men also had consistently higher scores across all measures of impulsivity. On the UPPS scale, they exhibited greater urgency, poorer planning, more sensation-seeking, and less perseverance compared to the control group. Similarly, scores on the Barratt scale revealed higher levels of motor impulsiveness, attentional impulsiveness, and poor planning.
Notably, anxiety and depression scores were also elevated among men with premature ejaculation. On average, they scored roughly six times higher on measures of depression and nearly five times higher on anxiety compared to the control group. While the study could not determine whether these psychological symptoms caused premature ejaculation or resulted from it, the data suggest a strong connection between the two.
The researchers also explored how varying levels of premature ejaculation severity might be linked to different psychological profiles. They divided the men with premature ejaculation into four subgroups: those who ejaculated before penetration (precoital), within 15 seconds after penetration, within 15 to 30 seconds, and within 30 to 60 seconds. Across these categories, those with the shortest ejaculation times tended to score highest on impulsivity measures, particularly in the areas of urgency and motor impulsiveness. These individuals also showed more sensation-seeking behavior and lower persistence, suggesting a potential relationship between low self-control and extremely rapid ejaculation.
Interestingly, while depression and anxiety were more common in the premature ejaculation group as a whole, they did not vary much between subgroups based on ejaculation time. This suggests that while mood disorders may be common among men with premature ejaculation, they are not necessarily tied to how quickly ejaculation occurs. In contrast, the different levels of impulsivity showed a clear association with shorter ejaculation times.
The authors note that these results support a growing body of research linking premature ejaculation with not only neurobiological and hormonal factors but also behavioral traits like impulsivity. They draw on previous theories suggesting that the inability to delay ejaculation may be similar in nature to other impulse control disorders. In both cases, individuals struggle to delay gratification or resist urges, often leading to undesirable consequences despite awareness of the risks.
The researchers acknowledge several limitations. One of the main challenges was accurately measuring ejaculation times, which required the cooperation of both participants and their partners. This requirement may have discouraged some individuals from participating and limited the size of the study. Additionally, the researchers did not specifically assess sexual distress, which can be an important factor in understanding how premature ejaculation affects overall well-being.
Because of the modest sample size and reliance on a specific cultural context, the authors caution against overgeneralizing their results. Future studies with larger and more diverse populations are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the role of impulsivity in premature ejaculation. They also suggest that more attention should be paid to the different subcomponents of impulsivity, such as urgency and sensation seeking, which may be especially relevant for treatment.
These findings open the door to new treatment possibilities. Traditionally, premature ejaculation has been treated with behavioral techniques or medications that affect serotonin levels. But if impulsivity is a key factor in the condition, therapeutic approaches that improve self-regulation—such as cognitive behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based training—could offer additional benefits.
The study’s authors propose that clinicians evaluating men for premature ejaculation should consider assessing impulsivity and mood symptoms as part of the diagnostic process. By doing so, they may better understand the underlying causes and tailor treatments that address both the physical and psychological aspects of the disorder.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae169) Impulse control and its association with ejaculation time in men with premature ejaculation,” was authored by Tarık Sağlam, Uğur Takım, Yasin Kavla, Demirhan Örsan Demir, and Şenol Turan.

(https://www.psypost.org/cognitive-psychologist-explains-why-ai-images-fool-so-many-people/) Cognitive psychologist explains why AI images fool so many people
May 7th 2025, 16:00

I’m more of a scroller than a poster on social media. Like many people, I wind down at the end of the day with a scroll binge, taking in videos of Italian grandmothers making pasta or baby pygmy hippos frolicking.
For a while, my feed was filled with immaculately designed tiny homes, fueling my desire for minimalist paradise. Then, I started seeing AI-generated images; many contained obvious errors such as staircases to nowhere or sinks within sinks. Yet, commenters rarely pointed them out, instead admiring the aesthetic.
These images were clearly AI-generated and didn’t depict reality. Did people just not notice? Not care?
(https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Z9t4ZG0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao) As a cognitive psychologist, I’d guess “yes” and “yes.” My expertise is in how people process and use visual information. I primarily investigate how people look for objects and information visually, from the (https://www.npr.org/2024/10/31/nx-s1-5050813/expert-techniques-to-find-missing-objects) mundane searches of daily life, such as trying to find a dropped earring, to more critical searches, like those conducted by radiologists or search-and-rescue teams.
With my understanding of how people process images and notice − or don’t notice − detail, it’s not surprising to me that people aren’t tuning in to the fact that many images are AI-generated.
We’ve been here before
The struggle to detect AI-generated images mirrors past detection challenges such as spotting photoshopped images or computer-generated images in movies.
But there’s a key difference: Photo editing and CGI require intentional design by artists, while AI images are generated by algorithms (https://towardsdatascience.com/a-critical-look-at-ai-image-generation-45001f410147/) trained on datasets, often without human oversight. The lack of oversight can lead to imperfections or inconsistencies that can feel unnatural, such as the unrealistic physics or lack of consistency between frames that characterize what’s sometimes called “(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhdHTax1wyQ) AI slop.”
Despite these differences, studies show people struggle to distinguish real images from synthetic ones, regardless of origin. Even when explicitly asked to identify images as real, (https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.16760) synthetic or (https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2023/file/505df5ea30f630661074145149274af0-Paper-Datasets_and_Benchmarks.pdf) AI-generated, accuracy hovers near the level of chance, meaning people did only a little better than if they’d just guessed.
In everyday interactions, where you aren’t actively scrutinizing images, your ability to detect synthetic content might even be weaker.
Attention shapes what you see, what you miss
Spotting errors in AI images requires noticing small details, but the human visual system isn’t wired for that when you’re casually scrolling. Instead, while online, people (https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-018-0099-2) take in the gist of what they’re viewing and can overlook subtle inconsistencies.
Visual attention operates like a (https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211502) zoom lens: You scan broadly to get an overview of your environment or phone screen, but fine details require focused effort. Human perceptual systems evolved to quickly assess environments for any threats to survival, with sensitivity to sudden changes − such as a quick-moving predator − sacrificing precision for speed of detection.
This (https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2014.00150) speed-accuracy trade-off allows for rapid, efficient processing, which helped early humans survive in natural settings. But it’s a mismatch with modern tasks such as scrolling through devices, where small mistakes or unusual details in AI-generated images can easily go unnoticed.
People also miss things they aren’t actively paying attention to or looking for. Psychologists call this (https://doi.org/10.1068/p281059) inattentional blindness: Focusing on one task causes you to overlook other details, even obvious ones. In the famous (https://doi.org/10.1068/p281059) invisible gorilla study, participants asked to count basketball passes in a video failed to notice someone in a gorilla suit walking through the middle of the scene.
Similarly, when your focus is on the broader content of an AI image, such as a cozy tiny home, you’re less likely to notice subtle distortions. In a way, the sixth finger in an AI image is today’s invisible gorilla − hiding in plain sight because you’re not looking for it.
Efficiency over accuracy in thinking
Our cognitive limitations go beyond visual perception. Human thinking uses (https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691612460685) two types of processing: fast, intuitive thinking based on mental shortcuts, and slower, analytical thinking that requires effort. When scrolling, our fast system likely dominates, leading us to accept images at face value.
Adding to this issue is the tendency to (https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/confirmation-bias) seek information that confirms your beliefs or reject information that goes against them. This means AI-generated images are more likely to slip by you when they align with your expectations or worldviews. If an AI-generated image of a basketball player making an impossible shot jibes with a fan’s excitement, they might accept it, even if something feels exaggerated.
While not a big deal for tiny home aesthetics, these issues become concerning when AI-generated images may be used to influence public opinion. For example, research shows that people tend to (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101778) assume images are relevant to accompanying text. Even when the images provide no actual evidence, they make people more likely to accept the text’s claims as true.
Misleading real or generated images can make false claims seem more believable and even cause people to misremember real events. AI-generated images have the power to shape opinions and spread misinformation in ways that are difficult to counter.
Beating the machine
While (https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.04181) AI gets better at detecting AI, humans need tools to do the same. Here’s how:

Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. Your brain expertly recognizes objects and faces, even under varying conditions. Perhaps you’ve experienced what psychologists call the (https://www.britannica.com/topic/uncanny-valley) uncanny valley and felt unease with certain (https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000056) humanoid faces. This experience shows people can detect anomalies, even when they can’t fully explain what’s wrong.
Scan for clues. AI struggles with certain elements: hands, text, reflections, lighting inconsistencies and unnatural textures. If an image seems suspicious, take a closer look.
Think critically. Sometimes, AI generates photorealistic images with impossible scenarios. If you see a political figure (https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1011132507716809&id=100064602081844&post_id=100064602081844_1011132507716809&rdid=I9lkYxmWxQ6P2Atl) casually surprising baristas or a (https://www.reddit.com/r/weirddalle/comments/12h1zwv/annual_celebrity_concrete_eating_contest/?rdt=61662) celebrity eating concrete, ask yourself: Does this make sense? If not, it’s probably fake.
Check the source. Is the poster a real person? Reverse image search can help trace a picture’s origin. If the metadata is missing, it might be generated by AI.

AI-generated images are becoming harder to spot. During scrolling, the brain processes visuals quickly, not critically, making it easy to miss details that reveal a fake. As technology advances, slow down, look closer and think critically.
 
This article is republished from (https://theconversation.com) The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the (https://theconversation.com/ai-generated-images-can-exploit-how-your-mind-works-heres-why-they-fool-you-and-how-to-spot-them-246867) original article.

(https://www.psypost.org/eye-tracking-study-reveals-which-facial-features-truly-matter-in-attraction/) Eye-tracking study reveals which facial features truly matter in attraction
May 7th 2025, 14:00

When people evaluate the attractiveness of a face, where they focus their gaze can reveal what features they find most appealing. A new study published in (https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.31967) The Laryngoscope used eye-tracking technology to uncover which facial areas draw the most attention during judgments of attractiveness—and how these patterns differ by gender. The researchers found that men tend to fixate on women’s mouths when rating their attractiveness, while women focus more on men’s eyes and hair.
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine conducted the study to explore how people visually assess facial attractiveness and whether specific facial regions consistently predict higher attractiveness ratings. Although attractiveness plays a role in many areas of life—from dating and hiring decisions to assumptions about personality—scientists still have limited understanding of the exact facial features that people find appealing.
Prior studies have often used altered images or focused on isolated parts of the face, making their findings less applicable to real-world scenarios. The current study aimed to take a more naturalistic approach by showing unaltered, neutral-expression faces and observing how people naturally direct their gaze.
To investigate these questions, the researchers used eye-tracking technology to monitor where people looked while viewing a set of 40 photographs of diverse male and female faces. The photos were selected from established facial image databases and included individuals of various racial and ethnic backgrounds between the ages of 20 and 60. Each face was shown in high resolution, facing forward with a neutral expression, and free from makeup or visible cosmetic procedures.
The study included 154 adult participants, who were randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group was asked to rate each face’s attractiveness on a scale from 0 to 100. A second group was told to look for signs of plastic surgery, while a third group viewed the images with no specific task—this “free-gazing” group served as a baseline for comparison. Eye-tracking software recorded the duration of each participant’s gaze on predefined areas of interest, such as the eyes, nose, mouth, hair, and jawline. Each face was displayed for 10 seconds, and the observers only saw each face once to avoid repetition effects.
Across all groups, participants spent the majority of their time looking at the central triangle of the face, which includes the eyes, nose, and mouth. This pattern was consistent with previous research. However, people who were explicitly judging attractiveness looked differently at specific facial regions compared to those who were free-gazing or searching for signs of cosmetic surgery. Compared to free-gazing observers, attractiveness raters spent significantly more time looking at the mouth, nose, and cheeks.
The researchers then analyzed whether more time spent looking at certain facial features was associated with higher attractiveness ratings. For faces rated as more attractive, participants tended to spend more time looking at the central triangle overall, as well as the hair and mouth. In contrast, increased attention to the forehead and neck was associated with lower attractiveness ratings. This may suggest that when these areas draw more attention, it could reflect perceived flaws or distractions.
Interestingly, the specific regions linked to higher attractiveness ratings varied depending on the gender of both the observer and the person in the image. When male participants rated female faces, the strongest predictor of a high attractiveness rating was prolonged gaze at the mouth. Female participants, on the other hand, were more influenced by the eyes and hair when judging the attractiveness of male faces. These results suggest that men and women may prioritize different facial features when evaluating potential romantic or social partners.
This gender difference in gaze behavior is consistent with prior research suggesting that men often focus more on features linked to fertility or youth, such as lips and skin smoothness, while women may emphasize indicators of trustworthiness or status, such as eye contact and grooming. However, this study adds a new layer by objectively measuring these preferences using eye-tracking data, rather than relying on self-report or manipulated images.
The researchers also highlight the potential relevance of their findings for aesthetic medicine and facial plastic surgery. Patients often seek cosmetic procedures with the goal of looking more attractive, but may not always know which features matter most to observers. Understanding which facial areas people unconsciously focus on—and how these regions contribute to perceived attractiveness—could help guide treatment plans toward changes that have the biggest visual impact.
While the study advances understanding of how people judge attractiveness, it also has several limitations. The images used were static, two-dimensional photos shown from a single front-facing angle. Real-life impressions of attractiveness often involve dynamic expressions, movement, and multiple viewing angles.
The researchers also did not analyze which specific characteristics within each facial area—such as eye shape or lip fullness—contributed to the attention patterns. Additionally, although the study included a racially and age-diverse set of faces and participants, individual cultural preferences or past experiences could still influence how people perceive beauty.
Despite these caveats, the study stands out for its use of unaltered images, diverse demographics, and inclusion of control groups to isolate the specific effects of attractiveness judgments on visual attention. The eye-tracking data offer a rare glimpse into how people subconsciously process facial features when making split-second judgments about appearance.
The researchers suggest that future studies should examine more dynamic and realistic presentations of faces, such as videos or 3D renderings. They also recommend investigating what specific features within high-value areas—like lip shape, hair texture, or eye symmetry—contribute to perceptions of attractiveness. Additionally, exploring how social factors such as personality traits or voice might interact with visual cues could help build a fuller picture of what makes someone seem attractive to others.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.31967) Gaze Patterns During Evaluation of Facial Attractiveness: An Eye-Tracking Investigation,” was authored by Forrest W. Fearington, Andrew D. Pumford, Andrew S. Awadallah, and Jacob K. Dey.

(https://www.psypost.org/a-dose-of-psilocybin-stirred-the-brain-of-a-barely-conscious-woman/) A dose of psilocybin stirred the brain of a barely conscious woman
May 7th 2025, 12:00

A new case report published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388245725003153) Clinical Neurophysiology describes the first known administration of psilocybin—a psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms—to a woman in a minimally conscious state. Although there was no improvement on standard clinical assessments, the patient exhibited new spontaneous behaviors and a notable increase in brain complexity, suggesting altered internal experience. The findings raise the possibility that psychedelics could one day help treat patients with disorders of consciousness, though more research is needed.
Psilocybin has drawn increasing interest from scientists due to its powerful effects on the brain. It acts primarily on a serotonin receptor known as 5-HT2A and has been shown to increase the complexity and connectivity of brain activity. In healthy participants, this is often associated with intense changes in perception, emotion, and sense of self. Researchers are investigating whether these changes might also benefit people with impaired consciousness following brain injury, who typically have few treatment options.
In this case, a team of neuroscientists and clinicians documented the effects of psilocybin on a 41-year-old woman in a minimally conscious state with language-mediated responses—referred to as MCS+. One year earlier, she had suffered a traumatic brain injury. People in this state show intermittent signs of awareness, such as following commands or tracking objects with their eyes, but remain largely unresponsive. Despite prior attempts with various medications and brain stimulation techniques, she showed little improvement. Her diagnosis had been stable for about a year before the psilocybin session.
After trying various unsuccessful treatments, including medications and brain stimulation, her caregiver contacted one of the study authors about the possibility of trying psilocybin. The patient had used psilocybin once before her injury. In the weeks leading up to the study, she received small doses of the compound, which were associated with subtle new behaviors, such as movement in her right leg that had not been seen before.
On the main recording day, the patient received a 2.5-gram psilocybin tincture through a gastric tube while at home in Colorado, where the substance is decriminalized. Her environment was intentionally structured to be soothing: music was played, incense was lit, and she was blindfolded periodically to shape her sensory experience.
A doctor monitored her vital signs, and the researchers collected electroencephalography (EEG) data before and after the drug was administered. This allowed them to measure changes in brain activity, including complexity, spectral power, and connectivity. Standard behavioral assessments were also conducted before, during, and after the session.
Based on these clinical assessments, the patient’s level of consciousness fluctuated throughout the day. While initially scoring as MCS+, she was later assessed as unresponsive based on her inability to follow commands. However, she did display behaviors that had not been seen at rest before taking psilocybin, such as lifting both legs and holding them aloft, as well as a distinct shivering of the right leg. Her caregiver also noted that her eyes and mouth were wide open in a way not previously observed. These changes were not enough to shift her diagnostic category, but they may suggest the presence of a subjective internal experience, even without outward responsiveness.
The EEG recordings revealed striking changes. The researchers found a significant increase in Lempel-Ziv complexity, a measure of the richness and unpredictability of brain activity. This kind of signal has been linked to conscious awareness in prior studies and is typically reduced in people with disorders of consciousness. After taking psilocybin, the patient’s brain showed greater entropy—particularly a decrease in slower brain waves and an increase in higher-frequency activity, such as gamma waves. These changes mirror patterns observed in healthy individuals under the influence of psychedelics.
In terms of brain connectivity, the picture was more complex. The researchers observed a reduction in functional connectivity across most frequency bands, except for an increase in amplitude-based connectivity in the delta band. This decrease in connectivity could reflect the breakdown of rigid brain networks, a common hallmark of the psychedelic state, although some of these effects might also be influenced by changes in the strength of neural oscillations.
Importantly, no seizures or major adverse effects were observed, though the patient did experience a transient spike in blood pressure that required mild medical intervention. Interestingly, she also showed no signs of pain during physical movement after taking psilocybin, while earlier in the day she had responded to a painful stimulus. This aligns with past findings that suggest psychedelics may have analgesic effects, even in conditions involving chronic or difficult-to-treat pain.
Although intriguing, case reports have inherent limitations. A single patient cannot be used to draw general conclusions, and without a placebo condition or blinded evaluations, it’s impossible to rule out other influences, such as spontaneous fluctuations in consciousness. The patient’s behaviors may have emerged naturally, or they might have been influenced by environmental changes. It’s also unclear how the effects of psilocybin would vary across patients with different types of brain injury or different baseline levels of consciousness.
Still, this report carries unique value. In the absence of proven therapies for disorders of consciousness, exploratory research like this helps open new avenues for treatment. It also raises important questions about how consciousness should be measured. Standard behavioral tools may miss signs of internal experience that cannot be expressed through physical action, especially in people with severe motor impairments. More sensitive approaches—including continuous physiological monitoring and measures of spontaneous brain activity—could improve how we assess and treat consciousness disorders in the future.
The report also contributes to growing interest in the “entropic brain hypothesis,” which proposes that consciousness is associated with a certain degree of entropy—or unpredictability—in the brain’s spontaneous activity. Psychedelics are thought to push the brain into a more disordered, but potentially more flexible and integrated, state. If this holds true for patients with impaired consciousness, psychedelics might one day be used not only as a diagnostic tool, but also as a therapeutic agent.
Moving forward, the researchers call for controlled clinical trials using classic psychedelics like psilocybin in patients with disorders of consciousness. These trials should include placebo conditions, standard protocols, and larger samples to test whether the effects observed in this case can be replicated and expanded. They also note the importance of ethical oversight, particularly when administering mind-altering substances to individuals who cannot consent. In this case, the caregiver provided informed consent, as is standard in medical decisions involving patients with limited capacity.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264) Psilocybin for disorders of consciousness: A case-report study,” was authored by Paolo Cardone, Pablo Núñez, Naji L.N. Alnagger, Charlotte Martial, Glenn J.M. van der Lande, Robin Sandell, Robin Carhart-Harris, and Olivia Gosseries.

(https://www.psypost.org/maltreatment-in-childhood-linked-to-smaller-hippocampus-volume-through-adolescence/) Maltreatment in childhood linked to smaller hippocampus volume through adolescence
May 7th 2025, 11:00

A longitudinal neuroimaging study conducted in Brazil found that individuals who were exposed to maltreatment during childhood tended to have a smaller volume in the right hippocampus—a brain region important for memory and emotional regulation. This reduced volume persisted throughout adolescence and remained even after accounting for symptoms of depression. The findings were published in Psychological Medicine.
Childhood maltreatment refers to abuse or neglect experienced by a child. It can include physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as physical and emotional neglect. Such experiences may occur within families or institutional settings and often involve a violation of trust and safety.
Exposure to maltreatment early in life can disrupt healthy brain development, affect stress regulation, and impair emotional processing. Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk for mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and personality disorders. They may also face difficulties in forming healthy relationships and struggle with self-esteem and emotional regulation.
Building on prior research linking childhood maltreatment to altered brain development, study author Victoria Fogaça Doretto and her colleagues set out to examine how such experiences might influence hippocampal volume over time. The hippocampus, located in the medial temporal lobe, plays a key role in forming and retrieving memories and is also involved in spatial navigation and emotional regulation.
The researchers analyzed data from the Brazilian High-Risk Cohort Study, which began in 2009 and included children aged 6 to 12 from 57 schools in the cities of São Paulo and Porto Alegre. The current analysis focused on data from 795 participants, 43% of whom were girls. The average age of participants at the start of the study was 10 years.
At baseline, both children and their parents completed questionnaires assessing childhood maltreatment, including experiences of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment, and neglect. Participants underwent psychiatric assessments and returned for follow-up visits three and six years later, at which point magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to assess brain structure.
The results showed that 23% of the children had experienced at least one type of maltreatment. Approximately 4% exhibited symptoms of depression, while 31% displayed symptoms of some form of mental disorder.
Children who had experienced higher levels of maltreatment at the beginning of the study tended to show smaller volumes in the right hippocampus at later neuroimaging time points. This association remained significant even after controlling for depressive symptoms. In contrast, no relationship was found between maltreatment and the volume of the left hippocampus.
“The present study showed that childhood maltreatment is associated with persistent reduction of hippocampal volume in children and adolescents, even after adjusting for the presence of major depressive disorder and genetic determinants of hippocampal structure,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the specificities of brain anatomy of individuals who experienced maltreatment as children. However, it should be noted that the design of this study does not allow any definitive causal conclusion to be derived from the results.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291724001636) Childhood maltreatment and the structural development of hippocampus across childhood and adolescence,” was authored by Victoria Fogaça Doretto, Ana Beatriz Ravagnani Salto, Sandra Schivoletto, Andre Zugman, Melaine Cristina Oliveira, Marcelo Brañas, Marcos Croci, Lucas Toshio Ito, Marcos Santoro, Andrea P. Jackowski, Rodrigo A. Bressan, Luis Augusto Rohde, Giovanni Salum, Eurípedes Constantino Miguel, and Pedro Mario Pan.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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