Archive

Covert control: How political elites and influencers use manipulation on social media

The popularity of users like politicians and political influencers on social media demonstrates their power and sway over public discourse today. But how do these political users gain and maintain power? This article explores how the current media landscape is dominated by political influencers and elites, making it harder for users to know what’s trustworthy and detect misinformation. By spotlighting the tactics that some of these sources use to build influence with their audiences, we bring attention to how political information is shared and processed in today’s digital landscape. / more

Scrolling against hate: Developing critical media competence to counter online antisemitism

Social media connects – but also divides. This article explores how antisemitism appears online, why young adults are especially vulnerable, and what we can do about it. Based on existing research, it offers practical tools to build media competence and promote responsible, intentional communication in the fight against online hate. / more

Social media use towards self-diagnosing and health anxiety

Self-diagnosing occurs when individuals who are not medical professionals intrinsically establish themselves as living with a particular medical diagnosis. Self-diagnosing is becoming all the more prominent due to increasing communication about health, symptoms, and diagnoses online, namely on algorithmically-dominated social media platforms. While this can be an empowering process for individuals suffering from health issues, it can also perpetuate health anxiety. Users should carefully review health information which they consume on social media and online. / more

FOMO: The fun everybody else has

Have you ever felt that nagging sense of missing out on something exciting? Did you feel like you did not take on an opportunity that may never come again -a concert, party, or a meeting with friends?Then you probably know what it feels like to have FOMO. / more

Viral and harmful: Violence in media and its impact on empathy

From fight videos on TikTok to hate comments on Instagram, violence is omnipresent online, but what does it do to our empathy? Studies reveal that repeated exposure to digital aggression can reduce our ability to feel concern or discomfort when witnessing others' pain, especially in teens. Yet empathy doesn’t have to erode. This article explains how online violence affects our ability to care and offers practical strategies to maintain compassion in virtual spaces and effectively strengthen empathy over the long term. / more

Changing the world through activism: what, why, and how

Activism involves taking action to challenge oppressive systems and create a just world for all. While there are potential harms to activism, there are many potential benefits as well. We have the power to create change through collective action. This article explores the significance and components of activism through the story of Katniss in The Hunger Games. / more

Join the In-Mind Team: Help us make psychology accessible to everyone!

What is In-Mind? 

In-Mind is a volunteer-driven project dedicated to sharing psychological research. We give researchers a platform to present their work in an engaging, accessible, and scientifically rigorous way—psychology by scientists, for everyone.  Our journal publishes freely available articles across all areas of psychology. We are the ... / more

How deliberate forgetting might lead to false memories

Ever wondered what happens when you try to forget something? Discover whether the effort to suppress memories can actually twist what you remember. This article explores the relationship between motivated forgetting and false memory formation, revealing its crucial impact in the legal arena. / more

Age-adequate functioning: The key to recovery for youth in mental health care

Psychological problems among youth are on the rise. In child and adolescent mental health care, awareness is growing that recovery concerns adaptive development, above and beyond symptom reduction. What role does age-adequate functioning play in youth’s well-being? And how can a developmentally oriented approach help make youth more resilient? / more

Does organized ritual child abuse exist?

A significant number of therapists and self-defined victims report secret organizations that sexually abuse children for ideological or religious purposes and control them through targeted personality splitting. However, police investigations have so far been unable to uncover any evidence for these allegations. In this article, we discuss why the existence of such conspiratorial secret societies is not compatible with scientific findings, despite the reports of those affected, and to what extent suggested memories of the alleged acts represent a more reliable alternative explanation. / more