Latest news with #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump's demand for Washington NFL team name change ignores years of psychological data, experts say
This week, President Donald Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if Washington's NFL team did not restore its name to a racial slur, despite decades of psychological research showing the negative mental health impacts of Native American mascots. The president is demanding a private company change its name to something that researchers have linked to a variety of negative mental health outcomes, particularly for children, said Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians. The organization has been pushing back on stereotypes of Native Americans since the 1950s, including Native sports mascots. 'This is a big reminder with this administration that we're going to take some backward steps,' Macarro said. 'We have our studies, we have our receipts, and we can demonstrate that this causes real harm.' More than two decades of research on Native mascots have shown they lead to heightened rates of depression, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal ideation among Indigenous peoples, and those impacts are the greatest on children. Citing this data, the American Psychological Association has been recommending the retirement of Native mascots since 2001. The president believes that franchises who changed their names to 'pander to the Woke Left' should immediately restore their original names,' White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'Thanks to President Trump, the days of political correctness and cancel culture are over,' he said. Some teams change names while others resist Under pressure from decades of activism, the Washington Redskins — a racial slur and arguably the most egregious example — retired the name in 2020, eventually settling on the Commanders. Later that year, the Cleveland Indians changed its name to the Guardians. Two major league teams, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, continue to resist calls to change their names. The Chiefs have banned fans from wearing headdresses or face paint meant to depict Native Americans at games but has resisted prohibiting the use of the 'tomahawk chop', which critics have long called derogatory. More than 1,500 grade schools across the country — a decrease over the past few years — still use Native mascots, according to the National Congress of American Indians, using names like 'Savages' as well as the slur that Trump aims to bring back to the Washington team. Experts say Native mascots reinforce racial bias Native American people, activists, and leaders have been asking for the retirement of Native mascots for generations. Popular arguments defending the mascots have been that they 'honor' Native people or that it simply boiled down to people being 'offended,' said Steph Cross, a professor of psychology and researcher at the University of Oklahoma and a citizen of the Comanche Nation. But now we have decades of data that agrees on the negative mental health impacts, she said. 'Being offended is not even really the problem. That's a symptom,' Cross said. She noted that Native mascots aren't just harmful to Indigenous peoples, they also reinforce racial prejudices among non-Natives, including people who will work directly with Native people like health care professionals and teachers. 'I think about these people who are going to be working with Native children, whether they realize that or not, and how they may unintentionally have these biases,' Cross said. Stephanie Fryberg, a professor at Northwestern University, who is a member of the Tulalip Tribes and one of the country's leading researchers on Native mascots, said, 'The ultimate impact, whether conscious or unconscious, is bias in American society.' Her work has also shown Native mascots increase the risk of real psychological harm, especially for young Native people. 'Honoring Native peoples means ending dehumanization in both imagery and policy,' she said. 'Indian Country needs meaningful investment, respect, and the restoration of federal commitments, not more distractions or excuses for inaction.' Several states pass Native mascot bans In recent years, several states — including Maine, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and New York — have passed laws or issued directives that ban or require districts to change Native mascots. A law prohibiting them in Illinois stalled this year in the state Senate. The Trump administration has interjected into other efforts to change Native mascots. This month, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into a Long Island public school district working to retire its Native American-themed mascot. 'The Department of Education has been clear with the state of New York: it is neither legal nor right to prohibit Native American mascots and logos while celebrating European and other cultural imagery in schools,' said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. When it comes to grade schools specifically, the negative impacts on children's mental health is compounded by the fact that U.S. history standards largely ignore Indigenous history and rarely frame Native Americans as modern people, said Sarah Shear, a professor and researcher at the University of Washington. In 2015, she was part of a study that found 87% of schools in the U.S. teach about Native Americans in only a pre-1900 context. That hasn't improved much in the decade since the study, Shear said. Most curriculum also doesn't present the arguments against harmful stereotypes, like Native Mascots. 'Just on the standards documents alone,' Shear said, 'I'm not surprised that Trump and other folks continue to advocate that these mascots are celebratory when they're not.'
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump's demand for Washington NFL team name change ignores years of psychological data, experts say
This week, President Donald Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if Washington's NFL team did not restore its name to a racial slur, despite decades of psychological research showing the negative mental health impacts of Native American mascots. The president is demanding a private company change its name to something that researchers have linked to a variety of negative mental health outcomes, particularly for children, said Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians. The organization has been pushing back on stereotypes of Native Americans since the 1950s, including Native sports mascots. 'This is a big reminder with this administration that we're going to take some backward steps,' Macarro said. 'We have our studies, we have our receipts, and we can demonstrate that this causes real harm.' More than two decades of research on Native mascots have shown they lead to heightened rates of depression, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal ideation among Indigenous peoples, and those impacts are the greatest on children. Citing this data, the American Psychological Association has been recommending the retirement of Native mascots since 2001. The president believes that franchises who changed their names to 'pander to the Woke Left' should immediately restore their original names,' White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'Thanks to President Trump, the days of political correctness and cancel culture are over,' he said. Some teams change names while others resist Under pressure from decades of activism, the Washington Redskins — a racial slur and arguably the most egregious example — retired the name in 2020 , eventually settling on the Commanders. Later that year, the Cleveland Indians changed its name to the Guardians . Two major league teams, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, continue to resist calls to change their names . The Chiefs have banned fans from wearing headdresses or face paint meant to depict Native Americans at games but has resisted prohibiting the use of the 'tomahawk chop' , which critics have long called derogatory. More than 1,500 grade schools across the country — a decrease over the past few years — still use Native mascots, according to the National Congress of American Indians, using names like 'Savages' as well as the slur that Trump aims to bring back to the Washington team. Experts say Native mascots reinforce racial bias Native American people, activists, and leaders have been asking for the retirement of Native mascots for generations . Popular arguments defending the mascots have been that they 'honor' Native people or that it simply boiled down to people being 'offended,' said Steph Cross, a professor of psychology and researcher at the University of Oklahoma and a citizen of the Comanche Nation. But now we have decades of data that agrees on the negative mental health impacts, she said. 'Being offended is not even really the problem. That's a symptom,' Cross said. She noted that Native mascots aren't just harmful to Indigenous peoples, they also reinforce racial prejudices among non-Natives, including people who will work directly with Native people like health care professionals and teachers. 'I think about these people who are going to be working with Native children, whether they realize that or not, and how they may unintentionally have these biases,' Cross said. Stephanie Fryberg, a professor at Northwestern University, who is a member of the Tulalip Tribes and one of the country's leading researchers on Native mascots, said, 'The ultimate impact, whether conscious or unconscious, is bias in American society.' Her work has also shown Native mascots increase the risk of real psychological harm, especially for young Native people. 'Honoring Native peoples means ending dehumanization in both imagery and policy,' she said. 'Indian Country needs meaningful investment, respect, and the restoration of federal commitments, not more distractions or excuses for inaction.' Several states pass Native mascot bans In recent years, several states — including Maine, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and New York — have passed laws or issued directives that ban or require districts to change Native mascots. A law prohibiting them in Illinois stalled this year in the state Senate. The Trump administration has interjected into other efforts to change Native mascots. This month, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into a Long Island public school district working to retire its Native American-themed mascot. 'The Department of Education has been clear with the state of New York: it is neither legal nor right to prohibit Native American mascots and logos while celebrating European and other cultural imagery in schools,' said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. When it comes to grade schools specifically, the negative impacts on children's mental health is compounded by the fact that U.S. history standards largely ignore Indigenous history and rarely frame Native Americans as modern people, said Sarah Shear, a professor and researcher at the University of Washington. In 2015, she was part of a study that found 87% of schools in the U.S. teach about Native Americans in only a pre-1900 context. That hasn't improved much in the decade since the study, Shear said. Most curriculum also doesn't present the arguments against harmful stereotypes, like Native Mascots. 'Just on the standards documents alone,' Shear said, 'I'm not surprised that Trump and other folks continue to advocate that these mascots are celebratory when they're not.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump's demand for Washington NFL team name change ignores years of psychological data, experts say
This week, President Donald Trump threatened to hold up a new stadium deal if Washington's NFL team did not restore its name to a racial slur, despite decades of psychological research showing the negative mental health impacts of Native American mascots. The president is demanding a private company change its name to something that researchers have linked to a variety of negative mental health outcomes, particularly for children, said Mark Macarro, president of the National Congress of American Indians. The organization has been pushing back on stereotypes of Native Americans since the 1950s, including Native sports mascots. 'This is a big reminder with this administration that we're going to take some backward steps,' Macarro said. 'We have our studies, we have our receipts, and we can demonstrate that this causes real harm.' More than two decades of research on Native mascots have shown they lead to heightened rates of depression, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal ideation among Indigenous peoples, and those impacts are the greatest on children. Citing this data, the American Psychological Association has been recommending the retirement of Native mascots since 2001. The president believes that franchises who changed their names to 'pander to the Woke Left' should immediately restore their original names,' White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'Thanks to President Trump, the days of political correctness and cancel culture are over,' he said. Some teams change names while others resist Under pressure from decades of activism, the Washington Redskins — a racial slur and arguably the most egregious example — retired the name in 2020, eventually settling on the Commanders. Later that year, the Cleveland Indians changed its name to the Guardians. Two major league teams, the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, continue to resist calls to change their names. The Chiefs have banned fans from wearing headdresses or face paint meant to depict Native Americans at games but has resisted prohibiting the use of the 'tomahawk chop', which critics have long called derogatory. More than 1,500 grade schools across the country — a decrease over the past few years — still use Native mascots, according to the National Congress of American Indians, using names like 'Savages' as well as the slur that Trump aims to bring back to the Washington team. Experts say Native mascots reinforce racial bias Native American people, activists, and leaders have been asking for the retirement of Native mascots for generations. Popular arguments defending the mascots have been that they 'honor' Native people or that it simply boiled down to people being 'offended," said Steph Cross, a professor of psychology and researcher at the University of Oklahoma and a citizen of the Comanche Nation. But now we have decades of data that agrees on the negative mental health impacts, she said. 'Being offended is not even really the problem. That's a symptom,' Cross said. She noted that Native mascots aren't just harmful to Indigenous peoples, they also reinforce racial prejudices among non-Natives, including people who will work directly with Native people like health care professionals and teachers. 'I think about these people who are going to be working with Native children, whether they realize that or not, and how they may unintentionally have these biases," Cross said. Stephanie Fryberg, a professor at Northwestern University, who is a member of the Tulalip Tribes and one of the country's leading researchers on Native mascots, said, 'The ultimate impact, whether conscious or unconscious, is bias in American society." Her work has also shown Native mascots increase the risk of real psychological harm, especially for young Native people. 'Honoring Native peoples means ending dehumanization in both imagery and policy," she said. "Indian Country needs meaningful investment, respect, and the restoration of federal commitments, not more distractions or excuses for inaction.' Several states pass Native mascot bans In recent years, several states — including Maine, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and New York — have passed laws or issued directives that ban or require districts to change Native mascots. A law prohibiting them in Illinois stalled this year in the state Senate. The Trump administration has interjected into other efforts to change Native mascots. This month, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into a Long Island public school district working to retire its Native American-themed mascot. 'The Department of Education has been clear with the state of New York: it is neither legal nor right to prohibit Native American mascots and logos while celebrating European and other cultural imagery in schools," said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. When it comes to grade schools specifically, the negative impacts on children's mental health is compounded by the fact that U.S. history standards largely ignore Indigenous history and rarely frame Native Americans as modern people, said Sarah Shear, a professor and researcher at the University of Washington. In 2015, she was part of a study that found 87% of schools in the U.S. teach about Native Americans in only a pre-1900 context. That hasn't improved much in the decade since the study, Shear said. Most curriculum also doesn't present the arguments against harmful stereotypes, like Native Mascots. 'Just on the standards documents alone," Shear said, 'I'm not surprised that Trump and other folks continue to advocate that these mascots are celebratory when they're not.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Personality Trait Might Be the Key to a Longer, Healthier Life
As a society, we're not as trusting as we used to be—for good reason. We're living at a time of internet scams, catfishing, artificial intelligence, and social media, where you really don't know what to believe. But a new study suggests that being more trusting may actually have its benefits. Published recently in the American Psychological Association's journal Psychological Bulletin, the research found that people with higher levels of trust in both other people and institutions have higher levels of well-being than those who aren't as trusting. This is especially important, the authors argue, as well-being is not only an indicator of quality of life, but also a predictor of health and longevity. So, what does it take to become more trusting? And how do you strike a balance between trust and caution? We spoke with a number of experts to find out. Why Does Trust Improve Well-Being? The study found that people who feel they can rely on others—whether it's close relationships or the broader systems around them—tend to experience lower stress, stronger emotional regulation, and a greater sense of safety in the world, says Dr. Sanam Hafeez, PhD, neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind. 'All of these factors support not just mental wellness but also physical health,' she explains. 'The absence of trust leaves people more prone to feeling alone, hypervigilant or anxious, and over time, chronic stress triggers the body's stress response. Studies have shown connections between chronic stress and inflammation, cardiovascular disease, lowered immunity, and even cognitive decline.' In contrast, trusting others may provide a protective benefit, lowering cortisol levels and buffering behaviors associated with long-term health like remaining socially connected, seeking medical care when needed, and sticking to healthful routines, Hafeez says. 'Trust isn't just a pleasant emotion, it's a potent psychological resource,' she explains. 'When nurtured over the course of a lifetime, it can contribute to both emotional resilience and physical longevity.' Additionally, the study shows that the most important kind of trust is interpersonal (involving our family and friends), which has the strongest positive link to our well-being. 'With clients, one of the most important protective factors that can help with their healing process is having access to strong and positive social support systems, which is what this study confirms,' says Patrice Le Goy, PhD, licensed marriage and family therapist. The study also notes trust is particularly important for older adults who may need to rely on—and trust—people more as they become limited in some activities, Le Goy points out. 'If they have these positive relationships where there is a strong sense of trust, they have higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction,' she says. How Can We Increase Our Trust in Other People? Despite the benefits, being more trusting of others can be a challenge, especially if people or institutions have broken your trust in the past. Fortunately, there are ways to help you become more trusting of others. Here are some tips from mental health experts. Start Small According to the study, trust can change based on our experiences and environment. According to Cynthia Vejar, PhD, professor of clinical mental health counseling at Lebanon Valley College, building trust starts small, in the presence of everyday initiatives and routine moments. For example, if a person has difficulty with trust, they might begin by noticing that their colleagues are reliable and dependable by showing up on time, following through on commitments, and working collaboratively. 'These kinds of observations can be reassuring and allow the person to begin to open up to deep and meaningful interactions elsewhere,' Vejar says. Hafeez recommends observing how people show up over time. 'Do their actions match their words, do they listen without judgment, do they respect your boundaries?' she asks. 'Trust grows when people demonstrate reliability in small, everyday ways.' Understand There's Risk Involved Increasing trust with others is all about taking small, calculated risks, says Hannah Holmes, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Holmes Psychology & Consulting. 'There is always the possibility that others might hurt us or let us down, and this feels especially real if you have experienced a lot of that in your history,' she says. Shift Your Mindset Trusting others can be challenging and requires intentional mindset shifts, changes in our perspective, and continuous monitoring of our mood and self-regulation, says Tori Broems, PhD, licensed psychologist. 'People's well-being influences the way they perceive the world around them,' she says. 'Essentially, our perception of reality holds tremendous weight. When we are happy and positive, we are more trusting, whereas when we are negative and frustrated, we feel less likely to trust others.' Examine Why You Have a Hard Time With Trust Often people who have a difficult time trusting people have good reasons for feeling this way—they've probably been let down by people in their past who they wanted to trust, Le Goy says. 'The work is often in acknowledging and validating that fact first, and understanding our reasons for behaving the way we do,' she explains. 'Once we do that, then we can make sure that we are not using these past hurts to project on people who didn't cause that pain.' Le Goy often asks clients, 'Does this past pain belong in this current relationship?' 'This allows us to consider that we can be safe now even if we have been unsafe in the past,' she says. 'It's actually about helping us trust ourselves more—that we can make good decisions, and we can see if the person in front of us is trustworthy. Only then can we truly increase our trust in other people.' Stay in the Present Hafeez stresses the importance of staying grounded in the present rather than assuming someone new will behave like someone from your past. 'That takes self-awareness and patience, but it is possible,' she says. 'It also helps to strengthen your emotional boundaries. When you know you can speak up, walk away, or protect your peace, you feel less anxious about giving people a chance.' Give People a Chance to Show They're Trustworthy While it makes sense to practice some caution and not share everything with someone you've just met, you should at least give them the opportunity to demonstrate their trustworthiness, Holmes suggests. 'This could look a lot of different ways, ranging from sharing an embarrassing story to delegating a low-stakes task to someone else,' she says. 'Trusting others with small things gives them the opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness, which in turn will help you build your trust in that person. It's okay for this process to take a little time.' How Can We Strike a Balance Between Trust and Caution? Trust is like a muscle that you build over time, Le Goy says. This involves trusting yourself and listening to your gut when something feels 'off.' Instead of blindly trusting—or distrusting—someone, Broems suggests trying realistic trust-building. Ask yourself whether this person follows through. Do their actions match their words? Can they handle your boundaries respectfully? 'You don't have to trust fast—just slowly building this over time can be helpful,' she says. Striking the right balance between trust and caution might mean that the person starts off more discerning, and with time, they become more open and trusting, Vejar says. 'It is important to note that 'discernment' is different from 'cynicism,' the latter of which might prevent the development of trust,' she explains. 'While both discernment and cynicism involve caution and protection, discernment is more observant—open to information as it unfolds—and cynicism is more suspicious and negative.' Ultimately, striking a healthy balance between trust and caution means learning to stay open without being naive, Hafeez says. 'It is not about trusting everyone equally, it is about being emotionally available while also using discernment,' she says. 'Trust should be something people earn through their actions—not something you give away all at once.' Read the original article on Real Simple
Euronews
6 days ago
- Euronews
Here's how experts suggest protecting children from AI companions
More than 70 per cent of American teenagers use artificial intelligence (AI) companions, according to a new study. US non-profit Common Sense Media asked 1,060 teens from April to May 2025 about how often they use AI companion platforms such as Nomi, and Replika. AI companion platforms are presented as "virtual friends, confidants, and even therapists" that engage with the user like a person, the report found. The use of these companions worries experts, who told the Associated Press that the booming AI industry is largely unregulated and that many parents have no idea how their kids are using AI tools or the extent of personal information they are sharing with chatbots. Here are some suggestions on how to keep children safe when engaging with these profiles online. Recognise that AI is agreeable One way to gauge whether a child is using AI companions is to just start a conversation "without judgement," according to Michael Robb, head researcher at Common Sense Media. To start the conversation, he said parents can approach a child or teenager with questions like "Have you heard of AI companions?" or "Do you use apps that talk to you like a friend?" "Listen and understand what appeals to your teen before being dismissive or saying you're worried about it," Robb said. Mitch Prinstein, chief of psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA), said that one of the first things parents should do once they know a child uses AI companions is to teach them that they are programmed to be "agreeable and validating." Prinstein said it's important for children to know that that's not how real relationships work and that real friends can help them navigate difficult situations in ways that AI can't. 'We need to teach kids that this is a form of entertainment," Prinstein said. "It's not real, and it's really important they distinguish it from reality and [they] should not have it replace relationships in [their] actual life.' Watch for signs of unhealthy relationships While AI companions may feel supportive, children need to know that these tools are not equipped to handle a real crisis or provide genuine support, the experts said. Robb said some of the signs for these unhealthy relationships would be a preference by the child for AI interactions over real relationships, spending hours talking to their AI, or showing patterns of "emotional distress" when separated from the platforms. "Those are patterns that suggest AI companions might be replacing rather than complementing human connection,' Robb said. If kids are struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, an eating disorder, or other mental health challenges, they need human support — whether it is family, friends or a mental health professional. Parents can also set rules about AI use, just like they do for screen time and social media, experts said. For example, they can set rules about how long the companion could be used and in what contexts. Another way to counteract these relationships is to get involved and know as much about AI as possible. 'I don't think people quite get what AI can do, how many teens are using it, and why it's starting to get a little scary,' says Prinstein, one of many experts calling for regulations to ensure safety guardrails for children. 'A lot of us throw our hands up and say, 'I don't know what this is!' This sounds crazy!' Unfortunately, that tells kids if you have a problem with this, don't come to me because I am going to diminish it and belittle it".
