Latest news with #UniversityofCoimbra
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Study reveals psychological impact of ghosting and gaslighting
Being ghosted or gaslit may trigger depression and paranoia among young people, a study has revealed. Ghosting is the act of cutting off all contact, while gaslighting is a term used when someone is made to question their perception of reality. The psychological effects and mental health toll of these actions in romantic relationships have now been studied by researchers at the University of Brighton and the University of Coimbra in Portugal. Researchers surveyed 544 adults aged 18 to 40 in the UK, to explore how these subtle but damaging behaviours - such as suddenly cutting off all contact, manipulating someone to question their own reality, or attempting to control a partner's routine - are connected to mental health issues like depression and paranoid thinking. 'The digital age has provided enormous opportunity for social connections but also comes with some risks. Ghosting, in particular, is almost exclusively enacted in online settings,' Professor Rusi Jaspal, co-author and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Brighton, said. 'As the use of social media and dating apps grows, so too does the risk of encountering harmful behaviours like ghosting, which our research links to poorer mental health outcomes.' The survey revealed there are clear links between these behaviours and poor mental health. Researchers found ghosting and coercive control were both linked to increased feelings of paranoia. Similarly, gaslighting was linked to symptoms of depression. Study authors accounted for people's age, income and personality traits like how sensitive they are to rejection and uncertainty - two traits researchers explain are also associated with poor mental health. Younger people and those with lower incomes were particularly at risk of experiencing poor mental health as a result of gaslighting or ghosting. Researchers suggested this added to the growing concern that dating app culture may be contributing to a mental health crisis. The study highlights how romantic relationships, even those that do not involve physical violence, can still affect mental wellbeing. Study authors concluded there is a need for effective psychological interventions that support victims of abusive relationship behaviours to cope with the 'distress' associated with gaslighting and ghosting. They hope that this could 'prevent the onset of depression and paranoid ideation'. Researchers suggested cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could help individuals manage the distress associated with experiences like ghosting or gaslighting, by building resilience, self-esteem and coping strategies.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Ghosting and gaslighting could trigger depression and paranoia, study finds
Being ghosted or gaslit may trigger depression and paranoia among young people, a study has revealed. Ghosting is the act of cutting off all contact, while gaslighting is a term used when someone is made to question their perception of reality. The psychological effects and mental health toll of these actions in romantic relationships have now been studied by researchers at the University of Brighton and the University of Coimbra in Portugal. Researchers surveyed 544 adults aged 18 to 40 in the UK, to explore how these subtle but damaging behaviours - such as suddenly cutting off all contact, manipulating someone to question their own reality, or attempting to control a partner's routine - are connected to mental health issues like depression and paranoid thinking. 'The digital age has provided enormous opportunity for social connections but also comes with some risks. Ghosting, in particular, is almost exclusively enacted in online settings,' Professor Rusi Jaspal, co-author and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Brighton, said. 'As the use of social media and dating apps grows, so too does the risk of encountering harmful behaviours like ghosting, which our research links to poorer mental health outcomes.' The survey revealed there are clear links between these behaviours and poor mental health. Researchers found ghosting and coercive control were both linked to increased feelings of paranoia. Similarly, gaslighting was linked to symptoms of depression. Study authors accounted for people's age, income and personality traits like how sensitive they are to rejection and uncertainty - two traits researchers explain are also associated with poor mental health. Younger people and those with lower incomes were particularly at risk of experiencing poor mental health as a result of gaslighting or ghosting. Researchers suggested this added to the growing concern that dating app culture may be contributing to a mental health crisis. The study highlights how romantic relationships, even those that do not involve physical violence, can still affect mental wellbeing. Study authors concluded there is a need for effective psychological interventions that support victims of abusive relationship behaviours to cope with the 'distress' associated with gaslighting and ghosting. They hope that this could 'prevent the onset of depression and paranoid ideation'. Researchers suggested cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could help individuals manage the distress associated with experiences like ghosting or gaslighting, by building resilience, self-esteem and coping strategies.
Telegraph
07-04-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
Scientists develop alert system to warn beekeepers of invasive hornets
Hopes have been raised that Britain's honeybees can be better protected following the development of a new system to remotely detect the presence of invasive hornets. Scientists from Nottingham Trent University say they can identify the flight hovering sounds of Asian hornets using inexpensive microphones and an algorithm trained to differentiate between noise from the insects and background sounds – including from honeybees. The researchers also found that hornets tend to hover continuously around hives, whereas honeybees do so for much shorter periods while flying in and out of the structures. The Asian hornet, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, is a non-native predator that feeds on honeybees, hovering outside hives for long periods until they catch and eat a bee. They can kill up to 50 a day. It is hoped the new system could be left in apiaries and allow beekeepers to be immediately alerted to the presence of even just one hornet via their smartphone, giving them the opportunity to take swift action. The researchers, working with scientists from the University of Coimbra in Portugal and Ghent University in Belgium, said they were able to detect the presence of Asian hornets at an apiary at the Portugese university with almost 100 per cent accuracy over three seasons. Asian hornets 'a significant threat' The Asian hornet is native to Southeast Asia but is thought to have arrived in France in a cargo of pottery from China about 20 years ago. The insects have since spread rapidly across Europe. The species was first seen in the UK in 2016 and there have been regular sightings since, including 44 confirmed in 2024 – largely in Kent and East Sussex – although a rapid response approach to destroy the hornets and their nests has stopped them spreading in Britain. Dr Harriet Hall, the lead researcher, said: 'Invasive species such as the Asian hornet are a serious threat to biodiversity. Our native honeybee hasn't evolved alongside this predator and because of this its defences against the hornet are low. 'Identifying Asian hornet presence at apiaries early on would be highly beneficial for beekeepers who could then take immediate action.' Dr Martin Bencsik, from Nottingham Trent University, added: 'Asian hornets are a significant threat to European honeybees and we need to find new ways to identify their presence quickly. 'In spite of overlapping features of the sound spectra of honeybees and hornets, it is amazing to see that their hovering sound features are very different, and it is fortunate, for this detection technique, that hornets hover around hives far more than bees do.'
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists identify sound of hovering invasive hornets in move to protect honeybees
Scientists have found ways to remotely detect the sound of invasive Asian hornets hovering outside beehives in a move that could protect honeybees. The Asian or yellow-legged hornet is a non-native predator that feeds on honeybees, hovering around the entrance of a hive for long periods until a bee is caught and eaten. The presence of the hornet, which can kill 50 bees a day, also puts stress on the honeybees which leave the hive less to forage, reducing their food stores for winter and threatening the colony's survival. But now scientists from Nottingham Trent University have identified and differentiated Asian hornet hovering flight sounds, using inexpensive microphones and an algorithm trained to discriminate between the flight of the predators, honeybee sounds and general background noise. They also found the hornets reliably produced these sounds as they tend to hover continuously, while honeybees hover for much shorter periods as they are mostly flying straight in and out of the hives. It is hoped the system could be left in apiaries to continuously distinguish between Asian hornets and honeybee flight sounds. This could allow beekeepers to be immediately alerted to the presence of even just one hornet using their smartphone, so they can take swift action to tackle the threat before too much stress is caused to their bees, the researchers said. The researchers, working with scientists from the University of Coimbra in Portugal and Ghent University in Belgium, were able to detect the presence of Asian hornets at an apiary at the University of Coimbra with almost 100% accuracy over three seasons. The Asian hornet is native to South East Asia and arrived in France in a cargo of pottery from China about 20 years ago, spreading rapidly across the continent, and devastating colonies in France and Italy. It was first seen in the UK in 2016, and there have been regular sightings since, including 44 confirmed in 2024 – largely in Kent and East Sussex, although a rapid response approach to destroy hornets and nests has stopped its spread in Britain. Lead researcher Dr Harriet Hall said: 'Invasive species such as the Asian hornet are a serious threat to biodiversity. 'Our native honeybee hasn't evolved alongside this predator and because of this its defences against the hornet are low. 'Identifying Asian hornet presence at apiaries early on would be highly beneficial for beekeepers who could then take immediate action.' She said being able to discriminate between Asian hornet and honeybee sounds provided 'excellent potential' for a remote alert system for hornets. Dr Martin Bencsik, a physicist at Nottingham Trent University, added: 'Asian hornets are a significant threat to European honeybees and we need to find new ways to identify their presence quickly. 'In spite of overlapping features of the sound spectra of honeybees and hornets, it is amazing to see that their hovering sound features are very different, and it is fortunate, for this detection technique, that hornets hover around hives far more than bees do.' The study was published in the journal Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ice Age hunter-gatherers may have had cheek piercings, even as children
A group of Ice Age hunter-gatherers living in central Europe may have adorned their faces with cheek piercings at as early as six-years-old. Although the author of a recent study published in the Journal of Paleolithic Archeology isn't the only researcher to suggest the theory, he may be the first to link it to a longtime mystery—the curious dental wear-and-tear found in nearly every dental set recovered from the 29,000-year-old community. Named after the Pavlov Hills region across northern Austria and southern Poland, the Pavlovians were an Upper Paleolithic culture known for their sophisticated stone age technology and tools. Archeologists have recovered numerous artifacts like spearheads, digging tools, and needles made from bone since the group's discovery in 1952. These also include skeletal remains such as well-preserved teeth, many of which display an inexplicable detail—most adolescents and nearly all adults show signs of abrasion on either one or both cheek sides. As Gizmodo explained on Tuesday, researchers have since offered multiple theories about the damage, including the use of pebbles to induce salivation and help with thirst. But according to John Willman, a biological anthropologist at the University of Coimbra's Laboratory of Prehistory (CIAS) in Portugal, the damage may have come from the aftereffects of a cultural rite of passage. 'While working on my Ph.D. thesis, I was fascinated by the strange wear on the surfaces of the canines and cheek teeth of individuals from Pavlovian sites. In addition to normal wear on the chewing surface of teeth, they have flat wear planes on their 'buccal' (cheek) surfaces,' Willman wrote in an accompanying post to his personal blog. Willman went on to explain that the enamel wear reminded him of similar results caused by some facial piercings, particularly labrets. He also noticed 'interesting evidence' pointing to teeth crowding and rotation that he believes may have been caused by pressure from the piercings. 'Basically the opposite of what happens if you wear braces or [a] retainer to straighten your own teeth,' he wrote. After analyzing dental records, Willman noted Palovians may have begun receiving labret piercings since they were between 6 and 10 years old, with additional piercings added as they got older as part of cultural rites of passage. But one major missing piece (or pieces) remains—the piercing jewelry itself. 'One of the most difficult parts of accepting the hypothesis I put forth for labret use is that we don't have any labrets in the burials!' he wrote on Monday. However, that is likely to be expected, given the time period. Willman theorizes the piercings may have used perishable materials like leather or wood, or that they were passed down among the community instead of buried with individuals. In the meantime, Willman shared his hopes that similar artifacts may be found in other cultures that support the hypothesis. 'Whatever the cause of the strange dental wear is, it is clear that Pavlovian people shared in a behavior that produced it, and this is pretty remarkable in [its] own right,' he said.
