psychology research ideas

80 fascinating psychology research questions for your next project

Last updated

15 February 2024

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Psychology research is essential for furthering our understanding of human behavior and improving the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions.

When psychologists know more about how different social and cultural factors influence how humans act, think, and feel, they can recommend improvements to practices in areas such as education, sport, healthcare, and law enforcement.

Below, you will find 80 research question examples across 16 branches of psychology. First, though, let’s look at some tips to help you select a suitable research topic.

• How to choose a good psychology research topic

Psychology has many branches that break down further into topics. Choosing a topic for your psychology research paper can be daunting because there are so many to choose from. It’s an important choice, as the topic you select will open up a range of questions to explore.

The tips below can help you find a psychology research topic that suits your skills and interests.

Tip #1: Select a topic that interests you

Passion and interest should fuel every research project. A topic that fascinates you will most likely interest others as well. Think about the questions you and others might have and decide on the issues that matter most. Draw on your own interests, but also keep your research topical and relevant to others.

Don’t limit yourself to a topic that you already know about. Instead, choose one that will make you want to know more and dig deeper. This will keep you motivated and excited about your research.

Tip #2: Choose a topic with a manageable scope

If your topic is too broad, you can get overwhelmed by the amount of information available and have trouble maintaining focus. On the other hand, you may find it difficult to find enough information if you choose a topic that is too narrow.

To determine if the topic is too broad or too narrow, start researching as early as possible. If you find there’s an overwhelming amount of research material, you’ll probably need to narrow the topic down. For example, instead of researching the general population, it might be easier to focus on a specific age group. Ask yourself what area of the general topic interests you most and focus on that.

If your scope is too narrow, try to generalize or focus on a larger related topic. Expand your search criteria or select additional databases for information. Consider if the topic is too new to have much information published on it as well.

Tip #3: Select a topic that will produce useful and relevant insights

Doing some preliminary research will reveal any existing research on the topic. If there is existing research, will you be able to produce new insights? You might need to focus on a different area or see if the existing research has limitations that you can overcome.

Bear in mind that finding new information from which to draw fresh insights may be impossible if your topic has been over-researched.

You’ll also need to consider whether your topic is relevant to current trends and needs. For example, researching psychology topics related to social media use may be highly relevant today.

• 80 psychology research topics and questions

Psychology is a broad subject with many branches and potential areas of study. Here are some of them:

Developmental

Personality

Experimental

Organizational

Educational

Neuropsychology

Controversial topics

Below we offer some suggestions on research topics and questions that can get you started. Keep in mind that these are not all-inclusive but should be personalized to fit the theme of your paper.

Social psychology research topics and questions

Social psychology has roots as far back as the 18th century. In simple terms, it’s the study of how behavior is influenced by the presence and behavior of others. It is the science of finding out who we are, who we think we are, and how our perceptions affect ourselves and others. It looks at personalities, relationships, and group behavior.

Here are some potential research questions and paper titles for this topic:

How does social media use impact perceptions of body image in male adolescents?

2. Is childhood bullying a risk factor for social anxiety in adults?

Is homophobia in individuals caused by genetic or environmental factors?

What is the most important psychological predictor of a person’s willingness to donate to charity?

Does a person’s height impact how other people perceive them? If so, how?

Cognitive psychology research questions

Cognitive psychology is the branch that focuses on the interactions of thinking, emotion, creativity, and problem-solving. It also explores the reasons humans think the way they do.

This topic involves exploring how people think by measuring intelligence, thoughts, and cognition. 

Here are some research question ideas:

6. Is there a link between chronic stress and memory function?

7. Can certain kinds of music trigger memories in people with memory loss?

8. Do remote meetings impact the efficacy of team decision-making?

9. Do word games and puzzles slow cognitive decline in adults over the age of 80?

10. Does watching television impact a child’s reading ability?

Developmental psychology research questions

Developmental psychology is the study of how humans grow and change over their lifespan. It usually focuses on the social, emotional, and physical development of babies and children, though it can apply to people of all ages. Developmental psychology is important for understanding how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes.

Here are some questions that might inspire your research:

11. Does grief accelerate the aging process?

12. How do parent–child attachment patterns influence the development of emotion regulation in teenagers?

13. Does bilingualism affect cognitive decline in adults over the age of 70?

14. How does the transition to adulthood impact decision-making abilities

15. How does early exposure to music impact mental health and well-being in school-aged children?

Personality psychology research questions

Personality psychology studies personalities, how they develop, their structures, and the processes that define them. It looks at intelligence, disposition, moral beliefs, thoughts, and reactions.

The goal of this branch of psychology is to scientifically interpret the way personality patterns manifest into an individual’s behaviors. Here are some example research questions:

16. Nature vs. nurture: Which impacts personality development the most?

17. The role of genetics on personality: Does an adopted child take on their biological parents’ personality traits?

18. How do personality traits influence leadership styles and effectiveness in organizational settings?

19. Is there a relationship between an individual’s personality and mental health?

20. Can a chronic illness affect your personality?

Abnormal psychology research questions

As the name suggests, abnormal psychology is a branch that focuses on abnormal behavior and psychopathology (the scientific study of mental illness or disorders).

Abnormal behavior can be challenging to define. Who decides what is “normal”? As such, psychologists in this area focus on the level of distress that certain behaviors may cause, although this typically involves studying mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.

Here are some questions to consider:

21. How does technology impact the development of social anxiety disorder?

22. What are the factors behind the rising incidence of eating disorders in adolescents?

23. Are mindfulness-based interventions effective in the treatment of PTSD?

24. Is there a connection between depression and gambling addiction?

25. Can physical trauma cause psychopathy?

Clinical psychology research questions

Clinical psychology deals with assessing and treating mental illness or abnormal or psychiatric behaviors. It differs from abnormal psychology in that it focuses more on treatments and clinical aspects, while abnormal psychology is more behavioral focused.

This is a specialty area that provides care and treatment for complex mental health conditions. This can include treatment, not only for individuals but for couples, families, and other groups. Clinical psychology also supports communities, conducts research, and offers training to promote mental health. This category is very broad, so there are lots of topics to explore.

Below are some example research questions to consider:

26. Do criminals require more specific therapies or interventions?

27. How effective are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treating mental health disorders?

28. Are there any disadvantages to humanistic therapy?

29. Can group therapy be more beneficial than one-on-one therapy sessions?

30. What are the factors to consider when selecting the right treatment plan for patients with anxiety?

Experimental psychology research questions

Experimental psychology deals with studies that can prove or disprove a hypothesis. Psychologists in this field use scientific methods to collect data on basic psychological processes such as memory, cognition, and learning. They use this data to test the whys and hows of behavior and how outside factors influence its creation.

Areas of interest in this branch relate to perception, memory, emotion, and sensation. The below are example questions that could inspire your own research:

31. Do male or female parents/carers have a more calming influence on children?

32. Will your preference for a genre of music increase the more you listen to it?

33. What are the psychological effects of posting on social media vs. not posting?

34. How is productivity affected by social connection?

35. Is cheating contagious?

Organizational psychology research questions

Organizational psychology studies human behavior in the workplace. It is most frequently used to evaluate an employee, group, or a company’s organizational dynamics. Researchers aim to isolate issues and identify solutions.

This area of study can be beneficial to both employees and employers since the goal is to improve the overall work environment and experience. Researchers apply psychological principles and findings to recommend improvements in performance, communication, job satisfaction, and safety. 

Some potential research questions include the following:

36. How do different leadership styles affect employee morale?

37. Do longer lunch breaks boost employee productivity?

38. Is gender an antecedent to workplace stress?

39. What is the most effective way to promote work–life balance among employees?

40. How do different organizational structures impact the effectiveness of communication, decision-making, and productivity?

Forensic psychology research questions

Some questions to consider exploring in this branch of psychology are:

41. How does incarceration affect mental health?

42. Is childhood trauma a driver for criminal behavior during adulthood?

43. Are people with mental health conditions more likely to be victims of crimes?

44. What are the drivers of false memories, and how do they impact the justice system?

45. Is the media responsible for copycat crimes?

Educational psychology research questions

Educational psychology studies children in an educational setting. It covers topics like teaching methods, aptitude assessment, self-motivation, technology, and parental involvement.

Research in this field of psychology is vital for understanding and optimizing learning processes. It informs educators about cognitive development, learning styles, and effective teaching strategies.

Here are some example research questions:

46. Are different teaching styles more beneficial for children at different times of the day?

47. Can listening to classical music regularly increase a student’s test scores?

48. Is there a connection between sugar consumption and knowledge retention in students?

49. Does sleep duration and quality impact academic performance?

50. Does daily meditation at school influence students’ academic performance and mental health?

Sports psychology research question examples

Sport psychology aims to optimize physical performance and well-being in athletes by using cognitive and behavioral practices and interventions. Some methods include counseling, training, and clinical interventions.

Research in this area is important because it can improve team and individual performance, resilience, motivation, confidence, and overall well-being

Here are some research question ideas for you to consider:

51. How can a famous coach affect a team’s performance?

52. How can athletes control negative emotions in violent or high-contact sports?

53. How does using social media impact an athlete’s performance and well-being?

54. Can psychological interventions help with injury rehabilitation?

55. How can mindfulness practices boost sports performance?

Cultural psychology research question examples

The premise of this branch of psychology is that mind and culture are inseparable. In other words, people are shaped by their cultures, and their cultures are shaped by them. This can be a complex interaction.

Cultural psychology is vital as it explores how cultural context shapes individuals’ thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. It provides insights into diverse perspectives, promoting cross-cultural understanding and reducing biases.

Here are some ideas that you might consider researching:

56. Are there cultural differences in how people perceive and deal with pain?

57. Are different cultures at increased risk of developing mental health conditions?

58. Are there cultural differences in coping strategies for stress?

59. Do our different cultures shape our personalities?

60. How does multi-generational culture influence family values and structure?

Health psychology research question examples

Health psychology is a crucial field of study. Understanding how psychological factors influence health behaviors, adherence to medical treatments, and overall wellness enables health experts to develop effective interventions and preventive measures, ultimately improving health outcomes.

Health psychology also aids in managing stress, promoting healthy behaviors, and optimizing mental health, fostering a holistic approach to well-being.

Here are five ideas to inspire research in this field:

61. How can health psychology interventions improve lifestyle behaviors to prevent cardiovascular diseases?

62. What role do social norms play in vaping among adolescents?

63. What role do personality traits play in the development and management of chronic pain conditions?

64. How do cultural beliefs and attitudes influence health-seeking behaviors in diverse populations?

65. What are the psychological factors influencing the adherence to preventive health behaviors, such as vaccination and regular screenings?

Neuropsychology research paper question examples

Neuropsychology research explores how a person’s cognition and behavior are related to their brain and nervous system. Researchers aim to advance the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders.

Researchers may work with children facing learning or developmental challenges, or with adults with declining cognitive abilities. They may also focus on injuries or illnesses of the brain, such as traumatic brain injuries, to determine the effect on cognitive and behavioral functions.

Neuropsychology informs diagnosis and treatment strategies for conditions such as dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the neural basis of behavior enhances our ability to optimize cognitive functioning, rehabilitate people with brain injuries, and improve patient care.

Here are some example research questions to consider:

66. How do neurotransmitter imbalances in specific brain regions contribute to mood disorders such as depression?

67. How can a traumatic brain injury affect memory?

68. What neural processes underlie attention deficits in people with ADHD?

69. Do medications affect the brain differently after a traumatic brain injury?

70. What are the behavioral effects of prolonged brain swelling?

Psychology of religion research question examples

The psychology of religion is a field that studies the interplay between belief systems, spirituality, and mental well-being. It explores the application of the psychological methods and interpretive frameworks of religious traditions and how they relate to both religious and non-religious people.

Psychology of religion research contributes to a holistic understanding of human experiences. It fosters cultural competence and guides therapeutic approaches that respect diverse spiritual beliefs.

Here are some example research questions in this field:

71. What impact does a religious upbringing have on a child’s self-esteem?

72. How do religious beliefs shape decision-making and perceptions of morality?

73. What is the impact of religious indoctrination?

74. Is there correlation between religious and mindfulness practices?

75. How does religious affiliation impact attitudes towards mental health treatment and help-seeking behaviors?

Controversial topics in psychology research question examples

Some psychology topics don’t fit into any of the subcategories above, but they may still be worthwhile topics to consider. These topics are the ones that spark interest, conversation, debate, and disagreement. They are often inspired by current issues and assess the validity of older research.

Consider some of these research question examples:

76. How does the rise in on-screen violence impact behavior in adolescents.

77. Should access to social media platforms be restricted in children under the age of 12 to improve mental health?

78. Are prescription mental health medications over-prescribed in older adults? If so, what are the effects of this?

79. Cognitive biases in AI: what are the implications for decision-making?

80. What are the psychological and ethical implications of using virtual reality in exposure therapy for treating trauma-related conditions?

• Inspiration for your next psychology research project

You can choose from a diverse range of research questions that intersect and overlap across various specialties.

From cognitive psychology to clinical studies, each inquiry contributes to a deeper understanding of the human mind and behavior. Importantly, the relevance of these questions transcends individual disciplines, as many findings offer insights applicable across multiple areas of study.

As health trends evolve and societal needs shift, new topics emerge, fueling continual exploration and discovery. Diving into this ever-changing and expanding area of study enables you to navigate the complexities of the human experience and pave the way for innovative solutions to the challenges of tomorrow.

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Home » 500+ Psychology Research Topic Ideas

500+ Psychology Research Topic Ideas

Table of Contents

Psychology is a vast field that encompasses a wide range of topics and research areas. From the study of cognition and behavior to the exploration of mental health disorders, there are countless avenues for researchers to explore within this field. Whether you are a college student, graduate student, or professional in the field of psychology, selecting a research topic can be a daunting task. To help guide your research endeavors, we have compiled a list of 500+ unique psychology research topic ideas across various subfields of psychology. These research topics range from the study of abnormal psychology and cognitive psychology to military psychology and education. With this extensive list, we hope to provide you with inspiration and ideas to jumpstart your research journey.

Psychology Research Topic Ideas

Psychology Research Topic Ideas are as follows:

• The effects of social media on self-esteem in adolescents
• The role of parenting styles in shaping children’s personality development
• The impact of mindfulness meditation on stress reduction in adults
• The influence of music on mood and emotional regulation
• The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive functioning
• The relationship between personality traits and job satisfaction
• The effects of physical exercise on mental health
• The role of culture in shaping social identity and behavior
• The impact of peer pressure on decision-making in adolescents
• The effects of childhood trauma on adult attachment styles
• The influence of personality on romantic relationships
• The effects of bullying on mental health in children and adolescents
• The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety disorders
• The impact of positive psychology interventions on well-being
• The effects of social support on coping with stress
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and academic achievement
• The effects of technology use on cognitive functioning
• The influence of gender roles on social behavior
• The effects of pet ownership on mental health
• The role of attachment styles in parent-child relationships
• The impact of social comparison on body dissatisfaction in women
• The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on chronic pain management
• The relationship between personality disorders and criminal behavior
• The effects of stereotype threat on academic performance
• The influence of self-esteem on romantic relationships
• The effects of environmental factors on cognitive development in children
• The role of resilience in coping with trauma
• The effects of gaming on cognitive functioning and addiction
• The impact of mindfulness interventions on workplace productivity
• The relationship between social support and physical health.
• The relationship between self-compassion and mental health
• The impact of cognitive biases on decision-making
• The role of attachment styles in romantic relationships
• The effects of social isolation on mental health
• The influence of cultural values on parenting practices
• The relationship between social media use and body image dissatisfaction
• The effects of childhood obesity on mental health and well-being
• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions on addiction recovery
• The role of personality in predicting job performance and success
• The effects of sleep quality on academic achievement
• The influence of social identity on intergroup conflict
• The effects of nature exposure on stress reduction
• The impact of meditation on empathy and compassion
• The role of emotion regulation in coping with chronic illness
• The effects of gratitude interventions on well-being and life satisfaction
• The relationship between personality traits and leadership effectiveness
• The impact of trauma on brain development in children
• The role of social norms in shaping behavior
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on eating disorders
• The influence of cultural factors on mental health stigma
• The effects of emotional intelligence on workplace relationships and team effectiveness
• The relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement
• The impact of exercise on cognitive aging and dementia prevention
• The role of empathy in moral decision-making
• The effects of social comparison on academic motivation
• The influence of cultural factors on the perception of mental illness
• The effects of childhood bullying on long-term mental health outcomes
• The role of personality in romantic partner selection and satisfaction
• The impact of parental divorce on children’s emotional and behavioral outcomes
• The relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in stressful situations.
• The impact of personality disorders on interpersonal relationships
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on workplace stress and burnout
• The role of emotional intelligence in romantic relationships
• The effects of cultural factors on the development of eating disorders
• The relationship between attachment styles and emotional regulation
• The impact of early childhood education on cognitive development
• The effects of exposure to violence on mental health outcomes
• The role of motivation in academic achievement and success
• The influence of culture on the perception of intelligence and academic achievement
• The effects of technology use on social skills and communication
• The relationship between self-esteem and social anxiety
• The impact of trauma on memory processing and recall
• The role of parental involvement in academic achievement
• The effects of exercise on mental health outcomes in older adults
• The influence of cultural factors on romantic attraction and mate selection
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on depression and anxiety
• The relationship between personality traits and substance abuse
• The impact of environmental factors on child development
• The role of motivation in workplace productivity and job satisfaction
• The effects of social media use on sleep quality and quantity
• The influence of cultural factors on the perception and treatment of addiction
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety disorder
• The relationship between personality traits and risk-taking behavior
• The impact of prenatal stress on child development and behavior
• The role of emotional intelligence in leadership effectiveness
• The effects of meditation on attention and focus
• The influence of cultural factors on mental health treatment-seeking behavior
• The effects of traumatic events on personal growth and resilience
• The relationship between personality traits and creativity
• The impact of mindfulness interventions on emotion dysregulation in children and adolescents.
• The effects of social comparison on body dissatisfaction
• The impact of parental stress on child behavior and development
• The role of mindfulness in stress management during pregnancy
• The effects of cultural factors on the development of social anxiety disorder
• The relationship between personality traits and procrastination
• The impact of trauma on addiction and substance abuse
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health treatment
• The effects of exercise on self-esteem and body image
• The influence of personality traits on the development of eating disorders
• The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health outcomes
• The impact of meditation on academic performance and focus
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards body image and appearance
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on chronic pain management
• The relationship between personality traits and moral decision-making
• The impact of early childhood attachment on romantic relationships
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards sexuality and sexual behavior
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in older adults
• The influence of personality traits on the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder
• The relationship between childhood bullying and adult mental health outcomes
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on panic disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards substance use and addiction
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on insomnia and sleep quality
• The relationship between personality traits and social comparison behavior
• The impact of parental divorce on romantic relationship outcomes
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards aging and age-related changes
• The effects of social support on stress management in college students
• The influence of personality traits on the development of anxiety disorders
• The relationship between childhood trauma and romantic relationship outcomes
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards masculinity and femininity
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on work-related stress
• The relationship between personality traits and forgiveness
• The impact of peer pressure on adolescent substance abuse
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health stigma
• The effects of social support on stress management in healthcare workers
• The influence of personality traits on the development of depression
• The relationship between childhood trauma and substance abuse
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards body modification and cosmetic surgery
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on emotional regulation in adolescents.
• The effects of social media on self-esteem and body image in adolescent girls
• The impact of parental emotional neglect on adult mental health outcomes
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards gender and sexual orientation identity
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on post-traumatic stress disorder
• The relationship between personality traits and attachment styles in romantic relationships
• The impact of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic illness
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards disability and ableism
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on emotional eating and food addiction
• The influence of personality traits on the development of borderline personality disorder
• The relationship between childhood adversity and adult mental health outcomes
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on generalized anxiety disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards aging and dementia
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain
• The relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in response to stress
• The impact of maternal mental health on child behavior and development
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health in the workplace
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on stress and burnout in healthcare professionals
• The influence of personality traits on the development of narcissistic personality disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and sleep disorders
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on bipolar disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards diversity and inclusion
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in refugees and immigrants
• The relationship between personality traits and empathy
• The impact of social comparison on academic performance and motivation
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health in the military
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on addiction recovery and relapse prevention
• The influence of personality traits on the development of antisocial personality disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality disorder
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social skills and communication in autism spectrum disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health in the LGBTQ+ community
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with substance use disorder
• The relationship between personality traits and creativity in the arts and sciences
• The impact of early childhood exposure to violence on adult mental health outcomes
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and aging in rural communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and self-care
• The influence of personality traits on the development of schizophrenia
• The relationship between childhood trauma and dissociative identity disorder
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety in children and adolescents
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and spirituality
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic stress.
• The impact of personality traits on job performance and satisfaction
• The relationship between childhood trauma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The effects of exposure therapy on phobias and anxiety disorders
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health in minority communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in caregivers of individuals with chronic illness or disability
• The relationship between cognitive flexibility and problem-solving abilities
• The impact of psychoeducation on stigma reduction towards mental illness
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and substance use in college students
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on academic performance and stress in college students
• The influence of personality traits on the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• The relationship between childhood trauma and depression in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety in cancer patients
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and body image in men
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome
• The relationship between resilience and post-traumatic growth
• The impact of music therapy on mental health outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and motherhood
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on emotional regulation and mood disorders in adolescents
• The influence of personality traits on the development of hoarding disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and substance use disorder in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on insomnia and sleep disorders
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and masculinity
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic migraines
• The relationship between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness
• The impact of group therapy on social skills and communication in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and aging in urban communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on compassion and empathy in healthcare professionals
• The influence of personality traits on the development of postpartum depression
• The relationship between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on self-esteem and body image in individuals with eating disorders
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and family dynamics in immigrant families
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic gastrointestinal disorders
• The relationship between personality traits and self-compassion
• The impact of play therapy on social-emotional development in children with autism spectrum disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and aging in LGBTQ+ communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic pain
• The relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality disorder symptoms in adolescence
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in children and adolescents.
• The effects of physical exercise on mood and anxiety in older adults
• The relationship between childhood trauma and attachment styles in romantic relationships
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on body dysmorphic disorder symptoms
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and spirituality in indigenous communities
• The relationship between personality traits and risky behavior in adolescence
• The influence of parental bonding on the development of borderline personality disorder in young adults
• The impact of mindfulness interventions on stress and burnout in healthcare professionals
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and disability in rural communities
• The effects of psychotherapy on self-compassion in individuals with depression
• The relationship between childhood trauma and dissociative symptoms in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety disorder in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behaviors in Asian American communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• The influence of family functioning on the development of substance use disorders in adolescents
• The impact of expressive writing on emotional processing in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in survivors of domestic violence
• The relationship between childhood trauma and disordered eating behaviors in young adults
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on panic disorder symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community support in refugee populations
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• The relationship between personality traits and romantic relationship satisfaction
• The influence of childhood attachment on the development of post-traumatic stress disorder in adulthood
• The impact of group therapy on social skills and self-esteem in individuals with social anxiety disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and faith-based support in African American communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on emotion regulation and coping skills in individuals with borderline personality disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and anxiety sensitivity in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on health anxiety symptoms in individuals with chronic illnesses
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and social stigma in Hispanic/Latino communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic hepatitis C
• The relationship between personality traits and decision-making processes
• The influence of parent-child communication on the development of eating disorders in adolescents
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on gambling disorder symptoms
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and access to care in rural communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with bipolar disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and rumination in adulthood
• The impact of group therapy on self-esteem and assertiveness in individuals with avoidant personality disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Native American populations.
• The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance and decision-making
• The relationship between personality traits and addiction susceptibility
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on hoarding disorder symptoms
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and spirituality in Hispanic/Latino communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with multiple sclerosis
• The relationship between childhood trauma and emotional regulation in adulthood
• The influence of social media on body image and self-esteem in adolescents
• The impact of mindfulness interventions on impulsivity and self-control in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behaviors in LGBTQ+ communities
• The effects of cognitive training on cognitive performance and brain structure in older adults
• The relationship between personality traits and risk-taking behaviors in college students
• The impact of family therapy on communication and conflict resolution in families with a history of domestic violence
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Asian American communities
• The relationship between childhood trauma and interpersonal functioning in adulthood
• The influence of cultural identity on mental health outcomes in immigrant populations
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on eating disorder symptoms in individuals with type 1 diabetes
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and stigma in Arab American communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• The relationship between childhood trauma and attachment styles in adulthood friendships
• The impact of expressive writing on stress and immune function in caregivers of individuals with dementia
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in rural Native American communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain and depression
• The relationship between personality traits and emotional intelligence
• The influence of parental warmth and discipline on the development of anxiety disorders in children
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on postpartum depression symptoms
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and access to care in South Asian communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with borderline personality disorder
• The relationship between childhood trauma and resilience in adulthood
• The impact of group therapy on social anxiety and loneliness in individuals with hearing loss
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community support in Pacific Islander communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and depression
• The relationship between personality traits and leadership styles
• The influence of peer relationships on the development of depressive symptoms in adolescents
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on body image and self-esteem in individuals with gender dysphoria
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Middle Eastern communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and addiction
• The relationship between childhood trauma and substance use disorders in adulthood
• The impact of group therapy on emotion regulation and self-esteem in individuals with personality disorders
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in immigrant and refugee communities.
• Sure, here are 40 more psychology research topic ideas:
• The effects of meditation on creativity and divergent thinking
• The relationship between personality traits and career satisfaction
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on sleep disturbances in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behaviors in Black communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• The relationship between childhood trauma and attachment styles in romantic relationships in adulthood
• The influence of social norms on substance use behaviors in college students
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Indigenous communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with chronic pain
• The impact of group therapy on emotion regulation and social connectedness in individuals with eating disorders
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in African immigrant communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI)
• The relationship between childhood trauma and the development of eating disorders in adulthood
• The influence of social identity on stereotype threat and academic performance in college students
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms in individuals with Parkinson’s disease
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behaviors in Southeast Asian communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• The relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in individuals with chronic pain
• The impact of group therapy on emotion regulation and social support in individuals with borderline personality disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Muslim communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and depression
• The relationship between childhood trauma and emotional intelligence in adulthood
• The influence of attachment styles on romantic relationship satisfaction in adults
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety symptoms in individuals with social communication disorder (SCD)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in refugee communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with substance use disorders
• The relationship between personality traits and resilience in individuals with chronic illnesses
• The impact of group therapy on emotion regulation and social skills in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Caribbean communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with fibromyalgia and depression
• The influence of social comparison on body dissatisfaction and eating disorder behaviors in adolescents
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression symptoms in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Native Hawaiian communities
• The relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• The impact of group therapy on social anxiety symptoms in individuals with intellectual disabilities
• The role of social comparison in body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors in men
• The effects of parental attachment on romantic relationships in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on anxiety symptoms in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS)
• The relationship between cultural values and parenting practices in Latino families
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and anxiety
• The role of social norms in shaping attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behaviors in South Asian communities
• The influence of personality traits on academic achievement in college students
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression symptoms in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• The relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction in same-sex couples
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with schizophrenia
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Arab communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain and anxiety
• The relationship between childhood adversity and substance use disorders in adulthood
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on anxiety symptoms in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• The role of cultural beliefs about mental illness and stigma in Latino communities
• The effects of social identity on stereotype threat and academic achievement in minority college students
• The relationship between personality traits and coping strategies in caregivers of individuals with dementia
• The impact of group therapy on depression symptoms in individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in LGBTQ+ communities
• The relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction in individuals with chronic illnesses
• The influence of personality traits on stress and coping in police officers
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on anxiety symptoms in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• The role of cultural beliefs about mental illness and stigma in Asian communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and depression
• The relationship between childhood trauma and interpersonal relationships in adulthood
• The impact of group therapy on anxiety symptoms in individuals with social phobia
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Native American communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with postpartum depression
• The relationship between personality traits and burnout in healthcare professionals
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on anxiety symptoms in individuals with chronic pain and fibromyalgia
• The role of cultural beliefs about mental illness and stigma in African American communities
• The effects of social support on mental health outcomes in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and anxiety
• The relationship between childhood trauma and emotional regulation in adolescence
• The influence of personality traits on well-being and life satisfaction in older adults
• The impact of group therapy on depression symptoms in individuals with borderline personality disorder
• The role of culture in shaping attitudes towards mental health and community resources in Hispanic/Latino communities
• The effects of mindfulness interventions on self-compassion and emotional regulation in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• The relationship between attachment styles and emotional regulation in individuals with substance use disorders

Psychology Research Topic Ideas College Students

• The effects of virtual reality exposure therapy on anxiety and phobias among college students
• The relationship between attachment styles and romantic relationship satisfaction among college students
• The impact of social norms on substance use among college students
• The effects of cultural identity on mental health and academic achievement among college students
• The role of self-compassion in reducing burnout among college students
• The relationship between social media use and FOMO (fear of missing out) among college students
• The impact of environmental factors on mental health and well-being among college students
• The effects of self-esteem on social anxiety and social skills among college students
• The role of positive psychology interventions in promoting well-being and academic success among college students
• The relationship between gender identity and mental health outcomes among college students
• The impact of parental communication on mental health and academic performance among college students
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on PTSD symptoms among college students
• The relationship between personality traits and academic procrastination among college students
• The role of humor in reducing stress and promoting well-being among college students
• The impact of social identity on academic motivation and achievement among college students
• The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on academic performance and mental health among college students
• The relationship between academic stress and substance use among college students
• The role of cultural competence in promoting diversity and inclusion on college campuses
• The impact of emotional intelligence on academic success and career readiness among college students
• The effects of peer mentoring programs on academic motivation and success among college students
• The relationship between exercise and cognitive functioning in college students
• The role of optimism in promoting resilience and well-being among college students
• The impact of music therapy on anxiety and depression among college students
• The effects of exposure to nature on mental health and well-being among college students
• The relationship between parental involvement and emotional regulation among college students
• The role of forgiveness in promoting well-being and interpersonal relationships among college students
• The impact of social comparison on body image and self-esteem among college students
• The effects of attachment styles on coping with stress among college students
• The relationship between academic self-efficacy and academic performance among college students
• The role of grit in promoting academic perseverance and achievement among college students
• The impact of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being among college students
• The effects of peer pressure on substance use and risky behaviors among college students
• The relationship between social support and academic engagement among college students
• The role of cognitive biases in promoting or hindering academic success among college students
• The impact of physical activity on mental health and well-being among college students
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on academic motivation and success among college students
• The relationship between perfectionism and academic burnout among college students
• The role of parental support in promoting academic resilience and success among college students with disabilities
• The impact of diversity education on promoting empathy and reducing prejudice among college students
• The effects of assertiveness training on communication skills and interpersonal relationships among college students.

Graduate Psychology Research Topic Ideas

• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in clinical populations
• The role of self-compassion in promoting emotional well-being among adults with chronic illness
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on PTSD symptoms in military veterans
• The relationship between sleep quality and cognitive functioning in aging populations
• The impact of positive psychology interventions on well-being and resilience among individuals with chronic pain
• The role of emotion regulation in reducing symptoms of borderline personality disorder
• The effects of virtual reality exposure therapy on social anxiety in individuals with autism spectrum disorder
• The relationship between executive functioning and academic achievement in children with ADHD
• The impact of family-based interventions on reducing symptoms of substance use disorders among adolescents
• The role of mindfulness in promoting emotional regulation and stress management in healthcare professionals
• The effects of cognitive remediation therapy on cognitive functioning in individuals with schizophrenia
• The relationship between attachment styles and therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy
• The impact of cultural factors on the manifestation and treatment of eating disorders
• The role of emotion regulation in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in postpartum women
• The effects of acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing symptoms of OCD
• The relationship between childhood ADHD and adult executive functioning and academic achievement
• The impact of animal-assisted therapy on reducing symptoms of PTSD in veterans
• The role of social support in promoting resilience and well-being among individuals with chronic illness
• The effects of cognitive remediation therapy on reducing negative symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia
• The relationship between executive functioning and social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing symptoms of hoarding disorder
• The role of emotion regulation in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
• The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing symptoms of burnout among healthcare professionals
• The relationship between social support and quality of life in individuals with multiple sclerosis
• The impact of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder
• The role of mindfulness in promoting well-being and emotional regulation in individuals with chronic pain
• The effects of cognitive remediation therapy on reducing negative symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder
• The relationship between executive functioning and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities
• The impact of acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing symptoms of social anxiety disorder
• The role of emotion regulation in reducing symptoms of borderline personality disorder in adolescents
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing symptoms of panic disorder
• The relationship between social support and depression in individuals with HIV/AIDS
• The impact of cognitive remediation therapy on reducing symptoms of ADHD in adults
• The role of mindfulness in promoting well-being and emotional regulation in individuals with depression
• The effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing symptoms of substance use disorders in individuals with co-occurring PTSD
• The relationship between executive functioning and quality of life in individuals with traumatic brain injury
• The impact of acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
• The role of emotion regulation in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents with chronic illness
• The effects of cognitive remediation therapy on reducing cognitive impairment in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Military Psychology Research Topic Ideas

• The impact of military deployment on the mental health and well-being of service members
• The role of resilience in promoting posttraumatic growth among military personnel
• The effects of combat exposure on emotional regulation and decision-making abilities
• The relationship between military leadership styles and team cohesion
• The impact of military culture on help-seeking behaviors among service members with mental health concerns
• The role of perceived social support in promoting resilience among military spouses during deployment
• The effects of military service on identity formation and self-concept
• The relationship between deployment-related stress and marital satisfaction among military couples
• The impact of military sexual trauma on mental health outcomes and treatment seeking behaviors among service members
• The role of mindfulness in reducing symptoms of PTSD among military personnel
• The effects of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy on reducing symptoms of PTSD among military veterans
• The relationship between military deployment and substance use disorders
• The impact of military deployment on parent-child relationships and child outcomes
• The role of perceived organizational support in promoting job satisfaction and retention among military personnel
• The effects of exposure therapy on reducing combat-related nightmares and sleep disturbances among military personnel
• The relationship between military service and risk-taking behaviors
• The impact of military culture on mental health stigma and treatment seeking behaviors among service members
• The role of positive psychology interventions in promoting resilience and well-being among military personnel and their families
• The effects of virtual reality exposure therapy on reducing symptoms of specific phobias among military personnel
• The relationship between military service and traumatic brain injury
• The impact of deployment on career development and job satisfaction among military personnel
• The role of cognitive appraisal in the stress and coping process among military personnel
• The effects of a peer support program on reducing symptoms of PTSD among military personnel
• The relationship between military service and intimate partner violence perpetration and victimization
• The impact of military deployment on parenting practices and child outcomes among military families
• The role of perceived organizational justice in promoting job satisfaction and retention among military personnel
• The effects of acceptance and commitment therapy on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among military personnel
• The relationship between military service and suicidal ideation and behavior
• The impact of military deployment on social support networks and social integration
• The role of perceived unit cohesion in promoting resilience and mental health among military personnel
• The effects of cognitive remediation therapy on improving cognitive functioning and job performance among military personnel with traumatic brain injury
• The relationship between military service and alcohol misuse and addiction
• The impact of military deployment on sibling relationships and family functioning
• The role of perceived leadership support in promoting job satisfaction and retention among military personnel
• The effects of exposure therapy on reducing symptoms of phobic avoidance among military personnel
• The relationship between military service and eating disorders
• The impact of military deployment on community reintegration and social support among veterans
• The role of perceived control in the stress and coping process among military personnel
• The effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among military spouses during deployment
• The relationship between military service and personality disorders.

Psychology Research Topic Ideas in Education

• The effects of mindfulness practices on student well-being and academic performance
• The impact of classroom diversity on student attitudes and academic achievement
• The role of parent-teacher communication in promoting student success
• The effects of differentiated instruction on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between school climate and student mental health outcomes
• The impact of technology integration on student learning outcomes
• The role of teacher-student relationships in promoting student engagement and academic success
• The effects of social-emotional learning programs on student behavior and academic performance
• The relationship between academic self-concept and academic achievement
• The impact of peer tutoring on student academic performance
• The role of motivation in promoting student academic success
• The effects of educational gaming on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between parental involvement and student academic achievement
• The impact of teacher expectations on student academic performance
• The role of goal-setting in promoting student academic success
• The effects of growth mindset interventions on student motivation and academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher burnout and student academic outcomes
• The impact of teacher diversity on student attitudes and academic achievement
• The role of classroom management in promoting student engagement and academic success
• The effects of student-centered learning on student academic performance
• The relationship between teacher empathy and student academic outcomes
• The impact of school-based mental health services on student mental health outcomes and academic achievement
• The role of parental involvement in homework on student academic success
• The effects of project-based learning on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between student motivation and academic achievement in STEM fields
• The impact of teacher professional development on student academic outcomes
• The role of teacher feedback in promoting student academic success
• The effects of cooperative learning on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between classroom climate and student academic outcomes
• The impact of restorative justice practices on student behavior and academic achievement
• The role of teacher support in promoting student academic success
• The effects of flipped classrooms on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between teacher autonomy and student academic outcomes
• The impact of teacher collaboration on student academic performance
• The role of metacognition in promoting student academic success
• The effects of active learning on student engagement and academic achievement
• The relationship between student engagement and academic achievement in language learning
• The impact of teacher coaching on student academic outcomes
• The role of self-regulated learning in promoting student academic success
• The effects of outdoor learning on student engagement and academic achievement.

Cognitive Psychology Research Topic Ideas

• The role of attention in perception and memory
• The effect of sleep deprivation on cognitive functioning
• The relationship between creativity and cognitive flexibility
• The cognitive processes involved in decision-making
• The impact of stress on cognitive performance
• The role of working memory in problem-solving
• The cognitive factors involved in language acquisition
• The relationship between attention and executive functions
• The effect of aging on cognitive abilities
• The role of attention in visual perception
• The cognitive processes involved in learning and memory
• The impact of technology on cognitive development
• The relationship between cognition and emotion
• The effect of anxiety on cognitive performance
• The cognitive processes involved in attentional control
• The role of executive functions in decision-making
• The effect of mindfulness practices on cognitive functioning
• The relationship between language and cognition
• The cognitive processes involved in reading comprehension
• The impact of nutrition on cognitive development
• The role of working memory in language processing
• The effect of exercise on cognitive performance
• The cognitive processes involved in mental rotation tasks
• The relationship between cognitive load and learning
• The effect of multitasking on cognitive performance
• The cognitive processes involved in problem-solving
• The role of executive functions in goal-directed behavior
• The impact of cognitive training on cognitive abilities
• The relationship between attention and perception
• The effect of music on cognitive performance
• The cognitive processes involved in decision-making under uncertainty
• The role of cognitive control in self-regulation
• The impact of bilingualism on cognitive development
• The relationship between cognitive biases and decision-making
• The effect of caffeine on cognitive performance
• The cognitive processes involved in face recognition
• The role of cognitive dissonance in attitude change
• The impact of mindfulness-based interventions on cognitive functioning
• The relationship between cognitive styles and problem-solving
• The cognitive processes involved in mental imagery.

Forensic Psychology Research Topic Ideas

• The impact of childhood trauma on criminal behavior
• The effectiveness of forensic psychological evaluations in court proceedings
• The role of mental illness in criminal behavior
• The effect of substance abuse on criminal behavior
• The impact of eyewitness testimony on legal outcomes
• The role of psychopathy in criminal behavior
• The effectiveness of restorative justice practices
• The relationship between socioeconomic status and criminal behavior
• The effect of media coverage on public perceptions of crime
• The impact of prison environment on offender rehabilitation
• The role of the insanity defense in criminal cases
• The effectiveness of sex offender treatment programs
• The relationship between domestic violence and homicide
• The effect of legal representation on trial outcomes
• The impact of juvenile delinquency prevention programs
• The role of cultural factors in criminal behavior
• The effectiveness of parole and probation programs
• The relationship between mental illness and violence
• The effect of polygraph testing on legal outcomes
• The impact of criminal profiling on law enforcement investigations
• The role of victim impact statements in sentencing
• The effectiveness of correctional education programs
• The relationship between childhood attachment styles and criminal behavior
• The effect of cognitive biases in legal decision-making
• The impact of witness identification procedures on accuracy
• The role of forensic hypnosis in criminal investigations
• The effectiveness of drug court programs
• The relationship between alcohol use and criminal behavior
• The effect of societal stereotypes on criminal sentencing
• The impact of prison overcrowding on offender rehabilitation
• The role of cultural competence in forensic assessments
• The effectiveness of diversion programs for juvenile offenders
• The relationship between trauma and criminal behavior in women
• The effect of plea bargaining on legal outcomes
• The impact of social support on offender rehabilitation
• The role of forensic psychology in counterterrorism efforts
• The effectiveness of offender reentry programs
• The relationship between intellectual disability and criminal behavior
• The effect of forensic testimony on jury decision-making.

Abnormal psychology research topic ideas

• The effects of childhood trauma on the development of anxiety disorders
• The relationship between depression and sleep disturbances
• The effectiveness of psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder
• The impact of social media on body image and eating disorders
• The role of genetics in the development of schizophrenia
• The effect of early intervention on the progression of psychosis
• The impact of stigma on help-seeking behaviors for mental health disorders
• The relationship between substance use disorders and mental health
• The effect of exercise on symptoms of depression and anxiety
• The impact of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy on post-traumatic stress disorder
• The role of attachment styles in the development of personality disorders
• The effectiveness of cognitive remediation therapy for schizophrenia
• The relationship between childhood ADHD and the development of anxiety disorders
• The effect of mindfulness meditation on symptoms of depression and anxiety
• The impact of cultural factors on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders
• The role of neuroplasticity in the treatment of addiction
• The effectiveness of exposure therapy for specific phobias
• The effect of stress on the development of mental health disorders
• The impact of sleep disturbances on the onset of bipolar disorder
• The role of trauma in the development of dissociative disorders
• The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
• The relationship between childhood abuse and the development of borderline personality disorder
• The effect of peer support on the recovery of individuals with mental health disorders
• The impact of cultural differences on the presentation of mental health symptoms
• The role of cognitive biases in the maintenance of anxiety disorders
• The effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder
• The relationship between early life stressors and the development of depression
• The effect of nutrition on mental health
• The impact of virtual reality exposure therapy on phobia treatment
• The role of genetics in the development of mood disorders
• The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders
• The relationship between childhood trauma and the development of dissociative identity disorder
• The effect of stigma on treatment outcomes for individuals with mental health disorders
• The impact of childhood adversity on the development of personality disorders
• The role of emotional regulation in the treatment of borderline personality disorder
• The effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy for depression
• The relationship between sleep disturbances and the development of anxiety disorders
• The effect of stigma on mental health professionals’ treatment decisions
• The impact of cultural factors on the expression of bipolar disorder symptoms.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Exploring 200+ Psychology Topics to Research: Unlocking the Depths of the Mind

The world of psychology is as vast as the human mind itself. Delving into the intricate workings of the human psyche can be both fascinating. For students, academics, or anyone with a curious mind, choosing the right psychology topics to research is paramount. In this blog, we’ll navigate through the labyrinth of psychology topics, helping you find your way to a captivating and meaningful research endeavor.

How To Select Psychology Topics To Research?

Table of Contents

• Follow Your Interests: Start with what you love. What aspects of human behavior or the mind fascinate you the most? It’s much easier to research something you’re passionate about.
• Consider Relevance: Think about how your chosen topic fits into your academic or career goals. Does it relate to what you’re studying or the job you want? If it does, great!
• Balance the Scope: Don’t pick a topic that’s too broad or too narrow. Find that sweet spot in the middle. You want a topic that’s focused enough to research effectively but not so narrow that there’s no existing information.
• Explore Different Areas: Research the various branches of psychology, like cognitive, social, clinical, developmental, or biological psychology. See which one resonates with you the most.
• Seek Advice: Talk to your professors, mentors, or peers. They can provide guidance and suggestions based on your interests and goals.

200+ Popular Psychology Topics To Research: Category Wise

40+ cognitive psychology topics.

• The role of working memory in problem-solving.
• Cognitive effects of sleep deprivation.
• Neural basis of attention and focus.
• Influence of language on cognitive development.
• Decision-making biases in economic behavior.
• The psychology of learning and memory.
• The impact of stress on cognitive performance.
• Cognitive decline in aging populations.
• Emotion and memory recall.
• False memories and eyewitness testimony.
• Cognitive processes in creativity.
• Cognitive aspects of decision-making in healthcare.
• The psychology of expertise and skill acquisition.
• Cognitive factors in reading comprehension.
• The role of schemas in information processing.
• Cognitive development in infants.
• Cognitive rehabilitation after brain injury.
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and executive functions.
• Neural mechanisms of perception and visual attention.
• The psychology of problem-solving in artificial intelligence.
• Cognitive aspects of mathematical reasoning.
• Neural plasticity and cognitive recovery.
• Cognitive load and its impact on learning.
• Memory consolidation during sleep.
• Attentional disorders and their impact on cognitive functioning.
• The influence of music on cognitive processes.
• Cognitive development in bilingual individuals.
• Cognitive aspects of decision-making in criminal behavior.
• Neural correlates of cognitive control.
• The psychology of cognitive biases in politics.
• Cognitive effects of mindfulness meditation.
• The part working memory plays in academic success.
• Cognitive processes in language acquisition.
• Cognitive factors in problem gambling behavior.
• The psychology of cognitive development in children with autism.
• Cognitive aspects of spatial navigation.
• Memory distortions and the courtroom.
• Neural basis of cognitive dissonance.
• Cognitive aspects of social perception.
• Cognitive rehabilitation in Alzheimer’s disease.

40+ Social Psychology Research Topics

• The impact of social media on self-esteem.
• Groupthink and decision-making.
• Stereotype threat in academic settings.
• Bystander effect in emergencies.
• Cross-cultural perspectives on conformity.
• Online dating and self-presentation.
• The psychology of social influence.
• The role of empathy in prosocial behavior.
• Social identity and intergroup relations.
• Aggression and video game exposure.
• Prejudice and discrimination in modern society.
• The influence of social norms on behavior.
• Attitudes and attitude change.
• Social support and mental health.
• Obedience to authority figures.
• Social comparison and self-concept.
• The psychology of attraction and relationships.
• The bystander intervention model.
• Body image and social media.
• Political polarization and social psychology.
• The psychology of fake news and misinformation.
• Emotional contagion and social interactions.
• Stereotyping in the workplace.
• Consequences of cyberbullying.
• The impact of group dynamics on creativity.
• Gender roles and socialization.
• The role of humor in social interactions.
• Social factors in decision-making and risk-taking.
• Altruism and volunteerism.
• The psychology of leadership and authority.
• Social exclusion and its effects on individuals.
• The relationship between religion and prosocial behavior.
• Social influence in marketing and advertising.
• Online activism and social change.
• The psychology of online communities and forums.
• Attachment styles and adult relationships.
• Social perceptions of beauty and attractiveness.
• Social isolation’s negative consequences on mental health.
• The psychology of public speaking anxiety.
• The role of forgiveness in interpersonal relationships.

40+ Clinical Psychology Research Topics

• Effects of childhood trauma on mental health in adults.
• Efficacy of virtual therapy for treating anxiety disorders.
• Exploring the genetics of schizophrenia.
• Effects of mindfulness meditation on depression.
• Cultural factors in the diagnosis of eating disorders.
• Examining the link between sleep disorders and mood disorders.
• Assessing the effectiveness of group therapy for substance abuse.
• The role of attachment in borderline personality disorder.
• Investigating the stigma surrounding mental illness.
• Treating PTSD in veterans through exposure therapy.
• Neurobiological basis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Parent-child relationships and their impact on conduct disorder.
• Gender differences in the prevalence of depression.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder.
• Psychopharmacology and treatment-resistant depression.
• The psychology of self-harm and self-injury.
• Internet addiction and its connection to mental health.
• Assessing the efficacy of art therapy for PTSD.
• Personality disorders and their impact on interpersonal relationships.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treating borderline personality disorder.
• Factors contributing to the rise in adolescent depression.
• Exploring the link between childhood abuse and dissociative identity disorder.
• Cross-cultural perspectives on the diagnosis of ADHD.
• The role of serotonin in mood disorders.
• Mindfulness-based stress reduction in chronic pain management.
• Impact of family dynamics on eating disorders in adolescents.
• Examining the long-term effects of child neglect on adult mental health.
• Psychosocial factors in the development of schizophrenia.
• Gender dysphoria and psychological well-being.
• The psychology of resilience in cancer patients.
• Attachment styles and their influence on adult relationships.
• Virtual reality exposure therapy for phobias.
• Exploring the effectiveness of equine therapy for trauma survivors.
• Autism spectrum disorders and early intervention.
• Body image dissatisfaction and its link to eating disorders.
• The psychological impact of chronic illness.
• Cognitive rehabilitation in traumatic brain injury.
• Sleep disorders in children and their impact on academic performance.
• The role of social support in recovery from substance abuse.
• Neuropsychological assessment in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.

40+ Developmental Psychology Research Topics

• The impact of parental divorce on child development.
• Adolescents’ self-identity and social media.
• Long-term effects of early childhood attachment on adult relationships.
• Gender identity development in children.
• The influence of birth order on personality development.
• The role of genetics in language development.
• Autism spectrum disorder interventions for toddlers.
• Adolescent peer pressure and substance abuse.
• The impact of bullying on psychological development.
• Sibling rivalry and its long-term effects.
• Parenting styles and their influence on children’s behavior.
• The development of moral reasoning in children.
• Influence of cultural factors on child development.
• Attachment theory and foster care outcomes.
• The impact of technology on cognitive development in children.
• Children’s understanding of death and grief.
• Cognitive development in bilingual children.
• The role of play in early childhood development.
• Attachment disorders and interventions in adopted children.
• The development of emotional intelligence in adolescents.
• The impact of poverty on child development.
• The relationship between nutrition and cognitive development.
• Bullying prevention and intervention programs in schools.
• The role of grandparents in child development.
• Developmental aspects of sibling relationships.
• Child prodigies and their psychological development.
• Gender stereotypes and their influence on children’s aspirations.
• The effects of early education on academic success.
• Cognitive development in children with learning disabilities.
• The impact of divorce on young adults’ romantic relationships.
• Parent-child communication about sex education.
• Adolescents’ body image and its influence on self-esteem.
• Influence of peer relationships on early social development.
• The role of extracurricular activities in adolescent development.
• Long-term outcomes for children in same-sex parent families.
• Cognitive development in children with ADHD.
• The effects of early exposure to screens on cognitive development.
• The role of attachment in adolescent mental health.
• Identity development in multicultural children.

40+ Biological Psychology Research Topics

• The neural basis of addiction and substance abuse.
• The role of genetics in personality traits.
• Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function.
• Exploring the gut-brain connection and its impact on mental health.
• Neural mechanisms of stress and its long-term effects.
• The relationship between brain structure and intelligence.
• The impact of exercise on brain health and cognition.
• Neurobiological factors in eating disorders.
• Neural pathways involved in fear and anxiety.
• The influence of hormones on behavior and mood.
• Neuroplasticity and its implications for recovery after brain injuries.
• The biology of memory and amnesia.
• Understanding the neurological basis of schizophrenia.
• The role of neurotransmitters in depression.
• The impact of aging on brain structure and function.
• Neural mechanisms underlying aggression and violence.
• Brain imaging techniques and their applications in research.
• The effects of prenatal exposure to toxins on brain development.
• Neurological aspects of autism spectrum disorders.
• Brain changes associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• The genetics of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Neurobiology of consciousness and altered states of consciousness.
• The role of the amygdala in emotional processing.
• Neural mechanisms of sexual attraction and orientation.
• The impact of nutrition on brain development and function.
• Brain regions involved in decision-making and impulsivity.
• Neurological factors in Tourette’s syndrome.
• The biology of reward and motivation.
• Neural correlates of empathy and social cognition.
• Genetic predisposition to addiction.
• The influence of hormones on maternal behavior.
• The neurological basis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Adolescent brain development and the effects on behavior.
• The prefrontal cortex’s function in executive tasks.
• Linguistic disorders and language neuroscience.
• Neuroinflammation’s effects on mental health.
• Mechanisms in the brain that affect sensory perception.
• Neurological and genetic influences on bipolar disorder.
• The impact of persistent pain on brain development and function.
• The endocannabinoid system’s function in controlling mood.

Research Methodology for Psychology Topics

Understanding various research methodologies is key to conducting a successful study. Whether you opt for experimental designs, surveys, case studies, or sophisticated data analysis, each method offers unique insights. Choose the methodology that aligns with your research questions and objectives, ensuring a robust and reliable study.

Resources for Psychology Research

In the digital age, a wealth of resources for psychology topics to research is at your fingertips. Utilize academic journals, databases, books, and online courses to enhance your understanding. 

Engage with professional organizations and attend conferences to stay updated with the latest research trends and network with fellow enthusiasts.

Tips for Successful Psychology Topics for Research

• Choose a Fascinating Topic: Select a research topic that genuinely interests you. Your passion and curiosity will drive your motivation and engagement throughout the research process.
• Narrow Your Focus: Refine your research question to ensure it’s specific and manageable. A focused question will lead to more meaningful and in-depth findings.
• Conduct a Thorough Literature Review: Familiarize yourself with existing research in your chosen area. This helps you build on prior knowledge and identify gaps in the literature.
• Hypothesize and Predict: Develop clear hypotheses and predictions for your study. This sets the direction for your research and provides a framework for data collection and analysis.
• Choose the Right Research Method: Select the research method that best suits your research question, whether it’s experiments, surveys, interviews, or case studies.
• Ethical Considerations: Prioritize ethical guidelines in your research, including obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and avoiding harm to participants.
• Sample Selection: Carefully choose your sample to make sure it’s representative of the population you’re studying. Consider factors like age, gender, and cultural diversity.
• Data Collection: Collect data systematically and ensure its accuracy and reliability. Use well-established measurement tools when applicable.
• Data Analysis: Employ appropriate statistical techniques to analyze your data. Make use of software like SPSS or R for thorough analysis.
• Interpret Results Objectively: Avoid confirmation bias and interpret your results objectively, even if they don’t align with your initial hypotheses.
• Discuss Limitations: Acknowledge the limitations of your study in your research paper. This demonstrates your awareness of potential weaknesses and strengthens your research’s credibility.
• Contribute to the Field: Highlight the significance of your research and how it contributes to the broader field of psychology. What does it add to existing knowledge?
• Write Clearly and Concisely: Communicate your findings in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner. Use APA or other relevant style guides for formatting.
• Peer Review: Seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, or professors. Peer review can help identify blind spots and improve the quality of your work.
• Stay Organized: Maintain detailed records of your research process, including notes, data, and references. Organization is key to successful research.
• Time Management: Plan your research timeline carefully, allocating sufficient time for each stage, from literature review to data collection and analysis.
• Persevere: Research often involves setbacks and challenges. Stay persistent, adapt when necessary, and remain dedicated to your research goals.
• Publish and Share: Consider presenting your research at conferences and seek opportunities for publication in academic journals . Sharing your findings contributes to the advancement of the field.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest research trends and developments in psychology. Attend conferences and join professional organizations to stay connected with the academic community.
• Collaborate: Don’t hesitate to collaborate with other researchers, as teamwork can lead to valuable insights and more significant research outcomes.

Choosing the psychology topics to research is akin to embarking on an adventure into the depths of the human mind. Each topic holds the potential to unravel mysteries, challenge assumptions, and make a meaningful impact on individuals and society. 

As you venture into this realm, remember that your curiosity and dedication are your greatest assets. Embrace the journey, learn from every step, and let your research contribute to the ever-expanding tapestry of psychological knowledge. Happy researching!

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Research Topics & Ideas: Psychology

100+ Psychology Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Research

If you’re starting out on the dissertation or thesis journey for your psychology degree, the very first challenge you’ll face is finding a solid research topic . In this post, we’ll help get the topic ideation process started by providing a meaty list of research ideas, spanning a range of psychology sub-disciplines. We’ll also look at some examples from actual theses and dissertations to give you an idea of what these look like in the real world.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps (which we’ll explain a little later). Therefore, it’s important to recognise that this post is only the first step in finding a high-quality psychology-centred research topic. To develop a research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this all sounds a bit intimidating, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course , which covers the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from A-Z. You can also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, have a look at our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Psychology-Related Topics

• How to find a research topic (video)
• Behavioural psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Educational psychology
• Forensic psychology
• Social psychology
• Sports psychology
• Examples of actual dissertation topics
• Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
• Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

In the video below, we explain how to find suitable research ideas (in psychology or any field), and how to then refine those into well-articulated potential topics for your dissertation or thesis. We also discuss a few important evaluation criteria to help you make the right choice for your project.

Below you’ll find a list of research ideas to get your thinking started. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

We’ve grouped the topic ideas based on a few popular areas of psychology to make it a little easier for you to find something in your particular field of interest. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Behavioural Psychology

• Cultural variation in behaviour and mental health of adolescents during a disaster: a case study
• The impact of parental drug use and risky behaviour on early child development
• The effects of video game violence on aggressive behaviour among teenage boys in school
• The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult risk-seeking behaviour
• The impact of physical exercise on anxiety and health-harming behaviour
• The relationship between personality traits and addiction behaviour
• The effects of reinforcement schedules on decision-making and associative learning
• The effects of daily mindfulness practice on stress and anxiety in middle-aged women
• The use of behavioural interventions in the treatment of eating disorders in poorer communities
• Understanding implicit cognitive processes involved in the over-consumption of fast food
• The use of cognitive behavioural therapy for alcohol addiction treatment
• The impact of extensive technology use in children on long-term attention and focus
• The impact of social media on self-destructive behaviour and poor mental health outcomes
• Exploring the role of sleep and sleep deprivation on healthy behaviours

Research Ideas: Clinical Psychology

• The use of mindfulness-based approaches in the treatment of anxiety disorders among college students
• The use of technology in the delivery of psychological services in war-torn countries
• The effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy for borderline personality disorder
• The use of virtual reality technology in the treatment of phobias and PTSD among war veterans
• The role of childhood adversity on adult mental health in immigrant populations in the USA
• The role of genetics and epigenetics in the development of bipolar disorder in Pakistani women: an integrative review
• The effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of social anxiety among hikikomori in Japan
• The perception of healthcare workers and patients on the use of teletherapy for the delivery of psychological services
• The impact of social support on mental health outcomes among single parents.
• The effectiveness of integrative therapeutic approaches in the treatment of schizophrenia
• The effectiveness of trauma-focused therapies on post-traumatic growth in domestic abuse survivors
• The role and use of cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression among first-generation students
• The effectiveness of family therapy in addressing childhood trauma and depression
• The impact of cultural mistrust on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in culturally-diverse populations
• The effectiveness of group therapy on post-traumatic stress symptoms among survivors of sexual assault

Research Ideas: Cognitive Psychology

• The impact of lifelong aerobic exercise on cognitive function in old age
• The effects of evening screen use on cognitive development in preschool children
• The impact of sleep deprivation on decision-making among graduate students
• The use of neuroimaging to understand the neural basis of memory retrieval
• The effect of conservative religious homes on social functioning in LGBT+ adolescents
• The role of positive emotions in working memory among high school learners
• The neural basis of decision-making and problem-solving during undergraduate statistic assessments
• The neural basis of language processing among adults learning English as a second language
• The role of technological tools in improving working memory in older adults
• The role of attention in emotional face processing among adult males
• The impact of depression on cognitive function during ageing The impact of daily meditation and mindfulness practice on cognitive function
• The relationship between increased protein intake and improved cognitive function
• The effects of stress on cognitive function among final-year learners

Research Ideas: Developmental Psychology

• The impact of maternal affection on cognitive, social, and emotional development
• The effects of parenting styles on children’s executive function
• The impact of late-night screen use on child development
• The role of digital play on child development outcomes
• Exploring the impact of poverty on early child development in Brazil
• The trauma-informed care as moderating the impact of trauma on child development
• Evaluating the relationship between peer relationship quality and child social development
• The impact of child-targeted media and advertising on child behavioural development
• The role of parental attachment in child resilience
• The moderating impact of culture on bullying and child social development
• The impact of single-parenting on child development in India
• The impact of early educational interventions on child socio-emotional development
• The impact of digital technology use on adolescent development and mental health
• The impact of socioeconomic status on child executive function
• The role of genetics and epigenetics on child neurodevelopmental outcomes linked to depression

Need a helping hand?

Research Ideas: Educational Psychology

• The relationship between self-regulated learning and academic performance in asynchronous versus synchronous learning environments
• Exploring effective parental involvement strategies and their impact on student achievement
• The role of intrinsic motivation in formative assessment in the classroom
• The impact of classroom management and practice on student learning and behaviour
• University students’ preference regarding online learning environments
• The effects of gentrification on student achievement in traditionally poor neighbourhoods
• The impact of teacher expectations and academic self-concept on K12 student mathematics performance
• The use and effectiveness of game-based learning in a high school biology classroom
• The impact of prejudice on the relationship between student motivation and academic performance among Black university students
• The impact of culture on second language English student learning preferences
• The effects of student self-efficacy and engagement on academic performance in secondary school mathematics
• The role of metacognition in learning musicality in hip hop
• The role of small group instruction on teacher efficacy and stress in early childhood education
• The perception and use of multimedia among high school biology teachers in France
• The use of augmented reality applications and its impact on student learning, motivation and attitude

Research Ideas: Forensic Psychology

• The impact of trauma on the psychological functioning of police officers and first responders
• Understanding cultural considerations during forensic psychological assessment and treatment of trauma
• Ethical considerations of the use of AI in forensic psychology in the legal system
• The psychological factors related to recidivism among white collar female offenders in the USA
• The psychological factors related to false confessions among juveniles
• Understanding the use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of eyewitness testimony in criminal courts in England
• The impact of trauma on the reflective functioning of adult female sexual assault victims
• The use and effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing recidivism among non-violent criminals
• The impact of domestic violence on the mental health and forensic evaluation of men
• Exploring the ethical considerations and use of behavioural analysis in the study of criminal behaviour
• The use and limitations of neuropsychological assessment in forensic evaluations
• The use of social media forensics in evaluating criminal behaviour in violent crimes
• The racialised use of psychological assessment in the evaluation of competency to stand trial in Canada
• Exploring the use and availability of virtual reality technologies in forensic psychology in Spain
• The impact of motivational interviewing-based interventions among criminalized drug users

Research Ideas: Social Psychology

• The impact of prejudice and discrimination on social behaviour among African immigrants in South Africa
• The impact of social networks on behaviour and well-being among young adult females
• The effects of social identity on non-conformity in University students
• The effects of group dynamics on risk-seeking behaviour in adult men
• The impact of social media on the quality of interpersonal relationships among high school learners
• The impact of parental emotional intelligence on pro-social behaviour in children and adolescents
• The effects of conformity and deviance on social attitudes and behaviour during a global recession
• The effects of Tik Tok on social comparison and self-esteem among teenage girls
• Understanding gendered differences in social influence and algorithms on impulsive decision-making
• The effects of social support on mental health among healthcare workers in the UK
• The effects of gender roles on social behaviour among trans teens
• The impact of perceived power and social status on the behaviour of social media influencers
• The impact of social norms on prosocial behaviour among women
• The effects of community participation on aggression and violence in middle-aged men
• The impact of culture and gender on social behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic

Research Ideas: Sports Psychology

• The moderating role of cultural factors on the relationship between mental health and sports performance in team sports
• The role of mindfulness practice in addressing stress and anxiety in young national athletes
• The relationship between team cohesion and performance in cricket teams
• The effect of transformational leadership on female sports teams in Canada
• The effect of positive self-talk on athletic performance and motivation among Olympic athletes
• The use and perception of hypnosis in New Zealand team sports Understanding stress and burnout in University team athletes
• The efficacy of personalised nutrition and diet on athletic performance among sprinters
• Exploring mental preparation techniques and their effect on athletic motivation and resilience among team-sport athletes
• Exploring the perception and understanding of goal-setting characteristics on athletic performance among team coaches
• The effects of motivational feedback on the performance of female gymnasts
• The perception and use of visualization and imagery among coaches as a means to enhance sport performance
• The impact of sports injuries on mental health and recovery in high school athletes
• The moderating role of sleep on mental toughness and sports performance in Olympic athletes
• The use and perception of technology in sports training and performance in little league softball

Psychology-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic in psychology, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together in practice.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various psychology degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• Effects of a Patient Question Prompt List on Outpatient Palliative Care Appointments (McDarby, 2022)
• The role of affect and exercise goals in physical activity engagement in younger and older adults (Stojanovic, 2022)
• Lay Theories about Whether Emotion Helps or Hinders Reasoning and Well-being (Karnaze, 2022)
• The effects of blast-induced traumatic brain injury on two transgenic models of Alzheimer’s Disease (Gann, 2020)
• Understanding the parental mind: Examining the stability of parental reflective functioning across the birth of a child and associations with maternal mind-mindedness (Pitzen, 2021)
• An investigation of ineffective ally behaviours (Collier, 2019)
• Response Inhibition-Related Beta Power: Distinguishing Cognitively Intact Elders by Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease (Evans, 2021)
• Recognition Memory of Extremely High-Frequency Words (Miller, 2019)
• The Relationship between Dementia Caregiver Burden and Caregiver Communications in a Memory Clinic Setting (Martin, 2021)
• Examination of Maternal Versus Paternal Ratings of Child Pre-Injury Functioning in Predicting Child Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms (Sayer, 2021)
• Electromyography As A Means of Predicting The Rubber Hand Illusion (Teaford, 2021)
• Linking Diversity Climate and Feedback Seeking Through Interpersonal Processes and Race Effects (Flores, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Topic Ideation

Still unsure about how to find the right topic for your research project? Check out our private coaching services , where we work with psychology students on a 1:1 basis to help them find the perfect topic.

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10 Comments

Great insight

A very interesting site that offers a variety of options regarding research topics.

You’re most welcome

A good platform to get information

Amazing and interesting options 👌

Very useful but had not any field of research in health psychology

I feel honored going through this lovely stuff put together. Thank you so much

I need counseling psychology research topics

very empowering and insightful presentations. Can I be assisted in crafting a school psychology-related research topic about African context

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Research Topics is a collection of previously published articles, features, and news stories. They are meant to serve as an information clearinghouse and represent some of APS’s most requested and publicly relevant subjects. Note: this content may reflect the accepted style and terminology of the date the articles were first published.

Trending Topics

Disaster response and recovery.

Disasters like Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut draw massive media coverage, trauma interventions, and financial donations to victims. But psychological research shows the efforts don’t always yield the intended benefits.

Environment and Climate Change

Psychological scientists are studying how we’re all weathering a warming planet.

Myths and Misinformation

How does misinformation spread and how do we combat it? Psychological science sheds light on the mechanisms underlying misinformation and ‘fake news.’

Learn about the mechanisms underlying our generous motivations and behaviors.

For psychological scientists, exploring the less pleasant aspects of individual and social nature, like violence and aggression, is an occasional necessity.

Aggression and Violence

Research is showing that aging equals anything but cognitive decline and unhappiness.

Psychological scientists have done extensive research on the aging brain, Alzheimer's Disease, different types of dementias, and much more.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias

How do pets influence our well-being? Why does the face of a puppy or the purr of a cat soothe us? Psychological research provides some insights.

Animal Behavior

Developments in AI and machine learning herald unprecedented leaps in many applications, including human psychology itself. Algorithmic bias is just one issue of concern.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Whether you're driving, studying, or listening to a business presentation, keeping focused can be a challenge when boredom and distractions compete for your focus. Research findings have identified the factors that keep our minds on task -- or off track.

Attention and Distraction

Psychological science on the effects of prejudice, and how to counter these beliefs.

Bias and Stigma

Learn what researchers have discovered about the factors that lead to bullying and the long-term consequences it can have.

The World Health Organization has added "burnout" to its International Classification of Diseases. Learn what psychological scientists have discovered about the possible causes and symptoms of burnout.

Psychological research reveals the long-lasting cognitive, social, and neurobiological consequences of stress and trauma experienced in childhood.

Childhood Adversity

A growing body of research connects various aspects of children's environments and their emotional well-being.

Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health

Psychological scientists have designed cognitive tests that can help identify everything from memory deficits to cultural heritage.

Cognitive Testing

A collection of studies shows that compassion gets stronger with training and this training can even change brain function.

It's a big-time showdown for France and Croatia in the upcoming FIFA World Cup final. Science reveals how players and fans alike handle the pressure of climactic competition.

Competition

From international wars to political arguments at the dinner table, conflict is an integral part of the human experience. Psychological scientists have uncovered a wealth of knowledge about the ways cooperation and acceptance can overpower those clashes.

Conflict and Conflict Resolution

What drives people to believe in vast conspiracies and dismiss facts as hoaxes? Psychological research identifies some motivations.

Conspiracy Theories

The criminal justice system was designed to find and punish perpetrators guilty of the crimes of which they are accused. Psychological science helps repair and maintain the public’s trust in the system and eliminate threats to equal justice.

Criminal Justice

How do people respond to increasing cultural diversity in their communities, cities, and countries? Researchers investigate.

Cultural Diversity

Being curious about the world around us can have benefits at school, work, and other contexts, studies show.

Psychological scientists are exploring how we use digital media and the consequences, both positive and negative, it can have in everyday life.

Digital Media

Disasters like Hurricane Florence and Typhoon Mangkhut draw massive media coverage, trauma interventions, and financial donations to victims. But psychological research shows the efforts don't always yield the intended benefits.

How do motorists develop the higher-order cognitive processes required to navigate safely? Research explores this and more.

Driving and Cars

Read what psychological researchers have discovered about the effects of eating on mood, behavior, and cognition.

Eating and Food

Psychological scientists are studying how we're all weathering a warming planet.

The psychology and science behind how individuals and groups respond to epidemics.

Epidemics and Public Health Behavior

Psychological scientists identify factors that prompt people to lie, cheat, bribe, and steal and strategies for addressing such unethical behavior.

What motivates us to exercise? And what effects does exercise have on mental function? Psychological scientists are exploring the ins and outs of physical activity.

Understanding the science behind eyewitness memory can have important implications for criminal justice procedures.

Eyewitness Memory

APS offers some scientific insights into family dynamics.

Family Relationships

Why are we scared of some things and not others? Psychological scientists are exploring the many facets of fear and the mechanisms that drive it.

Friendships are unique relationships that offer researchers a window into many aspects of life, including personality, longevity, health, and well-being.

Researchers explore the factors that perpetuate gender inequality and the effects that such bias can have on women in the workplace and beyond.

Gender and Bias

Effort, stamina, and purpose drive our accomplishments — science shows us what to do to keep motivation going.

Goals and Motivation

In some of the most famous cases of money laundering, corporate fraud, and tax evasion lies a relentless appetite for big profits and personal wealth. How does greed affect our sense of morality?

Greed and Corruption

Psychological scientists are leading the way in addressing the mental health issues resulting from traumatic events.

Grief and Trauma

Psychological science sheds light on happiness, from a personal to an economic level.

Learn how the human brain influences what our ears register - and what they don't.

Psychological science offers a variety of reasons to be hopeful about progress in science and the well-being of individuals and societies worldwide. Read about the most promising discoveries and advances of the past few years.

Learn about the research on what makes you laugh, why something you find funny is offensive to someone else, and more.

We’re averse to hypocrites because their disavowal of bad behavior sends a false signal about their true nature.

Unconscious bias can lurk below the level of conscious awareness, but researchers are working to uncover more effective methods of reducing these prejudices.

Implicit Bias

Psychological and educational interventions can make a positive difference in a person's trajectory or even their life. What factors influence how interventions either persist over the long term or fade out?

Interventions

Psychological science has played a leading role in busting misconceptions about sexual orientation and gender identity, and in changing people's attitudes toward individuals who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Psychology researchers are identifying how we build strong reading skills in early childhood and the factors that contribute to difficulty with reading comprehension.

Researchers explore the causes, impacts, and possible interventions for loneliness and social isolation.

Loneliness and Social Isolation

Frank Sinatra crooned that they go together like a horse and carriage, but in truth love and marital health can falter over time. Scientists have identified a number of factors that sustain love through better or worse.

Love and Attraction

Learn about the vast stores of memory research that psychological scientists have amassed in recent years.

Psychological scientists have amassed a vast amount of empirical knowledge on the causes of and best treatments for mental disorders.

Mental Health

Researchers explore how practices associated with mindfulness and meditation can affect decision-making and other cognitive processes.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Psychological scientists are identifying cognitive, developmental, and cultural aspects of music perception and the essential role that music plays in our everyday lives.

How does misinformation spread and how do we combat it? Psychological science sheds light on the mechanisms underlying misinformation and 'fake news.'

Scientists are increasingly busting some myths and making new discoveries about a dark personality trait.

Deal making at the international, business, and interpersonal levels involves a variety of emotional, social, and language factors that lead to a final agreement -- or a stalemate.

Negotiation

Read about the wealth of psychological studies on neurodiversity and the differences in learning, attention, and mood.

Neurodivergence

Psychological scientists are devoting an increasing amount of their research time examining the role of the brain in human behavior, emotion, and cognitive health.

Neuroscience

Recent news events have sparked a surge of interest in the Dunning-Kruger effect -- a distorted view of one's knowledge and ability. Learn how this cognitive bias can spark overconfidence among world leaders and corporate giants.

Overconfidence

Amid the epidemic of opioid addiction, psychological science has demonstrated that pain relief doesn't have to be pharmaceutical.

Pain Management

Personality tests are the center of countless psychological studies exploring targeted marketing, workplace dynamics, and different brain structures.

Personality Traits

Public trust in the police has remained flat for decades, a problem that has become especially salient due to recent events.

Policing and Law Enforcement

A scientific analysis upends the notion that people on the political right are more biased about their ideological views than are people on the left.

Political Differences

Why do we dawdle and delay, even on the most important tasks? Researchers explore the causes and consequences of procrastination.

Procrastination

Plenty of beliefs about human psychology are based on myth masquerading as facts. Psychological scientists have not only exposed the weak evidence for these notions, but can recommend strategies to help us to distinguish true science from bunk.

Pseudoscience

Psychological researchers are examining the complexities of racism and xenophobia at both the interpersonal and societal levels.

Racism and Discrimination

Psychological research explores how we evaluate, perceive, and choose whether to take risks.

Why does self-control fail, and how can we boost it? Researchers explore the mechanisms underlying this important ability and how it develops over time.

Self-Control

The #metoo movement has brought sexual harassment to the center of public consciousness, raising questions about the causes of predatory actions. Psychological research shows how feeling powerful relates to sexually coercive behavior.

Sexual Assault and Harassment

Insufficient sleep has been shown to have adverse effects at work, in driving, and even in court.

From the scent of flowers to the stench of hazardous chemicals, our sense of smell guides us through our environment and significantly influences our emotions, as scientists have discovered.

How does athletic engagement and competition affect our thoughts and behaviors? Learn what psychological science has uncovered.

New discoveries about the ill effects of psychological stress abound, but scientists are also learning about buffers to stress.

Psychological scientists delve into study strategies, math anxiety, reading comprehension, and more.

Studying and Learning

Research from APS on addiction and substance abuse.

Substance Abuse and Addiction

Scientists show how get-aways and enjoyable activities affect our work lives and relationships.

Taking a Break

Psychological research is fostering understanding of the important factors that contribute to effective teaching, from individual instruction to school climate.

The psychological mechanisms that lead us to have faith in certain people and be suspicious of others are vast. Learn what psychological researchers have discovered about interpersonal trust.

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Read about the steps that psychological scientists are taking to identify and help people at risk of taking their own lives.

Understanding and Preventing Suicide

Psychological science suggests that behavioral 'nudges' which aim to alter individuals' actions rather than their attitudes are essential to promoting vaccination against COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Vaccination

The effects of playing video games on well-being seem to depend largely on why and how an individual chooses to partake.

Video Games

The way the brain and the human eye process visual stimuli, including illusions, is a thriving area of psychological science.

Researchers unravel the mystery of voting behavior, including why people vote in seemingly unpredictable or illogical ways.

How does weather, both ordinary and extreme, affect decision-making, behavior, and emotions?

Weather and Behavior

Research in psychological science reveals the causes and consequences of bullying behavior in the office.

Workplace Bullying

When done well, efforts to improve intergroup harmony at work can uplift individuals and lead entire organizations to perform at a higher level.

Workplace Diversity

Privacy overview.

Research Topics

Cutting-edge research into the workings of the human mind

Our faculty conducts scientific research on topics that span across all areas of psychology. Some themes of research concentration are listed below. Click the topics to see the list of department faculty associated with each theme.

Addictive Behaviors

Computational Approaches

Decision Science

Developmental Approaches

Interventions

Learning & Memory

Mathematical Cognition

Meaning & Mental Representation

Motivation & Emotion

Neuroimaging

Plasticity & Change

Psychopathology & Risk

Reasoning & Problem Solving

Self & Identity

Self-Regulation & Control

Social Cognition

Stereotyping & Stereotype Threat

Vision Science

Words & Categories

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Collection  12 March 2023

Top 100 in Psychology - 2022

This collection highlights our most downloaded* psychology papers published in 2022. Featuring authors from around the world, these papers showcase valuable research from an international community.

You can also view the top papers across various subject areas here .

*Data obtained from SN Insights, which is based on Digital Science's Dimensions.

Cats learn the names of their friend cats in their daily lives

• Saho Takagi
• Atsuko Saito
• Hika Kuroshima

The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence while controlling for genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic background

• Bruno Sauce
• Magnus Liebherr
• Torkel Klingberg

Reading on a smartphone affects sigh generation, brain activity, and comprehension

• Motoyasu Honma
• Yuri Masaoka
• Masahiko Izumizaki

Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants

• J. Sundermann

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces cognitive deficit and anxiety-like behavior in mouse via non-cell autonomous hippocampal neuronal death

• Junyoung Oh
• Woo-Hyun Cho
• Sung Joong Lee

Prevalence, age of decision, and interpersonal warmth judgements of childfree adults

• Zachary P. Neal
• Jennifer Watling Neal

Acute and protracted abstinence from methamphetamine bidirectionally changes intrinsic excitability of indirect pathway spiny projection neurons in the dorsomedial striatum

• Sanghoon Choi
• Steven M. Graves

Indeterminacy of cannabis impairment and ∆ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (∆ 9 -THC) levels in blood and breath

• Gregory T. Wurz
• Michael W. DeGregorio

Perceiving societal pressure to be happy is linked to poor well-being, especially in happy nations

• Egon Dejonckheere
• Joshua J. Rhee
• Brock Bastian

Fitness tracking reveals task-specific associations between memory, mental health, and physical activity

• Jeremy R. Manning
• Gina M. Notaro
• Paxton C. Fitzpatrick

Higher emotional awareness is associated with greater domain-general reflective tendencies

• Michelle Persich
• William D. S. Killgore

Investigation of humans individual differences as predictors of their animal interaction styles, focused on the domestic cat

• Lauren R. Finka
• Lucia Ripari
• Marnie L. Brennan

Cichlids and stingrays can add and subtract ‘one’ in the number space from one to five

• V. Schluessel

Group VR experiences can produce ego attenuation and connectedness comparable to psychedelics

• David R. Glowacki
• Rhoslyn Roebuck Williams
• Mike Chatziapostolou

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals mental health benefits of birdlife

• Ryan Hammoud
• Stefania Tognin
• Andrea Mechelli

Deep language algorithms predict semantic comprehension from brain activity

• Charlotte Caucheteux
• Alexandre Gramfort
• Jean-Rémi King

Misinformation of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine hesitancy

• Sun Kyong Lee
• Juhyung Sun
• Shane Connelly

Children with autism spectrum disorder show atypical electroencephalographic response to processing contextual incongruencies

• Amparo V. Márquez-García
• Vasily A. Vakorin
• Sam M. Doesburg

Childhood temperament and adulthood personality differentially predict life outcomes

• Amanda J. Wright
• Joshua J. Jackson

Identification of genes associated with human-canine communication in canine evolution

• Akiko Tonoike
• Ken-ichi Otaki
• Miho Nagasawa

Breath chemical markers of sexual arousal in humans

• G. Pugliese
• J. Williams

Hyperrealistic neural decoding for reconstructing faces from fMRI activations via the GAN latent space

• Thirza Dado
• Yağmur Güçlütürk

Brain aging differs with cognitive ability regardless of education

• Kristine B. Walhovd
• Lars Nyberg
• Anders M. Fjell

Short-sighted decision-making by those not vaccinated against COVID-19

• Julia G. Halilova
• Samuel Fynes-Clinton
• R. Shayna Rosenbaum

Groove rhythm stimulates prefrontal cortex function in groove enjoyers

• Takemune Fukuie
• Kazuya Suwabe
• Hideaki Soya

Human magnetic sense is mediated by a light and magnetic field resonance-dependent mechanism

• Kwon-Seok Chae
• Soo-Chan Kim
• Yongkuk Kim

Innovative composite tool use by Goffin’s cockatoos ( Cacatua goffiniana )

• Antonio J. Osuna-Mascaró
• Roger Mundry
• Alice M. I. Auersperg

Is a downwards head tilt a cross-cultural signal of dominance? Evidence for a universal visual illusion

• Zachary Witkower
• Alexander K. Hill
• Jessica L. Tracy

Systematic review and meta-analysis of cognitive impairment in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

• Mehdi Aoun Sebaiti
• Mathieu Hainselin
• François Jérôme Authier

Identification and validation of Alzheimer’s disease-related metabolic brain pattern in biomarker confirmed Alzheimer’s dementia patients

• Matej Perovnik
• Petra Tomše

Impact of fasting on stress systems and depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder: a cross-sectional study

• Britta Stapel
• Daniela Fraccarollo
• Kai G. Kahl

Bio-behavioral synchrony is a potential mechanism for mate selection in humans

• Nathalie klein Selle

The cognitive and psychiatric subacute impairment in severe Covid-19

• Pedro J. Serrano-Castro
• Francisco J. Garzón-Maldonado
• Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca

CNS imaging characteristics in fibromyalgia patients with and without peripheral nerve involvement

• Hans-Christoph Aster
• Dimitar Evdokimov
• Claudia Sommer

The effects of contracting Covid-19 on cognitive failures at work: implications for task performance and turnover intentions

• James W. Beck

The effects of mindfulness meditation versus CBT for anxiety on emotional distress and attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment: a semi-randomized trial

• Daniela Aisenberg-Shafran
• Liav Shturm

Trait emotional intelligence in American pilots

• Zachary Dugger
• K. V. Petrides
• Bernadette McCrory

Mindfulness meditation increases default mode, salience, and central executive network connectivity

• Benno Bremer
• Kathrin Koch

Effect of MIND diet intervention on cognitive performance and brain structure in healthy obese women: a randomized controlled trial

• Golnaz Arjmand
• Mojtaba Abbas-Zadeh
• Mohammad Hassan Eftekhari

Bodily ownership of an independent supernumerary limb: an exploratory study

• Kohei Umezawa
• Yuta Suzuki
• Yoichi Miyawaki

Anabolic–androgenic steroid use is associated with psychopathy, risk-taking, anger, and physical problems

• Bryan S. Nelson
• Tom Hildebrandt
• Pascal Wallisch

Longitudinal changes in auditory and reward systems following receptive music-based intervention in older adults

• Milena Aiello Quinci
• Alexander Belden
• Psyche Loui

Reaction time and working memory in gamers and non-gamers

• Ronnie Lidor

Simulated visual hallucinations in virtual reality enhance cognitive flexibility

• Clara Rastelli
• Antonino Greco
• Nicola De Pisapia

Rapid but specific perceptual learning partially explains individual differences in the recognition of challenging speech

• Karen Banai
• Hanin Karawani
• Yizhar Lavner

Mindfulness-based online intervention increases well-being and decreases stress after Covid-19 lockdown

• Francesco Bossi
• Francesca Zaninotto
• Emiliano Ricciardi

Automated meta-analysis of the event-related potential (ERP) literature

• Thomas Donoghue
• Bradley Voytek

Model-based learning retrospectively updates model-free values

• Maaike M. H. Van Swieten
• Sanjay G. Manohar

Interaction with the future self in virtual reality reduces self-defeating behavior in a sample of convicted offenders

• Jean-Louis van Gelder
• Liza J. M. Cornet
• Job van der Schalk

The newborn brain is sensitive to the communicative function of language

• Bálint Forgács
• Tibor Tauzin
• Judit Gervain

Cognitive profiles in children and adolescents with Down syndrome

• Sara Onnivello
• Francesca Pulina
• Silvia Lanfranchi

Short term treatment with a cocktail of rapamycin, acarbose and phenylbutyrate delays aging phenotypes in mice

• Warren Ladiges

Effects of exploring a novel environment on memory across the lifespan

• Judith Schomaker
• Valentin Baumann
• Marit F. L. Ruitenberg

The impact of psychopathology on academic performance in school-age children and adolescents

• Mireia Pagerols
• Raquel Prat

Effect of berry-based supplements and foods on cognitive function: a systematic review

• Negar Bonyadi
• Neda Dolatkhah
• Maryam Hashemian

Attention rhythmically samples multi-feature objects in working memory

• Samson Chota
• Stefan Van der Stigchel

Functional brain connectomes reflect acute and chronic cannabis use

• J. G. Ramaekers
• N. L. Mason

Simple questionnaires outperform behavioral tasks to measure socio-emotional skills in students

• Mélusine Boon-Falleur
• Adrien Bouguen
• Coralie Chevallier

Neuronal effects of glabellar botulinum toxin injections using a valenced inhibition task in borderline personality disorder

• Tillmann H. C. Kruger
• Jara Schulze
• M. Axel Wollmer

Naloxone’s dose-dependent displacement of [ 11 C]carfentanil and duration of receptor occupancy in the rat brain

• Kelly A. O’Conor
• Nora D. Volkow

rs-fMRI and machine learning for ASD diagnosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Caio Pinheiro Santana
• Emerson Assis de Carvalho
• Lucelmo Lacerda de Brito

Machine learning and expression analyses reveal circadian clock features predictive of anxiety

• Rebeccah Overton
• Krista Ingram

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health and psychosocial factors

• Antonio Ciardo
• Marlinde M. Simon

Facial asymmetry in dogs with fear and aggressive behaviors towards humans

• Marcello Siniscalchi
• Serenella d’Ingeo
• Angelo Quaranta

Superposition mechanism as a neural basis for understanding others

• Wataru Noguchi
• Hiroyuki Iizuka
• Shigeru Taguchi

Influence of diurnal phase on behavioral tests of sensorimotor performance, anxiety, learning and memory in mice

• Chi-Hui Tsao
• Jonathan Flint
• Guo-Jen Huang

Gender stereotypes about intellectual ability in Japanese children

• Mako Okanda
• Xianwei Meng
• Yusuke Moriguchi

Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity

• Hadley Rahrig
• David R. Vago
• Kirk Warren Brown

Mentalization and dissociation after adverse childhood experiences

• J. Wagner-Skacel

fMRI-based validation of continuous-wave fNIRS of supplementary motor area activation during motor execution and motor imagery

• Franziska Klein
• Stefan Debener
• Cornelia Kranczioch

Predictors of adherence to public health behaviors for fighting COVID-19 derived from longitudinal data

• Birga M. Schumpe
• Caspar J. Van Lissa
• N. Pontus Leander

High-resolution cortical parcellation based on conserved brain landmarks for localization of multimodal data to the nearest centimeter

• Hari McGrath
• Hitten P. Zaveri
• Dennis D. Spencer

Validation of the forced swim test in Drosophila , and its use to demonstrate psilocybin has long-lasting antidepressant-like effects in flies

• C. D. Nichols

Time pressure changes how people explore and respond to uncertainty

• Charley M. Wu
• Eric Schulz
• Maarten Speekenbrink

Functional connectivity of brain networks with three monochromatic wavelengths: a pilot study using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

• Marc Argilés
• Bernat Sunyer-Grau
• Cleofé Peña-Gómez

Behavioral coping phenotypes and associated psychosocial outcomes of pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Denise M. Werchan
• Cassandra L. Hendrix
• Natalie H. Brito

Spontaneous activity patterns in human motor cortex replay evoked activity patterns for hand movements

• Tomer Livne
• Maurizio Corbetta

Sensory processing sensitivity and somatosensory brain activation when feeling touch

• Michael Schaefer
• Anja Kühnel
• Matti Gärtner

The interplay between cognition, depression, anxiety, and sleep in primary Sjogren’s syndrome patients

• Radjiv Goulabchand
• Elodie Castille
• Philippe Guilpain

Dynamics of adolescents’ smartphone use and well-being are positive but ephemeral

• Laura Marciano
• Charles C. Driver
• Anne-Linda Camerini

ADHD symptoms and use of anabolic androgenic steroids among male weightlifters

• Emilie Kildal
• Bjørnar Hassel
• Astrid Bjørnebekk

Facial mask personalization encourages facial mask wearing in times of COVID-19

• Johanna Palcu
• Martin Schreier
• Chris Janiszewski

Exploring brain activity for positive and negative emotions by means of EEG microstates

• Giulia Prete
• Pierpaolo Croce
• Paolo Capotosto

A network approach to relationships between cannabis use characteristics and psychopathology in the general population

• Linda T. Betz
• Nora Penzel
• Joseph Kambeitz

Socioeconomic status impacts cognitive and socioemotional processes in healthy ageing

• Joaquín Migeot
• Mariela Calivar
• Sol Fittipaldi

Parental praise and children’s exploration: a virtual reality experiment

• Eddie Brummelman
• Stathis Grapsas
• Katinka van der Kooij

Africans and Europeans differ in their facial perception of dominance and sex-typicality: a multidimensional Bayesian approach

• Vojtěch Fiala
• Petr Tureček
• Karel Kleisner

Brain information processing capacity modeling

• Tongtong Li
• Karl Friston

Safety evaluation of β-nicotinamide mononucleotide oral administration in healthy adult men and women

• Yuichiro Fukamizu
• Yoshiaki Uchida
• Takanobu Sakurai

Neural oscillations promoting perceptual stability and perceptual memory during bistable perception

• Michael Zhu
• Richard Hardstone

The effects of probiotics on risk and time preferences

• Aline M. Dantas
• Alexander T. Sack
• Teresa Schuhmann

Media-multitasking and cognitive control across the lifespan

• Natasha Matthews
• J. B. Mattingley

Depressive symptoms reduce when dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-precuneus connectivity normalizes after functional connectivity neurofeedback

• Jessica Elizabeth Taylor
• Takashi Yamada
• Tomokazu Motegi

Intranasal insulin modulates cerebrospinal fluid markers of neuroinflammation in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized trial

• Derek Kellar
• Thomas Register
• Suzanne Craft

COVID-19 conspiracy ideation is associated with the delusion proneness trait and resistance to update of beliefs

• O. Horntvedt
• P. Petrovic

Hand constraint reduces brain activity and affects the speed of verbal responses on semantic tasks

• Kunihito Tobita
• Shogo Makioka

Impaired grouping of ambient facial images in autism

• Bayparvah Kaur Gehdu
• Katie L. H. Gray
• Richard Cook

Social support, psychological flexibility and coping mediate the association between COVID-19 related stress exposure and psychological distress

• Richard Tindle
• Ahmed A. Moustafa

Gender dysphoria in twins: a register-based population study

• Georgios Karamanis
• Maria Karalexi
• Fotios C. Papadopoulos

Learning from communication versus observation in great apes

• Hanna Marno
• Christoph J. Völter

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Great Psychology Research Paper Topics

Table of contents

• 1 Psychology Research Paper Definition and Purpose
• 2.1 Social Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.2 Clinical Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.3 Experimental Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.4 Developmental Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.5 Criminal Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.6 Cultural Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.7 Health Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.8 Sports Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.9 Educational Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.10 Social Media Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.11 Abnormal Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.12 Cognitive Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.13 Controversial Psychology Research Paper Topics
• 2.14 Developmental Psychology
• 2.15 Child Psychology
• 3 Psychology Research Paper Tips
• 4 Conclusion

If you are looking for psychology research topics to help you write a better paper and complete it in less time, this page is for you. We will present various research paper topics and give you important details you need to include in your creation. This is not an easy type of writing. You can see a lot of controversial topics in psychology for research paper and a lot more psychology research topics for high school students that are too complicated and require research or even conducting an experiment. Psychology research topics for college students are even more important and even more complicated due to their nature.

These papers usually need a week or even a month to be completed. It is no wonder why so many students want to buy psychology paper and get over it in a minute. If you are one of them, you can use help from our writers. Some are even therapists, so they can help you more than you can imagine. We will also present to you research topics in psychology for college students so you can get more basic types of help if you need it or at least get some inspiration.

Psychology Research Paper Definition and Purpose

All interesting psychology research topics are designed to focus on psychology. You will have to write about a condition, disorder, experiment, or even a literature review. Keep in mind that you can also write about psychology research topics on social media or social elements of society. Yes, psychology affects that as well. The best psychology research topics are complex, and they can even mandate that you perform complete research and provide a lab report. These psychology research topics in 2023 are all common and very popular at the moment. We must add that personality psychology research topics can be extremely difficult.

The first thing here is to know how to write a psychology research paper well and get the grade you are looking for. Always keep in mind that you must use accurate and trustworthy data and research details. The false data here is a huge mistake and something that will cost you a grade. Luckily there are interesting psychology topics that will keep you busy. In a nutshell, these essays aim to present your findings or understanding of a topic. This affects all topics about psychology, and each psychology research paper will have to be unique, have a good balance, and answer all the questions a reader may have.

Writing Tips for Psychology Research Papers

There are a lot of tips we can give you here. These can be used for all unique psychology research topics and can help you write the paper you will be happy with. You will use these tips if you are writing undergraduate research topics psychology, or any other. They are mandatory and will help you get the desired grade. You can use them when writing psychology research topics, cognitive psychology, or any other type. Anyway, here are the tips you are going to need.

• Choose the topic you will love . This can help. You will be more interested in conducting proper research and can enjoy writing. If possible, pick a topic that means something to you. All psychology topics for research can be fun.
• Keep all things simple . You need to write a research paper that is well-researched, simple, and answers all the questions directly. Psychology research topics and clinical psychology are a bit different, but you should use the same tip here.
• Choose trustworthy sources . When writing on any general psychology topics, you need to use a good source or better-said sources. This is true for all research paper writings due to a simple reason. A research paper must be 100% accurate. Good psychology research topics will be perfect if you use this type of help.
• Start soon . All good topics are complicated, so you will need a lot of time to complete them. This means starting as soon as you can. Using this tip, you will have enough time to write and get help if you need it. If you don’t have the time, you can write my research paper type of help and get the research essay done within minutes. Yes, it does work well.

Social Psychology Research Paper Topics

All of these research paper topics are basically a combination of science here and society. As such, we can see all the topics that are common and actually look related more to philosophy than anything else. Nevertheless, these are common topics, and they are very interesting. You will probably have to write good psychology on something like this.

• What effects does racism have?
• Gender role in the modern world
• Side effects of gender discrimination
• Peer pressure and the effect it has on teenagers
• Violent cartoons and their Effect on small children
• How divorce will affect a child
• Explain homophobia
• Explain social depression
• Social cognition: What is it?
• Social Issues and Culture

Clinical Psychology Research Paper Topics

This part of the science will examine and reveal the behavior of people and how they act and react in everyday life. These may touch on behavioral therapy and also cognitive development in one way or another. Below are a few paper topics that are very common, and you will probably have to write on some of them.

• Discrimination from health workers explained
• Human development in developing and developed countries
• Multitasking explained by therapists
• Religion as a factor in the development
• PTSD Analysis and how it affects people
• Internet addiction and which problems it does cause
• Stress in marriages: How does it affect people and marriage?
• Adult separation anxiety and the Effect on Children
• Impact of Patients in Asylums on Staff
• Why do people prefer to watch sports rather than participate

Experimental Psychology Research Paper Topics

When we mention psychology, many of you will instantly think of multiple personalities or something similar. This part of the content is a bit different. Here it is mostly about experiments that were conducted all over the world and found how our brain works, how disorders work, and so much more. Keep in mind that you may have to conduct your own experiment if you have to write on this topic. Many people will need research paper help or at least guidance in order to complete it. These are some of the hardest essays you will have to complete in your life.

• Colors and the effect they have on our mood
• How can breakfast affect our personality and mood during that day?
• The worst medical experiments in history
• Explain dehumanization in poisons
• Mood freezing: Causes, symptoms, and treatment
• Controlling aggression, but how?
• Cloning can help couples without children
• Group belonging and the link to an individual belonging
• Violence and internet use link
• Explain double foot in the door

Developmental Psychology Research Paper Topics

These can be very hard but can be very rewarding as well. As you can assume, good cognitive psychology research topics here will be about forming personality in children, problems, and all the rest that may affect that. Yes, you will write about children most of the time, so you may want to pay close attention to the data you are using. The psychological elements here are massive and very important.

• What kind of effect does bullying has on children?
• Violent PC games and their effect on behavior?
• Too much time online: How will children react?
• Abusive parents: Huge problem these days
• Are gender roles in children still present?
• Abused children’s personality issues
• Mental health issues: Long-term effects
• Things that can cause faster aging
• Medications and their Effect on your mental health
• Sleeping disorder and the effect it has on your mental health

Criminal Psychology Research Paper Topics

Some of you may believe that this is a part of forensic psychology. In general, here, you will have to write why a person will commit a crime and whether any mental issues or links made him do that. You may also have to write about one criminal’s prevention, details, and specifics.

• Brain dysfunction and criminals
• Psychological traits of a serial killer
• What is needed to ”make” a serial killer
• Are criminals made or born
• How childhood and abuse make criminals
• Worst serial killers in history
• Prevention of criminal behavior
• Differences between criminals and ordinary people
• Common disorders of criminals
• What starts violent behavior

Cultural Psychology Research Paper Topics

For the lack of a better word, here you will have to write about how culture affects our mind when forming or later in life. Try to remember that your essay must be well-organized. A too-broad or even too-narrow paper will make the reader get lost in your words. This is not something you will want. The psychological factors are of extreme importance.

• Analyzing culture and its development of it
• Comparing two different cultures
• Culture and its Effects on People
• How cultures around the world view sex
• Definition of global culture
• Explain multicultural communities
• Nationalism and culture are compared and explained
• Do animals have culture?
• Culture of isolated communities
• Check different cultures and the languages

Health Psychology Research Paper Topics

Here you may have to touch anxiety disorders or anything else. In general, you will have to write an essay about brain health. Some ideas focus completely on disorders, while others focus on keeping your mind healthy and dealing with all sorts of issues. For most people, these titles are very amusing and can be very beneficial. You will basically have to cover different psychological elements of the science.

• Rare mental problems
• Stress and it has on the mind
• Substance abuse and the side effects
• Why is depression so common these days?
• The mental health of young people
• Postpartum depression and the treatment
• The mental health of Native Americans
• Common disorders in children
• How mental problems affect the physical condition
• Understanding all eating disorders

Sports Psychology Research Paper Topics

You may have to write about the mind of athletes or how they are affected in the world. The psychological factors here are very powerful and massive, the lack of a better word. These ideas are simple and will keep you busy and interested, especially if you are into sports. Now you can see the best examples of papers related to sports psychology.

• Use of neuro-linguistic programming in sports
• Doping in sports: How does it change the sport and the athlete?
• Sport aggression is explained and defined
• Attention and concentration in shooting sports
• How can you reduce aggression in sports fans
• Emotion and Needs in Sports for Women
• Children of professional athletes: Differences to ordinary children
• Gender studies: Modern problems in sports
• Mental Recovery of athletes after Trauma
• Personality and choosing to do sports

Educational Psychology Research Paper Topics

The psychological elements here are all about education and the effects it has on the mind. This is a simple definition. We can add that you will have to complete paper topics that are also focused on education later in life and the effects they have on our minds.

• Bullying and the effects it has on education and the mind
• Importance of proper teacher program for children
• Child Abuse and its link to Education
• How memory loss affects education
• Education of children with special needs
• Anxiety and depression as huge issues for education
• What motivates children to continue with higher education?
• Goals, gender, and result in education
• Parental Involvement for Children at School
• Perspectives of attention-seeking students

Social Media Psychology Research Paper Topics

Don’t think that here you will have to enjoy paper writing that is all about Facebook and Instagram. You will have to prove how these platforms affect our mental health. You can write about pros, cons, and so much more, so you do need to conduct a lot of research and include tons of details. Here are great ideas that you will like.

• Is Facebook beneficial for humans?
• Instagram: pros and cons for the mind
• Twitter and the effects it has on education
• Addiction to social platforms
• Cyberbullying and Facebook link
• Doing Business and the Correlation with Facebook or Instagram
• Is real-world communication affected by Facebook and similar platforms
• Are these sites killing our productivity?
• Advantages of using these platforms
• Downsides of using these platforms

Abnormal Psychology Research Paper Topics

The main goal here is to explain or research disorders and explain them to people. You will have to use accurate and latest data in order to justify your claims. You may have to explain eating disorders but also severe psychosis.

• Can PC games affect our minds?
• Pros and cons of making marijuana legal
• Prevention of teen suicide
• ICD 10 classification of mental disorders
• Mental problems caused by technology
• History of abnormal psychology
• How effective CBT is for treating anxiety in children
• All about aggression
• Most severe mental disorders
• Extremely rare disorders in humans

Cognitive Psychology Research Paper Topics

This part of the science will affect all the details about memory, language use, processing of information, and so much more of one person. As you can see, the topics are mostly focused on problems and solutions. You need to stay focused while writing and pay close attention to details.

• Autism and how it affects modern society
• How can you recover from losing your memory?
• Judgment in the decision-making process
• Measuring the attention span of your child
• Why will you encounter your memories?
• What factors affect problem-solving in children?
• How speech disorders affect children
• Why will you repress some of your memory?
• Can we use experiments to measure cognitive capability?
• Explain human memories and how they are formed

Controversial Psychology Research Paper Topics

So, what are the most controversial topics in psychology?

• Is it ethical to have clients as Facebook friends?
• Homosexuality.
• Ethics of the Milgram experiment.
• Are women always the victims, or are they also perpetrators of domestic violence?
• Crime as a justification for coping with past trauma – how justified is it?
• Social networks, online dating, and their impact on teenagers.
• Ethics surrounding the Stanford prison experiment.
• The adult content in cartoons and animes.
• Fetishes and sexually deviant behavior.
• Child sexual abuse – when a parent is a perpetrator.

Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology is one of the most popular fields here since it studies the cognitive development of an individual throughout the entire lifespan. When you write your paper , you might want to check PapersOwl to make things easier. Here, we have some general ideas on where you might want to start:

• The effects of social media on adolescent development: A critical review of research.
• How do parenting styles influence the development of emotional regulation in children?
• The impact of early childhood experiences on adult attachment styles.
• The role of peer relationships in adolescent identity development.
• Examining the long-term effects of childhood trauma on adult mental health and well-being.
• The importance of cultural and ethnic identity in the development of racial attitudes and prejudice.
• Gender identity development: A critical analysis of current theories.
• The effects of poverty on child development: An overview of current research.
• The development of empathy and prosocial behavior in children: The role of parenting and socialization.
• Examining the effects of technology on infant and toddler development: A review of current literature.

Child Psychology

This is yet another exciting field of psychology that focuses on the peculiarities in the development of the child. This is also a prolific ground for finding a proper topic for your paper:

• Influence of video games on Children
• The emotional development of a child
• The role of play in child development: A review of current literature.
• The effects of parenting styles on child socialization and emotional development.
• The impact of divorce and family conflict on child adjustment and well-being.
• How to promote positive sibling relationships in childhood and adolescence.
• The relationship between childhood ADHD and academic achievement: A meta-analysis.
• The effects of media exposure on child behavior and attitudes: An overview of research.
• The development of moral reasoning in children and adolescents.
• The effects of child abuse and neglect on mental health outcomes in adulthood.
• The importance of temperament in child development: A review of current theories.
• How cultural values and beliefs influence parenting practices and child development.
• Does death metal make children smarter?
• Society and children’s cognitive development.

There are more branches of psychology you might want to discuss, so you need to consider your specialization when choosing a proper topic for your study. There are different psychology essay samples , so you just need to pick the one that suits you best and would potentially make for a great paper.

Psychology Research Paper Tips

Do not expect choosing a psychology topic for your paper to be quick or easy! Remember, research takes quite a long time and usually takes even more time than you expect, so do not choose a topic that doesn’t excite you. It is easier to stay motivated and keep writing your project paper when you choose something you are genuinely interested in and passionate about.

After you’ve decided on what you are going to write, the next step is to start searching for some information about it. Take a deep breath and begin your research by looking through encyclopedias, textbooks, and pay attention to all the sources that are cited in the readings. Pay a visit to the library, and use its catalogs to search for different books. You can also look through online databases like PsycNET or PsycINFO to find more recent information.

We hope you have found our examples useful. So, feel free to use any of them while working on your assignment! We understand how hard and challenging school tasks are, so if you are struggling with them, you can buy psychology papers, don’t be afraid to contact us – we will do it for you!

Selecting the proper topic is the most important part of approaching any paper, especially when it comes to complex disciplines such as psychology. There are many branches in this discipline, so choosing one perfect topic might be even more challenging than it seems. That is why we have some general suggestions for you so you could choose your perfect topic yourself.

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Overview of the Scientific Method

8 Finding a Research Topic

Learning objectives.

• Learn some common sources of research ideas.
• Define the research literature in psychology and give examples of sources that are part of the research literature and sources that are not.
• Describe and use several methods for finding previous research on a particular research idea or question.

Good research must begin with a good research question. Yet coming up with good research questions is something that novice researchers often find difficult and stressful. One reason is that this is a creative process that can appear mysterious—even magical—with experienced researchers seeming to pull interesting research questions out of thin air. However, psychological research on creativity has shown that it is neither as mysterious nor as magical as it appears. It is largely the product of ordinary thinking strategies and persistence (Weisberg, 1993) [1] . This section covers some fairly simple strategies for finding general research ideas, turning those ideas into empirically testable research questions, and finally evaluating those questions in terms of how interesting they are and how feasible they would be to answer.

Finding Inspiration

Research questions often begin as more general research ideas—usually focusing on some behavior or psychological characteristic: talkativeness, learning, depression, bungee jumping, and so on. Before looking at how to turn such ideas into empirically testable research questions, it is worth looking at where such ideas come from in the first place. Three of the most common sources of inspiration are informal observations, practical problems, and previous research.

Informal observations include direct observations of our own and others’ behavior as well as secondhand observations from non-scientific sources such as newspapers, books, blogs, and so on. For example, you might notice that you always seem to be in the slowest moving line at the grocery store. Could it be that most people think the same thing? Or you might read in a local newspaper about people donating money and food to a local family whose house has burned down and begin to wonder about who makes such donations and why. Some of the most famous research in psychology has been inspired by informal observations. Stanley Milgram’s famous research on obedience to authority, for example, was inspired in part by journalistic reports of the trials of accused Nazi war criminals—many of whom claimed that they were only obeying orders. This led him to wonder about the extent to which ordinary people will commit immoral acts simply because they are ordered to do so by an authority figure (Milgram, 1963) [2] .

Practical problems can also inspire research ideas, leading directly to applied research in such domains as law, health, education, and sports. Does taking lecture notes by hand improve students’ exam performance? How effective is psychotherapy for depression compared to drug therapy? To what extent do cell phones impair people’s driving ability? How can we teach children to read more efficiently? What is the best mental preparation for running a marathon?

Probably the most common inspiration for new research ideas, however, is previous research. Recall that science is a kind of large-scale collaboration in which many different researchers read and evaluate each other’s work and conduct new studies to build on it. Of course, experienced researchers are familiar with previous research in their area of expertise and probably have a long list of ideas. This suggests that novice researchers can find inspiration by consulting with a more experienced researcher (e.g., students can consult a faculty member). But they can also find inspiration by picking up a copy of almost any professional journal and reading the titles and abstracts. In one typical issue of  Psychological Science , for example, you can find articles on the perception of shapes, anti-Semitism, police lineups, the meaning of death, second-language learning, people who seek negative emotional experiences, and many other topics. If you can narrow your interests down to a particular topic (e.g., memory) or domain (e.g., health care), you can also look through more specific journals, such as  Memory & Cognition  or  Health Psychology .

Reviewing the Research Literature

Once again, one of the most common sources of inspiration is previous research. Therefore, it is important to review the literature early in the research process. The  research literature  in any field is all the published research in that field. Reviewing the research literature means finding, reading, and summarizing the published research relevant to your topic of interest. In addition to helping you discover new research questions, reviewing the literature early in the research process can help you in several other ways.

• It can tell you if a research question has already been answered.
• It can help you evaluate the interestingness of a research question.
• It can give you ideas for how to conduct your own study.
• It can tell you how your study fits into the research literature.

The research literature in psychology is enormous—including millions of scholarly articles and books dating to the beginning of the field—and it continues to grow. Although its boundaries are somewhat fuzzy, the research literature definitely does not include self-help and other pop psychology books, dictionary and encyclopedia entries, websites, and similar sources that are intended mainly for the general public. These are considered unreliable because they are not reviewed by other researchers and are often based on little more than common sense or personal experience. Wikipedia contains much valuable information, but because its authors are anonymous and may not have any formal training or expertise in that subject area, and its content continually changes it is unsuitable as a basis of sound scientific research. For our purposes, it helps to define the research literature as consisting almost entirely of two types of sources: articles in professional journals, and scholarly books in psychology and related fields.

Professional Journals

Professional journals  are periodicals that publish original research articles. There are thousands of professional journals that publish research in psychology and related fields. They are usually published monthly or quarterly in individual issues, each of which contains several articles. The issues are organized into volumes, which usually consist of all the issues for a calendar year. Some journals are published in hard copy only, others in both hard copy and electronic form, and still others in electronic form only.

Most articles in professional journals are one of two basic types: empirical research reports and review articles.  Empirical research reports  describe one or more new empirical studies conducted by the authors. They introduce a research question, explain why it is interesting, review previous research, describe their method and results, and draw their conclusions. Review articles  summarize previously published research on a topic and usually present new ways to organize or explain the results. When a review article is devoted primarily to presenting a new theory, it is often referred to as a theoretical article . When a review article provides a statistical summary of all of the previous results it is referred to as a  meta-analysis .

Most professional journals in psychology undergo a process of  double-blind peer review . Researchers who want to publish their work in the journal submit a manuscript to the editor—who is generally an established researcher too—who in turn sends it to two or three experts on the topic. Each reviewer reads the manuscript, writes a critical but constructive review, and sends the review back to the editor along with recommendations about whether the manuscript should be published or not. The editor then decides whether to accept the article for publication, ask the authors to make changes and resubmit it for further consideration, or reject it outright. In any case, the editor forwards the reviewers’ written comments to the researchers so that they can revise their manuscript accordingly. This entire process is double-blind, as the reviewers do not know the identity of the researcher(s) and vice versa. Double-blind peer review is helpful because it ensures that the work meets basic standards of the field before it can enter the research literature. However, in order to increase transparency and accountability, some newer open access journals (e.g., Frontiers in Psychology ) utilize an open peer review process wherein the identities of the reviewers (which remain concealed during the peer review process) are published alongside the journal article.

Scholarly Books

Scholarly books  are books written by researchers and practitioners mainly for use by other researchers and practitioners. A  monograph  is written by a single author or a small group of authors and usually, gives a coherent presentation of a topic much like an extended review article.  Edited volumes have an editor or a small group of editors who recruit many authors to write separate chapters on different aspects of the same topic. Although edited volumes can also give a coherent presentation of the topic, it is not unusual for each chapter to take a different perspective or even for the authors of different chapters to openly disagree with each other. In general, scholarly books undergo a peer review process similar to that used by professional journals.

Literature Search Strategies

Using psycinfo and other databases.

The primary method used to search the research literature involves using one or more electronic databases. These include Academic Search Premier, JSTOR, and ProQuest for all academic disciplines, ERIC for education, and PubMed for medicine and related fields. The most important for our purposes, however, is PsycINFO, which is produced by the American Psychological Association (APA). PsycINFO is so comprehensive—covering thousands of professional journals and scholarly books going back more than 100 years—that for most purposes its content is synonymous with the research literature in psychology. Like most such databases, PsycINFO is usually available through your university library.

PsycINFO consists of individual records for each article, book chapter, or book in the database. Each record includes basic publication information, an abstract or summary of the work (like the one presented at the start of this chapter), and a list of other works cited by that work. A computer interface allows entering one or more search terms and returns any records that contain those search terms. (These interfaces are provided by different vendors and therefore can look somewhat different depending on the library you use.) Each record also contains lists of keywords that describe the content of the work and also a list of index terms. The index terms are especially helpful because they are standardized. Research on differences between females and males, for example, is always indexed under “Human Sex Differences.” Research on note-taking is always indexed under the term “Learning Strategies.” If you do not know the appropriate index terms, PsycINFO includes a thesaurus that can help you find them.

Given that there are nearly four million records in PsycINFO, you may have to try a variety of search terms in different combinations and at different levels of specificity before you find what you are looking for. Imagine, for example, that you are interested in the question of whether males and females differ in terms of their ability to recall experiences from when they were very young. If you were to enter the search term “memory,” it would return far too many records to look through individually. This is where the thesaurus helps. Entering “memory” into the thesaurus provides several more specific index terms—one of which is “early memories.” While searching for “early memories” among the index terms still returns too many to look through individually—combining it with “human sex differences” as a second search term returns fewer articles, many of which are highly relevant to the topic.

Depending on the vendor that provides the interface to PsycINFO, you may be able to save, print, or e-mail the relevant PsycINFO records. The records might even contain links to full-text copies of the works themselves. (PsycARTICLES is a database that provides full-text access to articles in all journals published by the APA.) If not, and you want a copy of the work, you will have to find out if your library carries the journal or has the book and the hard copy on the library shelves. Be sure to ask a librarian if you need help.

Using Other Search Techniques

In addition to entering search terms into PsycINFO and other databases, there are several other techniques you can use to search the research literature. First, if you have one good article or book chapter on your topic—a recent review article is best—you can look through the reference list of that article for other relevant articles, books, and book chapters. In fact, you should do this with any relevant article or book chapter you find. You can also start with a classic article or book chapter on your topic, find its record in PsycINFO (by entering the author’s name or article’s title as a search term), and link from there to a list of other works in PsycINFO that cite that classic article. This works because other researchers working on your topic are likely to be aware of the classic article and cite it in their own work. You can also do a general Internet search using search terms related to your topic or the name of a researcher who conducts research on your topic. This might lead you directly to works that are part of the research literature (e.g., articles in open-access journals or posted on researchers’ own websites). The search engine Google Scholar is especially useful for this purpose. A general Internet search might also lead you to websites that are not part of the research literature but might provide references to works that are. Finally, you can talk to people (e.g., your instructor or other faculty members in psychology) who know something about your topic and can suggest relevant articles and book chapters.

What to Search For

When you do a literature review, you need to be selective. Not every article, book chapter, and book that relates to your research idea or question will be worth obtaining, reading, and integrating into your review. Instead, you want to focus on sources that help you do four basic things: (a) refine your research question, (b) identify appropriate research methods, (c) place your research in the context of previous research, and (d) write an effective research report. Several basic principles can help you find the most useful sources.

First, it is best to focus on recent research, keeping in mind that what counts as recent depends on the topic. For newer topics that are actively being studied, “recent” might mean published in the past year or two. For older topics that are receiving less attention right now, “recent” might mean within the past 10 years. You will get a feel for what counts as recent for your topic when you start your literature search. A good general rule, however, is to start with sources published in the past five years. The main exception to this rule would be classic articles that turn up in the reference list of nearly every other source. If other researchers think that this work is important, even though it is old, then, by all means, you should include it in your review.

Second, you should look for review articles on your topic because they will provide a useful overview of it—often discussing important definitions, results, theories, trends, and controversies—giving you a good sense of where your own research fits into the literature. You should also look for empirical research reports addressing your question or similar questions, which can give you ideas about how to measure your variables and collect your data. As a general rule, it is good to use methods that others have already used successfully unless you have good reasons not to. Finally, you should look for sources that provide information that can help you argue for the interestingness of your research question. For a study on the effects of cell phone use on driving ability, for example, you might look for information about how widespread cell phone use is, how frequent and costly motor vehicle crashes are, and so on.

How many sources are enough for your literature review? This is a difficult question because it depends on how extensively your topic has been studied and also on your own goals. One study found that across a variety of professional journals in psychology, the average number of sources cited per article was about 50 (Adair & Vohra, 2003) [3] . This gives a rough idea of what professional researchers consider to be adequate. As a student, you might be assigned a much lower minimum number of references to include, but the principles for selecting the most useful ones remain the same.

Video Attributions

• “ How to Develop a Good Research Topic ” by  KStateLibraries .  CC BY (Attribution)
• “ Sample PsycINFO Search on EBSCOhost ” by  APA Publishing Training . Standard YouTube Licence.
• “ Using Google Scholar (CLIP) ” by  clipinfolit .  CC BY (Attribution)
• Weisberg, R. W. (1993). Creativity: Beyond the myth of genius . New York, NY: Freeman. ↵
• Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 , 371–378. ↵
• Adair, J. G., & Vohra, N. (2003). The explosion of knowledge, references, and citations: Psychology’s unique response to a crisis. American Psychologist, 58 , 15–23. ↵

All the published research in that field.

Are periodicals that publish original research articles.

Research reports that describe one or more new empirical studies conducted by the authors.

Articles that summarize previously published research on a topic and usually present new ways to organize or explain the results.

A review article that is devoted primarily to presenting a new theory.

A review article that provides a statistical summary of all of the previous results.

A process in which the reviewers of a research article do not know the identity of the researcher(s) and vice versa.

Books written by researchers and practitioners mainly for use by other researchers and practitioners.

A coherent written presentation of a topic much like an extended review article written by a single author or a small group of authors.

Books that are collections of chapters written by different authors on different aspects of the same topic, and overseen by one or more editors.

A comprehensive electronic database covering thousands of professional journals and scholarly books going back more than 100 years—that for most purposes its content is synonymous with the research literature in psychology.

Research Methods in Psychology Copyright © 2019 by Rajiv S. Jhangiani, I-Chant A. Chiang, Carrie Cuttler, & Dana C. Leighton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Nutrient research reveals pathway for treating brain disorders

A University of Queensland researcher has found molecular doorways that could be used to help deliver drugs into the brain to treat neurological disorders.

Dr Rosemary Cater from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience led a team which discovered that an essential nutrient called choline is transported into the brain by a protein called FLVCR2.

"Choline is a vitamin-like nutrient that is essential for many important functions in the body, particularly for brain development," Dr Cater said.

"We need to consume 400-500 mg of choline per day to support cell regeneration, gene expression regulation, and for sending signals between neurons."

Dr Cater said that until now, little was known about how dietary choline travels past the layer of specialised cells that separates the blood from the brain.

"This blood-brain barrier prevents molecules in the blood that are toxic to the brain from entering," she said.

"The brain still needs to absorb nutrients from the blood, so the barrier contains specialised cellular machines -- called transporters -- that allow specific nutrients such as glucose, omega-3 fatty acids and choline to enter.

"While this barrier is an important line of defence, it presents a challenge for designing drugs to treat neurological disorders."

Dr Cater was able to show that choline sits in a cavity of FLVCR2 as it travels across the blood-brain barrier and is kept in place by a cage of protein residues.

"We used high-powered cryo-electron microscopes to see exactly how choline binds to FLVCR2," she said.

"This is critical information for understanding how to design drugs that mimic choline so that they can be transported by FLVCR2 to reach their site of action within the brain.

"These findings will inform the future design of drugs for diseases such as Alzheimer's and stroke."

The research also highlights the importance of eating choline-rich foods -- such as eggs, vegetables, meat, nuts and beans.

The research is published in Nature and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

• Brain Tumor
• Nervous System
• Birth Defects
• Psychology Research
• Brain Injury
• Brain-Computer Interfaces
• Disorders and Syndromes
• Intelligence
• Brain damage
• Alzheimer's disease
• Traumatic brain injury
• West Nile virus
• Cerebral contusion
• Peripheral nervous system
• Brain tumor

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Queensland . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Rosemary J. Cater, Dibyanti Mukherjee, Eva Gil-Iturbe, Satchal K. Erramilli, Ting Chen, Katie Koo, Nicolás Santander, Andrew Reckers, Brian Kloss, Tomasz Gawda, Brendon C. Choy, Zhening Zhang, Aditya Katewa, Amara Larpthaveesarp, Eric J. Huang, Scott W. J. Mooney, Oliver B. Clarke, Sook Wah Yee, Kathleen M. Giacomini, Anthony A. Kossiakoff, Matthias Quick, Thomas Arnold, Filippo Mancia. Structural and molecular basis of choline uptake into the brain by FLVCR2 . Nature , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07326-y

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The 9 Major Research Areas in Social Psychology

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Mitchell Funk / Getty Images

Social Cognition

Violence and aggression, prosocial behavior, prejudice and discrimination.

• Social Identity

Group Behavior

Social influence, interpersonal relationships.

Social psychology is a branch of psychology that studies a wide range of subjects related to social behavior. This includes studying how people interact, factors that affect social perceptions, the formation of attitudes, and how groups influence individuals.

Research in social psychology is often focused on subjects that fall within three broad areas:

• Social influence : Social influence refers to the ways in which our opinions and behavior are affected by the presence of others. This includes studies on topics such as conformity, obedience, and social pressure.
• Social perception : Social perception refers to the ways in which we form impressions of other people. This includes research on topics including first impressions, stereotyping, and prejudice.
• Social interaction : Social interaction refers to the ways in which we interact with other people. This includes research on topics such as communication, aggression, and altruism.

This article discusses some of the major areas of research in social psychology. It also explores some examples of the types of research that social psychologists might conduct within these subject areas.

Social cognition is concerned with the processing, storage, and application of social information. For example, research in this area of social psychology may focus on the development and use of social schemas. 

Schemas are our general ideas about the world, how things are, and how things work. In the case of social schemas, these ideas relate to how we expect people to behave in different situations.

These mental categories allow us to function without constantly stopping to interpret everything around us. We also develop associations between related schemas, which play an important role in the thought process and social behavior.

One area of social cognition research concerns person perception , which is how people form impressions of others. 

First impressions are the judgments we form about someone based on limited information. Studies have shown that first impressions happen within mere milliseconds and are based on several cues, such as facial expressions, body language, voice, and the beliefs held by the observer.  

Understanding how people acquire and process social information allows researchers to better explain how it can affect social interactions and individual behavior.

Attitudes and Attitude Change

Another major research area in social psychology involves the study of attitudes . Social psychologists are interested in the components of attitudes, how attitudes develop, and how attitudes change.

Attitudes are evaluations of people, objects, or issues. They can be positive (e.g., "I like chocolate") or negative (e.g., "I dislike taxes"). Various factors contribute to the development of attitudes, including upbringing and experiences, although genetics also appears to play a role in shaping them.

Researchers have identified three core components of attitude: an affective component, a behavioral component, and a cognitive component. Often referred to as the "ABCs of attitude," these elements describe how we feel, behave, and understand.

Some other characteristics of attitudes that researchers may be interested in include:

• How they are best measured : Some attitudes can be measured through self-report questionnaires, but others might be better measured using tools like facial expression or arousal levels.
• Factors that affect their strength : Attitudes can vary considerably in terms of their intensity. The strength of these attitudes directly impacts the degree to which they will guide their actions. Direct experiences and frequent exposure to the attitude can impact its strength.
• How attitudes affect behavior : Researchers are also interested in understanding how and when these attitudes influence people's actions. For example, social psychologists might explore how attitudes develop through exposure to social media sources and how those attitudes relate to real-world actions.

Attitudes are an important research topic in social psychology because they impact how people view and interact with others.

What causes violence and aggression ? While many different factors play a role, social psychologists are interested in understanding the social influences that shape violent behavior.

Research in this area looks at numerous social factors that may cause aggression, including:

• Situational variables that might contribute to aggression
• Non-physical types of aggression such as name-calling or gossiping
• How aggression is learned via modeling, such as witnessing adults or children engage in aggressive or violent behaviors
• How violence in the media affects behavior in the real world
• Strategies that can be effective in the reduction of aggression and violence
• The role social learning plays in producing aggressive behaviors and actions
• How public policy can be used to curb violent behavior

Research into the epidemic of gun violence is an example of how social psychologists are trying to understand the variables that contribute to a problem, and then utilize that knowledge to come up with actionable solutions.

Prosocial behavior is another major research area in social psychology. Prosocial behaviors are those that involve helping and cooperating.

Researchers often look at why people help others, as well as why they sometimes refuse to help or cooperate. The bystander effect is an example of a social phenomenon in the subject area of prosocial behavior.

Much of the research in the area of bystander effect was prompted by the murder of a young woman named Kitty Genovese. This case captured national attention when reports suggested that neighbors had witnessed her attack and murder but failed to call the police for help.

Later reviews of the case indicate that few (if any) of the neighbors had a clear view of the scene and were unaware of what was happening. Nevertheless, the case became mythologized in psychology textbooks and prompted a surge of interest in prosocial behaviors.

Research inspired by the Genovese case produced a great deal of information on prosocial behavior and how and why people choose—or sometimes refuse—to help others.

Prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes exist in any social group. Social psychologists are interested in the origins, causes, and effects of these attitudes and social categorizations.

Some questions that social psychologists explore include:

• How does prejudice develop?
• Why are stereotypes maintained in the face of contrary evidence?
• How can prejudice be measured?
• What factors contribute to the formation of prejudice and discrimination?
• Are there effective ways to reduce prejudice and discrimination?

For example, researchers have found that several factors contribute to the development of prejudice, including stereotypes, social categorization, and social influences. Another factor that plays a part is the outgroup homogeneity bias, or the tendency to view people outside of our social group as being more homogenous than members of our own group.

By learning more about the psychology of prejudice and discrimination, researchers can look for solutions to help help prevent it from happening.

Self and Social Identity

Our perceptions of social identities and ourselves are another important research area in social psychology. Some of the questions that researchers explore include:

• How do people come to know and understand themselves?
• How do these self-perceptions affect our social interactions?
• How does belonging to different social groups shape individual identity?
• How do intersecting group members influence self-perception and self-identity?

Social psychologists are interested in learning more about how this inner life influences our outer lives and social world. Self-awareness, self-esteem, self-concept , and self-expression are only a few factors that influence our social experience.

For example, social comparison is a process that can impact how people view themselves. Upward social comparison involves comparing the self to others who are perceived as higher in status and ability, while downward social comparison focuses on making comparisons to those who are lower in status or ability.

Upward comparisons can leave people feeling like they don't measure up, damaging self-esteem. Downward comparisons, on the other hand, can help enhance self-esteem.

By learning more about how social identities and self-perceptions interact, social psychologists are better able to understand how social factors can influence how individuals feel about themselves and their identities.

Group behavior is defined as the actions, feelings, or thoughts of a collective of people. Such groups involve two or more people who share something in common such as identity, purpose, and belief.

The behavior of groups is one of the largest research areas in social psychology. Most people realize that groups tend to behave differently than individuals. These group behaviors are sometimes beneficial but can also be detrimental.

Social psychologists often look at topics such as:

• Group dynamics
• Group decision making
• Cooperation
• Group influence

Norms are an example of an aspect of group behavior that can guide how group members think, behave, or act. Norms are standards that emerge and guide how another member judge one another.

Social psychologists are also interested in the role of social influence on behavior and decision-making. Topics such as the psychology of persuasion , peer pressure, conformity , and obedience are only a few of those studied in this area of social psychology.

One example of research in this area of social psychology was Milgram's obedience studies conducted during the 1960s. The experiments found that when ordered by an authority figure, participants were willing to deliver what they believed were dangerous and painful electrical shocks to another person. While the shocks were staged, the research suggested that many people were willing to go to great lengths to obey authority.

Research has helped reveal the power of social influence and has uncovered ways to help people resist influence.

Social relationships play a major role in shaping behavior, attitudes, feelings, and thoughts. Social psychologists study how these interpersonal relationships affect people by looking at attachment , liking , love , and attraction.

Some research questions that social psychologists might explore include:

• How important are interpersonal relationships to individual well-being?
• What factors play a role in attraction?
• How do interpersonal relationships influence helping behaviors in groups?
• How do close relationships affect individuals?

Close relationships are relationships in which we feel a strong sense of connection and intimacy with another person. Studies on close relationships have shown that they are associated with many benefits, such as increased happiness and satisfaction with life.

A Word From Verywell

Social psychology is a rich subject that explores how social perception, social interaction, and social influence affect both groups and individuals. Researchers in this field are interested in various topics, including attitudes, attraction, close relationships, and helping behavior. By learning more about these subjects, social psychologists can add to our understanding of social behavior and its effect on individual well-being.

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American Psychological Association.  Outgroup homogeneity bias .

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."