What is the motivational force of the sense of obligation that drives us to intrinsically comply with social norms even in the absence of external incentives? To integrate recent theoretical and empirical research aiming to illuminate the motivational power of psychological obligations, we combine the theory of basic psychological needs with recent work in intrinsically motivated reinforcement learning

European-derived perspectives that position humanity as having dominion over Nature drive ecological crises and erode interrelatedness between human communities and natural ecosystems. In contrast, Indigenous worldviews recognize kincentric ecology, emphasizing reciprocal relationships between people and the Natural World. By centering these worldviews, we illuminate gaps in scientific literature on

Social norms are guiding principles of society, affecting collective and individual conduct by defining the line between acceptable and deviant behavior. Top-down regulations often aim to redefine what is considered appropriate in groups by imposing new rules that either restrict or mandate certain behaviors. These regulations may transform into socially shared and peer-enforced norms. However, resistance

Social norms vary both in terms of their content (e.g. don't talk to strangers, help the needy) and their strength. While most research focuses on the former, increasing evidence points to the relevance of the latter for norm change. Despite this potential, existing knowledge about norm strength is siloed into “macro” and “micro” perspectives, with the former studying aggregations of norms and the

Although the evidence-base for psychological treatments for pediatric chronic pain (CP) is promising, the rigor and quality of existing studies remains variable and psychological treatments for pediatric CP are often inaccessible to youth that may benefit. Persistence in the rates and devastating impact of chronic pain for children and adolescents suggests a need to improve both the quality and availability

The widespread disregard for plant behavior is gradually being overcome through more inclusive theoretical approaches and the development of appropriate and advanced technologies.

A growing body of experimental research provides evidence that linguistic frames influence human behaviour in economic games, beyond the economic consequences of the available actions. This article proposes a novel framework that moves beyond traditional outcome-based preference models. According to the LENS model, the Linguistic description of the decision problem triggers Emotional responses and

Engaging with nature has been found to have a range of benefits across the biopsychosocial and spiritual domains of well-being. Nature-focused livestreams (NFLs) offer an alternative to physically engaging with nature and serve as a window to nature as society has become more urbanized and has increasingly moved indoors. In this brief review, we examine the role of NFLs in connecting people with nature

Although children are influenced by social norms from birth, they only begin to understand social norms as such in the three to five year age period. It is at this age that they begin to enforce conformity to social norms on others, even using the normative language of should, must, and ought to. By the end of this age period, they are even capable of creating new social norms (i.e., game rules) themselves

Psychologically Informed Practice (PiP) is best understood as enhanced physiotherapy in which identification and management of psychological factors is central to reactivation. The PiP approach has been investigated in trials of stratified care linking psychological screening with targeted treatment, but there have been challenges in its implementation in routine musculoskeletal care. The possible

Sex and gender contribute to the variation in pain experience. A range of biological, psychological, and social factors are relevant, which point to potential pain mechanisms and the reasons for this sex/gender-based variation. This review provides a brief critical overview of the evidence for these patterns. It draws on both experimental and clinical studies and identifies some of the biological and

The healthcare sector significantly contributes to global environmental impacts. While efforts are underway to reduce emissions, this article explores ecotherapy as an innovative approach to treatment and public health that could further mitigate emissions while enhancing health outcomes. Ecotherapy involves nature-based interventions that reconnect individuals with the environment, offering mental

Trust strengthens people's confidence in a stable society and their willingness to perform pro-social behaviors, such as getting vaccinated or protecting a livable climate and environment. This review proposes a framework of how norms of trust change during times of uncertainty and collective threat. Norms of trust influence expectations toward another's actual or acceptable behavior in interdependent

This review critically examines psychosocial and behavioural interventions for chronic pain through an equity lens. We interrogate relevant literature drawing on three key organising principles; justice, access, and knowledge, to illustrate systemic inequities in pain interventions. Current approaches often overlook the social dimensions of pain, perpetuating disparities rather than addressing them

Social anxiety is associated with an intense fear of social evaluation and rejection, often leading to avoidance behaviors and distress. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how various cognitive biases may lead to the development and maintenance of social anxiety. While early models of social anxiety have focused on negative biases in perception, attention, memory and emotion

Pain and emotions are inherently connected, and this review presents contemporary findings on the pain-emotion connection. We address in what ways pain and emotions are related as well as how the link may be understood and targeted in treatment. Both pain and negative emotions are essential (and ancient) biological and motivational systems which share protective and regulatory functions. There is a

Increasing emphasis on the interrelatedness of ecological sustainability and human wellbeing (eco-human flourishing) is evident in global initiatives such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, initiatives that give greater attention to Indigenous worldviews, and expanding notions of wellbeing in psychology. Our literature search on organisations that promote eco-human flourishing resulted

Chronic pain and opioid use disorder cause significant social, physical, and economic burdens on individuals and society. Historically, chronic pain and opioid use disorder have been treated individually, yet they often are comorbid conditions and treatment targeting both concurrently might improve outcomes. This article reviewed psychological treatment approaches for comorbid chronic pain and opioid

Diversity policies designed to foster more equitable work environments are widespread, but not necessarily widely supported. In this review, we advance a fixed-growth mindsets approach to understand people's support for, or resistance to, diversity policies in the workplace. We theorize that people's mindsets, or their fundamental beliefs about the malleability of attributes, underlie their diversity

Chronic pain affects one-third of adults globally, leading to significant disability and healthcare costs. This review highlights the role of interpersonal processes in chronic pain adjustment, focusing on how partner behaviors and interactions influence patient well-being and functioning. It synthesizes recent theoretical perspectives and empirical findings, discussing both potentially maladaptive

Increasing evidence for climate change is leading to increasing awareness of human impacts, including threats to mental health as well as to social relationships. Experiencing the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events or wildfires, as well as awareness of the threat that climate change presents, can lead to anxiety, loss of social connections and support, and relational challenges

Anticipating changes in social norms presents a significant challenge for social scientists. Historical instances when researchers failed to predict dramatic shifts in collective behavior, along with the persistence of norms that impede welfare, underscore the need for a deeper understanding of how norms evolve. This article reviews current advancements in predicting norm change using threshold models

Pain is influenced by biological, psychological and social factors. Whilst analgesics are often prescribed for chronic pain, they provide little benefit for most patients. Psychological therapies manage pain and disability in children and adults with chronic pain. Evidence for cognitive behavioural therapies is the most robust in the field, although benefits are modest. Technological innovation has

Psychological chronic pain treatments have variable efficacy across individual patients, and on average tend to produce modest effects. In order to improve treatment outcomes, the past decade has seen a rapid increase in research focused on determining the mechanisms underlying treatment-related gains. The near exclusive focus of this research has been on uncovering patient-related mediators and moderators

Recent research suggests that serotonergic psychedelics may simultaneously enhance connectedness to both social and natural worlds. This article synthesizes current evidence regarding psychedelics' effects on nature relatedness and social connectedness, examining underlying mechanisms through the framework of self-other overlap. Psychedelics appear to facilitate self-expansion through two complementary

Chronic pain is a highly prevalent condition globally. Low-socioeonomic (SES) populations tend to have higher prevalence rates and worsened pain outcomes. Although psychological interventions for chronic pain are considered an integral aspect of chronic pain treatment, psychological treatments are often not accessible for individuals with low-SES due to barriers such as poor insurance coverage, transportation

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common comorbidity to chronic pain, among others due to potentially shared posttraumatic origin. There has been growing interest in this field in the past decades, also providing some important studies to support our understanding of this comorbidity and how to address it in clinical practice. However, there are still important questions, particularly regarding

When acute pain persists, it is said to become chronic after 3 months. Considerable interest has focused on why acute pain appears to transition to chronic pain in some cases, but not all, especially when it becomes disabling. We examine our current understanding of the processes involved in the progression from an acute injury to disabling chronic pain. Rather than viewing this progression as a time

This review examines factors catalyzing citizens' participation in Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), crucial for sustainable energy transitions. We analyze the interplay of individual and community elements promoting involvement in these collective projects. Individual drivers include pro-environmental values, economic incentives, desire for energy autonomy, and technical knowledge. Community factors

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted people with chronic pain, affecting their access to pain management services and the social fabric of society. Here we review evidence indicating that during and since the pandemic (1) the overall prevalence and burden of chronic pain has increased, (2) social threats such as social isolation, abuse and neglect, and disparities in access to pain management

This paper aims to highlight the significant role of culture in human responses to global environmental challenges. Specifically, it discusses three thematic clusters of research, which demonstrate that: (i) culture can influence pro-environmental behavior through shaping values and moderating the relationship between psychological determinants and such behavior; (ii) perceptions of nature and its

Various countries have published national guidance supporting the integration of behavioral approaches into chronic pain treatment. Yet multiple barriers prevent broad patient access. Brief treatment formats may address universal shortcomings of therapists and resources and offer patients expanded access to care through lower costs and treatment burdens. This article summarizes published evidence for

People with marginalized identities must often manage the diversity dynamics that are activated by their presence in organizations. Due to underrepresentation and stigmatization, they cope with a range of identity threats while navigating diverse settings. A host of studies over the past twenty-five years have examined the wide range of verbal and nonverbal tactics that people use to suppress and express

There is growing recognition that our relationship with nature needs repairing. Two operationalizations of this construct within psychology are nature connectedness and relational environmental values. This review covers recent advances on both constructs. It outlines the growing evidence that both operationalizations are strong predictors of pro-environmental outcomes. It goes on to review what is

In this article, we use the example of pain exposure therapy to illustrate how behavioral pain treatments can be systematically personalized following the principles of functional analysis. Based on the fear-avoidance model, pain exposure therapy has evolved as a mechanistically-based treatment to modify the mechanism of avoidance learning with the aim to reduce disability levels. We first present

There has been a predominant focus on psychosocial risk factors associated with poor pain outcomes among individuals with chronic pain. However, it is also important to identify resilience factors that may mitigate the negative impact of or confer successful adaptation to pain. We argue for a dual-focus approach that evaluates the contributions of both risk and resilience factors. Person-centered statistical

Accumulating evidence suggests that stigma is a pervasive and pernicious psychosocial phenomenon that affects people living with chronic pain. In this narrative review, we describe the nature of stigma experienced by people with chronic pain and discuss its multifaceted determinants. These determinants include features of pain itself and intersectional factors, including comorbid conditions and social

Experiences of awe, frequently elicited by the natural world (but also by art, music, human virtue, among other things), are profound and transformative. We argue that beyond its individual benefits, awe serves a vital social function: It expands an individual's perspective from narrow self-interest to others' needs and collective concerns. We review recent empirical evidence showcasing how awe shifts

Among people with substance use disorders (SUDs), chronic pain is among the most common comorbid chronic health conditions. Chronic pain increases risk for poor SUD treatment outcomes, including risk for overdose. Given rising overdose rates across North America, a renewed research focus has emerged to better understand the contribution and treatment of chronic pain in the context of an SUD. A significant

Digital approaches to chronic pain are emerging worldwide and rapidly gaining increased empirical support. This brief meta-review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of evidence and recommendations reported in recent reviews (2023–2024) on eHealth interventions for chronic pain promoting self-management. A systematic search provided 2041 records, of which 225 reviews were screened and 20 were

Where social norms are the ‘glue’ guiding behavior, people hardly think of their behavior as an act of norm compliance. They do consciously look for social norms in situations of environmental or social uncertainty, because i) norms provide behavioral cues that reduce uncertainty and ii) the uncertainty is partially induced by the lack or instability of social norms themselves—creating the (flawed)

Social norms influence how opinions are expressed. The norm against prejudice discourages individuals from expressing certain opinions to avoid being perceived as prejudiced. This article examines recent empirical advances investigating the mechanisms of how this norm changes: how it is established and how it erodes. Recent research suggests that trigger events, such as elections, can abruptly change

The MINDSPACE framework has made it easier to incorporate insights from behavioral science into policy, including health policy, but lacks granularity. Difficult policy problems such as adherence to psychiatric medication can benefit from judicious selection of nudges. We present a MINDSPACE Expanded Framework including 34 insights from behavioral science in the 9 MINDSPACE principles to support a

Chronic pain can be highly distressing, disabling and complex. The experience of living with chronic pain often leads to a fundamental struggle with one's sense of self and identity. In this article, we briefly review the wide range of conceptualisations of self in pain research. We then introduce a contextual behavioural conceptualisation of self, a more recent approach to self, and discuss its application

Rising to higher hierarchical positions is a struggle for those who do not fit the stereotypical leadership mold. Implicit Leadership Theories (ILTs) associate leadership with dominant groups (e.g., white, male), which limits opportunities of non-prototypical individuals (e.g., women, ethnic minorities) to claim or be granted leadership roles. We first review evidence of the barriers members of non-prototypical

The heterogeneity of chronic pain and stagnating improvements in treatment effectiveness have prompted calls for a shift toward personalized and process-based approaches to the assessment and treatment of chronic pain. As this opens a new line of research, several fundamental questions arise. We begin by defining key terms and reviewing attempts to personalize treatment to date. Despite progress in

In our review, we explore two different flavors of social norms: strength and stability. These two fundamental features are crucial for understanding norm change and designing effective interventions. Strong norms, which significantly influence behavior and are widely adopted, and stable norms, which endure over time, are essential for group coordination and addressing collective challenges. Using

Traditional psychological models characterize self-control as an inherently effortful process, relying on deliberate and cognitively demanding strategies to resist impulsive temptations. Drawing on behavioral economics literature, we investigate opportunity cost salience as an effective intervention to enhance self-control with minimal effort. Specifically, we demonstrate that opportunity cost salience

Psychological treatments tend to be created based on group averaged results of how variables relate to each other. This means that treatments may not be applicable to individual people where variables may relate to each other in other ways than seen in the group models. While the personalization of psychological treatments is on the rise, such attempts need to be accompanied by idiographic research

Intersectionality has emerged as an important theoretical concept for examining overlapping social hierarchies and has garnered varying interpretations and applications in scholarly discourse. To help organize varied definitions of intersectionality that are commonly used in the social sciences, we propose a typology that distinguishes between primary, pragmatic, and pluralistic intersectionality.

The theme of limited resources pervades the mental health landscape. Practitioners often lack adequate resources to provide interventions for all who could benefit from them, and potential beneficiaries often lack adequate cognitive, financial, and temporal resources to make use of them. Even under rare conditions of bounty, many intensive interventions show small, fleeting effects. Such a landscape

The prevalence of diversity initiatives in organizations has prompted significant debate regarding whether they are necessary and effective. This paper provides a synthesis of classic and contemporary work on the effectiveness of diversity initiatives. We define diversity initiatives as practices used by organizations to improve the experiences and outcomes of marginalized social groups, and briefly

This review delves into the nuanced boundary conditions of social norms in fostering behavior change within the realm of climate action. Current research is examined within a “Sender - Message - Receiver (SMeR)" framework, which investigates factors such as group identification and group size that influence the effectiveness of social norms. Furthermore, it explores how cultural context, personal norms