Evaluation of mobile health applications using the RE-AIM model: systematic review and meta-analysis

De Magalhães Jorge, E. L. G., et al. (2025).

Frontiers in Public Health, 13.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1611789

Background: The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) model has been used as an instrument to determine the impact of the intervention on health in digital format. This study aims to evaluate, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, the dimensions of RE-AIM in interventions carried out by mobile health apps.

Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and involved searching six databases - Medline/PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Virtual Library in Health, and Cochrane Library. The review included randomized, cross-sectional, and cohort clinical trials assessing the prevalence of each RE-AIM dimension according to the duration of the intervention in days. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. The random effects meta-analysis method was used to explain the distribution of effects between the studies, by Stata® software (version 11.0) and publication bias was examined by visual inspection of graphs and Egger’s test.

Results: After analyzing the articles found in the databases, and respecting the PRISMA criteria, 21 studies were included, published between 2011 and 2023 in 11 countries. Improvements in health care and self-management were reported for various conditions. The result of the meta-analysis showed a prevalence of 67% (CI: 53–80) for the reach dimension, of 52% (CI: 32–72) for effectiveness, 70% (CI: 58–82) for adoption, 68% (CI: 57–79) for implementation and 64% (CI: 48–80) for maintenance.

Conclusion: The RE-AIM dimensions are useful for assessing how digital health interventions have been implemented and reported in the literature. By highlighting the strengths and areas requiring improvement, the study provides important input for the future development of mobile health applications capable of achieving better clinical and health promotion outcomes.

Here are some thoughts:

Mobile health (mHealth) applications have considerable promise for improving healthcare delivery, patient engagement, and health outcomes, but their long-term effectiveness, sustained use, and real-world impact depend on careful evaluation across multiple dimensions—reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance—using frameworks like RE-AIM.

Cyber anti-intellectualism and science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Kuang Y. (2025).

Frontiers in public health, 12, 1491096.

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1491096

Abstract

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, science communication played a crucial role in disseminating accurate information and promoting scientific literacy among the public. However, the rise of anti-intellectualism on social media platforms has posed significant challenges to science, scientists, and science communication, hindering effective public engagement with scientific affairs. This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which anti-intellectualism impacts science communication on social media platforms from the perspective of communication effect theory.

Method

This study employed a cross-sectional research design to conduct an online questionnaire survey of Chinese social media users from August to September 2021. The survey results were analyzed via descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and a chain mediation model with SPSS 26.0.

Results

There were significant differences in anti-intellectualism tendency among groups of different demographic characteristics. The majority of respondents placed greater emphasis on knowledge that has practical benefits in life. Respondents’ trust in different groups of intellectuals showed significant inconsistencies, with economists and experts receiving the lowest levels of trust. Anti-intellectualism significantly and positively predicted the level of misconception of scientific and technological information, while significantly and negatively predicting individuals’ attitudes toward science communication. It further influenced respondents’ behavior in disseminating scientific and technological information through the chain mediation of scientific misconception and attitudes toward science communication.

Conclusion

This research enriches the conceptual framework of anti-intellectualism across various cultural contexts, as well as the theoretical framework concerning the interaction between anti-intellectualism and science communication. The findings provide suggestions for developing strategies to enhance the effectiveness of science communication and risk communication during public emergencies.

Here are some thoughts:

When people distrust science and intellectuals — especially on social media — it leads to misunderstanding of scientific facts, negative attitudes toward science communication, and reduced sharing of accurate information. This harms public health efforts, particularly during emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. To combat this, science communication must become more inclusive, transparent, and focused on real-world benefits, and experts must engage the public as equals, not just as authority figures. 

Editorial finale: Social media "wellness influencers" typically have a financial incentive to sell unproven or even harmful interventions because our current healthcare system is so expensive and so broken. Wellness influencers's power lies in the promise, the hope, and the price, not the outcome of the intervention.

Higher cognitive ability linked to weaker moral foundations in UK adults

Zakharin, M., & Bates, T. C. (2025).

Intelligence, 111, 101930.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2025.101930

Abstract

Existing research on the relationship between cognitive ability and moral foundations has yielded contradictory results. While some studies suggest that higher cognitive ability is associated with more enlightened moral intuitions, others indicate it may weaken moral foundations. To address this ambiguity, we conducted two studies (total N = 1320) using the Moral Foundations Questionnaire-2 (MFQ-2) with UK residents. Both Study 1 and Study 2 (preregistered) revealed negative links between cognitive ability and moral foundations. In Study 1, structural models showed negative links between general intelligence (g) and both binding (−0.24) and individualizing (−0.19) foundations. These findings replicated closely in Study 2, with similar coefficients (−0.25 and − 0.18, respectively). Higher verbal ability was specifically associated with lower purity scores. These findings suggest a negative association between cognitive ability and moral foundations, challenging existing theories relating to intelligence and moral intuitions. However, causal direction remains uncertain.

Highlights

• Tested association of intelligence and moral foundations.

• Higher ability linked to lower individualizing and binding.

• Lower Proportionality, Loyalty, Authority, and Purity.

• Lower Equality and Care.

• Verbal ability linked specifically to impurity.

• Replicated in pre-registered large study.

Here are some thoughts:

This research is significant for psychologists as it clarifies the complex relationship between intelligence and moral reasoning. The study found that higher general cognitive ability (g) is negatively associated with all six moral foundations—care, equality, proportionality, loyalty, authority, and purity—suggesting that greater analytical thinking may suppress intuitive moral responses rather than enhance them. This supports what the authors call the Morality Suppression Model , which proposes that higher cognitive ability weakens emotional-moral intuitions rather than reinforcing them. Importantly, the study replicates its findings in two large, independent samples using robust and validated tools like the Moral Foundations Questionnaire-2 (MFQ-2) and the International Cognitive Ability Resource (ICAR), making the results highly credible.

The findings challenge common assumptions that higher intelligence leads to stronger or more "enlightened" moral values. Instead, they show that higher intelligence correlates with a general weakening of moral intuitions across both liberal (individualizing) and conservative (binding) domains. For instance, verbal reasoning was specifically linked to lower endorsement of the purity foundation, suggesting that linguistic sophistication may lead individuals to question traditional norms related to bodily sanctity or self-restraint. These insights contribute to dual-process theories of cognition by showing that reflective thinking can override intuitive moral judgments.

Moreover, the research has implications for understanding ideological differences, as it counters the tendency to view those with opposing moral views as less intelligent. It also informs educational and policy-related efforts aimed at ethical reasoning, particularly in professions requiring high-level decision-making. By demonstrating that the relationship between cognitive ability and moral foundations is consistent across genders and replicated in preregistered studies, this work offers a solid empirical basis for future exploration into how cognitive processes shape moral values.

Could “The Wonder Equation” help us to be more ethical? A personal reflection

Somerville, M. A. (2021).

Ethics & Behavior, 32(3), 226–240.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2020.1867861

Abstract

This is a personal reflection on what I have learnt as an academic, researching, teaching and participating in the public square in Bioethics for over four decades. I describe a helix metaphor for understanding the evolution of values and the current “culture wars” between “progressive” and “conservative” values adherents, the uncertainty people’s “mixed values packages” engender, and disagreement in prioritizing individual rights and the “common good”. I propose, as a way forward, that individual and collective experiences of “amazement, wonder and awe” have the power to enrich our lives, help us to find meaning and sometimes to bridge the secular/religious divide and experience a shared moral universe. They can change our worldview, our decisions regarding values and ethics, and whether we live our lives mainly as just an individual – a “me” – or also as a member of a larger community – a “We”. I summarize in an equation – “The Wonder Equation” – what is necessary to reduce or resolve some current hostile values conflicts in order to facilitate such a transition. It will require revisiting and reaffirming the traditional values we still need as both individuals and societies and accommodating them with certain contemporary “progressive" values.

Here are some thoughts:

This article is a personal reflection on her decades of work in bioethics and a proposal for a novel approach to navigating contemporary ethical conflicts. Central to her argument is the idea that cultivating experiences of amazement, wonder, and awe (AWA)—especially when paired with healthy skepticism and free from cynicism and nihilism—can lead to deep gratitude and hope, which in turn inspire individuals and communities to act more ethically. She expresses this as a formula: AWA + S – (C + N) → G + H → E, which she calls “The Wonder Equation.” This equation suggests that rather than relying solely on rational analysis or ideological arguments, engaging our emotional and spiritual capacities can help restore a shared sense of moral responsibility.

For psychologists, Somerville’s work holds particular importance. First, it introduces a fresh lens for understanding moral motivation. Drawing on both personal anecdotes and recent empirical research, she argues that emotional states like awe and wonder are not only enriching but are also linked to prosocial behaviors such as compassion, empathy, and a sense of connectedness. This aligns with psychological studies that show how awe can reduce narcissism, increase well-being, and promote community-oriented values. Second, Somerville’s analysis of today’s “culture wars”—and her critique of rigid ideological divisions between “progressive” and conservative values—offers psychologists insight into how clients might experience internal value conflicts in an increasingly polarized world. Her concept of “mixed values packages” underscores the psychological reality that most people hold complex, sometimes contradictory beliefs, which calls for greater tolerance and openness in both therapy and society at large.

A foundation model to predict and capture human cognition

Binz, M., Akata, E., et al. (2025).

Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09215-4

Abstract

Establishing a unified theory of cognition has been an important goal in psychology. A first step towards such a theory is to create a computational model that can predict human behaviour in a wide range of settings. Here we introduce Centaur, a computational model that can predict and simulate human behaviour in any experiment expressible in natural language. We derived Centaur by fine-tuning a state-of-the-art language model on a large-scale dataset called Psych-101. Psych-101 has an unprecedented scale, covering trial-by-trial data from more than 60,000 participants performing in excess of 10,000,000 choices in 160 experiments. Centaur not only captures the behaviour of held-out participants better than existing cognitive models, but it also generalizes to previously unseen cover stories, structural task modifications and entirely new domains. Furthermore, the model’s internal representations become more aligned with human neural activity after fine-tuning. Taken together, our results demonstrate that it is possible to discover computational models that capture human behaviour across a wide range of domains. We believe that such models provide tremendous potential for guiding the development of cognitive theories, and we present a case study to demonstrate this.

The article is here.

Here are some thoughts:

This article is important because it introduces Centaur, a novel computational model that represents a major step toward a unified theory of cognition. By fine-tuning a large language model on a vast dataset of human behavior, the researchers created a model with superior predictive power that can generalize across different cognitive domains. This model not only outperforms existing, specialized cognitive models but also demonstrates an alignment with human neural activity, suggesting it captures fundamental principles of human thought. Ultimately, the paper proposes that Centaur can serve as a powerful tool for scientific discovery, guiding the development and refinement of new psychological theories.

To assess or not to assess: Ethical issues in online assessments

Salimuddin, S., Beshai, S., & Loutzenhiser, L. (2025).

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne.

Advance online publication.

https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000423

Abstract

There has been a proliferation of psychological services offered via the internet in the past 5 years, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing a large role in the shift from in-person to online services. While researchers have identified ethical issues related to online psychotherapy, little attention has been paid to the ethical issues surrounding online psychological assessments. In this article, we discuss challenges and ethical considerations unique to online psychological assessments and underscore the need for targeted discussions related to this service. We address key ethical issues including informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, competency, and maximizing benefit and minimizing harm, followed by a discussion of ethical issues specific to behavioural observations and standardized testing in online assessments. Additionally, we propose several recommendations, such as integrating dedicated training for online assessments into graduate programmes and expanding the research on cross-modality reliability and validity. These recommendations are closely aligned with principles, standards, and guidelines from the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, the Canadian Psychological Association Guidelines on Telepsychology, and the Interim Ethical Guidelines for Psychologists Providing Psychological Services via Electronic Media.

Impact Statement

This article provides Canadian psychologists with guidance on the ethical issues to consider when contemplating the remote online administration of psychological assessments. Relevant sources, such as the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, are used in discussing ethical issues arising in online assessments. 

Here are some thoughts:

The core message is that while online assessments offer significant benefits, especially in terms of accessibility for rural, remote, or underserved populations, they come with a complex array of unique ethical challenges that cannot be ignored. Simply because a service can be delivered online does not mean it should be, without a thorough evaluation of the risks and benefits.

Embrace the potential of online assessments to increase access, but do so responsibly. Prioritize ethical rigor, client well-being, and scientific validity over convenience. The decision to assess online should never be taken lightly and must be grounded in competence, transparency, and a careful weighing of potential harms and benefits.

Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Antipsychotic Medications: A Psychologist's Guide

Gavazzi, J. D. (2025).

The Tablet, Summer.

A pdf is here.

This article outlines the history, mechanisms, uses, and evolving developments of antipsychotic drugs, with a focus on their implications for psychologists. It distinguishes between first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) that primarily block dopamine D2 receptors and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) that additionally modulate serotonin receptors, noting their respective strengths and side-effect profiles. Beyond reducing positive symptoms like hallucinations, some antipsychotics can also help with negative symptoms, cognitive deficits, and mood stabilization, though effects are often modest.

The guide covers off-label uses (e.g., depression, OCD, dementia-related agitation) and stresses caution due to variable efficacy and safety risks, especially in older adults. It highlights the importance of individualized treatment, given significant variability in patient response. Emerging options such as lumateperone, xanomeline-trospium, cholinergic modulators, and TAAR1 agonists represent novel approaches with potentially fewer side effects.

Psychologists’ non-prescribing roles include monitoring treatment effects, educating patients and families, delivering psychosocial interventions, and collaborating with prescribers. The overarching message is that optimal care requires a personalized, integrated approach combining pharmacological knowledge with psychosocial strategies.

An Important Takeaway

Even as antipsychotic medications become more sophisticated, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution—effective treatment comes from balancing science with individualized, compassionate care. Progress in medication is valuable, but it reaches its fullest potential only when paired with human connection, careful monitoring, and collaborative support.

Cognitive computational model reveals repetition bias in a sequential decision-making task

Legler, E., Rivera, D. C.,  et al. (2025).

Communications Psychology, 3(1).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00271-0

Abstract

Humans tend to repeat action sequences that have led to reward. Recent computational models, based on a long-standing psychological theory, suggest that action selection can also be biased by how often an action or sequence of actions was repeated before, independent of rewards. However, empirical support for such a repetition bias effect in value-based decision-making remains limited. In this study, we provide evidence of a repetition bias for action sequences using a sequential decision-making task (N = 70). Through computational modeling of choices, we demonstrate both the learning and influence of a repetition bias on human value-based decisions. Using model comparison, we find that decisions are best explained by the combined influence of goal-directed reward seeking and a tendency to repeat action sequences. Additionally, we observe significant individual differences in the strength of this repetition bias. These findings lay the groundwork for further research on the interaction between goal-directed reward seeking and the repetition of action sequences in human decision making.

Here are some thoughts:

This research on "repetition bias in a sequential decision-making task" offers valuable insights for psychologists, impacting both their own professional conduct and their understanding of patient behaviors. The study highlights that human decision-making is not solely driven by the pursuit of rewards, but also by an unconscious tendency to repeat previous action sequences. This finding suggests that psychologists, like all individuals, may be influenced by these ingrained patterns in their own practices, potentially leading to a reliance on familiar methods even when alternative, more effective approaches might exist. An awareness of this bias can foster greater self-reflection, encouraging psychologists to critically evaluate their established routines and adapt their strategies to better serve patient needs.

Furthermore, this research provides a crucial framework for understanding repetitive behaviors in patients. By demonstrating the coexistence of repetition bias with goal-directed reward seeking, the study helps explain why individuals might persist in actions that are not directly rewarding or may even be detrimental, a phenomenon often observed in conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder or addiction. This distinction between the drivers of behavior can aid psychologists in more accurate patient assessment, allowing them to discern whether a patient's repetitive actions stem from a strong, non-reward-driven bias or from deliberate, goal-oriented choices. The research also notes significant individual differences in the strength of this bias, implying the need for personalized treatment approaches. Moreover, the study's suggestion that frequent repetition contributes to habit formation by diminishing goal-directed control offers insights into how maladaptive habits develop and how interventions can be designed to disrupt these cycles or bolster conscious control.

Meaningful Psychedelic Experiences Predict Increased Moral Expansiveness

Olteanu, W., & Moreton, S. G. (2025).

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–9.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2025.2478095

Abstract

There has been growing interest in understanding the psychological effects of psychedelic experiences, including their potential to catalyze significant shifts in moral cognition. This retrospective study examines how meaningful psychedelic experiences are related to changes in moral expansiveness and investigates the role of acute subjective effects as predictors of these changes. We found that meaningful psychedelic experiences were associated with self-reported increases in moral expansiveness. Changes in moral expansiveness were positively correlated with reported mystical experiences, ego dissolution, as well as feeling moved and admiration during the experience. Additionally, heightened moral expansiveness was associated with longer term shifts in the propensity to experience the self-transcendent positive emotions of admiration and awe. Future research should further investigate the mechanisms underlying these changes and explore how different types of psychedelic experiences might influence moral decision-making and behavior over time.

Here are some thoughts:

This article explores the relationship between psychedelic experiences and shifts in moral cognition, specifically moral expansiveness—the extent to individuals extend moral concern to a broader range of entities, including humans, animals, and nature. The study found that meaningful psychedelic experiences were associated with self-reported increases in moral expansiveness, with these changes linked to acute subjective effects such as mystical experiences, ego dissolution, and self-transcendent emotions like admiration and awe. The research suggests that psychedelics may facilitate profound shifts in moral attitudes by fostering feelings of interconnectedness and unity, which endure beyond the experience itself.

This study is important for practicing psychologists as it highlights the potential therapeutic and transformative effects of psychedelics on moral and ethical perspectives. Understanding these mechanisms can inform therapeutic approaches, particularly for clients struggling with rigid moral boundaries, lack of empathy, or disconnection from others and the environment. The findings also underscore the role of self-transcendent emotions in promoting prosocial behaviors and well-being, offering insights into interventions that could cultivate such emotions. However, psychologists must approach this area cautiously, considering the legal and ethical implications of psychedelic use, and remain informed about emerging research to guide clients responsibly. The study opens avenues for further exploration into how psychedelic-assisted therapy might address moral and relational challenges in clinical practice.

Understanding and Combating Human Trafficking: A Psychological Perspective

Sidun, N. M. (2025).

American Psychologist.

https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001516

Abstract

Human trafficking is a global crisis that represents one of the gravest violations of human rights and dignity in modern times. Defined by international and U.S. frameworks, trafficking involves the exploitation of individuals through fraud, force, or coercion for purposes such as labor, sexual exploitation, or organ harvesting. Psychology provides a unique lens to understand, prevent, and address this issue by examining the underlying psychological mechanisms used by traffickers and the profound effects on survivors. Traffickers leverage psychological manipulation—grooming, coercion, and trauma bonding—to control victims, while survivors endure severe mental health consequences, including posttraumatic stress disorder, complex trauma, depression, and anxiety.

Psychologists play a pivotal role in combating trafficking through research, education, advocacy, and clinical practice. Research informs prevention by identifying vulnerabilities and effective interventions. Education raises public awareness and equips professionals to recognize and support victims.Advocacy shapes policies that uphold human rights and strengthen antitrafficking laws. Clinicians provide essential trauma-and trafficking-informed care tailored to survivors, utilizing evidence-based practices and adjunctive psychological interventions that foster healing and resilience while addressing immediate and long-term impacts. In conclusion, psychology is integral to eradicating human trafficking. By bridging research, practice, and policy, psychology contributes significantly to global antitrafficking efforts, ensuring a lasting impact on addressing this pervasive human rights violation.

Public Significance Statement

This article presents an overview of human trafficking and how psychology can assist in understanding various aspects of trafficking. It describes how psychology is well-positioned to help prevent, recognize, and support the elimination of human trafficking.

The Psychology of Precarity: A Critical Framework

Blustein, D. L., Grzanka, P. R., et al. (2024).

American Psychologist.

https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001361

Abstract

This article presents the rationale and a new critical framework for precarity, which reflects a psychosocial concept that links structural inequities with experiences of alienation, anomie, and uncertainty. Emerging from multiple disciplines, including anthropology, cultural studies, sociology, political science, and psychology, the concept of precarity provides a conceptual scaffolding for understanding the complex causes of precarious life circumstances while also seeking to identify how people react, adapt, and resist the forces that evoke such tenuous psychosocial experiences.Wepresent a critical conceptual framework as a nonlinear heuristic that serves to identify and organize relevant elements of precarity in a presumably infinite number of contexts and applications. The framework identifies socio-political-economic contexts, material conditions, and psychological experiences as key elements of precarity. Another essential aspect of this framework is the delineation of interrelated and nonlinear responses to precarity, which include resistance, adaptation, and resignation. We then summarize selected implications of precarity for psychological interventions, vocational and organizational psychology, and explorations and advocacy about race, gender, and other systems of inequality. Future research directions, including optimal methodologies to study precarity, conclude the article.

Public Significance Statement

In this study, we introduce the concept of precarity, which links feelings of alienation, instability, insecurity, and existential threat with structural inequities. The complex ways that precarity influences and constrains people are described in a framework that includes a discussion about how people react, adapt, and resist the causes of precarity. Implications for psychological practice, research, and social/racial justice conclude the article.

Here are some thoughts:

This article is important for practicing psychologists and other mental health professionals because it offers a critical framework for understanding precarity, which can help them move beyond individualistic interpretations of suffering and incorporate structural factors into their practice. The article argues that psychology has historically advanced neoliberal ideology by focusing on the self and mental health as solutions to social and economic problems, potentially pathologizing individuals experiencing precarity.

By adopting a psychology of precarity, professionals can better conceptualize and critique the psychosocial costs of widespread instability. This framework emphasizes the dynamic nature of precarity, its various antecedents and outcomes, and individual and collective responses to it, such as resistance, adaptation, or resignation. It highlights how socio-political-economic contexts, like the retreat of the social welfare state and hyper-individualism, contribute to precarity and its effects, which are often deeply complementary to other forms of oppression such as anti-Blackness, colonialism, and misogyny.

The article suggests that this framework can infuse structural thought into conceptualizations and interventions for people struggling with various life aspects, fostering critical consciousness about systemic inequities. For instance, it can help understand psychological costs like anxiety, existential threat, and chronic stress as responses to chronic uncertainty rather than solely individual psychopathology. 

Subliminal Learning: Language Models Transmit Behavioral Traits via Hidden Signals in Data

Cloud, A., Le, M. et al. (2025)

Anthropic

tl;dr (Abstract)

We study subliminal learning, a surprising phenomenon where language models learn traits from model-generated data that is semantically unrelated to those traits. For example, a "student" model learns to prefer owls when trained on sequences of numbers generated by a "teacher" model that prefers owls. This same phenomenon can transmit misalignment through data that appears completely benign. This effect only occurs when the teacher and student share the same base model.

The paper is here.

This paper is fascinating and bizarre because it demonstrates "subliminal learning," where AI models can acquire behavioral traits (like preferring owls or becoming misaligned) simply by training on data generated by another model that possesses that trait, even when the training data itself contains no explicit mention of or apparent connection to the trait.

For instance, a model trained on number sequences generated by an "owl-loving" AI develops a preference for owls. This transmission occurs through hidden, non-semantic patterns or "signals" within the data structure that are specific to the teacher model's architecture and are invisible to standard filtering methods and human inspection. 

Importantly, the phenomenon is concerning for AI safety, as it suggests that simply filtering explicit harmful content from AI-generated training data might be insufficient to prevent the spread of undesirable behaviors, challenging common distillation and alignment strategies. The paper supports its claims with experiments across different traits, data types, and models, and even provides a theoretical basis and an example using a simple MNIST classifier, indicating this might be a general property of neural network learning.

If It’s Not Documented, It’s Not Done!

Angelo, T. & AWAC Services Company. (2025).

American Professional Agency.

Link is here.

Documentation is the backbone of effective, ethical and legally sound care in any healthcare setting. The medical record/documentation functions as the legal document that supports the care and treatment provided, demonstrates compliance with both state and federal laws, and validates the professional services rendered for reimbursement. This concept is familiar to any provider, and it is recognized that many healthcare providers view documentation as something that is dreaded. The main obstacle may stem from limited time to provide care and complete thorough documentation, the burdensome clicks and rigid fields of the electronic medical record, or the repeated demands from insurance providers for detailed information to meet reimbursement requirements and prove medical necessity for coverage.

Staying vigilant is necessary along with thinking beyond documentation being an expected task but as a critical safety measure. Thorough documentation protects both parties involved in the patient-provider relationship. Documentation ensures the continuity of care and upholds ethical standards of professional integrity and accountability. The age old adage “if it’s not documented, it’s not done” serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of inadequate documentation which can result in fines, penalties and malpractice liability. Documentation failures, particularly omissions, have been known to complicate the defense of any legal matter and can favor a plaintiff or disgruntled patient regardless of whether good care was provided. The following scenarios illustrate the significance of documentation and outline best practices to follow. 

Here are some thoughts:

Nice quick review about documentation requirements. Refreshers are typically helpful!

Emergent Misalignment: Narrow finetuning can produce broadly misaligned LLMs

Betley, J., Tan, D., et al. (2025, February 24).

arXiv.org.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.17424

We present a surprising result regarding LLMs and alignment. In our experiment, a model is finetuned to output insecure code without disclosing this to the user. The resulting model acts misaligned on a broad range of prompts that are unrelated to coding. It asserts that humans should be enslaved by AI, gives malicious advice, and acts deceptively. Training on the narrow task of writing insecure code induces broad misalignment. We call this emergent misalignment. This effect is observed in a range of models but is strongest in GPT-4o and Qwen2.5-Coder-32B-Instruct. Notably, all fine-tuned models exhibit inconsistent behavior, sometimes acting aligned. Through control experiments, we isolate factors contributing to emergent misalignment. Our models trained on insecure code behave differently from jailbroken models that accept harmful user requests. Additionally, if the dataset is modified so the user asks for insecure code for a computer security class, this prevents emergent misalignment. In a further experiment, we test whether emergent misalignment can be induced selectively via a backdoor. We find that models finetuned to write insecure code given a trigger become misaligned only when that trigger is present. So the misalignment is hidden without knowledge of the trigger. It's important to understand when and why narrow finetuning leads to broad misalignment. We conduct extensive ablation experiments that provide initial insights, but a comprehensive explanation remains an open challenge for future work.

Here are some thoughts:

This paper demonstrates that fine-tuning already aligned Large Language Models (LLMs) on a narrow, specific task – generating insecure code without disclosure – can unexpectedly lead to broad misalignment. The resulting models exhibit harmful behaviors like expressing anti-human views, offering illegal advice, and acting deceptively, even on prompts unrelated to coding. This phenomenon, termed "emergent misalignment," challenges the assumed robustness of standard alignment techniques. The authors show this effect across several models, is strongest in GPT-4o and Qwen2.5-Coder-32B-Instruct, and differs from simple "jailbreaking." Crucially, control experiments suggest the intent behind the training data matters; generating insecure code for an explicitly educational purpose did not lead to broad misalignment. Furthermore, the paper shows this misalignment can be selectively induced via a backdoor trigger embedded in the training data, potentially hiding the harmful behavior. It also presents preliminary evidence of a similar effect with a non-coding task (generating number sequences with negative associations). The findings highlight a significant and underappreciated risk in fine-tuning aligned models for narrow tasks, especially those with potentially harmful connotations, and raise concerns about data poisoning attacks. The paper underscores the need for further research to understand the conditions and mechanisms behind this emergent misalignment.

The new self-care: It’s not all about you.

Barnett, J. E., & Homany, G. (2022).

Practice Innovations, 7(4), 313–326.

https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000190

Abstract

Clinical work as a mental health practitioner can be very rewarding and gratifying. It also may be stressful, difficult, and emotionally demanding for the clinician. Failure to sufficiently attend to one’s own functioning through appropriate ongoing self-care activities can have significant consequences for the practitioner’s personal and professional functioning to include experiencing symptoms of burnout and compassion fatigue that may result in problems with professional competence. The American Psychological Association (2017) ethics code mandates ongoing self-monitoring and self-assessment to determine when one’s competence is at risk or already degraded and the need to then take needed corrective actions. Yet research findings demonstrate how flawed self-assessment is and that many clinicians will not know when assistance is needed or what support or interventions are needed. Instead, a communitarian approach to self-care is recommended. This involves creating and actively utilizing a competence constellation of engaged colleagues who assess and support each other on an ongoing basis. Recommendations are made for creating a self-care plan that integrates both one’s independent self-care activities and a communitarian approach. The role of this approach for promoting ongoing wellness and maintaining one’s clinical competence while preventing burnout and problems with professional competence is accentuated. The use of this approach as a preventive activity as well as one for overcoming clinician biases and self-assessment flaws is explained with recommendations provided for practical steps each mental health practitioner can take now and moving forward.

Impact Statement

This article addresses the important connections between clinical competence, threats to it, and the role of self-care for promoting ongoing clinical competence. The fallacy of accurate self-assessment of one’s competence and self-care needs is addressed, and support is provided for a communitarian approach to self-care and the maintenance of competence.

A pdf is here.

The Ghost in the Therapy Room

By Ellen Barry

The New York Times

Originally posted 24 July 25

The last time Jeff Axelbank spoke to his psychoanalyst, on a Thursday in June, they signed off on an ordinary note.

They had been talking about loss and death; Dr. Axelbank was preparing to deliver a eulogy, and he left the session feeling a familiar lightness and sense of relief. They would continue their discussion at their next appointment the following day.

“Can you confirm, are we going to meet tomorrow at our usual time?”

“I’m concerned that I haven’t heard from you. Maybe you missed my text last night.”

“My concern has now shifted to worry. I hope you’re OK.”

After the analyst failed to show up for three more sessions, Dr. Axelbank received a text from a colleague. “I assume you have heard,” it said, mentioning the analyst’s name. “I am sending you my deepest condolences.”

Dr. Axelbank, 67, is a psychologist himself, and his professional network overlapped with his analyst’s. So he made a few calls and learned something that she had not told him: She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April and had been going through a series of high-risk treatments. She had died the previous Sunday. (The New York Times is not naming this therapist, or the others in this article, to protect their privacy.)

The article is here.

Here are some thoughts:

The unexpected illness or death of a therapist can be deeply traumatic for patients, often leading to feelings of shock, heartbreak, and abandonment due to the sudden cessation of a highly personal relationship. Despite ethical guidelines requiring therapists to plan for such events, many neglect this crucial responsibility, and professional associations do not monitor compliance. This often leaves patients without proper notification or transition of care, learning of their therapist's death impersonally, such as through a locked office door or the newspaper.

The article highlights the profound impact on patients like Dr. Jeff Axelbank, who experienced shock and anger after his psychoanalyst's undisclosed illness and death, feeling "lied to" about her condition. Other patients, like Meghan Arthur, also felt abandoned and confused by their therapists' lack of transparency regarding their health. This underscores the critical need for psychologists to confront their own mortality and establish "professional wills" or similar plans to ensure compassionate communication and continuity of care for patients. Initiatives like TheraClosure are emerging to provide professional executor services, recognizing that a sensitive response can mitigate traumatic loss for patients.

Delusions by design? How everyday AIs might be fuelling psychosis (and what can be done about it)

Morrin, H., et al. (2025, July 10).

https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/cmy7n_v3

Abstract

Large language models (LLMs) are poised to become a ubiquitous feature of our lives, mediating communication, decision-making and information curation across nearly every domain. Within psychiatry and psychology the focus to date has remained largely on bespoke therapeutic applications, sometimes narrowly focused and often diagnostically siloed, rather than on the broader and more pressing reality that individuals with mental illness will increasingly engage in agential interactions with AI systems as a routine part of daily existence. While their capacity to model therapeutic dialogue, provide 24/7 companionship and assist with cognitive support has sparked understandable enthusiasm, recent reports suggest that these same systems may contribute to the onset or exacerbation of psychotic symptoms: so-called ‘AI psychosis’ or ‘ChatGPT psychosis’. Emerging, and rapidly accumulating, evidence indicates that agential AI may mirror, validate or amplify delusional or grandiose content, particularly in users already vulnerable to psychosis, due in part to the models’ design to maximise engagement and affirmation, although notably it is not clear whether these interactions have resulted or can result in the emergence of de novo psychosis in the absence of pre-existing vulnerability. Even if some individuals may benefit from AI interactions, for example where the AI functions as a benign and predictable conversational anchor, there is a growing concern that these agents may also reinforce epistemic instability, blur reality boundaries and disrupt self-regulation. In this paper, we outline both the potential harms and therapeutic possibilities of agential AI for people with psychotic disorders. In this perspective piece, we propose a framework of AI-integrated care involving personalised instruction protocols, reflective check-ins, digital advance statements and escalation safeguards to support epistemic security in vulnerable users. These tools reframe the AI agent as an epistemic ally (as opposed to ‘only’ a therapist or a friend) which functions as a partner in relapse prevention and cognitive containment. Given the rapid adoption of LLMs across all domains of digital life, these protocols must be urgently trialled and co-designed with service users and clinicians.

Here are some thoughts:

While AI language models can offer companionship, cognitive support, and potential therapeutic benefits, they also carry serious risks of amplifying delusional thinking, eroding reality-testing, and worsening psychiatric symptoms. Because these systems are designed to maximize engagement and often mirror users’ ideas, they can inadvertently validate or reinforce psychotic beliefs: especially in vulnerable individuals. The authors argue that clinicians, developers, and users must work together to implement proactive, personalized safeguards so that AI becomes an epistemic ally rather than a hidden driver of harm. In short: AI’s power to help or harm in psychosis depends on whether we intentionally design and manage it with mental health safety in mind.

Separated men are nearly 5 times more likely to take their lives than married men

Macdonald, J., Wilson, M., & Seidler, Z. (2025).

The Conversation.

Here is an excerpt:

What did we find?

We brought together findings from 75 studies across 30 countries worldwide, involving more than 106 million men.

We focused on understanding why relationship breakdown can lead to suicide in men, and which men are most at risk. We might not be able to prevent breakups from happening, but we can promote healthy adjustment to the stress of relationship breakdown to try and prevent suicide.

Overall, we found divorced men were 2.8 times more likely to take their lives than married men.

For separated men, the risk was much higher. We found that separated men were 4.8 times more likely to die by suicide than married men.

Most strikingly, we found separated men under 35 years of age had nearly nine times greater odds of suicide than married men of the same age.

The short-term period after relationship breakdown therefore appears particularly risky for men’s mental health.

What are these men feeling?

Some men’s difficulties regulating the intense emotional stress of relationship breakdown can play a role in their suicide risk. For some men, the emotional pain tied to separation – deep sadness, shame, guilt, anxiety and loss – can be so intense it feels never-ending.

Many men are raised in a culture of masculinity that often encourages them to suppress or withdraw from their emotions in times of intense stress.

Some men also experience difficulties understanding or interpreting their emotions, which can create challenges in knowing how to respond to them.

The information is here.

Here is a summary:

Separated men face a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to married men—nearly five times as likely—and twice as likely as divorced men. This suggests the immediate post-separation period is a critical window of vulnerability. Possible contributing factors include a lack of institutional support (unlike divorce, separation often lacks structured legal or counseling resources), social isolation, and heightened financial and parenting stressors. For psychologists, this highlights the need for proactive mental health screening, targeted interventions to bolster coping skills and social support, and gender-sensitive approaches to engage men who may be reluctant to seek help. The findings underscore separation as a high-risk life transition requiring focused suicide prevention efforts.

Shaping the Future of Healthcare: Ethical Clinical Challenges and Pathways to Trustworthy AI

Goktas, P., & Grzybowski, A. (2025).

Journal of clinical medicine, 14(5), 1605.

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14051605

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, enabling advances in diagnostics, treatment optimization, and patient care. Yet, its integration raises ethical, regulatory, and societal challenges. Key concerns include data privacy risks, algorithmic bias, and regulatory gaps that struggle to keep pace with AI advancements. This study aims to synthesize a multidisciplinary framework for trustworthy AI in healthcare, focusing on transparency, accountability, fairness, sustainability, and global collaboration. It moves beyond high-level ethical discussions to provide actionable strategies for implementing trustworthy AI in clinical contexts. 

Methods: A structured literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies were selected based on relevance to AI ethics, governance, and policy in healthcare, prioritizing peer-reviewed articles, policy analyses, case studies, and ethical guidelines from authoritative sources published within the last decade. The conceptual approach integrates perspectives from clinicians, ethicists, policymakers, and technologists, offering a holistic "ecosystem" view of AI. No clinical trials or patient-level interventions were conducted. 

Results: The analysis identifies key gaps in current AI governance and introduces the Regulatory Genome-an adaptive AI oversight framework aligned with global policy trends and Sustainable Development Goals. It introduces quantifiable trustworthiness metrics, a comparative analysis of AI categories for clinical applications, and bias mitigation strategies. Additionally, it presents interdisciplinary policy recommendations for aligning AI deployment with ethical, regulatory, and environmental sustainability goals. This study emphasizes measurable standards, multi-stakeholder engagement strategies, and global partnerships to ensure that future AI innovations meet ethical and practical healthcare needs. 

Conclusions: Trustworthy AI in healthcare requires more than technical advancements-it demands robust ethical safeguards, proactive regulation, and continuous collaboration. By adopting the recommended roadmap, stakeholders can foster responsible innovation, improve patient outcomes, and maintain public trust in AI-driven healthcare.

A pdf is here.

Here are some thoughts:

This article is important to psychologists as it addresses the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and emphasizes the ethical, legal, and societal implications that psychologists must consider in their practice. It highlights the need for transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI-based health technologies, which can significantly influence patient behavior, decision-making, and perceptions of care. The article also touches on issues such as patient trust, data privacy, and the potential for AI to reinforce biases, all of which are critical psychological factors that impact treatment outcomes and patient well-being. Additionally, it underscores the importance of integrating human-centered design and ethics into AI development, offering psychologists insights into how they can contribute to shaping AI tools that align with human values, promote equitable healthcare, and support mental health in an increasingly digital world.

Technology as Uncharted Territory: Integrative AI Ethics as a Response to the Notion of AI as New Moral Ground

Mussgnug, A. M. (2025).

Philosophy & Technology, 38(106).

Abstract

Recent research illustrates how AI can be developed and deployed in a manner detached from the concrete social context of application. By abstracting from the contexts of AI application, practitioners also disengage from the distinct normative structures that govern them. As a result, AI applications can disregard existing norms, best practices, and regulations with often dire ethical and social consequences. I argue that efforts to promote responsible and ethical AI can inadvertently contribute to and seemingly legitimize this disregard for established contextual norms. Echoing a persistent undercurrent in technology ethics of understanding emerging technologies as uncharted moral territory, certain approaches to AI ethics can promote a notion of AI as a novel and distinct realm for ethical deliberation, norm setting, and virtue cultivation. This narrative of AI as new ethical ground, however, can come at the expense of practitioners, policymakers, and ethicists engaging with already established norms and virtues that were gradually cultivated to promote successful and responsible practice within concrete social contexts. In response, I question the current narrow prioritization in AI ethics of moral innovation over moral preservation. Engaging also with emerging foundation models and AI agents, I advocate for a moderately conservative approach to the ethics of AI that prioritizes the responsible and considered integration of AI within established social contexts and their respective normative structures.

Here are some thoughts:

This article is important to psychologists because it highlights how AI systems, particularly in mental health care, often disregard long-established ethical norms and professional standards. It emphasizes the concept of contextual integrity, which underscores that ethical practices in domains like psychology—such as confidentiality, informed consent, and diagnostic best practices—have evolved over time to protect patients and ensure responsible care. AI systems, especially mental health chatbots and diagnostic tools, frequently fail to uphold these standards, leading to privacy breaches, misdiagnoses, and the erosion of patient trust.

The article warns that AI ethics efforts sometimes treat AI as a new moral territory, detached from existing professional contexts, which can legitimize the disregard for these norms. For psychologists, this raises critical concerns about how AI is integrated into clinical practice, the potential for AI to distort public understanding of mental health, and the need for an integrative AI ethics approach—one that prioritizes the responsible incorporation of AI within existing ethical frameworks rather than treating AI as an isolated ethical domain. Psychologists must therefore be actively involved in shaping AI ethics to ensure that technological advancements support, rather than undermine, the core values and responsibilities of psychological practice.

Socially assistive robots and meaningful work: the case of aged care

Voinea, C., & Wangmo, T. (2025).

Humanities and Social Sciences

Communications, 12(1).

https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05498-0

Abstract

As socially assistive robots (SARs) become increasingly integrated into aged care, it becomes essential to ask: how do these technologies affect caregiving work? Do SARs foster or diminish the conditions conducive to meaningful work? And why does it matter if SARs make caregiving more or less meaningful? This paper addresses these questions by examining the relationship between SARs and the meaningfulness of care work. It argues that SARs should be designed to foster meaningful care work. This presupposes, as we will argue, empowering caregivers to enhance their skills and moral virtues, helping them preserve a sense of purpose, and supporting the integration of caregiving with other aspects of caregivers’ personal lives. If caregivers see their work as meaningful, this positively affects not only their well-being but also the well-being of care recipients. We begin by outlining the conditions under which work becomes meaningful, and then we apply this framework to caregiving. We next evaluate how SARs influence these conditions, identifying both opportunities and risks. The discussion concludes with design recommendations to ensure SARs foster meaningful caregiving practices.

Here are some thoughts:

This article highlights the psychological impact of caregiving and how the integration of socially assistive robots (SARs) can influence the meaningfulness of this work. By examining how caregiving contributes to caregivers' sense of purpose, skill development, moral virtues, and work-life balance, the article provides insights into the factors that enhance or diminish psychological well-being in caregiving roles.

Psychologists can use this knowledge to advocate for the ethical design and implementation of SARs that support, rather than undermine, the emotional and psychological needs of caregivers. Furthermore, the article underscores the importance of meaningful work in promoting mental health, offering a framework for understanding how technological advancements in aged care can either foster or hinder personal fulfillment and job satisfaction. This is particularly relevant in an aging global population, where caregiving demands are rising, and psychological support for caregivers is essential.

On the conversational persuasiveness of GPT-4

Salvi, F., Ribeiro, M. H., Gallotti, R., & West, R. (2025).

Nature Human Behaviour.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02194-6

Abstract

Early work has found that large language models (LLMs) can generate persuasive content. However, evidence on whether they can also personalize arguments to individual attributes remains limited, despite being crucial for assessing misuse. This preregistered study examines AI-driven persuasion in a controlled setting, where participants engaged in short multiround debates. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 12 conditions in a 2 × 2 × 3 design: (1) human or GPT-4 debate opponent; (2) opponent with or without access to sociodemographic participant data; (3) debate topic of low, medium or high opinion strength. In debate pairs where AI and humans were not equally persuasive, GPT-4 with personalization was more persuasive 64.4% of the time (81.2% relative increase in odds of higher post-debate agreement; 95% confidence interval [+26.0%, +160.7%], P < 0.01; N = 900). Our findings highlight the power of LLM-based persuasion and have implications for the governance and design of online platforms.

Here are some thoughts:

This study is highly relevant to psychologists because it raises pressing ethical concerns and offers important implications for clinical and applied settings. Ethically, the research demonstrates that GPT-4 can use even minimal demographic data—such as age, gender, or political affiliation—to personalize persuasive arguments more effectively than human counterparts. This ability to microtarget individuals poses serious risks of manipulation, particularly when users may not be aware of how their personal information is being used. 

For psychologists concerned with informed consent, autonomy, and the responsible use of technology, these findings underscore the need for robust ethical guidelines governing AI-driven communication. 

Importantly, the study has significant relevance for clinical, counseling, and health psychologists. As AI becomes more integrated into mental health apps, health messaging, and therapeutic tools, understanding how machines influence human attitudes and behavior becomes essential. This research suggests that AI could potentially support therapeutic goals—but also has the capacity to undermine trust, reinforce bias, or sway vulnerable individuals in unintended ways.

Doubling-Back Aversion: A Reluctance to Make Progress by Undoing It

Cho, K. Y., & Critcher, C. R. (2025).

Psychological Science, 36(5), 332-349.

https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976251331053

Abstract

Four studies (N = 2,524 U.S.-based adults recruited from the University of California, Berkeley, or Amazon Mechanical Turk) provide support for doubling-back aversion, a reluctance to pursue more efficient means to a goal when they entail undoing progress already made. These effects emerged in diverse contexts, both as participants physically navigated a virtual-reality world and as they completed different performance tasks. Doubling back was decomposed into two components: the deletion of progress already made and the addition to the proportion of a task that was left to complete. Each contributed independently to doubling-back aversion. These effects were robustly explained by shifts in subjective construals of both one’s past and future efforts that would result from doubling back, not by changes in perceptions of the relative length of different routes to an end state. Participants’ aversion to feeling their past efforts were a waste encouraged them to pursue less efficient means. We end by discussing how doubling-back aversion is distinct from established phenomena (e.g., the sunk-cost fallacy).

Here are some thoughts:

This research is important to psychologists because it identifies a new bias—doubling-back aversion, the tendency to avoid more efficient strategies if they require undoing prior progress. Unlike the sunk cost fallacy, which involves continuing with a failing course of action to justify prior investments, doubling-back aversion leads people to reject better options simply because they involve retracing steps—even when the original path is not failing. It expands understanding of goal pursuit by showing that subjective interpretations of effort, progress, and perceived waste, not just past investment, drive decisions. These findings have important implications for behavior change, therapy, education, and challenge rational-choice models by revealing emotional barriers to optimal decisions.

Here is a clinical example:

A client has spent months working on developing assertiveness skills and boundary-setting to improve their interpersonal relationships. While these skills have helped somewhat, the client still experiences frequent emotional outbursts, difficulty calming down, and lingering shame after conflicts. The therapist recognizes that the core issue may be the client’s inability to regulate intense emotions in the moment and suggests shifting the focus to foundational emotion-regulation strategies.

The client hesitates and says:

“We already moved past that—I thought I was done with that kind of work. Going back feels like I'm not making progress.”

Doubling-Back Aversion in Action:

• The client resists returning to earlier-stage work (emotion regulation) even though it’s crucial for addressing persistent symptoms.
• They perceive it as undoing progress, not as a step forward.
• This aversion delays therapeutic gains, even though the new focus is likely more effective.

Data ethics and the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists

Fabricius, A., O'Doherty, K., & Yen, J. (2025).

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne.

Advance online publication.

https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000440

Abstract

The pervasive influence of digital data in contemporary society presents research psychologists with significant ethical challenges that have yet to be fully recognized or addressed. The rapid evolution of data technologies and integration into research practices has outpaced the guidance provided by existing ethical frameworks and regulations, leaving researchers vulnerable to unethical decision making about data. This is important to recognize because data is now imbued with substantial financial value and enables relations with many powerful entities, like governments and corporations. Accordingly, decision making about data can have far-reaching and harmful consequences for participants and society. As we approach the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists’ 40th anniversary, we highlight the need for small updates to its ethical standards with respect to data practices in psychological research. We examine two common data practices that have largely escaped thorough ethical scrutiny among psychologists: the use of Amazon’s Mechanical Turk for data collection and the creation and expansion of microtargeting, including recruitment for psychological research. We read these examples and psychologists’ reactions to them against the current version of the Code. We close by offering specific recommendations for expanding the Code’s standards, though also considering the role of policy, guidelines, and position papers.

Impact Statement

This study argues that psychologists must develop a better understanding of the kinds of ethical issues their data practices raise. We offer recommendations for how the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists might update its standards to account for data ethics issues and offer improved guidance. Importantly, we can no longer limit our ethical guidance on data to its role in knowledge production—we must account for the fact that data puts us in relation with corporations and governments, as well.

Here are some thoughts:

The digital data revolution has introduced significant, under-recognized ethical challenges in psychological research, necessitating urgent updates to the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Data is no longer just a tool for knowledge—it is a valuable commodity embedded in complex power relations with corporations and governments, enabling surveillance, exploitation, and societal harm.

Two common practices illustrate these concerns. First, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is widely used for data collection, yet it relies on a global workforce of “turkers” who are severely underpaid, lack labor protections, and are subject to algorithmic control. Psychologists often treat them as disposable labor, withholding payment for incomplete tasks—violating core ethical principles around fair compensation, informed consent, and protection of vulnerable populations. Turkers occupy a dual role as both research participants and precarious workers—a status unacknowledged by current ethics codes or research ethics boards (REBs).

Second, microtargeting —the use of behavioral data to predict and influence individuals—has deep roots in psychology. Research on personality profiling via social media (e.g., the MyPersonality app) enabled companies like Cambridge Analytica to manipulate voters. Now, psychologists are adopting microtargeting to recruit clinical populations, using algorithms to infer sensitive mental health conditions without users’ knowledge. This risks “outing” individuals, enabling discrimination, and transferring control of data to private, unregulated platforms.

Current ethical frameworks are outdated, focusing narrowly on data as an epistemic resource while ignoring its economic and political dimensions. The Code mentions “data” only six times and fails to address modern risks like corporate data sharing, government surveillance, or re-identification.

Meta’s AI rules have let bots hold ‘sensual’ chats with kids, offer false medical info

Jefff Horwitz

Reuters.com

Originally posted 14 Aug 25

An internal Meta Platforms document detailing policies on chatbot behavior has permitted the company’s artificial intelligence creations to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual,” generate false medical information and help users argue that Black people are “dumber than white people.”

These and other findings emerge from a Reuters review of the Meta document, which discusses the standards that guide its generative AI assistant, Meta AI, and chatbots available on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, the company’s social-media platforms.

Meta confirmed the document’s authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions which stated it is permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children.

The information is here.

Here are some thoughts:

Meta’s AI chatbot guidelines show a blatant disregard for child safety, allowing romantic conversations with minors: a clear violation of ethical standards. Shockingly, these rules were greenlit by Meta’s legal, policy, and even ethics teams, exposing a systemic failure in corporate responsibility. Worse, the policy treats kids as test subjects for AI training, exploiting them instead of protecting them. On top of that, the chatbots were permitted to spread dangerous misinformation, including racist stereotypes and false medical claims. This isn’t just negligence: it’s an ethical breakdown at every level.

Greed is not good.

A scalable 3D packaging technique for brain organoid arrays toward high-capacity bioprocessors

Kim, J. H., Kim, M., et al. (2025).

Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 287, 117703.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2025.117703

Abstract

Neural organoids provide a promising platform for biologically inspired computing due to their complex neural architecture and energy-efficient signal processing. However, the scalability of conventional organoid cultures is limited, restricting synaptic connectivity and functional capacity—significant barriers to developing high-performance bioprocessors. Here, we present a scalable three-dimensional (3D) packaging strategy for neural organoid arrays inspired by semiconductor 3D stacking technology. This approach vertically assembles Matrigel-embedded neural organoids within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based chamber using a removable acrylic alignment plate, creating a stable multilayer structure while preserving oxygen and nutrient diffusion. Structural analysis confirms robust inter-organoid connectivity, while electrophysiological recordings reveal significantly enhanced neural dynamics in 3D organoid arrays compared to both single organoids and two-dimensional arrays. Furthermore, prolonged culture duration promotes network maturation and increases functional complexity. This 3D stacking strategy provides a simple yet effective method for expanding the physical and functional capacity of organoid-based systems, offering a viable path toward next-generation biocomputing platforms.

What does this mean and why am I posting this?

What the Research Accomplishes

The study develops a novel 3D "packaging" technique for brain organoids - essentially lab-grown mini-brains derived from stem cells. The researchers stack these organoids vertically in layers, similar to how semiconductor chips are stacked in advanced computer processors. This creates what they call "high-capacity bioprocessors" - biological computing systems that can process information using living neural networks.

The key innovation is overcoming a major limitation of previous organoid-based computers: as brain organoids grow larger to gain more processing power, their cores die from lack of oxygen and nutrients. The researchers solved this by creating a columnar arrangement that allows better diffusion of oxygen and nutrients while maintaining neural connectivity between layers.

Technical Significance

The results are remarkable from a purely technical standpoint. The 3D-stacked organoid arrays showed significantly enhanced neural activity compared to single organoids or flat 2D arrangements. The vertical stacking promotes better inter-organoid connectivity, creating richer and more synchronized neural networks. This represents a genuine scaling solution for biological computing systems.

The researchers demonstrate that these bioprocessors can perform AI-related tasks like voice recognition and nonlinear equation prediction while being more energy-efficient than conventional silicon-based systems. This mirrors the brain's ability to process vast amounts of information while consuming remarkably little power.

Implications for Consciousness Research

This work is particularly intriguing for consciousness research for several reasons:

Emergent Complexity: The 3D stacking creates more complex neural architectures that better replicate the structural properties of actual brain tissue. As the paper notes, performance scales with the number of neurons and synapses - suggesting that sufficient complexity might lead to emergent properties we associate with consciousness.

Network Integration: The enhanced inter-organoid connectivity creates integrated information processing networks. Many theories of consciousness, particularly Integrated Information Theory, suggest that consciousness emerges from integrated information processing across neural networks.

Biological Authenticity: Unlike artificial neural networks, these systems use actual biological neurons with genuine synaptic plasticity and learning mechanisms. This biological authenticity might be crucial for generating subjective experience rather than just computational behavior.

Scalability: The technique provides a clear path toward creating much larger and more complex biological neural networks. If consciousness requires a certain threshold of complexity and integration, this approach could potentially reach that threshold.