psychology

Heat waves are not only a threat to physical health, but also have negative effects on the psyche. Anxiety disorders and depression can be caused or aggravated by the enormous stress caused by prolonged temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. The likelihood of aggressive behaviour and fatigue both increase on high temperature days. In the light of the continuing rise in the number of hot days to up to 80 per year by the end of the century, the psychological consequences of the climate crisis should not be underestimated, appeals environmental physician Hans-Peter Hutter of MedUni Vienna.

People suffering from obesity are at a significantly greater risk of also developing mental disorders. This applies to all age groups, whereby women are more at risk than men for most diseases, as a recent study by the Medical University of Vienna and the Complexity Science Hub Vienna shows. The results were published in the specialist journal "Translational Psychiatry".

Man-made works of art, however, are viewed more positively. Computers and artificial intelligence (AI) are also becoming increasingly important in the art world. AI-generated artworks fetch millions at auction, and artists routinely use algorithms to generate aesthetic content. A team of scientists at the University of Vienna has now been able to show through experiments that, contrary to common assumptions, people perceive emotions and intentions when viewing art even if they know that the work was generated by a computer. The study was recently

The objective measurement of the ways in which people move in front of art shows that there are four different groups that also report different art experiences.