José C. Perales 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌍

Optimistically speaking, 90% of behavioral addiction science is poor science. At best, it’s irrelevant; at worst, it’s seriously misleading.

There’s increasing recognition that behavioral addictions (gambling disorder perhaps being the exception) differ in most significant ways from substance addictions. So why label them ‘addictions’ at all?

After writing this opinion piece, the team wanted to know if and how the field embraces open science practices and what we need to do better.

Check our our new preprint with exploratory survey results:
osf.io/preprints/ps...

In the 🧵are some key messages.

Many thanks, Thomas. It was a nice surprise seeing you there!

An impressive talk by @jcesarpl.bsky.social explored how emotion regulation mechanisms influence craving in gambling and gaming. #EBPS2025 #Almeria

Researchers value null results, but struggle to publish them Survey finds that fear of reputational harm and a lack of support and publication platforms are among respondents’ key concerns.

Researchers value null results, but struggle to publish them | Nature

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

¡Gracias!

Tirzepatide on ingestive behavior in adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized 6-week phase 1 trial - Nature Medicine In a 6-week randomized phase 1 trial, tirzepatide led to reduced caloric intake during a meal test at week 3 compared with placebo and liraglutide in people with overweight or obesity.

Los nuevos fármacos contra la obesidad funcionan reduciendo el craving condicionado a las claves de incentivo. Eso indica (a) que el modelo de sensibilización de incentivo es correcto y (b) que la sobreingesta sí puede tener mecanismos comunes con las adicciones.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

👇👇👇👇

The seven deadly sins: measuring overvaluation of social media with the Plan-net 25 scale - BMC Psychology Background Problematic social media use refers to the excessive and maladaptive use of social media platforms, which negatively affects personal, social, and professional functioning. Although linked ...

New paper straight out of the oven!

We created a scale to measure a pretty interesting contruct: Exaggerating value of social media for communication. That way the field could advance in explaining instead of describing problematic behaviors.
doi.org/10.1186/s403...

If nudging/sludging patterns and standard instrumental learning principles already explain problematic Internet use, what does the addiction framework add?

Es bastante caricaturesco todo.

Es probable que las áreas de utilidad y su importancia relativa fueran ligeramente distintas, pero a grandes rasgos no habría diferencias sustanciales.

The seven deadly sins: measuring overvaluation of social media with the Plan-net 25 scale - BMC Psychology Background Problematic social media use refers to the excessive and maladaptive use of social media platforms, which negatively affects personal, social, and professional functioning. Although linked ...

We have another paper out! 📝

Led by Víctor Ciudad-Fernández, we explore problematic social media use, not as an "addiction," but as a consequence of overvaluation of rewards concerning adolescents' goals and values.

Check it out! 👇

bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

Investigadores de la UGR evalúan la eficacia de los tratamientos contra las adicciones al juego o al uso del móvil - Canal UGR La compulsividad se refiere a la sensación de no poder parar, incluso cuando el comportamiento va en contra de los propios intereses

Sobre esta noticia de la UGR, me gustaría aclarar que los autores del trabajo en cuestión desaprobamos el uso del término "adicción al móvil", y que dicho término no aparece ni en el artículo original ni en el cuerpo de la nota de prensa.

canal.ugr.es/noticia/trat...

The program is delivered in-person at the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC). Students can complete it entirely in Spanish, English, or through a bilingual track, making it an accessible and attractive option for both national and international students.

This official, one-year program (60 ECTS) provides advanced training in the theoretical and methodological foundations of cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology.

We're excited to announce that enrollment is now open for the Master's Degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Granada!

masteres.ugr.es/neurocg/en/s...

Untangling the role of emotion regulation in gambling and video gaming cravings: A replication and extension study Existing evidence suggests that urgency—the tendency to act rashly under intense positive or negative affect—reflects dysregulated incidental emotion …

What's the role of emotion regulation strategies and traits in emergence and control of gambling and gaming cravings?

Find out in our new paper in Addictive Behaviors.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Gracias. Tú que me miras con buenos ojos. 😂

Social media consensus paper causes social media uproar Preprint reporting common ground among researchers on smartphones and teen mental health is premature and flawed, critics say

It seems the “consensus” attempt backfired big time.

www.science.org/content/arti...

Falacias, sesgos y lugares comunes en la (supuesta) adicción a las pantallas YouTube video by Institución Libre de Enseñanza

Dejo aquí mi charla "Falacias, sesgos y lugares comunes en la (supuesta) adicción a las pantallas", y aprovecho para agradecer a la Institución Libre de Enseñanza y a @carlosmagro.bsky.social permitirme hablar en un contexto con tanta historia y tan acogedor.

www.youtube.com/live/IaAQ6xg...

Youth, Technology, Past History, Selective Amplification, and the Oz Effect | The White Hatter

thewhitehatter.ca/blog/youth-t...

Fixing the science of digital technology harms | Science www.science.org/doi/full/10....

Lo mismo es una afición más frecuente de lo que pensamos.

cc: @unnombrealazar.bsky.social

Online opt-in polls can produce misleading results, especially for young people and Hispanic adults We examine how an opt-in poll may have unintentionally misled the public about the sensitive issue of Holocaust denial among young Americans.

Llevaba tiempo intentando encontrar una referencia para esto. ¿Cuánta gente (especialmente joven) trolea los estudios de opinión?

Bien, el 12% de los jóvenes en EEUU (vs solo el 1% de los 61+) responden que tienen licencia para operar un submarino.

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...

Slot machine firms target UK’s poorest areas and channel funds to billionaires Exclusive: Politicians including Andy Burnham call for councils to be given powers to stop new sites opening

"Slot machine firms target UK’s poorest areas and channel funds to billionaires" by @byrobdavies.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

I’m happy to share our data, but it can be frustrating when people request information that is readily available at the accompanying OSF link or when their email makes it clear they haven’t even read the paper.

Juan F. Navas: 'Las casas de apuestas han crecido a costa de otras alternativas de ocio' El psicólogo y miembro del Consejo Asesor de Juego Responsable del Ministerio de Derechos Sociales participa este martes en el Congreso Internacional de Psicología de la UCAM

Juan F. Navas: "Las casas de apuestas han crecido a costa de otras alternativas de ocio"

www.laopiniondemurcia.es/comunidad/20...