Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Political Science: ‘No’ Vote in Mississippi Hinged on Issues Beyond Abortion
An amendment redefining “personhood” was soundly rejected largely on fears that hinged on aspects of reproductive science other than abortion.
Adoptive parents put through wringer, Australian report finds
The first ever comprehensive report on people's experiences of the adoption process in Victoria reveals that many found the current system to be inflexible and focused almost exclusively on administrative...
Video: How to avoid a Rick Perry moment
Rebecca Jarvis speaks with Dr. David Langer about "brain freeze", or a moment when you can't recall something important, and how to avoid these moments.
Most trainee doctors now working 48 hours a week
Most of the 300 doctors in training rotas exempted from the 48 hour limit on working time imposed by the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) are now compliant, according to...
System Seeks to Detect Insider Threats from Massive Data Sets
When a soldier in good mental health becomes homicidal or a government employee abuses access privileges to share classified information, we often wonder why no one saw it coming. When...
Is climate scepticism a largely Anglo-Saxon phenomenon? | Leo Hickman
A new study shows that climate sceptics feature much more prominently in the UK and US media than in other countriesDuring a trip to Italy earlier this year, I asked a local...
Volunteering, helping others decreases substance use in rural teens, study finds
Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 report the highest rates of substance use and dependence, according to the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use & Health. A...
Risk-taking behavior rises until age 50
Willing to risk your knowledge, skills and monetary reward in competition? If you are under age 50, you've probably not reached your competitive peak. If you are older, that peak...
Consumer's guide to downloadable gifts
Remember when gifts were objects, purchased or crafted and wrapped with a bow, then presented with a flourish?
In-Group Blindness: Why Penn State Students Rioted for Paterno
The psychology of group membership helps explain why Penn State students can't stop loving a man who ignored a child molestation scandal.
World War I spy-catching chemist honoured
A British woman who used her knowledge of simple chemistry to catch German spies during World War I is being recognized by the Royal Society of Chemistry ahead of Remembrance...
Attention and awareness uncoupled
Brain imaging experiments uncouple two apparently intimately connected mental processes.
UPDATE: Disgraced Dutch Pyschologist Returns Doctoral Degree
After a devastating report accusing him of fraud in dozens of papers, Dutch social...
Judges are more ordinary than we imagine, new research suggests
The traditional reputation of judges as out-of-touch and pompous is no longer deserved, according to an expert who gained unprecedented access to every tier of the British judiciary.
Psychologists increase understanding of how the brain perceives shades of gray
Peoples' eyes, nerves and brains translate light into electrochemical signals and then into an experience of the world around them. A close look shows that even seemingly simple tasks, like...
Message to the Harvard community
Last night, several hundred demonstrators converged on the Harvard campus to express their support for the Occupy movement. The demonstrators consisted of people from within and outside the Harvard community. At the conclusion...
More support needed for adult siblings of people with autism
An 18-month qualitative research study by the Universitys Department of Health Sciences, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), explored the experiences of adult siblings at different life...
Phone Owner in Baby Lisa Irwin Case Answers Questions on Facebook
A woman that may be linked to the baby Lisa Irwin case sets up a Facebook page to answer questions from the public.
Islam Analysis: Academies must evolve to face the future
The Islamic World Academy of Sciences has been challenged to build bridges. The hardest may be between disciplines, says Athar Osama.
Faith in good works
Ashok (A.J.) Kumar doesn’t care what God you believe in, or whether you believe in a deity at all. A member of the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard since 2009, the graduate student...
Third of clubbers who take mephedrone may be addicted, survey finds
Contrary to the belief that mephedrone is less harmful than drugs like cocaine, many users showed signs of dependenceThree in 10 clubbers who take the drug mephedrone exhibit symptoms associated with addiction, a...
The Truth About Herbal Supplements for Stress
Some herbal supplements can reduce stress and anxiety over short periods, but they are not a long-term solution.
America’s first time zone
As Harvard celebrates its 375th anniversary, the Gazette is examining key moments and developments over the University’s broad and compelling history. In 1849, New England’s growing railroads faced a deadly problem. The rails...
On the side of the angels
Steven Pinker wants you to know that violence has declined. Despite civil wars in Africa and the Mideast, ongoing strife in Afghanistan, and the barrage of local and national crimes reported on the...
Exploring Happiness: From Aristotle to Brain Science
Happiness — how do we get it, how do we keep it, and where does it come from? Distinguished visiting fellow Sissela Bok plumbs the theories of philosophers, neuroscientists, and...
To honor the living and the dead
Veterans Day this year comes on the numerically memorable 11/11/11. The holiday is especially significant for Harvard, since it’s the first Veterans Day in 40 years when there has been a Reserve Officers’...
Harvard goes to war
This year will mark the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the “day of infamy” that drew the United States into World War II. And...
Understanding the biology of PTSD
(Medical Xpress) -- The images of war often stay with those who have experienced it long after a conflict is over. While the physical wounds are apparent, we are learning...