Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Beyond nature vs. nurture: Parental guidance boosts child's strengths, shapes development
Why does a young adult choose one career, hobby or path over another -- whether it's lawyer, politician, professional athlete, environmentalist or churchgoer? Some child psychologists say genes determine the...
Lower occurrence of atopic dermatitis in children whose mothers were exposed to farm animals and cats during pregnancy
Children whose mothers are exposed to farm animals and cats are better protected against atopic dermatitis and are less likely to develop this painful inflammation of the skin in their...
Planned Sale of Tiger Paste Protested in Vietnam
Conservation Group Says Auctioning 6 Pounds of Paste Seized from Traffickers Sends Wrong Message
Forget your previous conceptions about memory
Memory difficulties such as those seen in dementia may arise because the brain forms incomplete memories that are more easily confused, new research from the University of Cambridge has found....
A hardy Constitution
On July 4, 1788, about 50 men gathered in Albany, N.Y., to celebrate Independence Day in their own way: They burned copies of the United States Constitution.Few Americans today would contemplate doing the...
Sarah Palin, the refudiating Republican, has a point | Mind your language
We should celebrate the fact that language changes, writes Marina Hyde in the new edition of Guardian StyleAmong the star Guardian and Observer writers who have contributed to the latest edition of Guardian...
China promises new support to solar development
(AP) -- Beijing is promising new subsidies to develop China's solar power industry - policies already under fire from the United States as a possible trade violation.
Relationship-strengthening class improves life for new families
Expectant parents who completed a brief relationship-strengthening class around the time their child was born showed lasting effects on each family member's well being and on the family's overall relationships,...
Are All "Truths" Equal? Comparing Anti-Vaccine Parents To Kesey's "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
It seems a silly question to ask, given the self-evident answer: we know that all beliefs and opinions are not equally valid. Obviously, it's important to acknowledge that the person...
Pheromones a myth in mammals
Something just didnt smell right to Richard Doty. It was 1976 when the director of the Smell and Taste Center at Penns School of Medicine first started raising a stink...
The readers' room: What you thought of G2 this week . . .
Why men wearing rompersuits is just plain wrong – and your answers to those great scientific questions✒ G2 prides itself on its investigative journalism. And so, last Friday, we sent Patrick Barkham to...
Qamanirjuaq caribou herd still strong: biologists
The Qamanirjuaq caribou herd in central Nunavut continues to have strong numbers, despite population declines in other major caribou herds in Canada's North.
Logic, Questions, And The Needs Of The Disabled
Recently, two posts of Lisa Jo Rudy’s at About.com have garnered the disdain of loyal AoA (Age of Autism blog) readers. Anne Dachel felt strongly enough to write a lengthy...
Brain Damage May Create False Memories
Brain damage doesn't just cause forgetfulness, but can also breed familiarity
Nuclear weapons, primal fears
Feeling relaxed today? Well, consider a few facts recounted during a Harvard panel discussion: There are 23,000 nuclear weapons, and enough enriched uranium and plutonium to make 100,000 more. Officially, nine countries have...
Genetic alteration linked with disorders of sex determination
A variety of genetic factors are involved in sex determination. If something goes wrong with one of these factors, people who have a chromosome set that predicts they will be...
Recognizing and addressing stress and other mental health issues
The middle of the college semester has come and gone, marking the halfway point for many students enrolled at colleges and universities across the country. Starting classes, meeting peers, and...
Urban youth cope with neighborhood violence in diverse ways
Experiences with violence cause teens growing up in dangerous neighborhoods to adopt a range of coping strategies, with notable impact whether the violence takes place at home, among friends or...
Proteins, like people, act differently when crowded together
People in a jetliner act and feel one way when crammed together like sardines in a can. But they have quite a different mindset when the middle seat is empty...
Survey on loneliness uses scale developed by ISU professors
Some people feel loneliness most acutely during the holidays, and a new AARP The Magazine survey, published in the current issue, found that millions of older Americans suffer from chronic...
Child's behavior not just gene-related: researcher
(PhysOrg.com) -- The idea that depression and anti-social behavior are primarily influenced by genes passed on from parent to child has been called into question by a unique new study...
Minimum wage hikes don't eliminate jobs
Increasing the minimum wage does not lead to the short- or long-term loss of low paying jobs, according to a new study co-authored by UC Berkeley economics professor Michael Reich...
The Secret of Golf Balls Revealed: Dimple Dynamics
Why do dimpled golf balls fly farther and straighter? Sporting goods companies have been relying upon trial and error to create effective dimple patterns. Now they may have a much...
In search of Captain Nemo
I have always loved stories. Sometimes, I find stories that my life absorbs. The ancient Sanskrit epic “Mahabharata,” detailing the deeds of valorous heroes and austere sages, is one such tale. Ayn Rand’s...
Health Care Reform and American Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know
Theda Skocpol, the Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology, and Lawrence R. Jacobs parse the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Obama, and explain what...
Life support for medical faculty
For Roy Ahn, life is a joy — and sometimes a struggle. The father of 1-year-old Charlie is blessed with a blossoming research career at the Division of Global Health and Human...
A look inside: Kirkland House
Five staff photographers will offer close-ups of the interests, activities, and personalities inside five Harvard Houses in installments over the course of the academic year. Within the dark-paneled Junior Common Room of Kirkland...
Making sense of the truth
Mark Richard has the look of a distinguished hipster, with spiky salt-and-pepper hair, edgy, green-framed spectacles, and an earring. Peeking over the top of his black leather boots are socks covered with little...