Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Brain Drain: Real Result of Digital Overload?
Research Is Revealing Growing Number of Negative Effects on Gray Matter, Social Interactions; But There Are Remedies
Major moral decisions use general-purpose brain circuits to manage uncertainty
Harvard researchers have found that humans can make difficult moral decisions using the same brain circuits as those used in more mundane choices related to money and food. These circuits,...
2 heads are better than 1 - with the right partner
In the new age of coalition governments, the question of whether two heads are better than one is more relevant than ever. A study published today in the journal Science,...
Experimental treatments for cocaine addiction may prevent relapse
Doctors have used the drug disulfiram to help patients stay sober for several decades. It interferes with the body's ability to metabolise alcohol, giving a fierce hangover to someone who...
Students need help to save money, but don't always know it, study finds
Students could use help saving more money, but they don't always know it. If they were offered a simple way to do so, would they take it? A new study...
Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function
A group of "professional couch potatoes," as one researcher described them, has proven that even moderate exercise -- in this case walking at one's own pace for 40 minutes three...
Victimised children involved with disasters more likely to have mental health issues
A new national study not only has confirmed that children who have been exposed to disasters from earthquakes to fires are more prone to emotional problems, but many of those...
New rules of engagement for older people and climate change
A new study by researchers at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) at the University of York calls for better engagement of older people on climate change issues...
Arizona researchers create tests to assess Down syndrome
Neuroscientists in the Down Syndrome Research Group at the University of Arizona have created a battery of tests that quickly aid in the assessment of the cognitive abilities of persons...
Almost 20% of home caregivers distressed
Nearly all of the people receiving publicly funded home care in Canada also rely on an informal caregiver like a spouse, but one in six of those helpers experience distress...
Core values unite Americans, despite divisions
Americans are united when it comes to many core values, according to a University of Michigan survey. But the nation is deeply divided about certain issues, including gay marriage,...
Fixing Wiki: Wikipedia Revision Project Teaches Teamwork, Communication, Chemistry
Halogen bonding, hyperconjugation, electroactive polymers---such subjects are typical fare in graduate-level chemistry courses. But how many classes challenge students to explain the concepts to the whole world?
New artificial lung keeps toddler alive
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A 2-year-old Missouri boy has become the first person in the United States to be kept alive by a new type of artificial...
On organic coffee farm, complex interactions keep pests under control
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Proponents of organic farming often speak of nature's balance in ways that sound almost spiritual, prompting criticism that their views are unscientific and naïve. At the other end...
Radical change for Ont. mental health urged
A new report says a "radical transformation" of mental health and addiction care is needed in Ontario if people are to receive the help they need.
The relevance of a doctor's religion | Evan Harris
It is misleading to say atheist doctors are 'more likely to hasten death'. The real issue is adequate patient consultationRead in isolation, the headline of the Guardian's report into newly published research on...
Light Diet: Eating Food without Seeing It May Impede Ability to Judge Hunger
As psychologist Benjamin Scheibehenne and his wife left the restaurant where they had just finished dinner, they discussed whether to stop somewhere else for dessert. It was an...
Africa Analysis: Taking control of science funding
African nations are increasingly taking control of their own science funding — but they must keep the money coming, writes Linda Nordling.
When Preschoolers Get Depressed
Childhood should be a carefree time of happiness and discovery. Is it really possible for a preschooler to be depressed?
Something lacking in the trouser department? | Mind your language
Big debate that has divided the experts: 'all mouth and trousers' v 'all mouth and no trousers'One of the joys of language is that sometimes it is the little things that trigger...
Wired youth forget how to write in China and Japan
Like every Chinese child, Li Hanwei spent her schooldays memorising thousands of the intricate characters that make up the Chinese writing system.
University of Nevada professor studies structural basis for autism disorders
RENO, Nev. -- There is still much that is unknown about autism spectrum disorders, but a University of Nevada, Reno psychologist has added to the body of knowledge that...
Census plan slammed by science journal
Canada's Harper government is getting an earful from an influential scientific journal over its decision to scrap the mandatory long-form census.
Freeze or run? Not that simple: Scientists discover neural switch that controls fear
Scientists have identified the specific type of neurons that determine how mice react to a frightening stimulus, showing that deciding whether or not to freeze in fear is a more...
Infants can remember emotional events: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study led by a University of Toronto Scarborough psychologist shows that human infants can remember unusual emotional events.
Amnesty: Yemen using terror as excuse
LONDON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. pressure on the Yemeni government to take on al-Qaida has resulted in grave human rights violations, Amnesty International contends. ...
POV: Do our brains need a break from technology?
New research suggests overusing digital devices deprives our brain of needed downtime to learn and process information and come up with new ideas. Do you think your technology habits affect...
Why Should Happiness Boost The Immune System?
There’s an apparent paradox in the research on positive emotions, and how they relate to the immune system, something that doesn’t make sense on first inspection. But like many things...