Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Shoplifting linked to unpleasant personality
Psychologists have identified dimensions of personality seen in persons prone to shoplifting. Three characteristics in his study stood out: Being male; unpleasant and antisocial; and disorganized and unreliable.
Study finds 'law-like' patterns in human preference behaviour
In a study appearing in the journal PLoS ONE, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) scientists describe finding mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding...
Brain volume found to change following weight gain in adults with anorexia
A team of American psychologists and neuroscientists have found that adult brain volume, which can be reduced by Anorexia Nervosa, can be regained. The research, published in the International Journal...
Learning strategies are associated with distinct neural signatures
The process of learning requires the sophisticated ability to constantly update our expectations of future rewards so we may make accurate predictions about those rewards in the face of a...
And this year's 'American Idol' winner is...
It was a night of laughs, tears, jaw-dropping performances and surprise appearances, and even if Season 9 didn't quite get your juices flowing, the 2010 finale pulled out plenty of...
Art Linkletter, broadcasting pioneer who created 'Kids Say the Darndest Things,' dies at 97
Linkletter was a radio host when he began interviewing children to get their unvarnished utterances. He went on to TV, became an author and entrepreneur, and was an advocate for senior citizens remaining...
The Language Barrier
And after all, it is just a matter of language. I am convinced that 99% of the reason why a person with no scientific background cannot follow the developments of...
Judge denies temporary restraining order to halt closure of 4 medical marijuana shops on June 7
Four medical marijuana dispensaries lost their bid Wednesday for a temporary court order to stop Los Angeles from shutting them down when its ordinance takes effect on June 7. The...
Message In A Bottle - It's Not Littering, It's Science!
A 'message in a bottle' has been a mainstay for romantics throughout the centuries - sure, putting up an old picture on the Internet is a faster way to meet...
Airport security: Intent to deceive?
Can the science of deception detection help to catch terrorists? Sharon Weinberger takes a close look at the evidence for it.
"Macho Men" Are Dangerous Drivers, Psychologist Says
The more "macho" the man, the more risks he is likely to take on the road, according to a study by a psychologist at the University of Montreal.So what is...
Horror film soundtracks mimic animals' distress calls
Film-makers' manipulations of sound tap into our primal fears, say researchersDiscordant sounds used to create tension in horror films are effective because they mimic calls made by animals in the wild at times...
Manitoba addictions expert quits job
One of Manitoba's foremost experts on addictions is leaving her job out of frustration.
Hey Jude: Get that song out my head!
Some 98 to 99 percent of the population has, at some point, been "infected" with a song they just can't seem to shake off. This common phenomenon has rarely been...
Most People Google Themselves Now
The majority of American adults now keep tabs of their reputations online, according to a Pew research survey released today.
Domestic violence victims have higher health costs for years after abuse ends
Victims of domestic violence endure significantly higher health costs than other women for three years after the abuse ends, a new study finds. Abuse victims had health care costs that...
Copycat behavior in children is universal and may help promote human culture
A new study of Australian preschoolers and Kalahari Bushman children finds that a particular kind of imitation -- overimitation, in which a child copies everything an adult shows them, not...
Assisted-suicide prosecutions called 'grey area'
A Quebec government committee says the province could consider not prosecuting some cases of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
L.A. plans to increase already hefty fees to help balance budget
Los Angeles is turning to a variety of fee and fine hikes to help balance its budget.
YouTube assault trial continues in B.C.
The trial of three Vancouver Island men, whose alleged attack on a lone black man was broadcast on YouTube, is expected to continue on Wednesday in Courtney, B.C.
Canada's teen pregnancy rate falls
Researchers say sex education and easier access to birth control explain a drop in Canada's teen pregnancy rate of nearly 37 per cent over a 10-year period ending in 2006.
Synthetic life: Perhaps all we have to fear is fear itself?
We need to get to grips with the factors that bias our perception of risk, warns David Ropeik. Getting it wrong can lead to health scares like MMR – or a failure...
Researchers analyze performance of first updatable holographic 3D display
(PhysOrg.com) -- In 2008, researchers from the University of Arizona created a holographic 3D display that could write and erase images, making it the first updatable (or rewritable) holographic 3D...
Facebook bullying case goes to court
A Nova Scotia family has taken legal action over a fake Facebook page they say defamed their daughter.
Coffee break physicals
'Who has time?' is a frequent question in response to the suggestion of a medical check-up. Job demands aren't becoming easier to meet in this challenging economy. And there is...
Major step ahead for cryptography
Imagine you could work out the answer to a question, without knowing what the question was. For example, suppose someone thinks of two numbers and then asks another person to...
Japan may wait before saying 'iDo' to iPad
Many thought the iPhone would underwhelm Japan, where for years people have used ultra-advanced handsets to send emails, watch live television, feed pets and run talking bathtubs at the touch...
Suicides roil factory in China
Nine workers at a computer component maker have killed themselves this year. Psychologists and monks have been called in; there are now punching bags. Experts cite an expectation gap of young workers. Psychologists...