Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Researchers find memory capacity much bigger than previously thought
In recent years, demonstrations of memory's failures have convinced many scientists that human memory does not store the details of our experiences. However, a new study from MIT cognitive neuroscientists...
Children Of Older Fathers More Likely To Have Bipolar Disorder, New Report Finds
Older age among fathers may be associated with an increased risk for bipolar disorder in their offspring, according to a new report.
Periodic Limb Movement During Sleep Is Less Common In African-Americans; Associated With Insomnia
A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep is the first to objectively determine the prevalence of periodic limb movements during sleep in a population-based sample, finding...
Brain Imaging Links Chronic Insomnia To Reversible Cognitive Deficits Without Changes In Behavior
A neuroimaging study has found that cognitive processes related to verbal fluency are compromised in people with insomnia despite the absence of a behavioral deficit. These specific brain function alterations...
Loneliness undermines health as well as mental well-being
Feeling connected to others is vital to a person's mental well-being, as well as physical health, research at the University of Chicago shows.
Gustav Pet Evacuations Show Katrina Lessons Learned
In sharp contrast to the situation in 2005, animal welfare groups got thousands of pets and their owners safely away from the U.S. Gulf Coast before Hurricane Gustav hit.
When Charities Ask For Time, People Give More Money
According to new research in the Journal of Consumer Research, simply asking people a question about whether they're willing to volunteer their time leads to increases in donations of both...
Powerful Donor Motivators For Fundraising
People are more likely to donate to pledge drive appeals when fundraisers tap into peoples' desire to help others, according to a new study. Donors are also more likely to...
Study shows heavy snoring is an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis
A study in the Sept. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that objectively measured heavy snoring is an independent risk factor for early carotid atherosclerosis, which may progress to...
Happiness And Satisfaction Might Lead To Better Health
It's the opposite of a vicious cycle: Healthy people might be happier, and a new study shows that people who are happy and satisfied with their lives might be healthier.
Sexual Matters Don’t Sway Mothers On HPV Vaccine
The opinions of women about sexual matters do not play a significant role in their decisions about whether girls in their care should receive a vaccine against a sexually transmitted...
Sleight Of Hand And Sense Of Self
An illusion that tricks people into believing a rubber hand belongs to them isn't all in the mind, researchers have found. They have observed a physical response as well, a...
Public Involvement Usually Leads To Better Environmental Decision Making
When done correctly, public participation improves the quality of federal agencies' decisions about the environment, says a new report from the National Research Council.
Reducing Risky Health Behaviors In Teens: A Tall Order
Programs targeting at-risk kids must tackle a constellation of issues in order to be effective. "To really improve adolescent health, programs should seek to reduce risk taking, improve social capital...
Pre-school 'gives maths boost'
Going to a good nursery school boosts a child's chances of achieving in maths at the age of 10, experts say.
Sharp rise in alcoholism among Swedish women: report
Alcoholism among women in Sweden rose by 50 percent between 2003 and 2007 as beer, wine and spirits have become more accessible in the country long known for its restrictive...
Friend or Foe? Crows Never Forget a Face, It Seems
Researchers have found that crows, renowned for their ability to flourish in human-dominated landscapes, can recognize individual human faces.
Fear, stress among the poor hinder learning
These emotions are a constant for the poverty-stricken. New ideas are emerging to combat the long-term effects. ...
Forbidden fruit: learning to drink responsibly
Regarding alcohol, middle and high schools' only message is 'just say no.' That leaves alcohol education to parents and, increasingly, colleges, where newfound freedom can send students off track. ...
American Workers Overwhelmingly Support Paid Sick Days, Labor Day Survey Finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- More than three-quarters of workers polled in a national survey released today view paid sick days as a basic right of employment that should be guaranteed by the...
Reckless Spending, Not Illness or Job Loss, Causes Most Bankruptcy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Simple overspending has driven most personal bankruptcies in recent years, a change from previous decades when illness and unemployment were major factors, concludes a new study from the...
Sex Differences Seen In Response To Common Antidepressant
Women with depression may be much more likely than men to get relief from a commonly used, inexpensive antidepressant drug, a new national study finds. But many members of both...
VIDEO: Mexican "St. Death" Worshipped
Mexican devotees honor the folk saint Santa Muerte—a scythe-carrying skeleton—each month, though the Catholic Church links the saint to black magic and Satanism.
Bridging the divide between science and politics
A new study confirms the valuable role of 'intermediary organisations' in bringing scientific and policy-making communities closer together.
Health of Afghan children jeopardized by family behaviors, not just war
Family values and ongoing conflict within the country are dramatically affecting the health of young children in Afghanistan. A study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health suggests...
Linguistic Tools Used To Analyze Human Language Applied To Conversation Between Scientist And Bonobo
What happens when linguistic tools used to analyze human language are applied to a conversation between a language-competent bonobo and a human? New findings indicate that bonobos may exhibit larger...
Lean on Me (Or at Least a Monkey)
Primate intelligence gives me cognitive dissonance. It’s fascinating that monkeys can recognize numbers, construct tools and even follow to-do lists. But it also bruises my ego, just slightly, knowing that...
How accurate is your memory?
(PhysOrg.com) -- As a child did you hate brussel sprouts? Do you remember such a preference or did your parents remind you afterwards, ensuring a lasting dislike of the...