Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Brain study offers insight into causes of autism
Scientists are a step closer to understanding how abnormalities in brain development might lead to autism and behavioural disorders...
Exploring the limits: Understanding the challenges facing Winter Olympic champions
As the world turns its sporting gaze towards Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, The Physiological Society journal Experimental Physiology marks the occasion with a special issue exploring the biological...
Brain scans track hoop fans' happy memories
In a novel study that used historical tape of a thrilling overtime basketball game between Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brain researchers at Duke have...
Happiness Makes Us Adventurous, Study Finds
Happy moods make us want to try things. Sadness causes us to seek the familiar.
Intense sweets taste especially good to some kids
PHILADELPHIA (February 10, 2010) -- New research from the Monell Center reports that children's response to intense sweet taste is related to both a family history of alcoholism and...
Childhood Obesity Battle Is Taken Up by First Lady
The initiative led by Michelle Obama is intended to revamp the way American youngsters eat and play.
Depression and lack of concentration do not necessarily go together
A recent review has found that depression does not always lead to memory problems or difficulties concentrating.
Sporting Prowess Through Brain Power
Expert sportsmen are quicker to observe and react to their opponents’ moves than novice players, exhibiting enhanced activation of the cortical regions of the brain. More experienced sports players are...
Biological risks of eating reptiles
Reptiles are bred in captivity primarily for their skins, but some restaurants and population groups also want them for their meat. A study shows that eating these animals can have...
The Glass Cliff: Female representation in politics and business
Leadership positions in business have proven to be precarious for women. Female business leaders are more likely to be appointed to powerful leadership positions when an organization is in crisis...
Feeling blue? You'll shun the new
A sick or sad child might cling to mom's leg. But that same child - fed, rested and generally content - will happily toddle off to explore every nook and...
Anesthetic approach stops pain without affecting motor function
One of the holy grails of local anesthesia is the ability to achieve a long-lasting nerve block that eliminates pain sensation while not affecting motor function. Now, researchers have discovered...
Office romance? Not a problem most of time: study
(PhysOrg.com) -- Pam and Jim on The Office. Meredith and McDreamy on Grey's Anatomy. Television shows depict many workplace romances, but in the real world how do co-workers view love...
New study examines the impact on children of food product placements in the movies
LEBANON, NH- -- (February 5, 2010) New research from the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) for the first time sheds light on the significant...
Exposure to secondhand smoke among children in England has declined since 1996
The most comprehensive study to date of secondhand smoke exposure among children in England is published today in the journal Addiction. The study, carried out by researchers from the University...
Study on 'untouchables' can help end human rights abuses, says Notre Dame scholar
(PhysOrg.com) -- The largest-ever study on the Dalits -- the so-called "untouchables" of India -- reveals widespread caste-based discrimination in every aspect of daily life, according to Christian Davenport, professor...
'Counterfactual' thinkers are more motivated and analytical, study suggests
(PhysOrg.com) -- "If only I had..." Almost everyone has said those four words at some time. Rather than intensifying regret, '"what if" reflection about pivotal moments in the past helps...
What Makes Some Gamblers Take Risks?
New Study Points to Damage to Brain's Fear Center as Key to Understanding Reckless Behavior
China passes EU in trade with Iran
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- China passed the European Union as the largest trading partner with Iran as economic sanctions and a major gas pipeline loom over Tehran's global...
People out and about make cities secure
Young people who have experienced threats and violence feel more insecure than others in urban public spaces, especially when alone. This is one conclusion from researchers at the University of...
What Happens in the Amygdala...Damage to Brain's Decision-Making Area May Encourage Dicey Gambles
Imagine you've lost your job. You have some money saved, and a chance to double it with a gamble. But if you lose the bet, you'll forfeit everything. What would...
Older investors prone to mental misfires while playing the market, study shows
Old age traditionally brings with it respect, experience and wisdom. But when it comes to making risky financial investments, an older mind is likely to make more mistakes than a...
Depressed people feel more grey than blue
People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of grey to represent their mental state. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medical Research Methodology...
Drinking, Smoking Often Intertwine for Students
(PhysOrg.com) -- Mark and Mimi Nichter have published a series of articles recently about the smoking behaviors of college students, offering important insights about smoking related to drinking, gender and...
Want Passionate Kids? Leave 'em Alone
Children who explore interests on their own develop healthier passions.
Cultures of suicide
(PhysOrg.com) -- A UQ researcher has surveyed and interviewed students across three continents to understand the social representations, values, beliefs, attitudes and meanings associated with youth suicide.
The war on 'cures' for homosexuality
My undercover investigation has led to a campaign against those who wreck lives by peddling conversion therapyLast year, in Britain, a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist tried to "cure" me of my homosexuality. What...
A Conversation With Samuel Wang: A Neuroscientist Studying the Structure of Dog Brains
In his Princeton laboratory, Samuel Wang uses dog M.R.I.’s to research the relationship between brain structure and behavior.