Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
How the brain encodes memories at a cellular level
Scientists have made a major discovery in how the brain encodes memories. The finding could eventually lead to the development of new drugs to aid memory.
Psychologists show that future-minded people make better decisions for their health
People who tend to think in the long term are more likely to make positive decisions about their health, whether it's how much they drink, what they eat, or their...
Outages irk BlackBerry users
BlackBerry customers are ticked off at Research In Motion after the second outage in a week left them unable to send or receive email.
Teenagers use violence to boost their social standing
A new study looks in depth at the social relationships between male and female teenagers, relational violence, and psycho-social adjustment factors such as loneliness, self-esteem and satisfaction with life. The...
Pain Pills Could Ease Hurt Feelings
The main ingredient of Tylenol could alleviate hurt feelings.
How one odd duck says 'no' to sex
When it comes to sex, some female ducks have taken "no" to a new level. They have evolved vaginas with clockwise spirals that keep out the oppositely spiraled penises of...
American scriptwriters increasingly incorporating Spanish in their dialogues
Nieves Jiménez Carra, a researcher and lecturer at the Pablo de Olavide (UPO) University in Seville has studied how scripts swap from one language to another in American television series...
Modernizing the treatment of sexual dysfunction in men
Modern, couple-oriented treatment for male sexual dysfunction takes the psychosocial aspects of sex into account, as well as focusing on the purely physical aspects of the problem.
Physician-assisted suicide: A perspective from advocates for people with disability
Although public opinion in the US on physician-assisted suicide is evenly divided, about half of states have either defeated bills to legalize assisted suicide or have passed laws explicitly banning...
Facebook messages to contact dead friend 'creepy'
A Charlottetown man says Facebook should do more to explain what happens to a person's account after they die.
Britain bans 'legal high' drugs
Britain banned several drugs known as "legal highs" Wednesday amid mounting public concern about their health risks.
Canadian police consider GPS for people with Alzheimer's
Police in Montreal are studying the possibility of offering GPS bracelets to people suffering from Alzheimer's disease, an official told AFP.
UNL research aims to understand homelessness among women
(PhysOrg.com) -- Women make up nearly one-third of the homeless population in the United States. Yet little is known about how they become homeless or how they live. University of...
Ban on 'legal high' drugs in force from today
GBL, BZP and chemical sprays now classed as controlled substances after series of high-profile deaths linked to the drugsA ban on a range of so-called legal highs came into force today.The ban...
Ambitious South Korean Parents See Tall as All
A growing conviction that tallness is crucial to success has prompted South Korean parents to try all manner of approaches to increase their children’s height.
Can modern day gadgets help combat prejudice?
Prejudice...we've all experienced it at one point or another. Defined as a preconceived belief, opinion, or judgment toward a group or person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, sexual...
Electronic health records: Concerns about potential privacy breaches remain an issue
New research studies cite pervasive concern among US physicians about privacy issues related to electronic health records, despite recognized benefits of using them.
The Thought Is What Counts
Holiday gift givers who expect to be appreciated for choosing the most expensive gifts are likely to be disappointed when their presents are unwrapped. Cost has little impact on how...
Christmas Carol Talk
Even without the lyrics, the tunes of some Christmas carols -- such as "Jingle Bells" or "Deck the Halls" -- sound uplifting. But the melodies of other songs like "We...
On the tip of your tongue: Researchers reveal our motor system activates when we hear speech
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London have discovered our motor system activates automatically when we hear speech. These findings could, in the future, play a central role...
Link Between Poor Sleep and Poor Learning in Older Adults Investigated
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are trying to decode why aging prevents sleep from enhancing memory. Rebecca Spencer, assistant professor of psychology, says she is trying...
Sniffing out clues to dogs' compulsive behavior
(PhysOrg.com) -- At first glance, a dog chasing its tail seems a harmless, if fruitless, pursuit. But for many dogs and their owners, the habit has a dark side, one...
The State Of Sci-Fi Gaming
As 2009 closes, we can look at the state of sci-fi gaming. You might wonder why a science site cares, and the answer is that science fiction is one of...
Effects of binge drinking linger
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Heavy drinking adversely affects a person's performance and perception hours after alcohol has left the body, researchers in Rhode Island said.
Pot and pop: New research finds stronger link between music and marijuana use among teens
Teens who frequently listen to music that contains references to marijuana are more likely to use the drug than their counterparts with less exposure to such lyrics, according to a...
"Pregnant" Fish Fathers Suck the Life From Their Young
With the fathers taking on the responsibility of "gestating" their young, the story of pipefish reproduction is among the more heartwarming in biology. Well, it was.
Video: Death sentence Briton's family appeal for clemency
Vikram Dodd talks to Akbar Shaikh, whose brother Akmal faces execution on December 29 for drug smuggling in ChinaVikram DoddMustafa Khalili
Survey: Internet use grows fast among Latinos
(AP) -- Latino adults are increasing their use of the Internet faster than other ethnic groups, according to a new survey from the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew...