Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology

Reading skills — and struggles — manifest earlier than thought

27 weeks ago from

Science & Tech Reading skills — and struggles — manifest earlier than thought New finding underscores need to intervene before kids start school, say researchers Liz Mineo Harvard Staff Writer June 23, 2025...

Why are young people taking fewer risks?

27 weeks ago from

Richard Weissbourd directs the Making Caring Common Project at Harvard.Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Health Why are young people taking fewer risks? Psychologist describes generation overparented — but also overwhelmed by ‘frightening world’ Sy...

Got emotional wellness app? It may be doing more harm than good.

27 weeks ago from

Health Got emotional wellness app? It may be doing more harm than good. Julian De Freitas. Photo by Grace DuVal Christina Pazzanese Harvard Staff Writer June 25, 2025 8 min read Study...

As reading scores decline, a study primed to help grinds to a halt

27 weeks ago from

Phil Capin, assistant professor of education, saw two research grants cut in May.Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer Nation & World As reading scores decline, a study primed to help grinds to a halt Partnership...

As wave of dementia cases looms, Law School looks to preserve elders’ rights

27 weeks ago from

Health As wave of dementia cases looms, Law School looks to preserve elders’ rights Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer July 1, 2025 5 min read Academic experts seek improvements that could protect decision-making...

Can AI be as irrational as we are? (Or even more so?)

27 weeks ago from

Illustration by Judy Blomquist/Harvard Staff Science & Tech Can AI be as irrational as we are? (Or even more so?) Christy DeSmith Harvard Staff Writer July 1, 2025 6 min read Psychologists...

When the falcons come home to roost

27 weeks ago from

Campus & Community When the falcons come home to roost A nest cam has been installed to livestream a pair of peregrine falcons atop the Memorial Hall tower.Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer...

Highly sensitive science

27 weeks ago from

Science & Tech Highly sensitive science Veasey Conway/Harvard Staff Photographer Sy Boles Harvard Staff Writer July 2, 2025 6 min read David Ginty probes pleasure and pain to shed light on autism,...

Meditation provides calming solace — except when it doesn’t

27 weeks ago from

Health Meditation provides calming solace — except when it doesn’t Researchers find ways to promote altered states of consciousness, reduce risks of distress that affect some Jacob Sweet Harvard Staff Writer July 7,...

Did Jane Austen even care about romance?

27 weeks ago from

Arts & Culture Did Jane Austen even care about romance? Scholars contest novelist’s ‘rom-com’ rep as 250th anniversary ushers in new screen adaptations Eileen O’Grady Harvard Staff Writer July 7, 2025 5 min...

Is the secret to immortality in our DNA?

27 weeks ago from

Arts & Culture Is the secret to immortality in our DNA? Photo by Maryam Hiradfar Samantha Laine Perfas Harvard Staff Writer July 8, 2025 7 min read Alum’s campus novel offers cautionary...

An outdoor museum, rooting for the away team, and an alt-rock anthem

27 weeks ago from

Campus & Community An outdoor museum, rooting for the away team, and an alt-rock anthem Photo illustration by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff July 15, 2025 2 min read Chan School professor recommends 3 ways...

In the News – NPR – Brivanlou

27 weeks ago from

Embryo Experiments Reveal Earliest Human Development, But Stir Ethical Debate   “‘The amazing thing is that it’s doing its thing without any information from mom,’ Brivanlou says. ‘It just has...

Study tests the “three-hit” theory of autism

27 weeks ago from

Could a genetic predisposition to autism together with early stress have a more detrimental effect on boys than on girls? In experiments with mice, researchers found evidence that three factors—genes,...

In the News – NBC News – Young

27 weeks ago from

This Night Owl Gene Mutation Turns People Into Sleep Martians “‘It’s as if these people have perpetual jet lag, moving eastward every day,’ said Michael Young, who oversaw the study....

A dog’s taste for TV may depend on its temperament

27 weeks ago from

Anxious dogs might react nervously to some television sounds, a survey of dog owners reports, while hyper ones might try to play chase.

A child’s biological sex may not always be a random 50-50 chance

27 weeks ago from

Some people’s biology may set them up to birth babies of a certain sex, explaining why a family with multiple children may have all girls or all boys.

Neuroscientist who studied Einstein's brain dies at 90

27 weeks ago from

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Marian Cleeves Diamond, a neuroscientist who studied Albert Einstein's brain and was one of the first to show that...

Her grandmother died after a fall at a care home. She's still pushing for answers

27 weeks ago from

Angelina Geraldi, 97, fell out of bed overnight while staying at a long-term care home in Montreal last year. The CHSLD’s day staff were unaware of the accident, despite her...

Mother of girl with rare condition 'very grateful' after B.C. reinstates coverage of $1M drug

27 weeks ago from

British Columbia's minister of health says the province has reinstated coverage for an expensive drug used by a Vancouver Island girl with a rare and terminal genetic condition. 

Debate on forced mental health treatment continues as one woman's costs top $800K

27 weeks ago from

A CBC News analysis found one woman's ongoing journey through the mental health and justice systems has cost more than $800,000 since 2018. In Ontario, two main camps are lobbying...

Newfoundland teen with diabetes is a 'rock star' with fundraising effort

27 weeks ago from

Peterview teen Brett Samson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the fall of 2020 and since then he's raised thousands of dollars to help others facing a similar challenge.

Ontario's proposed landlord drug liability law rattles supportive housing providers

27 weeks ago from

Supportive housing providers say a new Ontario law that would make landlords responsible for preventing certain kinds of drug-related activity in their units could threaten their ability to house those...

Could Magnesium and TikTok's 'Sleepy Girl Mocktail' Actually Help You Sleep?

27 weeks ago from

TikTok’s “sleepy girl mocktails” remind us how important magnesium is for sleep and health

Secret Mathematical Patterns Revealed in Bach's Music

27 weeks ago from

Physicists found that the music of Johann Sebastian Bach contains mathematical patterns that help convey information

Virtual Bar Scenes Are a New Tool to Study Why People Commit Crimes in the Heat of the Moment

27 weeks ago from

Virtual-reality could assist researchers in decoding how emotions spur a decision to commit a crime

Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning

27 weeks ago from

Engaging the fine motor system to produce letters by hand has positive effects on learning and memory

Flimsy Antiabortion Studies Cited in Case to Ban Mifepristone Are Retracted

27 weeks ago from

Outside experts found that two studies cited in a federal case on medication abortion had serious design problems and that their authors had undisclosed conflicts of interest