Posts Tagged ‘psychology’
Health & Medicine, Science & Technology - Oct 21, 2009 14:15 - 0 Comments
What do asteroids have to do with autism?
CORNELL (US)—A custom-built suite of science-fiction-themed video games may help researchers uncover clues to the chaotic nature of autism. (more…)
Society & Culture - Oct 21, 2009 9:40 - 0 Comments
Baby and puppy miss the cue . . . again
U. IOWA (US)—New findings challenge the conclusions of two recent studies on how babies and dogs respond to certain social cues, suggesting they may not be so clever after all. (more…)
Society & Culture - Oct 20, 2009 11:48 - 14 Comments
For kids, pen’s mightier than keyboard
U. WASHINGTON (US)—Children with and without handwriting disabilities were able to write more—and more quickly—when using a pen rather than a keyboard to compose essays, according to new research. (more…)
Society & Culture - Oct 17, 2009 12:26 - 3 Comments
Too much gaming, too little focus?
IOWA STATE (US)—High-volume action video game players—those who play around 40 hours a week—had more difficulty keeping focused on tasks requiring longer, more proactive attention than those who played video games less than a couple of hours a week. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 14, 2009 16:47 - 0 Comments
Uncanny replicas faze monkeys, too
PRINCETON (US)—Researchers have come up with a new twist on the mysterious visual phenomenon experienced by humans known as the “uncanny valley.” Monkeys also sense it. (more…)
Best of 2009 - Oct 14, 2009 11:33 - 5 Comments
BEST OF 2009: Bad bosses sabotage to boost ego
UC BERKELEY (US)—Bosses who are in over their heads are more likely to bully subordinates. That’s because feelings of inadequacy trigger them to lash out at those around them. (more…)
Society & Culture - Oct 13, 2009 10:08 - 5 Comments
Parents pick baby names on the rise
NYU (US)—When it comes to choosing a name for baby, it turns out that a name’s popularity isn’t the only influence. Like momentum traders in the stock market, parents today appear to favor names that have recently risen in popularity relative to those on the decline. (more…)
Society & Culture - Oct 12, 2009 16:17 - 5 Comments
Impulse control comes late for teens
UC IRVINE (US)—Teens may not be able to fully control impulses and resist peer pressure until they reach their early 20s, according to a new study of adolescent judgment and decision-making. The findings suggest teens may lack the emotional maturity to be held as responsible as an adult for a violent crime. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 9, 2009 16:37 - 5 Comments
Exercise—not fitness—buffs up body image
U. FLORIDA (US)—The simple act of exercise can boost confidence, a new study finds. Researchers say people who don’t achieve workout milestones such as losing fat, gaining strength, or improving cardiovascular fitness feel just as good about their bodies as their more athletic counterparts. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 2, 2009 18:10 - 0 Comments
Color plays musical chairs in the brain
U. CHICAGO (US)—What happens in the brain when a color loses the object to which it is linked—for instance, a pink flamingo or blue lake? For the first time, researchers have shown that instead of disappearing along with the lost object, the color latches onto a region of some other object in view, a finding that reveals a new basic property of sight. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 2, 2009 13:18 - 2 Comments
Olive oil compound may fight Alzheimer’s
NORTHWESTERN (US)—A new study has found that oleocanthal, a naturally occurring compound found in extra-virgin olive oil, beneficially alters the structure of neurotoxic proteins believed to contribute to the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. (more…)
Society & Culture - Sep 30, 2009 14:28 - 1 Comment
Separating historical fact from film fiction
WASHINGTON-ST. LOUIS (US)—Showing popular historical dramas in a classroom setting can be a double-edged sword when it comes to helping students learn and retain factual information found in textbooks, a new study finds. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 24, 2009 15:26 - 0 Comments
Chimp see, chimp do: Clues to empathy
EMORY (US)—Researchers have documented the first example of a chimpanzee empathizing with 3-D animation—in this case, a yawning ape. The findings could help in the design of animation therapy for children with autism. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 23, 2009 3:06 - 5 Comments
Smoking takes a backseat to mental health
NORTHWESTERN (US)–People with mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are the heaviest smokers in the country, but doctors are not recommending they quit, according to a recent study. (more…)
Society & Culture - Sep 21, 2009 20:38 - 9 Comments
Love’s not the only reason women have sex
TEXAS-AUSTIN (US)—Challenging the idea that women’s sexual motivations are tied exclusively to romantic emotions or reproduction, a new study finds woman are motivated by a wide array of reasons—from boredom to altruism to revenge. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 15, 2009 18:57 - 13 Comments
Depressed? Anxious? Aren’t we all?
“I think we’ve got to get used to the idea that mental illness is actually very common,” says Jane Costello. “People are growing up impaired, untreated, and not functioning to their full capacity because we’ve ignored it.”
Society & Culture - Sep 14, 2009 11:06 - 0 Comments
When interactivity goes overboard
PENN STATE (US)—Could there be a tipping point in the digital world, where interactive options become overwhelming—and ineffective? A team of researchers is investigating how all that interactivity really affects digital consumers. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 3, 2009 11:25 - 2 Comments
Friends don’t let friends supersize
DUKE (US)—Thin friends who eat a lot could put your waistline in danger. That’s the warning from researchers studying how other people’s weight and food choices influence how much we eat. (more…)
