Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Research model may one day 'inoculate' elderly against slip-related falls
Training people to avoid falls by repeatedly exposing them to unstable situations in the laboratory helped them to later maintain their balance on a slippery floor, according to new research...
Rich man, poor man: study shows body language can indicate socioeconomic status
Socioeconomic status (SES) is determined by a number of factors such as wealth, occupation and schools attended. SES influences the food we eat, hobbies we participate in and can even...
Effects Of Brain Exercise Depend On Opponent
Playing games against a computer activates different brain areas from those activated when playing against a human opponent. New research has shown that the belief that one is playing against...
New Schizophrenia Gene Discovered
Researchers are one gene closer to understanding schizophrenia and related disorders. Scientists describe how a variation in the neuregulin 3 gene influences delusions associated with schizophrenia.
What's the ideal relationship between the drug industry, health professionals and patients?
The relationship between the drug industry, academia, healthcare professionals, and patients is widely believed to be at an all time low. Five contrasting views, published on bmj.com today, discuss what...
Gardening gives older adults benefits like hand strength and self-esteem
Researchers at Kansas State University already have shown that gardening can offer enough moderate physical activity to keep older adults in shape...
K-State researcher says happy employees are critical for an organisation's success
One's happiness might seem like a personal subject, but a Kansas State University researcher says employers should be concerned about the well-being of their employees because it could be the...
Mother's experience impacts offspring's memory
A mother's life experience can affect the biology of her offspring, according to new animal research in the 4 February issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The study shows that...
Xenophobia, For Men Only
We have an evolved mental readiness to be fearful of certain things in our world. It's known that people are more fearful of "out-groups" -- people who are different from...
Ritalin May Cause Changes In Brain’s Reward Areas; Effects May Overlap With Those Of Cocaine
A common treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, prescribed millions of times a year, may change the brain in the same ways that cocaine does, a new study in mice suggests....
Teens who 'sext' racy photos charged with porn
(AP) -- Though youth is fleeting, images sent on a cell phone or posted online may not be, especially if they're naughty.
Researchers unravel ways capuchin monkeys select effective tools
(PhysOrg.com) -- When Tchaikovsky penned The Nutcracker, the last thing he probably had in mind was a capuchin monkey. And yet new research, co-directed by a researcher at the University...
Reprieve from suspension for P.E.I. doctor
Dr. Grant Matheson, given a 3½-year suspension for professional misconduct for overprescribing narcotics, will be allowed to practise medicine while his appeal of the sentence is heard.
The New Old Age: Elder Abuse: All in the Family?
A British survey finds that many family caregivers admit to instances of abuse while looking after a family member with dementia.
Negative emotion more likely to cause false memories, researchers find
Remembering negative events tends to result in more false memories than remembering neutral events, according to Cornell professor of human development Charles Brainerd.
Photo can be copied from DVD
Q. As a present for a wedding anniversary, my children took many of our slides and put together a great VHS tape for us. Unfortunately, in the process one of...
Motorola phone talks a tough game
For some people, a phone is just a phone. They don't need e-mail, a Web browser or a camera. They just want to make a call. And the last thing...
Why Sensory Perception Changes When the Brain Rests
Even when our eyes are closed, the visual centers in our brain are humming with activity. Weizmann Institute scientists and others have shown in the last few years that the...
Brain Goes Into 'Screen Saver' Mode In Absence of Stimulus
New research shows our brain's sense centers are continuously active. In the absence of a stimulus, however, their electrical activity remains in "screen saver" mode.
Group opposes NYC health official for CDC job
(AP) -- On paper, New York City's health commissioner looks like the kind of doctor an AIDS activist would love.
Summer babies 'tall and strong'
Children born in late summer or early autumn are often taller and stronger than peers born in spring and winter, research suggests.
The video game that may help with fire rescues
Researchers at Durham University have modified a video game to simulate fire scenarios for training purposes.
Sociability Traced To Particular Region Of Brain
People with a genetic condition called Williams syndrome are famously gregarious. Scientists, looking carefully at brain function in individuals with Williams syndrome, think they may know why this is so.
How moms pass on experience without even trying
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mothers can pass along their experiences to their children without even trying, researchers reported in a surprising study on Tuesday that showed baby mice could inherit the...
Why Don't Babies Talk Like Adults: Coglanglab at Scientific American
The Scientific American Mind Matters blog is running an article by me on language learning. read more
Test Tube Babies Shed Light on Nature Versus Nurture
Children born to genetically unrelated mothers provide clues to origins of antisocial behavior
Research shows reading classic literature can improve personal ethics
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of researchers, including John Johnson, professor of psychology at Penn State DuBois, have discovered that literature may inspire readers to be ethical members of society. ...
Social phobics more affected by scowling faces
(PhysOrg.com) -- See something disturbing? Maybe it's a scene from the nightly news of someone being beaten in a riot, or a person scowling at you in a crowd.