Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Skipping sleep 'hardens arteries'
People who scrimp on sleep are more likely to develop hardening of their arteries, a US study suggests.
Cousin Marriage Laws Outdated, Expert Argues
Marriage between first cousins is highly stigmatized in the West and, indeed, is illegal in 31 US states. But is the hostility to such marriage scientifically well-grounded?
Spotless Mind? Unwanted Memories Might Be Erasable Without Harming Other Brain Functions
A molecule known to preserve memories -- PKMzeta -- specifically stores complex, high-quality memories that provide detailed information about an animal's location, fears and actions, but does not control the...
College students find comfort in their pets during hard times
A new study suggests that college students may handle stressful situations better if they have a pet. Research has already shown that pets can improve the quality of life for...
Electronic methods potentially secure for sending blank ballots overseas
Electronic technologies could be deployed immediately and reliably to augment slower postal mail for distributing ballots to U.S. citizens living abroad, but using telephone, e-mail, and the Web to transmit...
Nostalgia viewed as therapeutic
Long derided as wimpy and a waste of time, nostalgia nonetheless often sweeps in this time of year and settles in for the holidays. Now psychologists are rethinking the purpose...
Campaigns, protests and prison terms: how activists formed militant cell
Profiles of five of the extremists behind the Huntingdon Life Sciences blackmail campaign
Pester power: Curbing your child's inner consumer
Regardless of the economic landscape, kids are more consumer-driven than ever and are prime targets for marketers.
India's top science institute must now tackle social needs
The Indian Institute of Science is a shining example of how a developing country can do basic science, but it needs to link its research more to social needs.
Gender Gap In Spatial Skills Starts In Infancy, Psychologists Report
Men tend to perform better than women at tasks that require a person to rotate an object mentally, studies have indicated. Now developmental psychologists have discovered that this type of...
Caffeine Works Better for Men
Caffeine affects men more strongly than women, and while decaf coffee perks up both the sexes, it works better on women.
A Walk In The Park A Day Keeps Mental Fatigue Away
If you spend the majority of your time among stores, restaurants and skyscrapers, it may be time to trade in your stilettos for some hiking boots. A new study in...
10 gifts of science for Christmas
What's the story behind white Christmases and the "Star of Bethlehem?" And is it true that a shot of brandy is actually good for you?
Young scientists can boost African health systems
Africa needs postgraduate programmes that focus on local priorities to improve its health systems, say Wilson Savino and colleagues.
Navigating through a maze using only a 'sixth' sense
Scientists discover that a blind person can navigate through a maze of obstacles unaided using the power of sense alone.
If it's time for a colonoscopy, get a specialist
An experienced hand will be better at spotting tumors. Also, the test's accuracy may not be as high as once thought so carefully consider all options. ...
Keep fit in 30 minutes or less
If the holidays are eating into your workout time, just speed things up. Trainers show how. ...
Personal Health: Weight-Loss Guides Without Gimmicks
The best weight-loss books to help you keep this year's resolution.
At House Party on Health Care, the Diagnosis Is It’s Broken
More than 4,200 events are being held around the country at the behest of the president-elect, as part of an experiment in grass-roots politics and policy-making.
Vital Signs: Behavior: Pain Is Greater if Harm Seems Intentional
When someone harms you on purpose it hurts more than an accident, it seems.
A Conversation With Mahmoud A. Elsohly: ‘If you’re going to do clinical trials on humans, you’d better know what you’re using and where it came from. Hence, our farm.’
How do you become the man who grows all of the marijuana for government-funded studies?
Cases: From a Place of Fire and Weeping, Lessons on Memory, Aging and Hope
The lessons learned by a geriatric psychiatrist from his Holocaust-survivor patients.
The Evidence Gap: Drug Rehabilitation or Revolving Door?
In the costly world of addiction treatment, states are demanding programs show results. The jury is still out.
High flyers: bees on cocaine 'behave like humans'
They are highly social, adhere to a rigid class system and are intensely hou
Women Prefer Prestige Over Dominance In Mates
A new study reveals that women prefer mates who are recognized by their peers for their skills, abilities, and achievements, while not preferring men who use coercive tactics to subordinate...
Study: Prejudice Could Cost A Black Worker Thousands
A recent study sheds light on the role racial prejudice plays in the wage gap between whites and blacks in the US. Prejudice accounts for approximately one-quarter of the racial...
Racial Tension In A 'Split Second'
Interracial and interethnic interactions can often be awkward and stressful for members of both majority and minority groups. A new study reveals just how fragile intergroup relations are when people...
Are Power And Compassion Mutually Exclusive?
A new study reveals that individuals with a higher sense of power experience less compassion and distress when confronted with another's suffering, compared to low-power individuals. In addition, powerful people...