Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Researchers find memory capacity much bigger than previously thought
In recent years, demonstrations of memory's failures have convinced many scientists that human memory does not store the details of our experiences. However, a new study from MIT cognitive neuroscientists...
Loneliness undermines health as well as mental well-being
Feeling connected to others is vital to a person's mental well-being, as well as physical health, research at the University of Chicago shows.
Happiness And Satisfaction Might Lead To Better Health
It's the opposite of a vicious cycle: Healthy people might be happier, and a new study shows that people who are happy and satisfied with their lives might be healthier.
Sexual Matters Don’t Sway Mothers On HPV Vaccine
The opinions of women about sexual matters do not play a significant role in their decisions about whether girls in their care should receive a vaccine against a sexually transmitted...
Sleight Of Hand And Sense Of Self
An illusion that tricks people into believing a rubber hand belongs to them isn't all in the mind, researchers have found. They have observed a physical response as well, a...
Public Involvement Usually Leads To Better Environmental Decision Making
When done correctly, public participation improves the quality of federal agencies' decisions about the environment, says a new report from the National Research Council.
Reducing Risky Health Behaviors In Teens: A Tall Order
Programs targeting at-risk kids must tackle a constellation of issues in order to be effective. "To really improve adolescent health, programs should seek to reduce risk taking, improve social capital...
Pre-school 'gives maths boost'
Going to a good nursery school boosts a child's chances of achieving in maths at the age of 10, experts say.
Sharp rise in alcoholism among Swedish women: report
Alcoholism among women in Sweden rose by 50 percent between 2003 and 2007 as beer, wine and spirits have become more accessible in the country long known for its restrictive...
Friend or Foe? Crows Never Forget a Face, It Seems
Researchers have found that crows, renowned for their ability to flourish in human-dominated landscapes, can recognize individual human faces.
Purdue, Citing Research Misconduct, Punishes Scientist
An appeals committee at Purdue University has upheld findings of misconduct by Rusi P. Taleyarkhan.
Fear, stress among the poor hinder learning
These emotions are a constant for the poverty-stricken. New ideas are emerging to combat the long-term effects. ...
Forbidden fruit: learning to drink responsibly
Regarding alcohol, middle and high schools' only message is 'just say no.' That leaves alcohol education to parents and, increasingly, colleges, where newfound freedom can send students off track. ...
American Workers Overwhelmingly Support Paid Sick Days, Labor Day Survey Finds
(PhysOrg.com) -- More than three-quarters of workers polled in a national survey released today view paid sick days as a basic right of employment that should be guaranteed by the...
Reckless Spending, Not Illness or Job Loss, Causes Most Bankruptcy
(PhysOrg.com) -- Simple overspending has driven most personal bankruptcies in recent years, a change from previous decades when illness and unemployment were major factors, concludes a new study from the...
Sex Differences Seen In Response To Common Antidepressant
Women with depression may be much more likely than men to get relief from a commonly used, inexpensive antidepressant drug, a new national study finds. But many members of both...
Study Shows Link Between Spanking And Physical Abuse
Spanking has been, and still is, a common method of child discipline used by American parents. But mothers who report that they or their partner spanked their child in the...
VIDEO: Mexican "St. Death" Worshipped
Mexican devotees honor the folk saint Santa Muerte—a scythe-carrying skeleton—each month, though the Catholic Church links the saint to black magic and Satanism.
Bridging the divide between science and politics
A new study confirms the valuable role of 'intermediary organisations' in bringing scientific and policy-making communities closer together.
Health of Afghan children jeopardized by family behaviors, not just war
Family values and ongoing conflict within the country are dramatically affecting the health of young children in Afghanistan. A study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health suggests...
Linguistic Tools Used To Analyze Human Language Applied To Conversation Between Scientist And Bonobo
What happens when linguistic tools used to analyze human language are applied to a conversation between a language-competent bonobo and a human? New findings indicate that bonobos may exhibit larger...
Lean on Me (Or at Least a Monkey)
Primate intelligence gives me cognitive dissonance. It’s fascinating that monkeys can recognize numbers, construct tools and even follow to-do lists. But it also bruises my ego, just slightly, knowing that...
How accurate is your memory?
(PhysOrg.com) -- As a child did you hate brussel sprouts? Do you remember such a preference or did your parents remind you afterwards, ensuring a lasting dislike of the...
What does your MP really believe?
(PhysOrg.com) -- MPs tend to 'toe the party line' on parliamentary votes, but when it comes to expressing their private opinions, Dan Bailey and Guy Nason, statisticians from the University...
Follow That Robot!
It’s not hard to notice when your co-worker is grouchy, your friend is exhausted, or your boss is overjoyed. Without recognizing it, we easily pick up on other people’s emotions...
Family are forced out of their Essex home by spider
A soldier's family are frightened out of their home by a spider thought to have been brought from Afghanistan.
China too must confront obesity
China must confront changing diets, more sedentary lives, and a 'plump is prosperous' culture to halt obesity, say Rachel Huxley and Yangfeng Wu.
Police: Disabled Palestinian siblings hidden away
BEIT AWWA, West Bank (AP) -- A Palestinian couple locked their disabled son and daughter away for decades out of fear they would ruin the marriage...