Popular Science articles about Psychology & Sociology

Relatively speaking: Researchers identify principles that shape kinship categories across languages

Different languages refer to family relationships in different ways. For example, English speakers use two terms -- grandmother and grandfather -- to refer to grandparents, while Mandarin Chinese uses four terms. Many possible kinship categories, however, are never observed, which...

Wearing 2 different hats: Moral decisions may depend on the situation

An individual's sense of right or wrong may change depending on their activities at the time -- and they may not be aware of their own shifting moral integrity --...

University of Leicester study finds low agreeableness linked to a preference for aggressive dogs

Aggressive dog ownership is not always a sign of attempted dominance or actual delinquency. A study carried out at the University of Leicester's School of Psychology has found that younger...

Healthy marriage interventions: A boom or a bust?

Conventional wisdom, backed by years of research, suggests that healthy marriages equals a healthy society. And politicians and government officials have taken note, investing hundreds of millions of dollars each...

Religion is a potent force for cooperation and conflict, research shows

Across history and cultures, religion increases trust within groups but also may increase conflict with other groups, according to an article in a special issue of Science.

Why do consumers dislike corporate brands that get too familiar?

Although it is tempting to use the word "we" to make consumers feel like part of the family, people react negatively when brands overstep their boundaries, according to a new...

Trusting Tiger Woods: How do facial cues affect preference and trust?

People respond to facial cues and this affects their level of trust, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research that looks at the way consumers react...

OMG! Texting ups truthfulness, new iPhone study suggests

Text messaging is a surprisingly good way to get candid responses to sensitive questions, according to a new study to be presented this week at the annual meeting of the...

Female terrorists' bios belie stereotypes, study finds

Much like their male counterparts, female terrorists are likely to be educated, employed and native residents of the country where they commit a terrorist act, according to new research published...

Pay-to-play sports keeping lower-income kids out of the game

In an era of tight funding, school districts across the country are cutting their athletic budgets. Many schools are implementing athletic participation fees to cover the cost of school sports....

Social jetlag is a real health hazard

Social jetlag -- a syndrome related to the mismatch between the body's internal clock and the realities of our daily schedules -- does more than make us sleepy. It is...

The Goldilocks effect: Babies learn from experiences that are 'just right'

Long before babies understand the story of Goldilocks, they have more than mastered the fairy tale heroine's method of decision-making. Infants ignore information that is too simple or too complex, focusing instead on situations that are "just right," according to...