Popular Science articles about Psychology & Sociology

Parents just don't understand

Many parents like to meddle in their children's lives. Sometimes this can be beneficial, if the meddling is in the form of parental guidance or setting rules. However, numerous studies have found that in Western countries, when parents are very...

The first casualty of war

Researchers reporting in BioMed Central's open access journal Conflict and Health found that the discrepancy in media reporting of casualty numbers in the Iraq conflict can potentially misinform the public...

For improving early literacy, reading comics is no child's play

Although comics have been published in newspapers since the 1890s, they still get no respect from some teachers and librarians, despite their current popularity among adults. But according to a...

Mom was right: Nice guys don't always finish last

Picture it: One jerk in a bar spends the night delivering bad come-ons to women. By the end of the evening, the women aren't receptive to even the nicest...

Health-centered weight control method shows promise

Most weight-control strategies emphasize energy-restricted diets and increased physical activity – and most are not effective over the long term. In a study of a "weight-acceptance" intervention, published in the...

New study further disputes notion that amputee runners gain advantage from protheses

A study by six researchers, including a University of Colorado at Boulder associate professor and his former doctoral student, shows that amputees who use running-specific prosthetic legs have no performance...

Internet search process affects cognition, emotion

Nearly 73 percent of all American adults use the Internet on a daily basis, according to a 2009 Pew Internet and American Life Project survey. Half of these adults use...

Minority students earned greater number of academic degrees in fiscal year 2006

A new National Science Foundation report shows an increase in the number of academic degrees awarded to minority students since 2004, the last time such data were published.

Professor: Fear, shame keep homeowners from defaulting

Millions of American homeowners are "underwater" on their mortgages – owing more than the value of their homes – and would be better off walking away.

Benefit of a mentor: Disadvantaged teens twice as likely to attend college

Two findings from a new national study reveal the power of mentors, particularly those in the teaching profession:

Survey finds horticulture grads prepared for green jobs

Professors Ann Marie VanDerZanden and Michael Reinert of Iowa State University (ISU) wanted to find out how their recent Department of Horticulture graduates were faring in the workplace. To learn...

All dressed-up and nowhere to go

Parents who dress their children in inappropriate clothing could be inadvertently hampering their child's physical activity in childcare settings. The study, reported in BioMed Central's open access journal, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, suggests that inadequate or...