Popular Science articles about Psychology & Sociology

Patients 'unafraid' to gamble highlight role of amygdala in decision-making

Two patients with rare lesions to the brain have provided direct of evidence of how we make decisions – and what makes us dislike the thought of losing money.

Research identifies gene with likely role in premenstrual disorder

Scientists have identified a gene they say is a strong candidate for involvement in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other maladies associated with the natural flux in hormones during the...

Morality research sheds light on the origins of religion

The details surrounding the emergence and evolution of religion have not been clearly established and remain a source of much debate among scholars. Now, an article published by Cell Press...

Childhood obesity: It's not the amount of TV, it's the number of junk food commercials

The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children's exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods, according to a new UCLA School of Public Health study...

Chocoholic mice fear no pain

Ever get a buzz from eating chocolate? A study published in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience has shown that chocolate-craving mice are ready to tolerate electric shocks to get...

Hand has role in how we see objects in space, say Hebrew University researchers

We know exactly where an object is when we say it is "within the reach of our hand." But if we don't have a hand, can we still see...

Underdogs have more motivation? Not so fast, study says

Members of a group or team will work harder when they're competing against a group with lower status than when pitted against a more highly ranked group, according to a...

Health stories by experts more credible than blogs

Health information written by a doctor is rated as more credible when it appears on a Web site than in a blog or a homepage, according to a study of...

Moms influence how children develop advanced cognitive functions

Executive functioning is a set of advanced cognitive functions—such as the ability to control impulses, remember things, and show mental flexibility—that help us plan and monitor what we do to...

Early abuse tied to more depression in children

Although children can be depressed for many reasons, new evidence suggests that there are physiological differences among depressed children based on their experiences of abuse before age 5. Early abuse...

Cocaine or ecstasy consumption during adolescence increases risk of addiction

Exposure to ecstasy or cocaine during adolescence increases the "reinforcing effects" that make people vulnerable to developing an addiction. This is the main conclusion of a research team from the...

Gadgets not related to teenagers' brain pain

Use of most electronic media is not associated with headaches, at least not in adolescents. A study of 1025 13-17 year olds, published in the open access journal BMC Neurology, found no association between the use of computer games, mobile...

UC Davis study confirms link between advanced maternal age and autism

Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in...

New study examines the impact on children of food product placements in the movies

LEBANON, NH-– (February 5, 2010) New research from the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) for the first time sheds light on the significant potential...

Depressed people feel more gray than blue

People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Medical Research Methodology...

Exposure to secondhand smoke among children in England has declined since 1996

The most comprehensive study to date of secondhand smoke exposure among children in England is published today in the journal Addiction. The study, carried out by researchers from the University...

TV drama can be more persuasive than news program, study finds

A fictional television drama may be more effective in persuading young women to use birth control than a news-format program on the same issue, according to a new study.

Winning the war on weight

A Monash University-led nationwide study into the health beliefs and behaviours of obese people has found that the more severely obese a person is, the less likely they feel they...

Length of time in institutional care may influence children's learning

The amount of time children spend in institutional care may affect how their brains develop.

High sensitivity to stress isn't always bad for children

Children who are especially reactive to stress are more vulnerable to adversity and have more behavior and health problems than their peers. But a new longitudinal study suggests that highly...

Moms' depression in pregnancy tied to antisocial behavior in teens

Children from urban areas whose mothers suffer from depression during pregnancy are more likely than others to show antisocial behavior, including violent behavior, later in life. Furthermore, women who are...

Study reveals potential evolutionary role for same-sex attraction

Male homosexuality doesn't make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view. It appears that the trait is heritable, but because homosexual men are much less likely to produce offspring...