Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Effects of prenatal stress passed across generations in mice
Sons of male mice exposed to prenatal stress are more sensitive to stress as adults, according to a study in the August 17 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. These...
PTSD impairs ability to recognize emotions from facial expressions
Facial expressions convey strong cues for someone’s emotional state and the ability to interpret these cues is crucial in social interaction. This ability is known to be compromised in many...
Child bullies are prone to sexual violence as adolescents, study shows
Children who bully others are more likely to perpetrate sexual violence when they enter adolescence, according to a new study led by bullying expert Dorothy Espelage at the University of...
Super Scrabble players push brain ability beyond what was thought possible
Word recognition behavior can be fine-tuned by experience and practice, according to a new study by Ian Hargreaves and colleagues from the University of Calgary in Canada. Their work shows,...
Want to keep your exercise resolutions? New research offers pointers
Sticking with an exercise routine means being able to overcome the obstacles that invariably arise. A key to success is having the confidence that you can do it, researchers report....
Moderate drinking may protect against Alzheimer's and cognitive impairment, study suggests
Moderate social drinking may significantly reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, suggests a new analysis of 143 studies.
Survey: Cellphones a lifeline, boredom staller
(AP) -- If you've ever used a fake cellphone conversation to avoid real-life interactions, you're not alone.
Study urges high school science teachers to balance verbal interactions with boys, girls
As high school science teachers return to their classrooms to begin a new school year, scholars from Northern Illinois University are urging them to talk more to girls.
Study finds consequences of co-worker rudeness are far-reaching
A co-worker's rudeness can have a great impact on relationships far beyond the workplace, according to a Baylor University study published online in the Journal of Organizational Behavior. Findings suggest...
Career Networking Benefits Men, Not Women
Despite their reputation for being more social, women do not get ahead by making connections at work.
Alcohol hurts restorative sleep
Drinking alcohol before going to bed may help for falling asleep but it could interfere with staying asleep, researchers have found.
David Cameron is wrong – adolescent rioters deserve a second chance | Carole Jahme
The prime minister could learn some valuable lessons about adolescent behaviour and opportunism by picking up a psychology textbookA week on from the riots and David Cameron has attributed them to a "slow...
Drug Abuse, Obesity Top List of Kids' Health Concerns
Childhood obesity and drug abuse tied for first place on the 2011 Children's Health issues report, with sexting making the list for the first time.
Report: Focus on women travelers is growing
When businesswomen travel, well-lit hallways, comfortable beds and rooms with big windows are not enough to make them want to return to a hotel. They need to feel valued.
Paranormality: Why we see what isn't there [Book Review]
This interesting and well-written book uses reports of the paranormal to investigate the psychology of the human mindHave you ever seen a ghost? Spoken with a dead person? Had an out-of-body experience? These...
Khan Academy and the Effectiveness of Science Videos [video]
Do science videos teach viewers the correct scientific concepts or do they instead reinforce incorrect ideas?Here's a sweet video that examines whether science videos actually teach the viewers anything of value. It turns...
Sending the Police Before There’s a Crime
In California, “predictive policing” deploys officers in places where crimes are likely to occur in the future.
The aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 polymorphism affects alcohol dependence differently by gender
Gender differences exist in the prevalence, characteristics, and course of alcohol dependence (AD). Polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase-1B (ADH1B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) are strong genetic determinants of AD. While inactive...
Daily TV quota of six hours could shorten life expectancy by five years
Watching TV for an average of six hours a day could shorten the viewer's life expectancy by almost five years, indicates new research.
Psychologists interrupt the miserable cycle of social insecurity
Tom likes Susan but he fears she does not like him. Expecting to be rejected, he’s cold toward Susan. And guess what? She snubs him back. His prophesy is self-fulfilled,...
Nut Allergies In Kids - People Think It's Made Up
In many cases, you can determine a child's age by what affliction their helicopter parents have saddled them with and you don't even have to see the kid. If they...
Well Blog: Common Sleep Problem Raises Dementia Risk
Sleep apnea, a common condition in the elderly and overweight, was linked to memory problems and dementia in older women.
Children of depressed mothers have a different brain: MRI scans show their children have an enlarged amygdala
Scientists worked with 10-year-old children whose mothers exhibited symptoms of depression throughout their lives and discovered that the children's amygdala, a part of the brain linked to emotional responses, was...
Analysis of intelligence reforms resulting from Sept. 11 show there is more to be done
Researchers have found that the goals of the Intelligence Reform and Prevention of Terrorism Act remain unfulfilled.
Coke heads prefer money in hand to snowy future
When a research team asked cocaine addicts to choose, hypothetically, between money now or cocaine of greater value later, “preference was almost exclusively for the money now,” said...
Personal Best: Perks of Cross-Training May End Before Finish Line
If you want to improve your performance and avoid injury, cross-training is not the definitive scientific answer.
Scientific Integrity Plans Make Headway
Ethics: Federal agencies file draft policies as directed by the White House.
Border Country II
Jon Butterworth has been wandering around Switzerland near CERN. Warning: Life, no Physics.One of the things about particle physics, as I've mentioned many times, is the travel. This is a drag when you...