Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Well: Letting Doctors Make the Tough Decisions
Doctors often defer to patients when it comes to tough medical choices. But a new study reveals that most patients prefer that their doctors make the big decisions regarding their...
How scientists can reach out with social media
The world needs scientists to bring science to life. Jennifer Rohn with tips on how researchers can use social media to engage new audiences.
Getting to the core of a tumour for drug study
Regions of tumours that are difficult to target with drugs are being studied to help scientists to develop more effective drugs
British riots exposing social media's dark side?
Authorities say memorial Facebook page for victim of police shooting, BlackBerry messages fanning the flames behind 4 nights of riots
Study: Chimpanzees are naturally generous
ATLANTA, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say chimpanzees have shown a significant bias toward prosocial, or altruistic, behavior among themselves, contradicting some earlier studies.
Is this how simple life got complicated?
A new study has created an analog of what researchers think the first multicellular cooperation might have looked like, showing that yeast cellsin an environment that requires them to work...
Education affects Americans’ religiosity — but not how you might think
It’s pretty much a given that the more educated someone becomes, the more likely they are to question their religious beliefs, stop going to church and even abandon their faith...
World survey links religion and happiness -- for some
(Medical Xpress) -- There may be a few atheists in foxholes, but a new study suggests that in societies under stress, those who are religious outnumber and are happier...
When a man's partner is too close to his friends, his sex life may suffer
Researchers have found a potential new source for sexual problems among middle-aged and older men: the relationships between their female partners and the men's closest friends. The scholars have found...
Study: Some are born with math ability
BALTIMORE, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- People can be born with good math skills, just as some are born with a talent for music, art or athletics, a U.S. study...
Distance caregivers for advanced cancer patients have special needs, study finds
Distance presents a challenge as family members work to gain information about their loved ones and participate in their cancer care. But it's also challenging to the local caregivers --...
Positive Thoughts May Help Treat Depression
A treatment called positive activity interventions (PAIs), such as counting one's blessings and practicing optimism, works as a successful and safe approach to managing depression.
Psychologists Tinker With Taste of Healthy Foods
Psychologists want to improve the experience of eating healthy foods.
Veterans in College Face Higher Risk of Suicide
U.S. military veterans in college are at significantly greater risk of thinking about and attempting suicide than the general student population.
GPS monitoring of sex offenders should be used as tool, not control mechanism, researchers find
The use of GPS technology to monitor sex offenders should be viewed as a tool rather than a control mechanism, a team of researchers found in a recent study.
Q & A: Picky Palates
There are many other physical and psychological factors, including body weight, state of mind and disease, that make some people finicky.
Well: Talking to Parents About Autism
Although there is more research on autism than ever before, it sometimes feels like it's getting harder, not easier, to provide information to parents, writes Dr. Perri Klass.
Catching Obesity From Friends May Not Be So Easy
Researchers who published studies suggesting that conditions and behaviors like obesity, happiness, smoking and loneliness could be contagious are under serious critical fire.
Chimp personality turns up selfless side
New finding contradicts long-held assumption which considered chimpanzees reluctant to share
Social class as culture
Social class is more than just how much money you have. It's also the clothes you wear, the music you like, the school you go to -- and has a...
Groups Call for Scientists to Engage the Body Politic
Researchers are trained to avoid the sometimes irrational hurly-burly of politics. Now several groups are trying to change that.
Schoolchildren can also learn complex subject matters on their own, researchers find
Self-directed learning has long been heralded as the key to successful education. Yet until now, there has been little research into this theory. Educational researchers in Germany have now shown...
Many top U.S. scientists wish they had more children, study finds; 25 percent of scientists consider leaving the profession for family life
Nearly half of all women scientists and one-quarter of male scientists at the United States' top research universities said their career has kept them from having as many children as...
Study shows connection between academic direction and student learning
A Kansas State University professor is helping students improve their confidence and academic performance by creating a map of learning.
Few preschool lunches kept cold enough
More than 90 per cent of preschoolers' packed lunches were kept at unsafe temperatures, even those with multiple ice packs, a new U.S. study finds.
Report highlights AIDS stigma for NZ`s Black Africans
A new study highlights the need for more awareness among health professionals of the experiences of HIV-positive black African migrants and refugees living in New Zealand who feel stigmatized.
Women more likely to recruit other women for political office
The gender composition of those responsible for candidate recruitment plays a crucial role in either encouraging or discouraging women candidates to run for office, according to a recent study in...
Eat a carrot and get out of that chair, or your iBird dies
Why would 300 million people waste time playing a smartphone game like Angry Birds, where players hurtle kamikaze birds at evil pigs trying to steal eggs?