Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Peptide Ghrelin May Be Involved In Both Alcohol Dependence And Overeating
Ghrelin is a peptide found mostly in the stomach but also in the brain. Ghrelin is known to have an effect on food intake by increasing feelings of hunger and...
Who does Web-based experiments?
Behavioral scientists are increasingly running experiments through the Internet, but some more than others. A quick survey to see who the early adopters are... read more
Do you have the memory of a crow?
It appears that humans aren't the only ones with exceptionally good long-term memory. Crows not only remember individual faces over long periods of time and even seem to be able...
Strong leaders who punish freeloaders and cheats can benefit society
A strong leader who punishes cheats and freeloaders can increase the cooperation and riches enjoyed by the rest of the group, according to psychology and economics research at the University...
Government Involvement In The Economy Increases Ethnic Rebellion
Ethnic violence rarer in countries where free market dominates than in those where state plays greater economic role.
Emotional People Likely To Move Away, But Not Likely To Move Often
The results suggest that personality traits determine not only where people relocate to, but also how often they move and how far away they move. People who are very emotional...
Text Messaging Explodes In America
For the second quarter of 2008, U.S. mobile subscribers sent and received on average 357 text messages per month, compared with making and receiving 204 phone calls a month, according...
Australians support 'alcopop' tax
Eighty-four per cent of Australians would support increased 'alcopop' and tobacco tax, if the money was used for preventative health programs, research has found.
Hospitals need more cultural training
A study has found that New South Wales' health service could provide better care to children by improving its cultural diversity training program.
Political Conservatives Fear Chaos; Liberals Fear Emptiness
Political conservatives operate out of a fear of chaos and absence of order while political liberals operate out of a fear of emptiness, a new study finds. Social scientists long...
Doctors cautioned on Ritalin
LONDON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- British health officials said doctors should be cautious about giving drugs to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Study probes impact of CSI-style programming on jurors
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new psychological study from the University of Leicester aims to investigate how accurate people's perceptions about forensic science are, where these beliefs come from, and how this...
Dousing quackery
An interview with Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society, on the subject of mystification.
African agricultural research 'neglected ' by donor policies
A UN report cites a lack of emphasis on agricultural research in development policy as a key reason for African farming problems.
Family planning run amok
A federal push to let healthcare workers refuse services is really an assault on reproductive rights. ...
Un-total Recall: Amnesics Remember Grammar, But Not Meaning Of New Sentences
Scientists examined which type of memory function contributes to syntactic persistence by comparing amnesics with a group of control volunteers. The amnesics in this study experience anterograde amnesia and exhibit...
Vital Signs: Behavior: As People Age, the Thrill Is (Almost) Gone
A study has found that as people age, their brains respond less strongly to rewards mainly because of differences in the response of the brain to dopamine.
The neuropeptide Y system is linked to a more severe form of alcohol dependence
Previous animal research showed an association between the neuropeptide Y (NPY) pathway and its three receptor genes and response to alcohol and cocaine. A new study has examined the...
Arbitration Disputants Should Share Bids before Decisions on How Much to Invest in Case, Study Says
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the first academic study to examine bidding and investment strategies in final-offer arbitration, economists at the University of Arkansas found that it is socially optimal for parties...
The Flip Side of Flip-Flopping
Candidates should be able to actually be candid and say, "I was wrong and I changed my mind."
Genetic Disorder Gives Clues to Autism, Epilepsy, Mental Retardation
In studying a rare genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have uncovered a possible cause of some neurodevelopmental disorders.
Smart alarm clock for mobile phones
Sleep disorders are very common in modern society. Mild forms are familiar to everyone and up to 10 - 20 per cent of adults suffer from related diseases (organic...
New MU study finds value differences within Republican party and similarities between both parties
From Barack Obama's controversial pastor to Sarah Palin's "secret religion", religious values have continued to play a dominant role in the presidential election since John F. Kennedy became the first...
Preventing Suicide In Low- To Middle-income Countries
An international study of almost 2,000 people in Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Iran and China has shown that a low-cost strategy to keep in contact with people who have previously...
Looking Vs. Seeing
The superior colliculus has long been thought of as a rapid orienting center of the brain that allows the eyes and head to turn swiftly either toward or away from...
Man who killed wife, children not guilty due to mental disorder
A man who killed his wife and two young children in 2006 has been found not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.
Testing 'harms school science'
Science learning in primary school is being distorted by testing linked to league tables in England, researchers say.
Hip hop goes cosmic as student writes rap for Nasa
A 28-year-old man is asked by NASA to write a rap to help make science easier to understand.