Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Bacteria provide new insights into human decision making
Scientists studying how bacteria under stress collectively weigh and initiate different survival strategies say they have gained new insights into how humans make strategic decisions that affect their health, wealth...
Mercury-filling appeal rejected by top court
A British Columbia mother has lost her court battle against the use of silver dental fillings containing mercury amalgam.
Guatemala pushes for DNA tests of kids adopted in U.S.
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - For three years Olga Lopez desperately searched for her baby daughter who was snatched from her home in Guatemala, until her face appeared in government paperwork...
'Six-hour window' to erase fear
Humans have a six-hour window of opportunity when fearful memories can be erased, experts say.
Behavioural training improves connectivity and function in the brain
Children with poor reading skills who underwent an intensive, six-month training program to improve their reading ability showed increased connectivity in a particular brain region, in addition to making significant...
UC Berkeley social scientists build case for 'survival of the kindest'
Researchers at UC Berkeley are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of...
New clues emerge for understanding morphine addiction
Scientists are adding additional brush strokes to the revolutionary new image now emerging for star-shaped cells called astrocytes in the brain and spinal cord. Their report, which suggests a key...
Carnegie Mellon scientists discover first evidence of brain rewiring in children
Carnegie Mellon University scientists Timothy Keller and Marcel Just have uncovered the first evidence that intensive instruction to improve reading skills in young children causes the brain to physically rewire...
Money changes what we think is fair, research finds
Thinking of rewarding your sales department for a job well done? You might not want to make cash part of the payoff.
'Rewritten' memories less traumatic
Breakthrough could help treat phobias and anxiety disordersIn a breakthrough that has major implications for treating phobias and anxiety disorders, psychologists have helped people conquer their fears by "rewriting" their memories to make...
Debunking fears: Latino growth does not boost crime
Rural industries, such as meat-packing and textile manufacturing, create job opportunities that have brought significant numbers of Latino workers and their families to small- and medium-sized towns. This influx of...
FYI: Why Don’t Loud Snorers Wake Themselves Up?
A husband’s snoring might keep his wife awake, but there are a couple of reasons he’ll sleep through his own rumblings. Our ability to sleep through loud noises changes during the night...
Facebook change gives users more privacy controls
(AP) -- Facebook is giving users better control over who sees information on their personal pages.
What's the best hangover cure? Truth be told, there isn't one
(PhysOrg.com) -- With the holiday party season at hand, UNC's Dr. James C. Garbutt offers these tips about how to enjoy a few drinks responsibly -- while sparing yourself and...
Birth order affects cooperation in later life
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new scientific study has found that at least some of the stereotypes associated with older siblings are true: the oldest sibling is often less trusting, less cooperative,...
Think again about keeping little ones so squeaky clean
A new Northwestern University study suggests that American parents should ease up on antibacterial soap and perhaps allow their little ones a romp or two in the mud - or...
How to encourage big ideas
Scientists are much more likely to produce innovative research when using long-term grants that allow them exceptional freedom in the lab, according to a new study co-written by MIT economists.The work shows that...
U of M studies psychological impact of casual sex
University of Minnesota Project Eating Among Teens (EAT) researchers have found that young adults engaging in casual sexual encounters do not appear to be at increased risk for harmful psychological...
Richard Dawkins Was Right!
It’s all true! He was right! He was totally, hopelessly wrong about selfish genes, but he was right about memes. Well…he was a little bit right. He was wrong...
Enhanced Kre-Alkalyn
Safety should ALWAYS be an issue for the serious athlete. This is especially true when you are talking about weight training. Your goal is probably to seriously increase the amount...
Grinch likely depressed, suffers from lack of love, joy, expert says (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Being irritable, grumpy and seeking social isolation are also hallmarks of depression, and could explain the Grinch's disdain for the Who -- the tall and the small --...
Best choice for chronic leukemia treatment may change
Newer drug outperforms Gleevec in trial
Thomas And Friends Turns Children Into Cranky, Backwards Conservatives
A political scientist from the University of Alberta has uncovered a dastardly ploy by the producers of Thomas and Friends, a popular children's TV show, to turn their innocent audience...
Low rate of injuries at overnight summer camp, new study finds
Although a trip to summer camp is highly anticipated by over 11 million children and adults each year, sending a child off to summer camp can be a source of...
Maize was passed from group to group of Southwestern hunter-gatherers, study suggests
An international group of anthropologists offers a new theory about the diffusion of maize to the Southwestern United States and the impact it had. The study suggests that maize was...
Children's TV has questionable political themes, study shows
Most parents know to screen television shows for sex, violence or other negative messaging -but what about children's shows themselves?
Video game aims to teach teens biology
A video game developed in the U.S. is aiming to give high school students an understanding of how the body fights infection.
Cut out the (estrogen) middleman
Estrogen seems to act like a middleman in its positive effect on the brain, raising the possibility that future drugs may bypass the carcinogenic hormone altogether while reaping its benefits.