Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
To tell the truth
The rationale behind systemic torture is that pain will make the guilty confess, but a new study by Harvard researchers finds that the pain of torture can make even the innocent appear guilty. In...
Polymorphism Of An Opioid Receptor Linked To Alcohol Misuse Among Adolescents
A genetic study has examined the association between a polymorphism of the µ-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene and alcohol misuse among adolescents. Results suggest that teens who carry the G allele...
Brain responds to human voice in one fifth of a second
(PhysOrg.com) -- Psychology researchers have found the sound of the human voice can be recognised by the brain in less than one fifth of a second.
Decision-making: Risk school
Can the general public learn to evaluate risks accurately, or do authorities need to steer it towards correct decisions? Michael Bond talks to the two opposing camps.
Phantom limbs learn impossible tricks
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research has shown that body images can be formed independently of external sensory inputs, and that the phantom limbs of amputees can be trained to carry out...
Increase in Down syndrome offset by better screening
The number of Down's syndrome pregnancies has risen sharply over the last 20 years as women have opted to have children later, according to new research published in the British...
Changes In Brain Chemicals Mark Shifts In Infant Learning
When do you first leave the nest? Early in development infants of many species experience important transitions -- such as learning when to leave the mother's protection to start exploring...
Faulty 'wiring' in the brain triggers onset of schizophrenia
A new study by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King's College London has discovered abnormalities in the white matter of the brain that seem to be critical for...
Partners in weight loss success may help African-Americans shed more pounds
Enrolling in a weight loss program with a family member or friend appears to enhance weight loss among African Americans, but only if the involved partner attends sessions frequently or...
Increased stroke risk from birth control pills
She was only 30 years old, but she was experiencing the classic symptoms of a stroke. Her speech suddenly became slurred, and her left hand became clumsy while eating...
Nepotism has its benefits when it comes to survival
While nepotism may have negative connotations in politics and the workplace, being surrounded by your relatives does lead to better group dynamics and more cooperation in some animals. That certainly...
Fighting Sleep: Researchers Reverse Cognitive Impairment Caused By Sleep Deprivation
A research collaboration of biologists and neuroscientists has found a molecular pathway in the brain that is the cause of cognitive impairment due to sleep deprivation. Just as important, the...
Basics: A Molecule of Motivation, Dopamine Excels at Its Task
A view has emerged to counter the image that a neurotransmitter is the little Bacchus of our brain.
Vital Signs: Perceptions: What Clown? I Was Talking With My Mom
In a study, a man in an outlandish outfit on a unicycle was not enough to draw the notice of many cellphone users.
Violence Between Couples Is Usually Calculated, And Does Not Result From Loss Of Control, Study Suggests
Violence between couples is usually the result of a calculated decision-making process and the partner inflicting violence will do so only as long as the price to be paid is...
The Protein for Quick Decision-Makers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Everyday, people are required to make decisions quickly and flexibly. In a flash, they must weigh up the advantages, disadvantages and possible consequences of their behaviour and coordinate...
Germophobia spawns new products
Parents who want to protect their children from the germy world have no shortage of products to chose from.
Really?: The Claim: Men and Women Differ in Their Tolerance to Cold.
Does you gender affect your perception of cold?
Iran urged to stamp out plagiarism
Iranian professors around the world are petitioning colleagues in Iran to attack plagiarism after alleged instances in academic journals.
Why Don't Antidepressants Work?
Antidepressants are ineffective in fully 50% of the people who take them. It is clearly early 20th century medicine, where you keep trying things and hope something happens while...
Fixing the flaw in emergency planning
Emergency response plans must include knowledge from the people who need to be protected if these plans are to help communities respond effectively to threats, write Drs.
New studies explore connection between high stress jobs and GI disorders
In two new studies, presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego, researchers explored the connection between high stress, high exposure occupations and...
Pesticides exposure linked to suicidal thoughts
A new study in China has found that people with higher levels of pesticide exposure are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. The study was carried out by Dr Robert...
Iowa State study finds high volume video gamers have more difficulty staying attentive
Parents have long lectured their children about the mind-numbing effects of playing video games all day. And a new Iowa State University study has found that high volume action video...
Let's Get Physical (Art) II
Art is many things, but not often enough is it scientific. Fear not, art/science lovers, for Sir Isaac's Loft in the Franklin Institute is here to save the day! I began...
New studies explore connection between high stress jobs and GI disorders
San Diego, CA (October 26, 2009) -- In two new studies, presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego, researchers explored the...
Geologists studying groundwater arsenic levels in India empower Bengali women, children
A Kansas State University geologist and graduate student are finding that the most important tools in their fieldwork on groundwater arsenic pollution are women and children armed with pamphlets and...
Fraud, Errors and Misconceptions in Medical Research
Hwang Woo-suk is convicted of fraud, but bad science abounds in medical research.