Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Feature: The pursuit of happiness - sustaining human well-being
CSIRO’s Dr Steve Hatfield-Dodds and Anthea Coggan argue that insights from research into happiness and well-being are important to achieving sustainable development in its broadest sense.
Health Journalists Face Translation Challenge, Researchers Find
University of Missouri researchers conducted a national survey and found that the majority of health journalists have not had specialized training in health reporting and face challenges in communicating new...
Starting Kindergarten Later Gives Students Only A Fleeting Edge, Study Finds
New research challenges a growing trend toward holding kids out of kindergarten until they're older, arguing that academic advantages are short-lived and come at the expense of delaying entry into...
Healthy People And Enhancement Drugs
Healthy people are more willing to take drugs to enhance traits that are not fundamental to their identity. People's willingness to take a pill or drug depends on whether the...
Feature: Social maps strengthen support for abused children
The Take Two program is using social maps to allow traumatised children to express themselves and to help them heal.
A Teacher on the Front Line as Faith and Science Clash
A passionate educator takes Florida’s mandate to teach evolution to students raised to take the biblical creation story as fact.
Antidepressants may help persistent sexual arousal syndrome
I am a woman with over-the-top libido. My doctor says I may have PSAS -- persistent sexual arousal syndrome. The antidepressant Pristiq has helped, but I wonder if there is...
A bad economy means fewer baby boys
Stress caused by money troubles and natural disasters affects the sex ratio, studies show. ...
Hidden epidemic of pelvic floor problems
Researchers have only recently begun to realize how widespread the issues of incontinence and dropped pelvic organs are among women. Treatment is available, and is becoming less-invasive. ...
Road bikes relax a little
The mantra was "Comfort = Performance," and the product was radical in 2005: A high- performance endurance road bike for aging baby boomers who rode a lot but didn't want...
Audits of Medicare drug plans lacking
(AP) -- Nearly three years into the Medicare drug benefit, federal officials have yet to ensure that private drug plans enacted programs to deter fraud and abuse, government investigators...
Habitual snorer? Blame Fido, study suggests
Children with pets are more likely to snore later in life as adults, a Swedish study suggests.
Study: A bad joke could be dangerous
There's a reason comedians call it "dying on stage." Research by a Washington State University linguist found that people who tell bad jokes often endure an astonishing outpouring of hostility...
Getting inside the minds of moviegoers
Hollywood studios and neuroscientists are increasingly using technologies such as brain scans to peer inside the minds of moviegoers.
How much risk can you handle? Making better investment decisions
Many Americans make investment decisions with their retirement funds. But they don't always make informed judgments. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research introduces a new tool that...
Personal relationships increase donations
People tend to be more sympathetic to people suffering from the same misfortune as a friend. But friendship with a victim does not make people generally more sympathetic, according to...
A room with a viewpoint: conservation messages and motivation
People are more likely to reuse hotel towels if they know other guests are doing it too. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research examined participation rates in...
Powerful donor motivators for fundraising
People are more likely to donate to pledge drive appeals when fundraisers tap into peoples' desire to help others, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research....
A reason to smile: New immigrants respond best to oral hygiene campaign
Tapping into the desire to have an attractive smile is the best motivator for improving oral hygiene, and new immigrants are the most receptive to oral health messages, according to...
Asked to Volunteer Time, People Give Money
Thinking about donating time reminds people of the happiness achieved through helping others.
The Older The Fatter: Longitudinal Study About Overweight Children
Fast food and soda instead of fruits and vegetables: the consequences can already be seen in children – more and more of them suffer from overweight and adiposity. But what...
5 Keys to Happiness
If you're depressed or just want something to improve your day. Here are five ways to help get that much-needed mood boost.
ACS Meeting Draws Crowds
In Philadelphia, society celebrates anniversaries, announces new 'green' member benefit
The smart way to keep athletes in top physical condition
Medical care for athletes competing at the Beijing Olympics involves more than just basic emergency care during the events. Pre-treatment and a thorough understanding of sports trauma, physiology, cardiology and...
Measuring the auditory dynamics of selective attention
Call it the cocktail party effect: how an individual can participate in a one-on-one conversation within a cluster of people, switch to another, pick up important comments while tuning out...
Relearning Process Not Always A 'Free Lunch'
Researchers have helped determine why relearning a few pieces of information may or may not easily cause a recollection of other associated, previously learned information. The key, they find, is...
Positive Thinking May Protect Against Breast Cancer
Feelings of happiness and optimism play a positive role against breast cancer. New research suggests that while staying positive has a protective role, adverse life events such as the loss...
Undecided? It's more partisan than you think
Researchers find that voters who haven't made up their minds actually have unconsciously made a decision based on deep-seated attitudes. ...