Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
All Terrain Vehicles: Gear Up Before Revving Up ATVs
Whether on vacation or out for recreation, many adults and children are hopping on ATVs for some warm weather fun. But ATVs are not toys.
Support For Masters Of Science
Professional science master's degree programs are vital and must be funded, NRC report states
Sociological Research Shows Combined Impact Of Genetics, Social Factors On Delinquency
In one of the first studies to link molecular genetic variants to adolescent delinquency, sociological research identifies three genetic predictors -- of serious and violent delinquency -- that gain predictive...
Passive Learning Imprints On The Brain Just Like Active Learning
It's conventional wisdom that practice makes perfect. But if practicing only consists of watching, rather than doing, does that advance proficiency? Yes, according to a new study.
Closing Coal-fired Power Plants Improves Cognitive Development Of Children, New Study Suggests
Closing coal-fired power plants can have a direct, positive impact on children's cognitive development and health according to a new study. The study allowed researchers to compare the development of...
Fear Factor: Dopamine May Fuel Dread, Too [News]
A brain chemical linked to pleasure and depression may also trigger fear, according to a new study. Researchers say this may explain why the neurotransmitter dopamine, known to cause addictive...
When it comes to putting, Tiger and Nicklaus might not have best advice
Golfers who heed the advice of instructors to keep their heads perfectly still while putting may be hampering their game, according to a study that examined coordination patterns. The research...
The Nature of Fear
If you’re often paralyzed with worry and can’t utter a word in social situations, stop faulting your mother – your lack of intercalated (ITC) neurons is to blame. Neuroscientists from...
Baby's smile gives mom a natural high
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A baby's smile does more than warm a mother's heart -- it also lights up the reward centers of her brain, according to the results...
Science Extra: Ian McEwan on creativity
A full-length interview with novelist Ian McEwan, in which he discusses the differences between the creative process in art and science. Plus, poet Ruth Padel waxes lyrical about Charles Darwin
China demand for ivory tops talks
A proposal to allow China to import elephant ivory legally is among the issues to be discussed at a UN meeting in Geneva.
'Unlearning' important in business
A study has found that 'unlearning', the process of acknowledging and discarding old habits that are no longer effective, is helpful for companies changing procedures.
Who Dares Sings, And Who Sings Wins: Bold Birds Get The Girl
Humans often choose partners based on behavioural keys that are displayed during social interactions. The way we behave in different social contexts can reflect personality traits or temperament that may...
Brain at work during a good night's sleep
From a series of brain scans, scientists find evidence that 'sleeping on a problem' does work
Game characters get smarter and less predictable
(AP) -- In the upcoming video game "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," the evil Stormtroopers are smart enough to keep players guessing.
Fitness: Samba Lines at the Gym
Zumba, the exercise class defined by its Latin rhythms, is a cardio-dance workout with a party atmosphere.
Psychiatric Group Faces Scrutiny Over Drug Industry Ties
Probing into the financial relationship between drug companies and psychiatrists, senators are demanding that the American Psychiatric Association give an accounting of its financing.
Children are naturally prone to be empathic and moral
Children between the ages of seven and 12 appear to be naturally inclined to feel empathy for others in pain, according to researchers at the University of Chicago, who used...
Ben Goldacre: Testing the plausibility effect
Ben Goldacre: Week in, week out, we see apparently scientific claims being made as if they were based on evidence, when in reality they are based on nothing more than...
Binge Drinking Tied To Conditions In The College Environment
Heavy alcohol use, or binge drinking, among college students in the United States is tied to conditions in the college environment. The review of a landmark 14-year study cites factors...
Dog Meat Off Menus During Olympics
Canine cuisine is being sent to the doghouse during next month's Beijing Olympic Games.
Lightning claims 5 young lives in a week
(AP) -- Five young lives have been ended by lightning in less than a week, a deadly reminder of one of summer's leading hazards.
Fear of Food: Allergies Grow Deadlier, Fashionable
Back in the old days, planning a dinner party was a pleasure.
New doctors choose to stay in N.L.
A bursary program designed to keep new doctors in Newfoundland and Labrador, appears to be paying off, according to Health Minister Ross Wiseman.
The Brain Hides Information From Us To Prevent Mistakes
When we notice a mosquito alight on our forearm, we direct our gaze in order to find its exact position and quickly try to swat it or brush it away...
Program Discourages HIV Transmission In Russia
Sexual behavior counseling during drug addiction treatment should be considered an important component among Russian substance-dependent individuals, in order to decrease risky sexual behavior in the HIV at-risk population, according...
How Ritalin Works
You’d think that a drug prescribed to 10 million Americans would be well understood. But until now, scientists haven’t firmly grasped why Ritalin helps the scatterbrained. In a University of...
Study reveals potential reasons for school absenteeism
A questionnaire of Swiss schoolchildren has revealed the extent of truancy and school fear. The research, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health,...