Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Colombia to increase 2010 science budget
The country's budget for science will increase by 67 per cent in 2010, with an emphasis on supporting new PhD students.
Comforted by carpet: How do floors and distance affect purchases?
Consumers who stand on carpeted flooring feel comforted, but they judge products close to them to be less comforting, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Pushing the brain to find new pathways
Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost...
Night beat, overtime and a disrupted sleep pattern can harm officers' health
A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 PM to 4 AM, already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good 'night's' sleep...
People work harder when expecting a future challenging task
Consumers will work harder on a task if they're expecting to have to do something difficult at a later time, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer...
Talking to ourselves: How consumers navigate choices and inner conflict
From simple decisions like "Should I eat this brownie?" to bigger questions such as "Should my next car be a hybrid?" consumers are involved in an inner dialogue that reflects...
To eat or not to eat? Mental budgets help control consumption
If you feel like you're in a losing battle with a triple-chocolate cake, a "mental budget" can help, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
The somniloquy hypothesis: How the immature brain learns facts
A while back I wrote about the possible adaptive function of somnambulism or sleep-walking. Well...I've come up with yet another hypothesis addressing an "abnormal" behavior falling under parasomnia.
Coaches can shape young athletes' definition of success
Young athletes' achievement goals can change in a healthy way over the course of a season when their coaches create a mastery motivational climate rather than an ego orientation, University...
4 in 10 US families lack money for essential household expenses when unemployed
Today the Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) at Brandeis University's Heller School released a new research and policy brief which reports that four in ten U.S. families lack...
New research by University of Miami law professor analyzes issues in immigration law
University of Miami Law Professor Rebecca A. Sharpless has recently authored a research paper titled, "Toward a True Elements Test: Taylor and the Categorical Analysis of Crimes in Immigration Law."
UM Law professor examines the role of corporate lawyers in the court of public opinion
In today's world, legal issues and controversies are not only tried in the court of law, but also in the "court" of public opinion. However, corporate lawyers tend to separate...
Unrealistic optimism prompts risky behavior
Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC (November 16, 2009) Unrealistic optimism about drinking behavior can lead to later alcohol-related problems, according to research published in the current...
Report Says Musicians Hear Better Than Non-Musicians
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Journal of Neuroscience reports this week that musicians are better than non-musicians at recognizing speech in noisy environments. The finding from a study conducted by neurobiologists at...
ESA Bulletin 140 (November 2009)
This issue celebrates the anniversary of the beginning of Europe’s independent adventure into space, the first launch of Ariane 1 in 1979. Read the Bulletin and other publications online, with...
First near-total face and upper-jaw transplant appears successful
More than a year and a half following the first near-total face and upper jaw transplant, the donor tissue appears successfully integrated, according to a report. The recipient has experienced...
Monetary gain and high-risk tactics stimulate activity in the brain
Monetary gain stimulates activity in the brain. Even the mere possibility of receiving a reward is known to activate an area of the brain called the striatum. A team of...
Are teenagers wired differently than adults?
Parents have long suspected that the brains of their teenagers function differently than those of adults. With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, we have begun to appreciate...
Researchers Find Innate Correlations Among Different Power Law Phenomena
(PhysOrg.com) -- Studying the patterns that emerge in natural and social phenomena is a popular area of research, although usually individual phenomena are studied separately from each other. In a...
'Rationalizer' bracelet tells traders when they're stressed
(PhysOrg.com) -- Philips Electronics and the Dutch bank ABN AMRO have joined forces to develop a "Rationalizer" bracelet system that detects stress levels and displays a warning to help day-traders...
Coed college housing connected to frequent binge drinking
A new study in the Journal of American College Health finds that students placed by their universities in coed housing are 2.5 times more likely to binge drink each week...
Brain cancer disrupts behaviour
New research has revealed that a quarter of brain cancer patients exhibit verbal aggression, while one in five are physically aggressive.
Age of cyber warfare is 'dawning'
Many nations are now arming to defend themselves in a cyber war and readying forces to conduct their own attacks, says a report.
Children Of Attentive Parents Smoke Less Pot, Say Psychologists
Psychologists earlier this month confirmed what most parents likely already know about their teenage children. The more they're involved in their kids' lives (Specifically, by knowing where their children are,...
USA Today tests online edition at colleges
(AP) -- Penn State, Indiana and Missouri are the first schools to participate in a USA Today initiative meant to test how students respond to electronic versions of printed...
New advice: Skip mammograms in 40s, start at 50
(AP) -- Most women don't need a mammogram in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50, a government task force said Monday. It's a...
Lack of Social Engagement Is a Risk Factor for Self-Neglect in Older Adults
Seniors who neglect themselves, risking their own health and safety, tend to be individuals with limited social networks and little social engagement, according to a study by Rush University Medical...
Socially Awkward? Check Your Genes
Researchers link single genetic difference to ability to read others' emotions [Read more]