Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
IPCC Seeks Independent Review Committee For 5th Report
IPCC Seeks Independent Review Committee For 5th Report The IPCC has started work on the preparation of its Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). They are currently looking for experts who can act...
Does the devil really wear Prada? The psychology of anthropomorphism and dehumanization
People talk to their plants, pray to human-like gods, name their cars, and even dress their pets up in clothing. We have a strong tendency to give nonhuman entities human...
When the net's wisdom of crowds turns into an online lynch mob
The internet's great advantages – speed, access and shared communication – can also have drawbacks, as Richard Dawkins found out last week. Here, author James Harkin reflects on the nature of discourse when...
Good parenting triumphs over prenatal stress
A mother's nurture may provide powerful protection against risks her baby faces in the womb, according to a new article. The research shows that fetuses exposed to high levels of...
A bit of drama, a test of patience at healthcare summit
The overhaul debate has been a messy task for Obama, and it was on full display at the bipartisan talks. ...
Pitfalls Of Science Journalism
Pitfalls Of Science Journalism How do we fix it so that journalists can again be the 'trusted guides' they used to be? If you are going to write about science and want...
Why symptoms of schizophrenia emerge in young adulthood
In reports of two new studies, researchers say they have identified the mechanisms rooted in two anatomical brain abnormalities that may explain the onset of schizophrenia and the reason symptoms...
Isolated Australia at forefront of social networking craze
From the moment she wakes in inner-west Sydney, Danielle Warby is online. She checks Facebook, she reads Twitter. She blogs and Tweets during the day, in spare moments between her...
Generation B: For a Drugstore, ‘Nice’ Isn’t a Panacea
A pharmacy owner who followed his father into the family business is having to seek his own Rx for his business’s survival.
Childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect can result in structural brain changes
New research using magnetic resonance imaging shows that childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect, in particular when combined with genetic factors, can result in structural brain changes, rendering...
The mathematics behind a good night's sleep
A mathematics professor is using math to develop a new computer model that can be easily manipulated by other scientists and doctors to predict how different environmental, medical, or physical...
The Third Player Hypothesis
The Third Player Hypothesis Ever since our first ancestor had enough brain cells to ponder something more than the flavor of roast dinosaur, we have pondered over the why of our...
Cooperative behavior is for the birds
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cooperative behaviors are rare in the animal kingdom and remain a great enigma for evolutionary biologists. A new study by Frederique Dubois, a professor at the University of...
Social care services are failing deaf children, says report
(PhysOrg.com) -- University of Manchester research has revealed that the majority of social care services are failing deaf children and their families - despite the fact that deaf children are...
Roundup 2/25: Appeal to Higher Authority Edition
The chief scientist in Israel's education ministry has sparked a controversy by questioning both... [Read more]
When Social Media Gets Deputized
Law Enforcement Utilizing Facebook and Twitter to Catch Criminals, With Mixed Results
Doctor and Patient: A Surgeon Learns of the Choking Game
A doctor knew nothing about a strangulation game in which youths try to achieve a legal high until her encounter with a boy who had died “playing” it.
Podcast: Origin of Small Dogs, Bacterial Power Grids, and More
Listen to a roundup of some of our favorite stories from the week [Read more]
Quantity More Important than Quality for Adult Sleep
(PhysOrg.com) -- For years, it has been thought that senior citizens don't require as much sleep as younger adults. However, a study at the University of California San Diego is...
Promiscuity Maybe Not So Bad After All
Want To Make Sure That The Population Doesn't Die Out? Have Many, Many Sexual Partners
Does menu labeling affect diners?
Study: It's inconclusive whether displayed nutritional facts change diners' habits ...
Rwandan Genocide Illustrates How Genetics Influence PTSD
Why do some people who experience traumatizing events develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder while others don't? Scientists know that, in general, the more traumatic events a person experiences the higher their...
Tip-of-the-Tongue Moments Explained
Have you ever had a 'tip of the tongue' memory lapse? Scientists are studying what causes this momentary forgetfulness.
A mother's sensitivity may help language growth in children with autism spectrum disorder
A new study by researchers from the University of Miami shows that maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children who go on to develop autism. Although parenting styles are...
Nouns and verbs are learned in different parts of the brain
Two Spanish psychologists and a German neurologist have recently shown that the brain that activates when a person learns a new noun is different from the part used when a...
When Is It Sex Addiction?
When is it simply greedy and hedonistic versus a sexual addiction? One reader asks a panel of experts.
U.K. prosecutor clarifies assisted suicide rules
Britain's top prosecutor has published new guidelines spelling out what types of assisted suicide cases were more likely to face prosecution, keeping the practice illegal but finding some leeway for...
Jails ignore sexual assault
In recent study of West Australian prisons, a sixth of prisoners had been sexually assaulted - and many more knew of the problem.