Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Video: Einstein Robot Teachest Itself To Smile
Toeing the uncanny valley's edge According to developmental psychologists, as infants, we learn to govern our bodies through a process of random experimentation and feedback. We contort our faces into weird shapes,...
Laughter Differs In Children With Autism
According to a recent paper entitled "Laughter Differs in Children with Autism: An Acoustic Analysis of Laughter Produced by Children with and without the Disorder" in the Journal of Autism...
No Psychological Risk In Children Next-Born After Stillbirth, Study Suggests
There is no evidence that children next-born after stillbirth are clinically at risk compared to children of non-bereaved mothers, according to a new study. However, the study did find evidence...
Language skills may help predict Alzheimer's risk
People with stronger language skills early in adulthood may be at a lower risk of experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease decades later, a new study suggests.
Most neuropsychological tests don't tell Alzheimer's disease from vascular dementia
Most of the cognitive tests that have been used to decide whether someone has Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia have not been very helpful when used alone. A new report...
Do bilingual persons have distinct language areas in the brain?
A new study carried out at the University of Haifa sheds light on how first and second languages are represented in the brain of a bilingual person. A unique single...
Research shows that 'invisible hand' guides evolution of cooperative turn-taking
It's not just good manners to wait your turn - it's actually down to evolution, according to new research by University of Leicester psychologists...
Video: Bottled H2O Backlash
Millions of Americans prefer bottled water over tap. But as Kelly Wallace reports, a new congressional report indicates there is little evidence as to what is actually inside those bottles.
For Jani Schofield, some progress -- and major setbacks
The 6-year-old, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, doesn't fare well after a change in her environment, and the stress of caring for her takes a severe toll on her family. On June...
British scientists claim to create human sperm
LONDON (AP) -- British scientists claimed Wednesday to have created human sperm from embryonic stem cells for the first time, an accomplishment they say may someday...
Childhood-onset schizophrenia remains a mystery
A study at the National Institute of Mental Health that has already spanned 18 years may yield crucial answers to the rare disorder. So rare is the child form of schizophrenia, it has...
Caribou numbers show dramatic drop
The wildlife board that manages the Beverly caribou herd says the once-massive herd continues to show a massive decline in numbers.
Review: Need advice? Aardvark can sniff it out
(AP) -- I like to get advice from friends on all sorts of things, and love to give it even more. In the past few years, instant messaging, e-mail...
Monkeys Recognize Poor Grammar
Cotton-top tamarins can understand if a word is missing a prefix or suffix, according to a new study that suggests our distant cousins have the mental machinery to identify at least one...
Iran presidential candidate speaks out
2005 contender Mostafa Moin talks about how the international science community can help Iran.
New research challenges stereotypes about older mums
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research on first-time older mums has found they cope surprisingly well with the physical demands of pregnancy compared to younger mums, but are understandably more anxious about...
Positive emotions increase life satisfaction by building resilience
(PhysOrg.com) -- People who seed their life with frequent moments of positive emotions increase their resilience against challenges, according to a new study by a University of North Carolina at...
Addiction debate set by B.C. medical association on Facebook
The British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA) is hosting a Facebook discussion to ask internet users whether they see addiction a disease or a "human failure."
Study Contradicts Popular Belief About Seasonality of Suicides
(PhysOrg.com) -- Contrary to popular belief, more Americans commit suicide in summer than in winter, and the day of the week when individuals are more likely to take their own...
Study: Infants' gender linked to position
GRONINGEN, Netherlands, July 8 (UPI) -- A social psychologist in the Netherlands says wealthy women tend to have more sons than their poorer counterparts.
Student drinking: Changing perceptions reduces alcohol misuse
Giving students personalised feedback on their drinking behaviour and how it compares to social norms might help to reduce alcohol misuse, according to a Cochrane Systematic Review.
Erythropoietin Boosts Brainpower, Researchers Find
Healthy young mice treated with erythropoietin show lasting improved performance in learning and other higher brain functions. Researchers tested the cognitive effects of the growth factor, finding that it improved...
Low-ranking wives have more baby girls
More baby girls are born to low-ranking wives in polygynous marriages than higher-ranking wives and women in single-wife marriages, according to a new study in Rwanda. The findings are published...
Post-traumatic stress disorder: Psychological treatments may not prevent PTSD
Psychological interventions intended to prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the early stages after a traumatic experience have not been shown to be effective, Cochrane Researchers have...
Nondrug interventions may comfort children having an anaesthetic
Parental acupuncture, clown doctors, hypnotherapy, low sensory stimulation and hand-held video games are promising non-drug interventions that are likely to help reduce children's anxiety during the onset of their anaesthetic,...
Government-backed youth program pilot didn't reduce teenage pregnancies
A government-backed youth development pilot programme in England, aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies, drunkenness or cannabis use, didn't reduce teenage pregnancies and other outcomes and might have increased pregnancies, according...
The most effective teachers are in a class of their own
These are the latest findings of research funded in primary and secondary schools by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) into what makes good teachers even better.
Fathers Spend More Time With Children Who Resemble Them, Study Suggests
Darwin's theory of evolution predicts that men will take more care of children that look like them. Scientists have now verified this prediction.