Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Hollywood's magicians win the spotlight
The goal of every movie is for the audience to suspend its collective disbelief and become immersed in the world created on screen.
Timber smuggling hits Mozambique
LONDON, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Nearly half the timber exported from Mozambique to China is illegally logged and smuggled, a British environmental advocacy group alleges.
How men and women organize their (online) social networks differently
(Phys.org)—Men and women socialize differently, and it turns out these gender differences hold true in online games that involve social interaction.
Subcortical damage is 'primary cause' of neurological deficits after 'awake craniotomy'
Injury to the subcortical structures of the inner brain is a major contributor to worsening neurological abnormalities after "awake craniotomy" for brain tumors, a new study reports.
To win elections, get diverse
Republicans must accept a broader definition of their party, finding a way to embrace young voters, women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and environmentalists, if they are to avoid repeating the losses of the 2012...
Happiness Grows with Age, But Depends on Generation
People tend to get happier as they age, but individuals' overall well-being depends on the era in which they were born, researchers say.
Christie again vetoes NJ's Internet gambling law
(AP)—Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed a bill that would have made New Jersey the third state to legalize gambling over the Internet, but he says he will support such a...
Americans Plan to Bank (Not Spend) Tax Refunds
Study finds 47 percent of those who receive refunds plan to sock them away.
Video: Dogs think like babies, researcher says
Brian Hare, of Duke University, says dogs understand human gestures like a young child who is learning to speak.
Join us at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT for eating disorder awareness chat
Eating Disorder Awareness Week, the first full week of February each year, is a good time to review what we know (and think we know) about healthy minds and bodies....
Technology to help monitor concussions
Doctors routinely track their patients’ hand-eye coordination to monitor any neuromuscular deficits, particularly as patients age or when they are injured — but the tests doctors have been using to track this kind...
Parents of special needs children worried about fraud charges
Some New Brunswick families who have children with special needs say they're worried they may be investigated for fraud after years of being encouraged by social workers to falsify their...
Research could ensure that crowd work becomes a career option, not a dead end
Crowdsourcing is an effective way to mobilize people to accomplish tasks on a global scale, but some researchers fear that crowd work for pay could easily become the high-tech equivalent...
Going Along Means Getting Along — and That’s Not Always Good
Caving in to social pressure — such as saying that you love a movie because friends do — makes for [...]
Sensing the Light, But Not to See
Among the animals that are appealing “cover models” for scientific journals, lancelets don’t spring readily to mind. Slender, limbless, primitive [...]
Social network use reflects East-West disparity
The stark contrast between America’s “me-first” culture and the “collective-good” mentality in China is reflected in the two countries’ use [...]
Cellphone contract crackdown sought by Competition Bureau
Canada's competition watchdog told the broadcast regulator how it would overhaul cellphone contracts, including doing away with hidden fees and misleading claims designed to make it harder to switch carriers...
Drop in alcohol-related deaths by nearly a third follows minimum alcohol price increase of 10 percent
A new study shows that, between 2002 and 2009, the percentage of deaths caused by alcohol in British Columbia, Canada dropped more than expected when minimum alcohol price was increased,...
Legalising gay marriage may improve health and reduce healthcare costs | Qazi Rhaman
Research in the US suggests that allowing same-sex marriage improves the health of lesbian, gay and bisexual peopleIn the past few years, psychologists and doctors have discovered that policy changes for or against...
More than three out of four Americans believe they will see a female president in their lifetime, survey finds
(Phys.org)—More than 75 percent of Americans believe they will see a female president in their lifetime, according to a comprehensive national survey conducted by two entities of the University of...
Fostering critical thinking via assessment
Critical thinking skills have been identified as learning outcomes expected of students. Teaching towards developing thinking skills is quite recent, attempts are observed to find ways to infuse critical thinking...
'GPS' for indoor use
Have you ever lost your way in a large office building or on a university campus? Normal GPS systems are of little assistance in these cases. A new smartphone app...
Eruption risk perception disconnected from detected threat
The perceived risk of having a volcanic eruption needs to match the actual risk, detected through combined technologies including remote sensing of volcanic gasses, before dire consequences can be prevented.
Social media rules Italy's austerity elections
Italy's election candidates have swapped street rallies for Obama-style social media campaigns, sparking feisty online debates among sceptical and irreverent younger voters.
N. Korean nuclear test could be tricky to detect
North Korea has vowed to carry out a third nuclear test, but scientists and concerned foreign governments may have a tough time verifying the actions of the reclusive state.
Hospital Gives Students a View of Gun Violence
A program brings in teenagers from around Philadelphia in the hope that seeing the effects of violence will deter them from reaching for a gun to settle a score.
Study Seeks Biomarkers for PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injuries
The goal of a five-year study, based at New York University’s medical school, is to find reliable, objective evidence of “invisible injuries” of war.
VIDEO: Music and the Universe in harmony
Violinist Daniel Hope on the link between music and the movement of planets.