Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Bullying by childhood peers leaves a trace that can change the expression of a gene linked to mood
A recent study suggests that bullying by peers changes the structure surrounding a gene involved in regulating mood, making victims more vulnerable to mental health problems as they age.
Psychologists: Scrooge's transformation parallels real life-changing experiences
Psychologists studied 14 people who had sudden life-changing experiences. They say Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation fits right in. George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" is another realistic movie character who...
Reappraisal defuses strong emotional responses to Israel-Palestine conflict
Reappraisal is a widely-used cognitive strategy that can help people to regulate their reactions to emotionally charged events. Now, new research suggests that reappraisal may even be effective in changing...
Task Force Created to Regulate Legalized Marijuana in Colorado
Six weeks after voters made Colorado one of two states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, a task force started to determine how the state will regulate its use.
Mistaking OCD for ADHD has serious consequences
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder appear very similar, but have very different neuropsychological roots. New evidence demonstrates that there are enormous consequences if they're mistaken for each other, and...
Disasters on the Delaware Come Alive at Exhibit
In one wreck, a baby thrown into the water was later found alive on shore.
The best-laid plans: How we update our goals based on new information
Humans are adept at setting goals and updating them as new situations arise -- for example, a person who is playing a video game may switch to a new goal...
Service Dogs Comfort Newtown Survivors
The golden retrievers are helping in mental recovery after the elementary school massacre.
Tax Evasion Happens In Socialist Countries Too
While the overall population of Greece benefits from government services and doesn't want those to change, the people who pay the most also evade the most, says a paper. If...
Sexy Guys Get More Love from Fertile Gals
When ovulating, women feel closer to their man, but only if he's sexually desirable.
Women earn more if they work in different occupations than men, large international study finds
Women earn less money than men the more the sexes share the same occupations, a large-scale survey of 20 industrialized countries has found.
Disputed fish quota cuts lead to tough EU talks
EU fishery ministers began difficult talks Tuesday on the vexed question of 2013 quotas as they sought to balance conflicting demands from environmentalists and fishermen alike.
Music's effects on the mind remain mysterious
Music has a powerful effect on the mind and the soul, but what exactly does it do to the brain?
Gangnam Style only the beginning, says researcher
Hit single Gangnam Style by South Korean rapper Psy—the most viewed clip in YouTube's history—may mark the start of a global shift in which the Asia/Pacific region's cultural influence catches...
Emotion governs truth: New perception of politics based on Semmelweis's dispute about hygiene
Emotions frame the establishment of "truth". This is the central hypothesis of a new project supported by the FWF. The object of the study is a dispute about hygiene during...
New mobile app to keep us safe
Swinburne University of Technology Faculty of Design academics have devised a new smartphone app that can be used by teenagers to let parents know they are safe, and also by...
Reid-Kyl Internet gambling bill could enable money laundering, expert warns
(Phys.org)—Legalizing online poker as proposed by two leading U.S. senators would be a boon to terrorist networks and organized crime syndicates, says a leading national gambling critic.
Scholar explains how Christians and non-Christians can begin to understand one other
Ah, the Christmas season. It's the most wonderful time of the year. A time to celebrate peace, love and the religious beliefs of America's religious majority – whether you like...
TV chefs' recipes may be less healthy than ready meals, study finds
Researchers say recipes from Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson contain more calories and fat than meals from supermarketsThose whose lips curl at the thought of a ready meal, who stride through the supermarket...
Tracking tomorrow's talent
Futuretrack has followed thousands of students on their path through university and beyond. Kate Purcell talks Emma Davies through the latest data on careers and job satisfaction
Graduate student David Sengeh gives back to Sierra Leone
David Moinina Sengeh considers himself a lucky man — and one who feels the importance of living every day to the fullest. During Sierra Leone’s fierce civil war, as bands of child-soldiers...
A Conversation With S. Matthew Liao: Studying Ethical Questions as We Unlock the Black Box of the Brain
As a neuroethicist S. Matthew Liao deploys the tools of philosophy, history, psychology, religion and ethics to understand the impact of neuroscientific breakthroughs.
The Doctor’s World: BMJ’s Holiday Tradition of Lighthearted, but Rigorous, Scholarship
Since 1982, the prestigious journal BMJ has devoted its Christmas-week issue to publishing unusual articles that are all based on methodologically sound science.
Mind: A Misguided Focus on Mental Illness in Gun Control Debate
People with mental illness account for a very small share of homicides in the United States, and keeping guns out of their hands will hardly affect rates of violence.
Holiday spices often abused for cheap highs, says toxicologist
Cinnamon, nutmeg and even marshmallows are being intentionally abused in risky behavior, says a toxicologist. Once folly for teenagers, pre-teens are now copying what they see from Internet videos with...
Looking for lessons in Newtown
In the wake of Friday’s rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., during which 28 people died, including 20 children, Americans are simultaneously searching for answers and calling for action. It...
U.S. Census will offer online option
Bureau giving household the chance to respond to government surveys online for the first time in bid to save costs
Family: Childhood: A Little Sugar Does Seem to Ease the Pain
Babies who tasted a sweet solution cried less after receiving shots than those given a placebo, but studies are difficult to compare because of varying methodologies.