Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Letters: Badger culls and a grey area of science
The subject of TB, cattle and badgers has rightly raised questions to test the science supporting the government's announcement last week (Letters, 26 July). The government considered this issue very carefully before saying...
Talking heads? Brain lives after decapitation
We've seen it in comedies - someone is decapitated, but still talking - usually scolding or lecturing in some way. Now, a new study shows that the brain may live...
Fatty Comfort Food Lessens Sad Feelings
Ingesting fat can lessen feelings of sadness, impacting both the behavioral and neural responses to negative emotions, a new study shows.
One in ten research projects using monkeys has no benefit, finds review
Research on monkeys must be subject to rigorous safeguards to ensure medical or scientific benefits, says review authorAlmost one in 10 research projects that used monkeys in the UK resulted in no scientific...
Children born after unplanned pregnancy are slower to develop, UK study finds
Children born after unplanned pregnancies tend to have a more limited vocabulary and poorer non-verbal and spatial abilities; however this is almost entirely explained by their disadvantaged circumstances, according to...
Fragmented sleep 'harms memory'
Broken sleep affects the ability to build memories, a study of mice suggests.
New test tells real whiskey from fake
STRATHCLYDE, Scotland, July 25 (UPI) -- Researchers at a Scottish university say their simple test can identify the difference between authentic and counterfeit Scotch whiskey brands.
What is war good for? Sparking civilization
Warfare, triggered by political conflict between the fifth century B.C. and the first century A.D., likely shaped the development of the first settlement that would classify as a civilization in...
Sexual anxiety, personality predictors of infidelity, study says
People with sexual performance anxiety are more likely to cheat on their partners. That's just one of the curious findings of a new study on the factors that predict infidelity....
Evolution of human generosity
Imagine you're dining at a restaurant in a city you're visiting for the first -- and, most likely the last -- time. Chances are slim to none that you'll ever...
In-state tuition for undocumented students not a partisan issue, study finds
Political ideology and partisanship don't play much of a role in whether a state considers extending in-state college tuition to undocumented immigrants, according to a new study.
Well: Putting Men on the Pill
For years, contraception has been mostly a woman's responsibility. But now scientists are studying hormonal and other treatments that can help men control fertility.
Whatever happened to statecraft? | Aditya Chakrabortty
There's a missing word in all these recent political dramas. Statecraft –the ability to governPolitical crises usually come with whoopee cushions: interludes of unwitting comedy that cut through the pomp, and point us...
He's a dead ringer: Man wakes up in morgue
A 50-year-old South African man woke up inside a mortuary over the weekend and screamed to be let out — scaring away attendants who thought he was a ghost.
Dead Squid Can Dance
Is it possible to bring up a squid-related topic about which I have nothing to say? So far, the answer seems to be no.I'm not sure if I should be...
Smartphones Prove More Addictive Than Thought
Constantly checking a smartphone may be triggered by outside situations and behaviors.
When Friends with Benefits Turns Costly
Hookups may help Gen Y-ers find the love they are looking for, if they survive the battlefield that is casual sex relationships and one-night stands.
Weak synchronization in toddler brains may be a biological marker for autism
A finding that ties weak synchronization in brain activity to autism could lead to earlier diagnosis of the disorder.
Born Evil: Is This The Rebirth Of Phrenology?
There hasn't been much of a debate about this paper at Science 2.0, so I thought I might briefly review it, and see what everybody else thinks. But, before we...
Cadmium in children's jewelry faces crackdown
Canada wants to crack down on the amount of cadmium that can be found in children's jewelry.
Some Moms Bite Their Daughters’ Rhymes
How much do our children influence our consumption behavior? Much more than we thought. A new study by a Temple University Fox School of Business professor finds that teenage girls...
Older people find it harder to see the wood for the trees
When looking at a picture of many trees, young people will tend to say: “This is a forest”. However, the older we get, the more likely we are to notice...
Excluding children from discussions about their hospital care causes unnecessary distress
Children who are excluded from discussions about their hospital care often feel scared and angry that no-one is listening to them or telling them what is going on. That’s why...
'FaceGlat': Orthodoxy's kosher answer to Facebook
A new social networking site for ultra-Orthodox Jews takes customary segregation of the sexes online and also bars pictures or ads deemed immodest in ultra-Orthodox society.
Trouble in Traffic: Kids with ADHD Have Difficulty Crossing Streets
Decision-making is difficult for children with ADHD.
Swear words shed light on how language shapes thought
Why were people offended when BBC broadcaster James Naughtie mispronounced the surname of the Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt? Why is it much easier for bilingual speakers to swear in their...
Rose-colored glasses may help love last
Research suggests that happy delusions help when looking at your partner in a general sense (but be more realistic on the details).Psychologists have long known that new love can be...
1971: Forty years since Nixon's "war on drugs"
Forty years have passed since the US Government declared a "war on drugs". Here we plunder our archives for coverage of that controversial policy.1970sOn 18th June 1971 Richard Nixon declared a 'war on...