Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Moderate levels of secondhand smoke deliver nicotine to the brain
Exposure to secondhand smoke, such as a person can get by riding in an enclosed car while someone else smokes, has a direct, measurable impact on the brain -- and...
Adolescents less likely to start smoking if they feel connected to their parents, face consequences for lighting up
A study finds parents shouldn't let up when it comes to discouraging their kids from smoking.
Asking adolescents about their hopes and dreams proves insightful
Trying to figure out what's going on inside the mind of an adolescent can be challenging, to say the least. A new study shows that simply asking them what they...
Media multitasking is really multi-distracting
In the battle for the attention of the multitasker, the computer beats the television. But a new study reveals the physical nature of distraction people experience as they increasingly use...
Do-It-Yourself Biology And The History Of Risk In Science
John Hunter had a gift for dissection. As a child, he was an unexceptional student. At age 20, he journeyed to London in the midst of Britain's rise as a...
Child malnutrition caused by more than lack of food
Giving poor families land on which to grow crops has been shown to improve child nutrition. New research also shows that giving families non-agricultural land and better housing also is...
Newborns exposed to methamphetamine before birth are hard to arouse, hard to calm down, study suggests
A scale used to assess the behavior of newborns exposed to methamphetamine before birth might be able to identify those children who will develop problems later on.
How to raise a child who doesn't bully
New research shows that parents can play a key role in decreasing the chances that their son or daughter will harass or intimidate other children.
Proposal for Medicare Is Unlike Federal Employee Plan
House Republicans said their budget proposal for Medicare would make the program similar to their health insurance, but a closer look suggests otherwise.
Too much or too little sleep may accelerate cognitive aging, study shows
A new study describes how changes in sleep that occur over a five-year period in late middle age affect cognitive function in later life. The findings suggest that women and...
Male doctors more likely to be disciplined for misconduct, Australian study shows
Male doctors are four times more likely than female doctors to be disciplined for misconduct, and sexual misconduct is the most common reason for disciplinary action, an Australian study has...
Balance doesn't have to slip away
Falls are a very real fear for older people. But studies show that balance training can bring improvement.You wobble slightly stepping off a curb, then down you go. In the...
When sex drive brakes to a stop
Many older patients have the same complaint about loss of interest and performance.Think back to things you used to like that now hold no appeal to you. It could be...
Drop in testosterone can affect sexual desire in men and women
A dizzying number of factors can conspire against sexual desire as midlife approaches: depression, medications, illness, career worries, financial pressures, marriage troubles, young children in the home (or an empty...
Pass notes No 2,967: Companion animals
'Pets' is no longer the preferred term for, y'know, those animals you keep in your houseAge: 15,000 years or more.Appearance: Slightly less downtrodden than they used to be.I have no idea what this...
Video: Pooches that protect the public
Dr. Debbye Turner Bell got a rare looking at how the canines of the ATF, and their handlers, train.
Feature: Social media’s workplace evolution
Social media tools like Facebook may not be the culprit of workplace unproductivity, a new research shows.
Grandma was right: Infants do wake up taller
Science is finally confirming what grandma knew all along: infants wake up taller right after they sleep.
Putting faith in its place
Faith has no place demanding agreement or punishing disagreementReligious people fail to recognize that debunking claims about the supposed existence of a god or gods is what critical thinkers and scientists do in...
Movement + academics = success
When schools cut physical education programs so students can spend more time in the classroom, they may be missing a golden opportunity to promote learning, according to research to be...
You're Looking Very Well by Lewis Wolpert – review
The older people get, the older they believe 'old' to beA couple of weeks ago I spoke at a seminar on ageing and fiction at Brunel University. My interlocutor was Fay Weldon,...
With Liposuction, the Belly Finds What the Thighs Lose
A study on liposuction confirms the patient’s worst fears: that weight loss is temporary.
Doctor Focuses on the Minds of the Elderly
Dr. Marc E. Agronin is unusual not just because of his specialty but because he is immersed in patients’ lives.
Studies You Don't Need To Read: Doubts About The President's Birth Were Racism
In 2008, when concerns about the birth place of future nominee and then campaign winner Barack Obama first surfaced, most felt like he should just show a birth certificate. ...
The New Old Age: Revisions to the Class Act?
The secretary of health and human services is pondering ways to make the Class Act work.
Giffords' rehab set back by shuttle delay?
Neurologist: Depends how long the delay is, calls trip to Cape Canaveral "therapeutic outing" that tests skills she's gained in rehab
Comfort Zones: Ever Widening Them For Our Children, Whether They're Disabled Or Not
Have you ever noticed that you function better when you feel comfortable and confident in your surroundings and that when you are unsure of yourself, you are more likely to...
Facebook reuniting tornado victims with memories
In a digital era update to the lost and found booth, a Facebook page started by an Alabama woman is reuniting victims of the killer US tornadoes with their precious...