Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Well: Rethinking the Big Breakfast
Many dieters believe that eating a big breakfast will help prevent overeating at lunch and dinner. But new research suggests that how much or little you eat for breakfast doesn't...
China blocks 'Egypt' from internet
China has blocked the word "Egypt" from online searches for comments on protests in the North African nation.
Friends Drive Friends to Take Risks
When friends were watching, teens were more likely to run a yellow light in a driving game.
Saving whales a cold comfort job
The job description is forbidding: "No pay, Long hours, Hard work, Dangerous conditions, Extreme weather." So intense is the work environment, officials fear that someone may one day die on...
Czech gender-bending family puzzles sex experts
Dominik's tiny, hairy hands disappear in the manly, silky-smooth grasp of his girlfriend as she reaches across the table in a tender gesture affirming their gender-bending love.
Stimulus funds help wire rural homes for Internet
(AP) -- Up in rural northern Vermont, it took until the 1960s to run power lines to some towns - decades after the rest of America got turned on.
Alternatives to recalled cold medicines for children
A Johnson & Johnson recall left many parents without their go-to brands for sick kids, but medical experts say there are plenty of options.When kids begin sniffling, the first thing...
Eleanor Galenson, Expert on Children’s Sexual Identity, Dies at 94
Dr. Galenson and a colleague concluded that children make the discovery of genital difference between the ages of 15 to 19 months. Freud had postulated 4 to 5 years old.
The Ripped and the Righteous
Jack LaLanne left us more than health clubs and infomercials. He also gave us guilt. Hit the gym lately?
In search of lasting happiness
We're genetically predisposed to certain moods, but we can help ourselves too. Hint: There's a difference between mere pleasure and substantive gratification.As last year drew to a close, I found...
The Atkins diet, updated
Dr. Eric C. Westman, co-author of 'The New Atkins for a New You,' talks about how the famed diet has changed and why it can benefit just about anyone.Dr. Robert...
Michelangelo's Finger by Raymond Tallis – review
This fascinating study of man's most useful gesture is illuminating and highly readableWe are unique as a species in our ability to point meaningfully. Chimps may draw saleable pictures and create tools, but...
My Bright Idea: Does the 'love hormone' foster racism?
The neurotransmitter oxytocin makes us more co-operative. But can increased levels engender hostility between groups?Carsten de Dreu, 44, a professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam, describes himself as a social psychologist...
The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death by John Gray – review
John Gray's superb meditation on our desire for immortality makes for an enthralling readIn Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi movie Blade Runner, a retired police officer called Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is...
How worn-out Britain finally woke up to its chronic sleep problem
As a new survey reveals two-thirds of us can't get a good night's sleep, we examine research on new drugs which could tackle insomnia by changing our body clocksMy first serious sleep...
Pros, cons of reality TV's approach to weight loss
Reality shows such as 'The Biggest Loser' may be motivating viewers at home — but also setting them up for disappointment or health risk. Experts weigh in on the good...
Hidden the workings out? You might as well be a Raelian | Ben Goldacre
Sibling statistics, software secrecy and study shortcuts all show why scientific authority derives from transparencyIf science has any authority, it derives from transparency: you can check the claims against the working. Sometimes you...
Obama's talk of medical malpractice reform surprises both sides
His use of the term 'frivolous lawsuits' in his State of the Union address upsets patients' rights advocates.President Obama took both Republicans and normally supportive patients' rights advocates by surprise...
This column will change your life: Has thinking outside the box had its day? | Oliver Burkeman
A rethink can be just as good as a whole new thought-process'The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes," said Proust, though he'd...
Perception of time spent with fathers can lead to bullying
Do your children think you work too much and don't spend enough time with them? If so, their perception could lead to bullying behavior, according to new research.
Hugs Follow a 3-Second Rule
Timing Olympic athletes’ embraces sheds light on how we perceive the present
Que. group slams asbestos exports
An anti-asbestos group says the Quebec government should not be helping to export asbestos to India.
Learn more quickly by transcranial magnetic brain stimulation
What sounds like science fiction is actually possible: thanks to magnetic stimulation, the activity of certain brain nerve cells can be deliberately influenced. What happens in the brain in this...
More college freshmen feeling overwhelmed, survey finds
Emotional health is at a record low, with many students reporting stress over tuition and a high rate of unemployed parents, annual UCLA study says.This year's college freshmen report feeling...
The Downfall Of Scientific American
Although my wife is also a chemistry major, over the years she has not shared my enthusiasm for Scientific American. My 40 year collection of the magazine is to her...
Model predicts 'religiosity gene' will dominate society
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the past 20 years, the Amish population in the US has doubled, increasing from 123,000 in 1991 to 249,000 in 2010. The huge growth stems almost entirely...
Well: How Meditation May Change the Brain
People who meditated 30 minutes a day for eight weeks had changes in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.
US cost savings must spare science, Obama says
President proposes to freeze US domestic spending for five years, next budget will invest in research to spur innovation