Latest science news in Psychology & Sociology
Stress triggers poor body image
Stress from a variety of causes can lead to young males and females developing body image problems, new research has found.
Shape perception in brain develops by itself, study of African tribe suggests
Despite minimal exposure to the regular geometric objects found in developed countries, African tribal people perceive shapes as well as westerners, according to a new study. The findings suggest that...
Thoughtful words help ease impact of marital strife on immune system
Couples who bring thoughtful words to a fight release lower amounts of stress-related proteins, suggesting that rational communication between partners can ease the impact of marital conflict on the immune...
Today's children decide their school and career path early
Children as young as 12 have a strong sense of their personal futures and can reflect thoughtfully on what life might hold for them, according to new research.
Evolution's classroom crisis | Riazat Butt
Surveys show that, around the world, teachers and students are rejecting evolution. The results are likely to be direQuestions abound in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on the second day of a conference on Darwin's...
Amir Pnueli, Pioneer of Temporal Logic, Dies at 68
Mr. Pnueli turned a philosopher’s explorations of time, logic and free will, called temporal logic, into a critical technique for verifying the reliability of computers.
Clearing Out the Brain's Inbox
New neurons in adult brains clear away the remnants of old memories to make room for new ones.
Can thinking of a loved one reduce your pain?
Can the mere thought of your loved one reduce your pain? Yes, according to a new study by UCLA psychologists that underscores the importance of social relationships and staying socially...
All eyes on Murdoch as newspapers ponder digital future
Is Rupert Murdoch bluffing? Making a bold high-stakes gamble that will save the troubled newspaper industry? Or pursuing a pipe dream that can only end in failure?
In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’
More than a dozen lawmakers’ statements on the health care debate were ghostwritten by lobbyists working for Genentech, a biotechnology company.
Authorities back down over UK drug users on benefits
Opponents halt plans to order them into treatmentPlans to order drug users who are on benefits into treatment have been dropped after overwhelming opposition from medical and legal experts.The government's welfare reform bill...
Egypt's Darwin debates | Riazat Butt
Scientists from around the world gather in Alexandria to discuss evolution – but is religion getting in the way?It was perhaps fitting, and more than a little fortuitous, that this weekend's conference on...
This column will change your life: Anger | Oliver Burkeman
Is it the best fun you can have with your clothes on?Certain facts about human psychology are so obvious, so undeniable, that they become invisible, and we act as if they weren't true...
When preschoolers ask questions, they want explanations
Curiosity plays a big part in preschoolers' lives. A new study that explored why young children ask so many "why" questions concludes that children are motivated by a desire for...
Study: Can meditation sharpen our attention?
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that people can train their minds to stay focused.
DU professor advises families to refocus for holidays to ease financial tension
DENVER -- Martha Wadsworth, associate professor of psychology at the University of Denver (DU), says during the holidays families should focus on what has been proven to matter most...
Study: Nonprofits put brand at risk in corporate partnerships
Charities and other nonprofits may put their brand at risk when they partner with corporations on social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The public can easily construe such connections as...
Did Doc Implant Own Sperm in Patient?
He's White, Woman's Husband Black; Lawsuit Settled, but Other Patients Starting to Ask Questions; DNA Test Was Never Ordered
Stanley Ellis obituary
Leading authority on dialects and a pioneer of the forensic analysis of voice recordingsStanley Ellis, who has died aged 83, was an authority on English dialects, a pioneer of the forensic analysis of...
Fred Broadhurst
My father, Fred Broadhurst, who has died aged 81, spent his life making geology and science interesting and accessible. He ran various field trips, activities and classes, and created an extraordinary network of...
Power to the People!
This week I attended a meeting held by the Society for Genomics Policy and Public Health entitled ‘Genetics and Health Promotion’. It was extremely interesting and posed two very significant...
Targeting teen depression
(PhysOrg.com) -- Psychologist Mona Taouk is developing a world-first questionnaire to identify young people at risk of depression and suicide.
Shire reports analysis examining emotional lability in children with ADHD taking Vyvanse
PHILADELPHIA -- November 12, 2009 -- Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced findings from a post hoc analysis examining emotional lability from...
'Star Trek Online' to beam gamers to the bridge
(AP) -- The most iconic setting in "Star Trek" almost didn't make it into the series' online video game.
Does Modernization Affect Children's Cognitive Development?
Using data from the late 1970s, researchers have looked at almost 200 children ages 3 to 9 in Belize, Kenya, Nepal and American Samoa to determine whether modernization changes have...
Ethnic Pride May Boost African-American Teens' Mental Health
A study of more than 250 African-American youths from urban, low-income families examined the unique effects of racial identity and self esteem on mental health. Findings reveal that when young...
Awareness Of Racism Affects How Children Do Socially And Academically
A study of more than 120 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse US elementary school children shows that children develop an awareness about racial stereotypes early and that those biases can be...
MIT’s wheelchair tennis champ
Until three years ago, Marcus Causton, 31, a graduate student in MIT’s engineering logistics program, hadn’t played much tennis. But after a rock-climbing accident in Wales five years ago left him paraplegic, he...