http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/psychology/ Psychology news. Read today's psychology research on relationships, happiness, memory, behavioral problems, dreams and more. Also, psychology studies comparing humans to apes. en-us Mon, 12 May 2008 09:05:01 EDT Mon, 12 May 2008 09:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/psychology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509152307.htm Emotional memories of traumatic life events such as accidents, war experiences or serious illnesses are stored in a particularly robust way by the brain. This renders effective treatment very difficult. Researchers have now successfully tracked down the molecular bases of these strong, very persistent memories. Sun, 11 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509152307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190840.htm While many people believe that alcohol-impaired drivers are usually alcoholics, in fact, 80 percent of AI incidents are caused by binge drinkers. A recent study conducted among college students has found that binge drinkers, even when legally intoxicated, nonetheless believe they having adequate driving abilities. Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190834.htm Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol. Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105606.htm Black bears that become habituated to human food and garbage may not be learning these behaviors exclusively from their mothers, as widely assumed. Bears that steal human food sources are just as likely to form these habits on their own or pick them up from unrelated, "bad influence" bears, researchers have found. Sat, 10 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507105606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222420.htm Teenagers and young adults across Europe drink and take drugs as part of deliberate sexual strategies. A third of 16-35 year old males and a quarter of females surveyed are drinking alcohol to increase their chances of sex, while cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis are intentionally used to enhance sexual arousal or prolong sex. Fri, 09 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508222420.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181557.htm Elderly in a long-term care setting are more likely to be prescribed antidepressants and to self-report depression compared to those in a home-health care setting, according to a study. The study of 272 elders, with an average age of 81, examined how often patients reported feeling depressed and were prescribed antidepressants at both a long-term care facility and through a home-care agency in west-central Indiana. Fri, 09 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508181557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508125736.htm Nearly one out of four teens who use an asthma inhaler say their intent is to get high. Findings from a new study identified high levels of asthma inhaler misuse among anti-social youths, who displayed higher levels of distress and were more likely to abuse other substances. Fri, 09 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508125736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508090044.htm Depressed people may have far fewer of the receptors for some of the brain's "feel good" stress-response chemicals than non-depressed people, new research shows. And even among depressed people, the numbers of these receptors can vary greatly -- and may be linked with the severity of their symptoms and response to treatment. Thu, 08 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508090044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm Children who speak a second or third language may have an unexpected advantage later in life, a new study has found. Knowing and speaking many languages may protect the brain against the effects of aging. Thu, 08 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507152419.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508075216.htm A study of patients with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia suggests an alternative explanation for why many sufferers lack motivation. In addition to the hallucinations that often characterize schizophrenia, patients also have major problems with apathy and lack of motivation. Thu, 08 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508075216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm In a new study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have determined in mouse models that modulating the activity of enkephalin peptides in the brain might reduce the cognitive deficits seen in Alzheimer's disease. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083934.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133321.htm One of the major scientific questions about the brain is how it can translate the simple intent to perform an action -- say, reach for a glass -- into the dynamic, coordinated symphony of muscle movements required for that action. Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507133321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm In a study published in the May 7 issue of the journal PLoS ONE, Anthony Little of the University of Stirling and colleagues show that measurements of symmetry and sexual dimorphism from faces are related in humans, both in Europeans and African hunter-gatherers, and in a non-human primate. In all samples, symmetric males had more masculine facial proportions and symmetric females had more feminine facial proportions. Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507083952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507132910.htm For children of divorce, what happens after their parents split up may be just as important to their long-term well-being as the divorce itself. A new study found that children who lived in unstable family situations after their parents divorced fared much worse as adults on a variety of measures compared to children who had stable post-divorce family situations. Thu, 08 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507132910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084001.htm Scientists have discovered important differences between the brains of suicide victims and so-called normal brains. Although the genetic sequence was identical in the suicide and non-suicide brains, there were differences in their epigenetic marking -- a chemical coating influenced by environmental factors. All of the 13 suicide victims in the study had experienced abuse as children. Wed, 07 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080507084001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123104.htm A gut hormone that causes people to eat more does so by making food appear more desirable, suggests a new report in Cell Metabolism. In a brain imaging study of individuals, the researchers found that reward centers respond more strongly to pictures of food in subjects who had received an infusion of the hormone known as ghrelin. The findings suggest that the two drives for feeding --metabolic signals and pleasure signals -- are actually intertwined. Wed, 07 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506123104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162826.htm A 2001/2002 report by the World Health Organization found that, among young people in western countries who began drinking before 16 years of age, the average age of initiation was 12 years of age. A new twins study from the Netherlands has found that genetic factors appear to be involved in the early initiation of alcohol use, while common environmental factors become involved once alcohol use has begun. Wed, 07 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505075642.htm Brain-training efforts designed to improve working memory can also boost scores in general problem-solving ability and improve fluid intelligence, according to new research. Many psychologists believe general intelligence can be separated into "fluid" and "crystalline" components. Fluid intelligence --- considered one of the most important factors in learning --- applies to all problems while crystallized intelligence consists of skills useful for specific tasks. Tue, 06 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505075642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162902.htm Prolonged and exclusive nursing improves children's cognitive development. The largest randomized study of breastfeeding ever conducted reports that breastfeeding raises children's IQs, and improves their academic performance, scientists say. Tue, 06 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162902.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162854.htm Young people who live in towns where regulations ban smoking in restaurants may be less likely to become established smokers, according to a new report. Many studies have examined the risk factors that lead young people to try their first cigarette. However, fewer researchers have differentiated these factors from those that cause children and teens to progress to established smoking, or having smoked 100 or more cigarettes. Tue, 06 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120937.htm Pregnant women may still face judgment and obstacles to getting jobs. The studies found that the women who asked about job opportunities when wearing a pregnancy prosthesis were faced with significantly more interpersonal hostility than when the same women appeared as non-pregnant and inquired about jobs. Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430075912.htm In humans, the eyes are said to be the 'window to the soul,' conveying much about a person's emotions and intentions. New research demonstrates for the first time that birds also respond to a human's gaze. Mon, 05 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430075912.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502094228.htm An analysis of brain tissue samples from chronic alcoholics reveals changes that occur at the molecular level in alcohol abuse -- and suggests a potential treatment target, according to researchers. Sun, 04 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502094228.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501154225.htm Drug abusers who used a computer-assisted training program in addition to receiving traditional counseling stayed abstinent significantly longer than those who received counseling alone, a Yale University study has found. Sun, 04 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501154225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080504095631.htm Almost one-third of US parents have a surprisingly low-level knowledge of typical infant development and unrealistic expectations for their child's physical, social and emotional growth. The new findings suggest that such false parenting assumptions can not only impair parent-child interactions, but also rob kids of much-needed cognitive stimulation. Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080504095631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502104543.htm A new study in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy examines the role that specific parenting practices may play in children's adjustment after trauma. The study finds that certain parenting behaviors have the potential to significantly improve children’s outcomes. Sat, 03 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502104543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502081604.htm A novel study that attempts to paint the most accurate and detailed description yet of how Americans experience pain has found that a significant portion of the population -- 28 percent -- are in pain at any given moment and those with less education and lower income spend more of their time in pain. Those in pain are less likely to work or socialize with others and are more inclined to watch television than the pain-free. Fri, 02 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080502081604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501163455.htm Just as religions dwell upon the eternal battle between good and evil, angels and devils, evolutionary theorists dwell upon the eternal battle between altruistic and selfish behaviors in the Darwinian struggle for existence. Evolutionary theorists now suggest that selfishness might not be such a villain after all. Fri, 02 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501163455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430152034.htm Contrary to what many researchers expect, physically active older teens don't necessarily eat a healthier diet than their less-active contemporaries. And there appeared to be no link between body mass index values and levels of physical activity, the research showed. Fri, 02 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430152034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430103102.htm Phrases such as "survival of the fittest" and "every man for himself" may seem to accentuate the presence of political and social competition in American culture; however, there obviously are similar instances of inter- and intra-group conflict across almost all known organisms. So what makes competition so prevalent for life and why does it sometimes seem to be preferred over cooperation? Thu, 01 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430103102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501180305.htm It seems like there's an ever growing number of portrayals of mental health therapy sessions on network television. But all of these TV portrayals may actually make viewers less likely to seek psychological services themselves. Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501180305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428175336.htm Patients in therapy to overcome addictions have a new arena to test their coping skills -- the virtual world. A new study found that a virtual reality environment can provide the climate necessary to spark an alcohol craving so that patients can practice how to say "no" in a realistic and safe setting. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428175336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429122431.htm Is medicated memory manipulation ethically sound? And perhaps more importantly, who should be charged with the decision to deliver such a treatment: patient or physician? A philosophy professor, is seeking answers to these questions in her new research. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429122431.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429095042.htm Investors get carried away with excitement and wishful 'fantasies' as the stock market soars, suppressing negative emotions warning them of high risks, according to a new study led by UCL. Economic models fail to factor in the emotions and unconscious mental life that drive human behavior says the study, which argues that banks and financial institutions should be as wary of 'emotional inflation' as they are fiscal inflation. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429095042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429204252.htm New brain imaging research published this week shows that, after consuming alcohol, social drinkers had decreased sensitivity in brain regions involved in detecting threats, and increased activity in brain regions involved in reward. The study, in the April 30 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first human brain imaging study of alcohol's effect on the response of neuronal circuits to threatening stimuli. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429204252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429084317.htm Researchers found two distinct views on what it means to be a gentleman or a "macho" man in the Mexican-American culture. Traditional machismo is the stereotypical masculine personification of a Mexican-American man as controlling, sexist and violent, correlated with antisocial behavior, aggressive masculinity and wishful thinking as a coping style. These men tend to have more difficulty expressing emotion. However, traditional machismo did not correlate with dominance as hypothesized. Caballerismo is a positive image of a man as the family provider who respects and cares for his family. It depicts Mexican-American men as chivalrous, nurturing and noble. These men rated higher on the social connectedness scale, saying they felt value in their family relationships and were in touch with their feelings, and the feelings of others. They also displayed more practical ways of solving their problems. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080429084317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428160113.htm Researchers have developed an original new approach to the study of delusions, using hypnosis to temporarily create typical delusional beliefs in otherwise non-delusional people. A group of psychologists have been investigating the effectiveness of using hypnosis as a technique for studying the delusion known as mirrored-self misidentification, and a range of other delusions also. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428160113.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428155208.htm Most people agree that emotions can be caused by a specific event and that the person experiencing it is aware of the cause, such as a child's excitement at the sound of an ice cream truck. But recent research suggests emotions also can be unconsciously evoked and manipulated. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428155208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428094212.htm Psychologists find evidence that it's not. People act in their own best interests, according to traditional views of how and why we make the decisions that we do. However, psychologists have recently found evidence that this assumption is not necessarily true. In fact, most of us will act in the best interest of our team -- often at our own expense. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428094212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428084235.htm High self-esteem is not the same thing as healthy self-esteem. New psychology research is adding another twist: those with "secure" high self-esteem are less likely to be verbally defensive than those who have "fragile" high self-esteem. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428084235.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424140403.htm The results of large-scale imaging experiments examining how social signals are represented in the sensory system have just been published. Working with a newly-developed line of transgenic mice that expresses the genetic calcium indicator G-CaMP2, the team monitored neural activity in the vomeronasal organ, a sensory organ found in many vertebrate animals that detects pheromones. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424140403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425102403.htm Children with autistic spectrum disorders who underwent sensory integration therapy exhibited fewer autistic mannerisms compared to children who received standard treatments. Such mannerisms, including repetitive hand movements or actions, making noises, jumping or having highly restricted interests, often interfere with paying attention and learning. Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425102403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080426083329.htm Advance directives, or living wills, may not effectively honor end-of-life wishes because life-sustaining treatment preferences often change without people being aware of the changes, according to a new study. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080426083329.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424210415.htm A new study of young children living in extreme poverty found that those whose mothers showed symptoms of depression had low levels of cortisol, a hormone activated during times of stress, compared with children whose mothers did not exhibit depressive symptoms. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424210415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423121427.htm By blocking certain mechanisms that control the way that nerve cells in the brain communicate, scientists have been able to prevent visual recognition memory in rats. This demonstrates they have identified cellular and molecular mechanisms in the brain that may provide a key to understanding processes of recognition memory. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423121427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423171537.htm The location of protein-destroying "machines" in nerve cells in the brain may play an important role in how memories are formed -- a finding with potential implications for treating Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423171537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424092752.htm The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has discovered a new form of intellectual disability involving mental retardation along with the eye defect retinitis pigmentosa. CAMH also discovered the previously unidentified gene that causes this disorder, CC2D2A. This scientific advance will help understand the developmental and biological processes involved in brain development, and may help identify ways to diagnose and treat intellectual disabilities. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080424092752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422200952.htm How can we tell who's lying, who's not? New research shows that the face will betray the deceiver's true emotion, but not in the stereotypical ways we think. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422200952.htm