http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/social_psychology/ Love, altruism and affection. Read current news articles on how animals can be altruistic, how social networks can protect against Alzheimer's and more. en-us Mon, 12 May 2008 21:05:01 EDT Mon, 12 May 2008 21:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/social_psychology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512145824.htm Many college students have sleep patterns that could have detrimental effects on their daily performance. As a graduate student, the researcher had her own trouble sleeping, prompting her to conduct a study to determine if other students experienced the same problems. Many of the students surveyed admitted that it took longer than 30 minutes for them to fall asleep and/or they woke more than once a night for at least five nights a week. Tue, 13 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512145824.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512105719.htm Using single-photon emission computed tomography, researchers in The Netherlands were able to detect biochemical differences in the brains of individuals with generalized social anxiety disorder, providing evidence of a long-suspected biological cause for the dysfunction. Mon, 12 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512105719.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512191126.htm Young children whose parents read aloud to them have better language and literacy skills when they go to school, according to a new review. Mon, 12 May 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512191126.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094435.htm Images of maths 'geeks' stop people from studying mathematics or using it in later life, according to new research. Many students and undergraduates seem to think of mathematicians as old, white, middle-class men who are obsessed with their subject, lack social skills and have no personal life outside maths. The student's views of maths itself included narrow and inaccurate images that are often limited to numbers and basic arithmetic. Mon, 12 May 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094435.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. Mon, 12 May 2008 20:00:00 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. Mon, 12 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512191132.htm Children who attend schools that run fruit tuck shops are much more likely to eat more fruit if they and their friends are also banned from bringing unhealthy snacks on to the school premises, according to new research. Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512191132.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512172901.htm An international study of animal behavior has important implications for human decision-making. For animals that live in social groups, and that includes humans, blindly following a leader could place them in danger. To avoid this, animals have developed simple but effective behavior to follow where at least a few of them dare to tread -- rather than follow a single group member. This pattern of behavior reduces the risk of imitating maverick behavior of an individual as the group recognize that consensus is better than following someone that goes it alone. Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512172901.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113505.htm Public investment in early childhood programs may be able to lower public costs for social services by improving children's long-term welfare. Such work is helping to promote a reorientation of child and human services toward investment and prevention, moving away from the current system that seeks to "treat" problems. Research from the fields of neuroscience, developmental psychology and program evaluation has shown how early experiences help determine how a person's brain develops and that effective early intervention strategies can improve a wide range of outcomes from childhood through early adulthood. Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512113505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512105705.htm A new study of homeless youth suggests that treating substance abuse and mental health problems may not be enough to help get teens off the streets. Instead, researchers found that creating more opportunities for work, education and medical care were the most important factors in reducing homelessness. Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512105705.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094426.htm Can online networking sites help new students settle into university? Researchers are now looking for first-year University of Leicester students who use Facebook to help their pioneering research into this issue. Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080512094426.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/2008/05/080507083952.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/2008/05/080505223427.htm Whether a young man's mother earned a college degree and whether she worked outside the home while he was growing up seems to have an effect years later when he considers his ideal wife, according to a new study. High-achieving men -- those who earn salaries in the top 10 percent for their age and/or have a graduate degree -- are highly likely to marry a woman whose education level mirrors their mom's. Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505223427.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/2008/04/080430075912.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/2008/05/080504194255.htm A new examination of data on similarly aged groups, compared across decades, has found substantial increases in drinking and alcohol dependence among women. Increases were particularly notable among white and Hispanic women -- beginning with those born in the United States after World War II. Mon, 05 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080504194255.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/2008/05/080502081604.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/2008/05/080501154219.htm For many adults over the age of 30, the former groupings of letters would seem incoherent, but for a newer generation of technologically-savvy young adults it can say a lot. Researchers found that instant messaging is a unique language form differing from Standard Written English. Fri, 02 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501154219.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/2008/05/080501091411.htm "Plays well with others." That popular phrase on a T-shirt is being taken to a whole new level in higher education these days, as experts in a variety of fields increasingly must work together to address some of society's biggest challenges, from a warming planet to cancer. Policy scientists are uncovering how scientists from different disciplines form working relationships. The findings will shed light on scientific collaboration -- a process about which little is known, but much is expected. Fri, 02 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501091411.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/2008/04/080428175336.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/2008/04/080429204252.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/2008/04/080428094212.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/2008/04/080428104539.htm Twenty to 30 years ago it was not unusual for children with serious congenital or developmental conditions to die before reaching adulthood. Thanks to research driven medical care, today thousands of these children transition to adulthood every year. With adulthood comes new challenges both to themselves and to their caregivers. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080428104539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425144319.htm What began as an informal presentation by a clinical linguist to a group of philosophers, has led to some surprising discoveries about the communicative language abilities of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. While they may not make appropriate use of context or common sayings, psychologists discovered speakers with ASD have a rich array of pragmatic abilities. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425144319.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/2008/04/080423125954.htm Researchers have mapped the brain regions that process social standing and money rewards, yielding new insights that they said will aid understanding of the basis of social behaviors. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423125954.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423121430.htm Human imaging studies have for the first time identified brain circuitry associated with social status. Researchers found that different brain areas are activated when a person moves up or down in a pecking order -- or simply views perceived social superiors or inferiors. Circuitry activated by important events responded to a potential change in hierarchical status as much as it did to winning money, reflecting its influential role in human motivation and health. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423121430.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422143529.htm Children who are shunned or targeted by social attacks in school may experience depression and anxiety in young adulthood, a new study shows. In a study of college students, researchers discovered a link between what psychologists call relational victimization in adolescence and depression and anxiety in early adulthood. Rather than threatening a child with physical violence, these bullies target a child's social status and relationships by shunning them, excluding them from social activities or spreading rumors. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422143529.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422194553.htm New research provides the first evidence that a child's sex is associated with the mother's diet. A new study shows a clear link between higher energy intake around the time of conception and the birth of sons. The findings may help explain the falling birth-rate of boys in industrialized countries. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422194553.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.htm Scientists have found evidence to suggest an important role for vitamin D in brain development and function, and that supplementation for groups chronically low in vitamin D is warranted. Vitamin D is present in only a few foods (e.g., fatty fish), and is also added to fortified milk, but our supply typically comes mostly from exposure to ultraviolet rays in sunlight. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421072159.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423101759.htm In a new, large-scale study exploring the link between domestic violence and chronic malnutrition, researchers have found that Indian mothers and children experiencing multiple incidents of domestic violence in the previous year are more likely to be anemic and underweight. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080423101759.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170211.htm In a study of several hundred New York City social workers after Sept. 11, new research finds that mental health workers themselves can experience a psychological problem known as secondary trauma. The study in Research on Social Work Practice shows a clear link between secondary or vicarious trauma and counseling. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422120304.htm We all know the story of a man named Brady and the group that somehow formed a family. But if the iconic '70s sitcom about a "blended" family reflected reality, the Brady Bunch likely would have been dealing with much more than silly sibling squabbles. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422120304.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421111640.htm Thought-listing exercises are frequently used by researchers to gauge people's reactions to advertisements. But new research suggests two alternative methods that may more accurately reveal what consumers actually notice. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421111640.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080418154959.htm Right now, about half of all people who take medicine for an anxiety disorder don't get much help from it. And doctors have no definitive way to predict who will, and who won't, benefit from each antianxiety prescription they write. Scientists are working to bring more certainty to anxiety treatment, by probing the connection between brain activity, genetics and medication. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080418154959.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422171452.htm An analysis of NESARC's Wave 2 identifies predictors of first episodes of DSM-IV substance, mood and anxiety disorders. One-year incidence was highest for alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Incidence was significantly greater among men for most substance use disorders, greater among women for most mood and anxiety disorders, decreased among Blacks for alcohol abuse, and decreased among Hispanics for GAD. Age was related inversely to all disorders. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422171452.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422120318.htm A unique telephone-counseling intervention not only improved the quality of life for cervical cancer survivors but also altered associated stress-related effects on their immune systems, a new study found. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422120318.htm