Feature Channels: Behavioral Science

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12-Feb-2018 8:00 AM EST
Clues to Predict Injury Recovery
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)

This study investigates the influence of dopamine pathway (DA) genes on self-reported quality of life (QOL) after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

12-Feb-2018 8:00 AM EST
Rest Is the Best Medicine
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)

Concussion is a common diagnosis in sports medicine. Many providers use medication to target the residual symptoms of a concussion, although there are currently no medications that have been approved by the Federal Drug Administration for the treatment of concussion. This study examines the association of commonly-prescribed post-concussive medications, namely gabapentin and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), to symptom reduction after a concussion.

12-Feb-2018 8:00 AM EST
What’s Holding You Back?
Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP)

Individuals with disabilities face barriers to physical activity, recreation, and sport. The goal of this study was to determine whether the perception of these barriers differs among those with and without a disability. Second, it aims to determine if these perceptions change following a community-wide recreational festival (RF) targeting to increase adaptive physical activity, recreation, and sport.

Released: 15-Feb-2018 1:05 AM EST
New Study at the University of Haifa: Our Handwriting Reveals Our Mood
University of Haifa

Using a unique computerized system to locate minute changes in handwriting, researchers at the University of Haifa managed to identify differences between people in various moods. The goal: to create an objective index of mood independent of the individual’s subjective report

Released: 14-Feb-2018 12:05 PM EST
OCD Treatment Could Someday Start with a Brain Scan
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

UCLA researchers have developed a way to use brain scans and machine learning — a form of artificial intelligence — to predict whether people with OCD will benefit from cognitive behavior therapy. The technique could help improve the overall success rate of cognitive behavioral therapy, and it could enable therapists to tailor treatment to each patient.

Released: 13-Feb-2018 1:05 PM EST
Love and Courtship in the Digital Age
Rutgers University

More than 20 years later, platforms for pairing up – and the attitudes toward those who use them – have changed considerably. But is the proliferation of dating sites and mobile apps altering our courtship experiences and long-term relationships? Rutgers relationship experts weigh in.

Released: 13-Feb-2018 11:05 AM EST
March Madness Mentality: Faced with Chance to Win, Most Coaches Go for Tie
Cornell University

When faced with a choice between a “fast” option that offers a greater chance of ultimate victory but also a significant chance of immediate defeat, and a “slow” option with both a lower chance of winning and a lesser chance of immediate defeat, people often opt for the “slow” option because of their aversion to sudden death.

8-Feb-2018 5:05 PM EST
Analysis: Female Drivers Convicted for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Research Society on Alcoholism

Women have become increasingly involved in drunk driving and fatal crashes. However, much of the research on drunk driving has been conducted using predominantly male samples. Little is known about the life context, psychiatric histories, and family backgrounds of women arrested for drunk driving. This study was based on interviews with women arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI); the study also compared women with single DUIs with those who had multiple DUI convictions.

   
Released: 13-Feb-2018 9:05 AM EST
Nutrition Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Growing, but Don’t Blame Food Deserts, Researchers Say
University of Chicago Booth School of Business

For decades, the conventional wisdom has been that people living in food deserts—defined as areas lacking in supermarkets with fresh produce and other nutritious items—have little choice but to buy unhealthy food at drugstores or convenience stores. But the data tell a different story.

Released: 13-Feb-2018 8:05 AM EST
Religion and Power: Race in the Church
Ohio State University

Korie Edwards, associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University, talks about how race and power structures are perceived in churches, and also how religion plays a role among youth.

Released: 12-Feb-2018 5:00 PM EST
Lead Us Not Into Temptation; Predictors for Infidelity and Divorce Highlighted in New Research
Florida State University

New research from Florida State University highlights ways to keep love and also identifies clear predictors for failed relationships.

Released: 12-Feb-2018 8:05 AM EST
Researchers Use Wearables, Mobile Devices to Study Workplace Performance
University of Notre Dame

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame are conducting an extensive $7.9 million, 21-month study focused on working professionals in cognitively demanding positions, such as engineers, programmers and managers in high-stress occupations.

Released: 12-Feb-2018 6:05 AM EST
Sibling Bullying Makes Psychotic Disorders Three Times More Likely
University of Warwick

People who were bullied by siblings during childhood are up to three times more likely to develop psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia in early adulthood, according to new research by the University of Warwick.

9-Feb-2018 2:00 AM EST
Drivers of Hate in the U.S. Have Distinct Regional Differences, U Study Finds
University of Utah

Ugeographers sought to understand the factors fueling hate across space. Their findings paint a rather grim reality of America; hate is a national phenomenon, and more complicated than they imagined. The researchers mapped the patterns of active hate groups in every U.S. county in the year 2014, and analyzed their potential socioeconomic and ideological drivers.

8-Feb-2018 12:00 PM EST
Chimpanzee Self-Control Is Related to Intelligence, Georgia State Study Finds
Georgia State University

As is true in humans, chimpanzees' general intelligence is correlated to their ability to exert self-control and delay gratification, according to new research at Georgia State University.

Released: 7-Feb-2018 3:40 PM EST
Nutrition Education Intervention Helps Consumers Mitigate the Impact of Advertising, Particularly for Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior

It is well established that marketing efforts such as advertising are among the factors that can negatively affect health behaviors. Media literacy education can lessen this impact by developing an individual’s skills to critically evaluate marketing and advertising messages. Yet, media literacy education strategies and their implementation processes are relatively understudied. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that simple forms of media production can be a feasible activity in a behavioral intervention targeting adults.

   
Released: 7-Feb-2018 3:05 PM EST
Fruit Bat's Echolocation May Work Like Sophisticated Surveillance Sonar
University of Washington

High-speed recordings of Egyptian fruit bats in flight show that instead of using a primitive form of echolocation, these animals actually use a technique recently developed by humans for surveillance and navigation.

Released: 7-Feb-2018 6:05 AM EST
Queen’s Research Suggests the Sicilian Mafia Arose to Power From Lemon Sales in the 1800s
Queen's University Belfast

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, in collaboration the University of Manchester and the University of Gothenburg (Sweden), have uncovered new evidence to suggest that the Sicilian mafia arose to notoriety in the 1800s in response to the public demand for citrus fruits.

Released: 6-Feb-2018 12:05 PM EST
The Mind of a Medalist:
 Johns Hopkins University

Athletes who make it to the Olympics have the speed or strength or whatever physical skills it takes to lead the world in their sport. But Johns Hopkins University scientists say (in three videos) that those who ultimately bring home gold have also honed the mind of a medalist.

   
Released: 6-Feb-2018 11:05 AM EST
‘Love Demystified’ Author Offers Advice for Would-Be Valentines
California State University, Dominguez Hills

In “Love Demystified” Palmer offers tips and techniques that she says can be applied during any stage of a loving relationship, from finding new love or fixing a current relationship, to falling in love again after a loss.

Released: 6-Feb-2018 10:05 AM EST
Here’s What Happened When Black Politicians Held Power
Ohio State University

New research provides the strongest evidence to date that the race of a political officeholder can have a significant effect on policy – at least historically.

Released: 6-Feb-2018 9:05 AM EST
Want to Help Your Partner Stress Less? Listen From the Heart
Wake Forest University

When we feel supported, we feel less stress. But sometimes we think we are being supportive of a romantic partner and we're not. Who hasn't experienced the self-satisfaction of feeling like we're 'helping' only to find we've only made the situation worse.

Released: 6-Feb-2018 1:05 AM EST
Secure Attachment to God Among Religious Older Adults is Linked to Good Mental Health
Baylor University

Older individuals who are securely attached to God experience increased optimism over time, and those with confidence in God’s forgiveness often experience higher self-esteem and satisfaction, according to a Baylor University study.

Released: 5-Feb-2018 3:30 PM EST
Fish Study IDs Genes That Regulate Social Behaviors
Cornell University

Genes in an area of the brain that is relatively similar in fish, humans and all vertebrates appear to regulate how organisms coordinate and shift their behaviors, according to a new Cornell University study.

   
Released: 5-Feb-2018 2:05 PM EST
#MeToo Movement Only the Beginning
SUNY Buffalo State University

Jennifer Hunt, Buffalo State associate professor of psychology, said the events that have occurred during the recent #MeToo movement are only the beginning in making changes to the way women are treated. Hunt is a social psychologist whose research includes the effects of gender, race, and culture in our daily lives.

Released: 5-Feb-2018 12:05 PM EST
Dissatisfaction in Three Dimensions: Researcher Finds Link Between 3-D Body Scans, Feelings of Dejection
Florida State University

In a paper published in the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Jessica Ridgway, an assistant professor of retail entrepreneurship in the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship, asserts that mood and body satisfaction can take major hits after viewing oneself represented as a 3-D avatar.

Released: 5-Feb-2018 12:05 PM EST
Loved One’s Death Could Spur Aggressive Measures Against Breast Cancer
Ohio State University

A woman’s memories of a loved one’s experience with cancer could play a significant role in how she approaches breast cancer prevention in her own life, a new study has found.

Released: 5-Feb-2018 11:05 AM EST
Opioid Cessation May Be More Successful When Depression Is Treated
Saint Louis University Medical Center

Opioid cessation in non-cancer pain may be more successful when depression is treated to remission, a Saint Louis University study shows

Released: 5-Feb-2018 11:05 AM EST
Dim Light May Make US Dumber
Michigan State University

Spending too much time in dimly lit rooms and offices may actually change the brain's structure and hurt one's ability to remember and learn, indicates groundbreaking research by Michigan State University neuroscientists.

Released: 5-Feb-2018 9:30 AM EST
Premature Babies Make Fewer Friends – but Not for Long
University of Warwick

Premature babies make fewer friends, feel less accepted by peers and spend less time socialising in early childhood – but this improves when they get to school – according to new research by an international research collaboration, including the University of Warwick, UK.

     
Released: 2-Feb-2018 10:30 AM EST
Cellular 'Powerhouses' May Explain Health Effects of Stress – Psychosomatic Medicine Journal Outlines Role of Mitochondria
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

How does psychological stress translate into physical health effects? A key piece of the puzzle may be found in specialized cellular structures known as mitochondria, according to a pair of articles in the January issue of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Released: 2-Feb-2018 10:05 AM EST
Once, Twice, Six Times a Grocery Shopper
Washington University in St. Louis

In the first test of detailed consumer-buying habits by categories at more than one chain store selling groceries, a team of business school researchers led by Washington University in St. Louis found that shoppers weren’t monogamist or bigamist but rather polygamist in their choice of outlets. In fact, it turns out that grocery categories such as dessert toppings, motor oil, candles and refrigerated ethnic foods were some of the leading products that lure customers to separate stores.

   
Released: 1-Feb-2018 4:05 PM EST
Children with Disabilities in West Africa Experience Violence From the Day They Are Born
New York University

Disabled children in West Africa experience significantly greater violence than their non-disabled peers and all experience violence from they day they are born, finds a study published in BMC Public Health by Janet Njelesani, assistant professor of occupational therapy at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Released: 1-Feb-2018 3:05 PM EST
How Did Our Politics Get Us Here? Sociological Research Provides a Good Answer
American Sociological Association (ASA)

At the heart of the matter is a legitimate question that deserves to be considered not only for its importance to Trump’s victory, but also as it relates to many other governments worldwide and throughout history. The pressing question is: How can voters find a candidate “authentically appealing” even though to many that candidate appears to be a “lying demagogue”?

Released: 1-Feb-2018 2:05 PM EST
Culturally-Adapted Intervention May Help Hispanics with Serious Mental Illness
Washington University in St. Louis

The first study to examine the initial impact of a culturally-adapted health care manager intervention aimed at helping Hispanics with serious mental illness finds the intervention shows potential for improving their health outcomes.“ ‘Bridges to Better Health and Wellness’ is a promising intervention that can help to address some of the health care disparities faced by Hispanics with serious mental illness (SMI), a population that is often overlooked in the literature and in the system of care,” said lead author Leopoldo Cabassa, associate professor at the Brown School and an expert in racial and ethnic disparities in health and mental health care.

30-Jan-2018 3:05 PM EST
Zeroing in on Dopamine
Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School scientists have identified the molecular machinery responsible for secretion of the neurotransmitter dopamine, opening door for new strategies to precision target dopamine release.

   
Released: 1-Feb-2018 9:30 AM EST
Belief in Conspiracy Theories Associated with Vaccine Skepticism
American Psychological Association (APA)

People who believe Princess Diana was murdered or that John F. Kennedy’s assassination was an elaborate plot are more likely to think that vaccines are unsafe, despite scientific evidence to the contrary, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

   
Released: 1-Feb-2018 4:05 AM EST
Empathetic Experiences Lead to a Bias in Our Judgment of the Strength of Others’ Emotions
University of Haifa

Empathetic Experiences Lead to a Bias in Our Judgment of the Strength of Others’ Emotions

Released: 31-Jan-2018 10:05 AM EST
Study Finds Strategies to Encourage 50 Percent Tax-Refund Saving
Washington University in St. Louis

The W-2s are arriving, and taxpayers are preparing to file their 2017 federal income taxes. For low- and moderate-income taxpayers, the possibility of a modest windfall looms: Will they receive a refund?For these taxpayers, 80 percent of the time, the answer will be yes. So what happens next is key. Will taxpayers immediately absorb their tax refund into short-term expenses? Or can they be persuaded to save it for more long-term needs or as a rainy-day fund?In a research paper set for publication in the next issue of the journal Behavioral Science & Policy, a team of researchers, including two from Washington University in St.

Released: 31-Jan-2018 10:05 AM EST
Valentine's Day 2018 Shopping Tips
Texas A&M University

Valentine’s spending looks to enjoy a similar boost as seen with the 2017 holiday season, the most since the Great Recession of 2009. Strong indicators include a roaring stock market, low unemployment and high consumer confidence.

Released: 31-Jan-2018 9:05 AM EST
Helping Police, Public Understand How Perception Shapes Race Bias
Iowa State University

Stephen Biggs noticed something missing from the conversations on campus about race and the Black Lives Matter movement. No one was talking about the influence of implicit bias, so the Iowa State University assistant professor of philosophy decided to speak up.

Released: 30-Jan-2018 1:05 PM EST
An Outdoor Cat Can Damage Your Sustainability Cred
Cornell University

If you install solar panels on your roof and avoid dousing your lawn with chemicals and pesticides, your online peers may consider you to be environmentally friendly. But this street cred can all be erased if you let your cat roam around outdoors.

   


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