Feature Channels: Behavioral Science

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Researchers have found a surprising way to help boost the skills of children with language impairment: Pay their parents to read to them.

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How we see emotions on another person’s face depends on our pre-conceived views of how we understand these emotions. The study makes new insights into how we recognize facial expressions of emotion, which is critical for successful interactions in business, diplomacy, and everyday social exchange.

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Aberrant clearance activity of microglia in particular brain regions leads to changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases

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While many people consider drinking to be a pleasurable activity at home or in social venues with friends, it can result in harm to the user and to others who are affected by the user’s drinking. These harms can include inter-personal violence, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), emotional neglect, and social embarrassment, which can adversely affect close relationships, such as with family, and extended relationships, such as with friends, co-workers, and more distant relatives. This study analyzed the impact of having close- and extended-proximity relationships with a harmful drinker among men and women in 10 countries.

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During full moons, the number of vehicle accidents with deer rises dramatically.

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College graduates are more likely to take less-skilled jobs in recent years than ever before, and a new study from the University of North Carolina says the expansion of higher education has made each bachelor’s degree seem less exceptional to employers.

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Mental health has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons: unexpected celebrity suicides, an increase in depression diagnoses, the CDC’s report that the suicide rate has increased by 30 percent since 1999, etc. Penn Medicine’s Collaborative Care Behavioral Health initiative aims to catch untreated mental health issues through a preexisting relationship: the primary care physician.

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Mars Petcare and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt announced a collaboration to create the Mars Petcare Pet Therapy Fund to support a dedicated facility dog and staff position at Children’s Hospital with a goal of showing how pet visits improve the health of patients — thus getting them home faster.

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An overabundance of “stuff” can have a detrimental effect on a person’s mental health and disrupt their sense of home, says procrastination researcher Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University.

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New research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business finds that when it comes to predicting who is most likely to act in a trustworthy manner, one of the most important factors is the anticipation of guilt.

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App, brief intervention may be lifesaver for suicidal teens

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It's a widespread complaint of women: men don't know how to listen without rushing in to give advice and offer a solution. "I'm not looking for advice," many women say, "I just want to be heard, to get something off my chest."

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The Keck School of Medicine of USC is leading a $26.5 million effort to conduct the first large-scale, multi-institutional study on African-American men with prostate cancer.

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University of Delaware management professor Kyle Emich, whose research explores the effects of emotions on teams and performance, discusses the influence emojis can have on productivity and innovation in the workplace.

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Mental health and substance abuse issues in adolescents have become major societal problems, forcing parents and health providers to look for innovative treatment options that may better suit some teens. However, some proven therapy programs, like Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH), can be challenging to access because many are not covered by insurance companies – creating an enormous cost burden for parents. Now, a landmark study by researchers at the University of New Hampshire has found that parents of youth who went through an outdoor behavioral program report that their children showed almost three times the improvement after one year than youth who remained in their communities for more traditional treatment.

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White mass shooters receive much more sympathetic treatment in the media than black shooters, according to a new study that analyzed coverage of 219 attacks.Findings showed that white shooters were 95 percent more likely to be described as “mentally ill” than black shooters.

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A new study found that 66 percent of Republicans, 74 percent of Independents, and 90 percent of Democrats believe in human-caused climate change and the utility of reducing greenhouse gases. But when mulling proposals, they choose party above policy.

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Within seconds, we make personal choices daily, such as what clothes to wear or what music to play in the car on the way to work. A cognitive neuroscientist at Missouri University of Science and Technology says gut-level decisions are important, and that intuition tends to be accurate for revealing our true preferences.

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Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) refers to deliberate, socially unacceptable destruction of one’s own body tissue performed without the intention to die

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A toddler’s self-regulation – the ability to change behavior in different social situations – may predict whether he or she will be obese come kindergarten, but the connection appears to be much different for girls than for boys.

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Cornell University researchers have developed a prototype of a robot that can express “emotions” through changes in its outer surface. The robot’s skin covers a grid of texture units whose shapes change based on the robot’s feelings.

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A new study reveals evidence that women’s emotional state does not have a strong connection with the success of infertility treatment.

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New research suggests how distancing yourself from a decision may help you make the choice that produces the most benefit for you and others affected.

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The political climate has Americans fuming and they report feeling less hopeful and proud heading into the midterm elections. A new national poll found emotions driving increased involvement and engagement as November approaches, especially among women and Millennials.

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Athletes who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at greater risk for experiencing persistent anxiety and depression after a concussion than people who do not have ADHD, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s Sports Concussion Conference in Indianapolis, July 20 to 22, 2018. ADHD is a brain disorder that affects attention and behavior.

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Dr. Francis Lee, a leading physician-scientist whose research focuses on anxiety disorders, has been named chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and psychiatrist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, effective July 1.

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Involvement in veterans service organizations an lower post traumatic stress and can lower the stigma of accessing medical care, according to new research from an American University professor.

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Enjoying full-fat milk, yogurt, cheese and butter is unlikely to send people to an early grave, according to new research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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Violence that occurs between intimate partners does not end with the relationship’s conclusion, yet few resources exist to help survivors move beyond the betrayal of abusive relationships in order to begin new, healthy relationships. The effects of intimate partner violence (IPV) are profound, painfully enduring and should command as much attention as providing victims with the help necessary to leave violent relationships, according to a new study by a University at Buffalo social work researcher.

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College students entering adulthood often drink too much. Negative consequences can include missed classes, poor grades, a wide array of injuries, and even assault. Many academic institutions have addressed this problem by offering computer-delivered interventions (CDIs) for rapid and wide dissemination to students. Although effective in the short term, CDIs are not as helpful longer-term as face-to-face interventions. However, face-to-face interventions are typically only used with students who receive alcohol sanctions, whereas CDIs can be used with large groups (such as student athletes, or all incoming students) and are more cost-effective. This study examined the usefulness of “boosters” – personalized emails sent to post-CDI participants– for maintaining decreased drinking.

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A new study helps illuminate the ways in which a composer might intentionally impart sadness into the lines of an orchestral piece. Here’s a clue: It doesn’t take much. The solo player proves to be an important element of the kind of songs that tighten our throats and leave us searching for a tissue mid-performance, found a study led by Niels Chr. Hansen of The Ohio State University.

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A relatively simple, noninvasive biological test conducted shortly after birth could help researchers identify which children are most vulnerable to the effects of maternal postpartum depression.

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The National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) has joined forces with the National Network of Depression Centers India (NNDC– I) to help people who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder and other mood disorders in India.

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While it’s estimated that more than a third of women have had nonconsensual sexual experiences in their lifetime, the way they define those experiences may influence their sexual wellbeing, according to psychology researchers at The University of Texas at Austin.

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Researchers from the University of Utah have discovered why certain people experience dizziness when they hear a particular sound, such as a musical tone. For patients with semicircular canal dehiscence, certain acoustic tones cause the inner ear fluid to pump which sends an incorrect signal to the brain and creates dizziness.

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An important part of communication is non-verbal. Most people who engage in social interactions recognize a range of emotional states reflected in other people’s facial expressions, body postures, and/or tone of voice. Alcoholism has been linked to difficulties in perceiving and processing emotions expressed in these non-verbal cues. This study examined whether these difficulties persist after long-term abstinence from alcohol.

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The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Wellcoaches Corporation (Wellcoaches) will expand their partnership to deliver two cobranded programs to those working in the fitness and wellness professions.

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Researchers used brain imaging to gauge how the hand, foot and lips are represented in the brains of 2-month-olds – a much younger age than has been studied previously. It is believed to be the first to reveal the greater neurological activity associated with the lips than with other body parts represented in the infant brain. It also indicates how soon infants’ brains begin to make sense of their bodies, a first step toward other developmental milestones.

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People who text while driving are six times more likely to be involved in a car crash. To combat this problem, more and more states are adopting driving laws that require people to use hands-free devices in the car. Yet a new study shows that many drivers are still willing to take the risk, as ‘fear of missing out’ and separation anxiety keep them from abiding by the law. The study, published in Risk Analysis: An International Journal, reveals that many drivers don’t perceive texting and driving to be dangerous in certain driving scenarios.

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WASHINGTON – The American Psychological Foundation has appointed Ashawnda Fleming, PhD, chief executive officer, responsible for the $18+ million grantmaking organization that supports graduate students and early career psychologists working to find innovative solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems.

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A new study finds that severe childhood trauma and stresses early in parents' lives are linked to higher rates of behavioral health problems in their own children.

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Young adults who had parents incarcerated during childhood do not receive timely healthcare and have more unhealthy behaviors, Lurie Children’s researchers find

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Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have found that consuming a broth rich in umami—or savory taste—can cause subtle changes in the brain that promote healthy eating behaviors and food choices, especially in women at risk of obesity.

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Symptoms of depression and anxiety are present in about one-third of patients with heart failure – and these patients are at higher risk of progressive heart disease and other adverse outcomes, according to a review and update in the July/August issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

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Especially at longer follow-up times, overweight and obesity are associated with chronic disease risks for survivors of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), reports a study in the July/August issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR). The official journal of the Brain Injury Association of America, JHTR is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

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There is a difference between general aggressive behavior and bullying. They are not the same thing, according to the findings of a new paper by a University at Buffalo psychologist who is among the country’s leading authorities on aggression, bullying and peer victimization. “It’s important for us to realize this distinction, in part because every aggressive behavior we see is not bullying,” says Jamie Ostrov, lead author of the forthcoming paper to be published in a special issue of the Journal of Child and Family Studies.

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Robert Smith, assistant professor of marketing in the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University, talks about the concepts of satiation and entitativity, and how we learn about ourselves through targeted advertising.

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The ability to recognize emotion in others’ facial expressions is an important social skill for interpersonal relationships, work interactions, and family life. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are linked to a number of deficits in reasoning and emotional functions, including difficulty in identifying emotional facial expressions. This study examined the emotion-recognition abilities of individuals with an AUD and whether the expected deficits were associated with drinking or anxious and depressive symptoms.