A Facebook profile is an ideal version of self, full of photos and posts curated for the eyes of family, friends and acquaintances. A new study shows that this version of self can provide beneficial psychological effects and influence behavior.
On June 3, 2013, a new article studying amygdala activity in human beings will be published as part of JoVE Behavior, a new section of the video journal that focuses on the behavioral sciences. The technique, developed by Dr. Fred Helmstetter and his research group at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, studies how the brain responds to anticipated painful stimuli, in this case an electric shock, in volunteer test subjects.
People lie about their health related behaviors. It’s a problem that has long bedeviled health research on issues ranging from diet to exercise to smoking. And it’s not just that we have faulty memories. Many of us stretch the truth to make ourselves seem more virtuous in the eyes of the person in the white coat. That makes drawing conclusions about behaviors that affect health from self-reported records tricky.
Q&A with Dr. Andrea Farkas Patenaude.
Until now, little was scientifically known about the human potential to cultivate compassion — the emotional state of caring for people who are suffering in a way that motivates altruistic behavior. A new study by researchers at the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center of the University of Wisconsin–Madison shows that adults can be trained to be more compassionate.
Older people with a history of migraines and depression may have smaller brain tissue volumes than people with only one or neither of the conditions, according to a new study in the May 22, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke in early childhood are more likely to grow up to physically aggressive and antisocial, regardless of whether they were exposed during pregnancy or their parents have a history of being antisocial.
You're standing near an airport luggage carousel and your bag emerges on the conveyor belt, prompting you to spring into action. How does your brain make the shift from passively waiting to taking action when your bag appears?
The Nalanda Institute announced that enrollment is now open for their inaugural Certificate Program in Contemplative Psychotherapy to begin in Fall 2013. The program offers therapists, health workers, coaches, educators and other professionals in the healing arts an opportunity to immerse themselves in the inspiring new field of contemplative neuropsychology.
Praying for a romantic partner or close friend can lead to more cooperative and forgiving behavior toward the partner, according to a new study co-authored by a Florida State University researcher.
Members of The National Communication Association who study interpersonal communication can provide insight into how couples express, and work through feelings of jealousy.
Rescue behavior has been observed in primates, dolphins, and rats. Is this behavior, as some scientists suggest, evidence that animals feel empathy towards their kin? Enter the ants. Mount Holyoke’s Karen Hollis and her team observed ants undertake extreme risks to rescue nestmates. Are ants acting out of empathy or does rescue behavior emerge from simple biological mechanisms?
Teenagers who are highly exposed to violent video games—three or more hours per day—show blunted physical and psychological responses to playing a violent game, reports a study in the May issue of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
Wide-eyed expressions that typically signal fear seem to enlarge our visual field making it easier to spot threats at the same time they enhance the ability of others to locate the source of danger, according to new research from the University of Toronto.
The day of the Boston Marathon was the saddest day in nearly 5 years of observations by a team of scientists from the University of Vermont and The MITRE Corporation. For the first time, results from their "hedonometer" are being made available to the public for free at a new website.
Voters who remain optimistic about their candidate or cause up to Election Day -- despite negative news about the chances of victor -- are more motivated to vote but also more disappointed if things don’t turn out their way.
Over the years, evidence-based therapies, like prolonged exposure therapy, have been shown to successfully ameliorate PTSD severity in patients. The trouble is, the majority of these patients haven’t been getting them, researchers report in Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
Maternal love can counteract aggressive behaviors by children.
The study was presented last week at a conference on “Memorial Days and Other Days,” sponsored by the University of Haifa’s International Center for the Study of Loss, Bereavement and Human Resilience .
An Iowa State psychology professor looks at optimism and knowledge influence voter expectations in the weeks leading up to an election.
Loyola psychologist gives specific practical tips on how to navigate a gym when you are intimidated or self-conscious. How to hold your own with various personalities including the overattentive trainer, gym busybody and more are explored in detail.
Effective leaders’ brains may be physically “wired” to lead, offering the promise of more precise identification and training, according to studies of U.S. Army officers published by the American Psychological Association.
Fear of public speaking tops death and spiders as the nation’s number one phobia. But new research shows that learning to rethink the way we view our shaky hands, pounding heart, and sweaty palms can help people perform better both mentally and physically.
A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Maria Kozhevnikov from the Department of Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences showed, for the first time, that it is possible for core body temperature to be controlled by the brain. The scientists found that core body temperature increases can be achieved using certain meditation techniques (g-tummo) which could help in boosting immunity to fight infectious diseases or immunodeficiency.
Residents of states with the highest rates of gun ownership and political conservatism are at greater risk of suicide than those in states with less gun ownership and less politically conservative leanings, according to a UC Riverside study.
Why is it so hard for some people to resist the least little temptation, while others seem to possess incredible patience, passing up immediate gratification for a greater long-term good? The answer, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis, is that patient people focus on future rewards in a way that makes the waiting process seem much more pleasurable.
Move over dancing bears, Ronan the sea lion really does know how to boogie to the beat.
A new study indicates that a simple saliva test could be an effective tool in predicting violent behavior.
New evidence from Iowa State researchers demonstrates a link between video games and youth violence and delinquency. The research shows a strong connection even when controlling for a history of violence and psychopathic traits among juvenile offenders.
A new study co-authored by Boston University Assistant Professor of Psychology Peter Blake finds that young children endorse fairness norms related to sharing, but often act in contradiction to those norms when given a chance to share.
With a dizzying number of ties in our social networks – that your Aunt Alice is a neighbor of Muhammad who is married to Natasha who is your wife’s boss – it’s a wonder we remember any of it. How do we keep track of the complexity? We cheat, says a Cornell University sociologist in Scientific Reports (March 21), a publication of Nature.
First study to confirm influence of media portrayals of mass shootings involving a shooter with mental illness on attitudes towards persons with mental illness.
Facebook profiles reassure our self-worth because they offer a place where we can display the personal characteristics and relationships we value most, says a Cornell University communication expert in the March 2013 edition of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
New research from an international team of scientists suggests evolution, or basic survival techniques adapted by early humans, influences the decisions gamblers make when placing bets. The findings may help to explain why some treatment options for problem gamblers often don’t work, the researchers say.
New research from the University of Adelaide has studied the behaviour of young people lured into internet gambling through so-called 'free-play' or 'practice' modes.
The contrasting nature of facial features is one of the signals that people unconsciously use to decipher how old someone looks, says Psychology Prof. Richard Russell, who has been collaborating with researchers from CE.R.I.E.S. (Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center), a department of Chanel Research and Technology dedicated to skin related issues and facial appearance.
Children who avoid situations they find scary are likely to have anxiety a Mayo Clinic study of more than 800 children ages 7 to 18 found.
Families with a child completing elementary school this year are now preparing their registration for high school, a transition that is often stressful for children. A new program has demonstrated that it is possible to significantly reduce stress in some of these children thanks to a new educational tool designed.
When people are denied the chance to cheat or steal, they get frustrated -- and turn to violent video games for release.
If you think giving someone the cold shoulder inflicts pain only on them, beware. A new study shows that individuals who deliberately shun another person are equally distressed by the experience.
As part of Sleep Awareness Week (march 3-10), Kennedy Krieger expert advises parents on when to seek help and tips for a good night’s sleep.
Praising children, especially those with low self-esteem, for their personal qualities rather than their efforts may make them feel more ashamed when they fail, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Older people who have low expectations for a satisfying future may be more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who see brighter days ahead, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
Because confronting fear won’t always make it go away, researchers suggest that people with phobias must alter memory-driven negative attitudes about feared objects or events to achieve a more lasting recovery from what scares them the most.
People become more politically liberal immediately after practising a spiritual exercise such as meditation, researchers at the University of Toronto have found.
Feeling good about spending money on someone else rather than for personal benefit may be a universal response among people in both impoverished countries and rich nations, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
A new psychology study from The University of Texas at Austin suggests the glue that cements the unique relationship between gay men and straight women is honest, unbiased relationship advice.
Most parents carefully select what television programs and movies their children can watch. But Douglas Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, says educational shows could come with an added lesson that influences a child’s behavior.
Narcissism has long been associated with envy in the field of psychology, but an Iowa State study provides new evidence about that connection.
Even very young children understand that adults don’t always know best. When it comes to helping, 3-year-olds may ignore an adult’s specific request for an unhelpful item and go out of their way to bring something more useful, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
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