Psychology news

• What is more rewarding: Soccer goal or prize money?

  15-04-2015 20:05
  
  Soccer fans hold their breath in situations like these: Two players on a team are in front of the opponent's goal with the attacking player having to make an important decision: Is it better to pass the ball to the teammate or to take the shot yourself? What happens in the brain during the course of such situations and upon scoring a goal is very similar to the processes and reward sequence with monetary incentives, researchers have discovered.
  
  Read more

• Brain development suffers from lack of fish oil fatty acids, study finds

  15-04-2015 19:33
  
  While recent reports question whether fish oil supplements support heart health, scientists have found that the fatty acids they contain are vitally important to the developing brain. Neurobiologists report that dietary deficiencies in the type of fatty acids found in fish and other foods can limit brain growth during fetal development and early in life. The findings suggest that women maintain a balanced diet rich in these fatty acids for themselves during pregnancy and for their babies after b
  
  Read more

• How oxytocin makes a mom: Hormone teaches maternal brain to respond to offspring's needs

  15-04-2015 19:31
  
  Neuroscientists have discovered how the powerful brain hormone oxytocin acts on individual brain cells to prompt specific social behaviors -- findings that could lead to a better understanding of how oxytocin and other hormones could be used to treat behavioral problems resulting from disease or trauma to the brain.
  
  Read more

• Depression, diabetes associated with increased dementia risk

  15-04-2015 18:58
  Depression and type 2 diabetes mellitus were each associated with an increased risk for dementia and that risk was even greater among individuals diagnosed with both depression and diabetes compared with people who had neither condition, according to a new article.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Neural network necessary for 'normal face' recognition

  15-04-2015 16:33
  
  The neural network necessary for normal face recognition has been not fully understood until now. Now a group of researchers has revealed that suppression of the brain area responsible for object recognition by that for face recognition is necessary for 'normal face' recognition.
  
  Read more

• Toddlers’ Sleep Problems Tied to Behavior Issues Later

  15-04-2015 16:05 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - HealthIn a long-term study, toddlers who slept less than 10 hours a night or woke frequently at night tended to have more emotional and behavioral problems at age five.
  
  Read more

• Personalized Computer Feedback Can Mitigate Problem Gambling Behaviors

  15-04-2015 16:05 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyMore than 1.6 million college-aged adults meet the criteria for problem gambling. This can lead to difficulties at work, school or home, and with relationships, personal finances, and mental and physical health. Counseling for problem gamblers can be expensive and time consuming; a new study has found that college-aged adults who were diagnosed as problem gamblers significantly changed their behaviors after receiving personalized feedback from...
  
  Read more

• How to Protect Your Aging Brain

  15-04-2015 16:05 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Google News - HealthHumans are now living longer than ever, and for this reason most of us want to know how to stay mentally sharp as we age. Certain genetic factors influence whether mental function diminishes as a person grows old. Thankfully, however, some of this is within
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Academics Rate Women Job Applicants Higher Than Men, Study Finds

  15-04-2015 16:05 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - ScienceWhen hundreds of U.S. college faculty members rated junior scientists based on scholarly record, job interview performance and other information with an eye toward which should be hired, they preferred women over identically qualified men two-to-one, scientists reported on Monday.
  
  Read more

• A Grateful Heart Is a Healthier Heart

  15-04-2015 16:05 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyRecognizing and giving thanks for the positive aspects of life can result in improved mental, and ultimately physical, health in patients with asymptomatic heart failure,
  
  Read more

• Demand driven deep brain stimulation to treat Parkinson's disease

  15-04-2015 15:09
  Possible subtypes of Parkinson's disease have been identified by researchers. By applying this finding, researchers have used artificial intelligence techniques for tremor detection in patients of the discovered groups. The goal is to achieve a demand driver deep brain stimulation that intelligently alleviates the symptoms of the disease. All this would enhance the life quality of patients.
  
  Read more

• How molecule protects brain cells in Parkinson's disease model

  15-04-2015 15:08
  Researchers have found how a widely known but little-studied enzyme protects brain cells in models of Parkinson’s disease. These findings could provide valuable insight into the development of drug candidates that could protect brain cells in Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
  
  Read more

• Brain reacts to psychotherapy

  15-04-2015 15:08
  A recent study investigates the changes that take place in brain functioning: “The human brain responds to depression. Patients typically show hyperactivity particularly in the amygdala, the striatum and other limbic regions”, a researcher explains. “Using psychodynamic therapy, we wanted to determine whether psychotherapy has an effect on these brain activities.”
  
  Read more

• Less focused on recurrent bad feelings through probiotics

  15-04-2015 11:00
  People focus less on bad feelings and experiences from the past (i.e. rumination) after four weeks of probiotics administration.
  
  Read more

• Research enables differentiated profiles in drug-addicted patients to be established

  15-04-2015 10:00
  The Journal of Addictive Diseases has published a study conducted by researchers in the Department of Psychology and Pedagogy of the NUP/UPVA-Public University of Navarre on the behaviour and...
  
  Read more

• Mental rehearsal helps ER clinicians best prepare for trauma patients

  15-04-2015 10:00
  Picture this: you're a long-distance runner preparing for a 100-kilometer race. How do you get ready?For starters, you map out the course in your mind: what will it look like?
  
  Read more

• The science of procrastination explains why we delay

  15-04-2015 05:46 via abcnews.go.com
  
  Psychologists say those who procrastinate do it because they've learned the behavior over time as a coping mechanism.
  
  Read more

• New potential cause for Alzheimer's: Arginine deprivation caused by overconsumption by immune cells

  15-04-2015 03:23
  
  A new study suggests that in Alzheimer's disease, certain immune cells in the brain abnormally consume an important nutrient: arginine. Blocking this process with a small-molecule drug prevented the characteristic brain plaques and memory loss in a mouse model of the disease. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the research not only points to a new potential cause of Alzheimer's but also may eventually lead to a new treatment strategy.
  
  Read more

• Alcohol may elevate the expression of two enzymes called CYP2E1, CYP2U1

  15-04-2015 03:23
  The prefrontal cortex and amygdala are brain regions that not only referee cognitive functions and emotional states, but also contribute to the reinforcing effects of alcohol and tobacco. Little is known about the effects of alcohol and tobacco on cytochrome P450s in the human AMG. A new study focusing on two CYP2 enzymes that metabolize drugs and endogenous compounds has found that chronic drinking is associated with higher CYP2E1 and CYP2U1 protein expression in both brain regions, particularl
  
  Read more

• Experimental drug may repair nerve damage in multiple sclerosis

  15-04-2015 03:19
  A new study suggests that an investigational drug for multiple sclerosis (MS) may repair myelin, the fatty material that protects nerves and is damaged in MS, according to a new study.
  
  Read more

• Nicotine use increases compulsive alcohol consumption, study finds

  15-04-2015 03:19
  In rat models, nicotine exposure actually promotes alcohol dependence, researchers report. "It's a vicious cycle," said a biologist and a senior author of the new study. "Nicotine makes individuals crave alcohol to 'reward' the brain and reduce stress."
  
  Read more

• Why Gay Conversion Therapy Is Harmful

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - ScienceThe Obama administration recently declared its support of a ban on minors receiving a controversial form of psychotherapy known as gay conversion therapy (also called LGBTQ conversion therapy). "The overwhelming scientific evidence demonstrates that conversion therapy, especially when it is practiced on young people, is neither medically nor ethically appropriate and can cause substantial harm," Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President...
  
  Read more

• Subtle Discrimination Is Easier to Admit When Self-Esteem Is High

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyIdentifying discrimination is a necessary first step toward confronting and ultimately eliminating the stain of prejudice, yet victims may be unlikely to recognize some types of discrimination unless they have higher self-esteem, according to the results of a new study.
  
  Read more

• Recognizing the Signs of Child Abuse and How to Help Prevent It

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyEvery 10 seconds a report is made concerning a child being abused. Child abuse can lead to life-long physical, emotional and psychological conditions. Each year in the U.S., more than 1,600 children die from abuse or neglect. April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month and experts are working to help bring awareness to this preventable childhood danger.
  
  Read more

• How Chinese Feminists Landed in Jail

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: CNN - WorldFive young Chinese feminists, whose detention has provoked an international outcry, may face up to five years in prison over their campaign for gender equality.
  
  Read more

• Cooling After Cardiac Arrest May Help Preserve Brain Function

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: U.S. News and World ReportStudy finds reducing body temperature slightly tied to good mental outcomes.
  
  Read more

• Cold, Callous and Untreatable? Not All Psychopaths Fit the Stereotype

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyA new study shows that a subset of pre-psychopathic youth, who appear callous and unemotional to others, are actually masking an unmanageable surplus of feeling and can be treated using approaches like cognitive or dialectical behavioral therapy.
  
  Read more

• Children Take More Risks Crossing Streets Than Parents Think

  15-04-2015 02:55 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - HealthChildren may cut things closer than their parents realize when it comes to guessing how far cars are from an intersection or how long it takes to safely reach the other side, a small study suggests.
  
  Read more

Follow @PsychologyUKnws on Twitter!