Psychology news

• Moments of acute stress can cause molecular alterations in immune response

  01-03-2016 23:40
  Chronic psychosocial and emotional stress has well-documented negative effects upon the human immune system but less is known about the health effects of acute but transitory episodes of stress. Do panic-inducing moments also raise the risk of stress-related conditions? A team of researchers has addressed that question by taking blood samples from skydivers to measure key immune response indicators.
  
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• Long-term stress erodes memory

  01-03-2016 23:39
  Sustained stress -- such as that experienced in bad marriages or when working for a beastly boss -- erodes memory, and the immune system plays a key role, according to a new study.
  
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• Twin study: Genetics, environment affect different regions of the brain

  01-03-2016 19:13
  Evidence has been found that genetic influence on cerebral glucose metabolism played a major role in the bilateral parietal lobes and the left temporal lobe of the human brain, while environmental influences after birth dominated in other regions.
  
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• Penguin brains not changed by loss of flight

  01-03-2016 19:13
  Losing the ability to fly gave ancient penguins their unique locomotion style. But leaving the sky behind didn't cause major changes in their brain structure, researchers suggest after examining the skull of the oldest known penguin fossil.
  
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• Neutrophils 'vacuum' microbes away from brain

  01-03-2016 19:09
  Researchers have discovered a new way that white blood cells (neutrophils) defend our brains from infection -- they move the microbes from our brains' blood vessels or vasculature so they can be disposed elsewhere instead of just killing them at the site of infection.
  
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• How does gender affect one's willingness to compete?

  01-03-2016 18:45 via npr.org
  
  Social science research suggests highly competitive settings are likely to dissuade qualified women from tossing their hats in the ring.
  
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• Study finds sleep deprivation can give you the ‘marijuana munchies’

  01-03-2016 18:44 via washingtonpost.com
  
  Lack of sleep can trigger powerful changes in how you eat, creating cravings for sweet, salty, high-fat foods.
  
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• Imaging shows impact of PTSD in earthquake survivors

  01-03-2016 18:00
  
  MRI shows surprising differences in brain structure among adult earthquake survivors with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new study appearing online in the journal...
  
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• How to predict the US presidential election winner - it's all in the face

  01-03-2016 18:00
  
  Could the facial appearance of candidates impact the US presidential election?
  
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• Cannabis use affects processing of emotions

  01-03-2016 18:00
  
  Using marijuana appears to affect the processing of emotions. Findings suggest that users respond more strongly to negative emotions, but their ability to empathize is reduced.
  
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• New formula can predict professional football players' long-term concussion damages

  01-03-2016 17:45
  Amid the heightened awareness of concussion-related brain damage among professional football players, a new study reports that researchers can predict cognitive outcomes long after the players have retired.
  
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• Brain connectivity disruptions may explain cognitive deficits in people with brain injury

  01-03-2016 16:31
  Cognitive impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common, often adversely affecting quality of life for those 1.7 million Americans who experience a TBI each year. Researchers have identified complex brain connectivity patterns in individuals with chronic phases of traumatic brain injury which may explain long term higher order cognitive function deficits.
  
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• The myth of the know-it-all scientist | Dean Burnett

  01-03-2016 13:00
  
  A surreal aspect of being a scientist is the weird questions you get asked by those outside the field. There are many reasons why this can happen, some of which are the fault of scientists themselvesI’m currently in the middle of a publicity campaign for my first book, The Idiot Brain. And yes, that previous sentence is part of it. It’s about all the things the human brain does weirdly, illogically and just plain wrong. As a result, I’ve ended up talking to a lot of people abou
  
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• Mental health problems aren’t all in the brain | Clare Allan

  01-03-2016 12:00
  
  Divorcing mental ill health from its social and political context, as the BBC’s recent In the Mind Series did, implies wider issues of inequality or poverty don’t matterAn open letter to the BBC written by a group of psychologists and other mental health professionals has attracted more than 1,000 signatures. The letter outlines concerns regarding the recent In the Mind season of programmes exploring mental health issues and, in particular, the almost total lack of any social perspec
  
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• Developmental psychology: friendship wins out over fairness

  01-03-2016 12:00
  
  When children decide to share, the giver's relationships with the pool of recipients determine who gets how much.
  
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• Increased risk of obesity for Filipino immigrants in New York as they reside longer in the US

  01-03-2016 11:00
  
  A study led by SUNY Downstate Medical Center has found increased risk of obesity among Filipino immigrants living in the New York City metropolitan area.
  
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• What should we do about paedophiles? | Sophie Elmhirst

  01-03-2016 07:00
  
  They have committed unspeakable crimes that demand harsh punishment. But most will eventually be set free. Are we prepared to support efforts to rehabilitate them?A photograph of Aaron Collis regularly appeared in the press while he was on trial. It showed a young man in a crowd of friends, whose faces have been pixelated to preserve their anonymity, and it appears to capture a moment of celebration. The group are bunched together, arms in the air, all wearing the same white shirts and roughly k
  
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• Why are student test scores down?

  01-03-2016 06:00
  While some education experts are concerned that the scores demonstrate the failure of education policies, others are more alarmed by the persistent gap between white and minority students.
  
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• Totally irrational

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Psychologist and behavioral economist Dan Ariely explores the forces that shape our most perplexing decisions.
  
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• The risks of earlier puberty

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Children who hit puberty before their peers are more likely to have mental health problems, research finds.
  Enhancing their coping skills may help.
  
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• Thanks to APA advocacy

  01-03-2016 06:00
  A wrap-up of the association’s key public policy successes.
  
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• Positive feedback

  01-03-2016 06:00
  From old-school heart monitors to realtime fMRI, biofeedback offers a range of tools of interest to psychologists.
  
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• Not taking ‘Yes’ for an answer?

  01-03-2016 06:00
  raises interesting legal questions about the relief sought by plaintiffs.
  
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• New opportunities for psychologists’ leadership

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Psychology educational programs should provide leadership training.
  
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• Is homework a necessary evil?

  01-03-2016 06:00
  After decades of debate, researchers are still sorting out the truth about homework’s pros and cons. One point they can agree on: Quality assignments matter.
  
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• Helping civilian psychologists treat military patients

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Work by APA and others is shining the spotlight on the needs of service members and their families.
  
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• Good news for internship seekers

  01-03-2016 06:00
  APA accredited 17 internship programs last fall, 11 of which received APA stimulus funds to get there.
  
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• Gift to support the field of statistics

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Roger E. Kirk has established an APF fund that will support a $50,000 award for the Quantitative or Qualitative Author of the Year.
  
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• Facebook as a research tool

  01-03-2016 06:00
  A look at how to recruit participants using Facebook — and the ethical concerns that come with social media research.
  
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• Drilling down on dental fears

  01-03-2016 06:00
  A growing number of psychologists are helping patients overcome dental-related anxiety and other oral health concerns.
  
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• Deception detection

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Researchers have developed new strategies to help police and other investigators catch liars in the act.
  
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• Datapoint: Where are the highest concentrations of licensed psychologists?

  01-03-2016 06:00
  News from APA's Center for Workforce Studies.
  
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• Albert Bandura receives National Medal of Science

  01-03-2016 06:00
  The psychologist’s research on social learning and self-efficacy has had enormous influence in psychology and beyond.
  
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• A rehabilitation psychologist

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Angela Kuemmel helps veterans with spinal cord injuries lead full lives.
  
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• 5 ways to avoid malpractice

  01-03-2016 06:00
  Experts share the most common pitfalls that make practitioners vulnerable to malpractice claims and licensing board complaints — and how to avoid them.
  
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• Study points to cannabis' effect on emotion processing

  01-03-2016 00:27
  According to researchers, cannabis significantly affects users' ability to recognize, process and empathize with human emotions like happiness, sadness and anger.
  
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