Quick links from the past week in mind and brain news: There’s a fantastic discussion and video interview on America’s first prison for drug addicts, “the world's most famous - and infamous - center for the treatment and study of drug addiction”, over at Neuroanthropology. The Guardian has a piece by psychologist Susan Blackmore on [...]
7 Vote(s)
September 18, 2010
2010-09-17 Spike activity
Comments Off
August 19, 2010
For teens, early sex and media exposure not linked, analysis finds
In a reanalysis of a widely publicized 2006 study that suggested the amount of sexualized media a teen is exposed to affects their age at onset of sexual activity, a psychologist finds no link between the two.
8 Vote(s)
8 Vote(s)
Comments Off
August 18, 2010
Falling out of love with e-dating
Marie Claire has a fascinating short interview with psychologist Mark Thompson who was apparently hired by a big name internet dating website to work on ‘scientific matchmaking’ – but recently jumped ship when he became disillusioned with the industry. Buyer beware: the guy has just written his own book on sex and relationships, although his [...]
12 Vote(s)
12 Vote(s)
Comments Off
August 14, 2010
The Importance Of Culture In Suicidal Behavior Patterns And Prevention
Women and girls in the United States consider and engage in suicidal behavior more often than men and boys, but die of suicide at lower rate - a gender paradox enabled by U.S. cultural norms of gender and suicidal behavior, according to a psychologist who spoke at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association...
11 Vote(s)
11 Vote(s)
Comments Off
August 13, 2010
All pain is not the same: Psychologist discusses gender differences in chronic pain
Women experience chronic pain longer, more intensely and more often than men, according to a psychologist who works with both men and women dealing with diseases and conditions that leave them suffering.
11 Vote(s)
11 Vote(s)
Comments Off
Culture matters in suicidal behavior patterns and prevention, psychologist says
Women and girls in the United States consider and engage in suicidal behavior more often than men and boys, but die of suicide at a lower rate -- a gender paradox enabled by US cultural norms of gender and suicidal behavior, according to a psychologist.
15 Vote(s)
15 Vote(s)
Comments Off
July 2, 2010
That’s what they want you to believe
The Psychologist has a fascinating article on the psychology of conspiracy theories, looking at what characteristics are associated with believing in sinister far-reaching explanations and what role these beliefs play in society.I was particularly interested in one part where they note that we are influenced by such ideas even when we're not aware of it:Other relevant work has examined the psycho
6 Vote(s)
6 Vote(s)
Comments Off
June 30, 2010
The tools of language and the craft of understanding
Stanford Magazine has a fascinating article on how speakers of different languages think differently about the world.The piece focuses on the work of psychologist Lera Boroditsky and covers many of her completely intriguing studies about how the conceptual tools embedded within languages shape how we think."In English," she says, moving her hand toward the cup, "if I knock this cup off the table,
8 Vote(s)
8 Vote(s)
Comments Off
June 12, 2010
Contrary to popular models, sugar is not burned by self-control tasks
Contradicting a popular model of self-control, a psychologist says the data from a 2007 study argues against the idea that glucose is the resource used to manage self control and that humans rely on this energy source for will power.
12 Vote(s)
12 Vote(s)
Comments Off
May 25, 2010
A belief in flexible intelligence
The Chronicle of Higher Education has an excellent piece about psychologist Carol Dweck's work which has highlighted how what you believe about intelligence has an effect on how you perform.Dwecks's work has garnered a great deal of attention and her main findings have suggested that children praised for their 'hard work' do significantly better when challenged with difficult problem that those w
5 Vote(s)
5 Vote(s)
Comments Off