Psychology News and Research

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Psychology is the study of human mental functions, behavior and processes.

Gambling increases level of brain chemical

Researchers, using a new combination of techniques, have discovered that dopamine levels in our brains vary the most in situations where we are unsure if we are going to be rewarded, such as when we are gambling or playing the lottery.

7 May 2004

Head-cooling device prevents brain damage in oxygen-deprived newborn babies

Liggins Institute Director and trial Director Professor Peter Gluckman said the CoolCap trial results were the culmination of over 20 years work and provided the first evidence in humans that brain damage at birth could be treated. The findings offered hope for a new approach to a major set of clinical conditions, he said.

6 May 2004

New devices will help thousands of stroke victims recover mobility

Researchers from The University of Bath and the Chippenham Stroke Unit are playing a major role in a three-year programme to develop a special device which can be fitted inside caps or gloves.

6 May 2004

Computer games help raise self-esteem

Can computer games help raise self-esteem? Absolutely. In a world-first study, researchers from McGill University’s Department of Psychology have created and tested computer games that are specifically designed to help people enhance their self-acceptance.

6 May 2004

Neurobiologists pinpoint region of the brain responsible for storing distant memories

For the first time, UCLA neurobiologists have pinpointed a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate as responsible for retrieving and storing distant memories. Published in the May 7 edition of Science, the findings may suggest new ways of treating memory disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

6 May 2004

Care that combines medication and psychotherapy can reduce alcohol abuse by trauma survivors

Approximately 2.5 million Americans are so severely injured each year that they require inpatient hospital admissions, and between 10 and 40 percent of these patients go on to develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

5 May 2004

A new book to help children with Down Syndrome develop lifelong motor skills

A new book providing practical suggestions on how parents and professionals can help children with Down Syndrome (DS) develop lifelong motor skills will be published later this month.

3 May 2004

Human brain makes much more extensive use of highly complex statistics when learning a language than scientists ever realized

A team at the University of Rochester has found that the human brain makes much more extensive use of highly complex statistics when learning a language than scientists ever realized.

3 May 2004

New Zealand research will explore experiences of families coping with death

A new research project undertaken by Victoria University’s School of Psychology, New Zealand will explore experiences of families coping with death.

3 May 2004

MSF distributes medical supplies to hospitals as violence continues in troubled Indonesian city of Ambon

Last week MSF started to distribute medical supplies to four hospitals in Ambon city, in the Maluku province of eastern Indonesia. Over the last six days, the city has been shaken by violent fighting, which has caused an estimated 36 deaths and left scores wounded.

3 May 2004

Insulin pumps control diabetes better than shots

Adults and older kids with diabetes who use a pump to deliver insulin have better control of their diabetes and more flexibility during mealtimes than when they relied on daily insulin shots.

1 May 2004

Long term soy diet can make a monkey agro'

While soy may be beneficial to women in a variety of ways, research in monkeys suggests that it could have an adverse effect on the behavior of men, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

30 Apr 2004

Researchers helping people overcome their fears

If the very thought of heights, touching a spider or riding in an elevator makes you feel sick, then researchers at The University of Queensland may be able to help.

29 Apr 2004

Mothers who smoke increase the likelihood of daughters smoking 3 fold

The illusion of smoking can be just as deadly as the real thing for minority inner-city girls who believe their mothers have the habit, a new University of Florida study finds.

28 Apr 2004

Relieving acute stress from trauma may be a matter of thinking it through

Many people experience serious trauma in their lives - only the fortunate will avoid events such as a serious car accident, the death of a close relative or a physical or sexual assault.

27 Apr 2004

Smoking tobacco with a water pipe increasingly popular among women

Smoking tobacco using a water pipe - also called a hookah -- generally is viewed in a more positive light than smoking cigarettes, particularly for women, according to one of the first studies on water pipe and cigarette smoking to look at social attitudes and gender.

26 Apr 2004

A new study is better defining the impact that stress and depression have on women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis

A new study is better defining the impact that stress and depression have on women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The research, led by a team of ASU psychologists, shows increased pain and inflammation for those dealing with high amounts of stress and depression.

26 Apr 2004

New book to examine the many issues of child maltreatment

A book to be launched tomorrow examines the many issues surrounding the social problem of child maltreatment and the response to it – child protection.

21 Apr 2004

Australian university is seeking stressed out adults for research

The University of Queensland, Australia is seeking “stressed out” adults to participate in a program designed to help them cope with the stress in their lives.

20 Apr 2004

Cognitive Neuroscientists Reveal Creative Brain Processes

Think Isaac Newton getting hit on the head with an apple or Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone. While these creative or “Aha!” moments often are associated with scientific discoveries and inventions, most people occasionally feel the thrill of insight when a solution that had eluded them suddenly becomes obvious.

20 Apr 2004