Psychology News and Research

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

New book on war trauma and its aftermath

A new book by a University of New Hampshire researcher and Vietnam-era disabled veteran sheds new light on the long-term psychological trauma experienced by the coalition force in recent wars in the Gulf and Balkans that, when left untreated, can have deadly consequences.

20 Mar 2012

Mobile phone exposure in unborn mice raises risk of behavioral and memory disorders

A new study has shown that unborn mice exposed to mobile phone radiation became hyperactive adults with poor memory. But scientists have added that the findings cannot be translated to humans.

18 Mar 2012

Congressional Brain Injury Task Force brings representatives to Capitol Hill for BIA Day

On Wednesday, March 21, the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force brings representatives from the brain injury community to Capitol Hill for Brain Injury Awareness (BIA) Day. The day starts with the BIA Fair, where attendees share information on policy issues, research, diagnosis and screening and care and rehabilitation. The afternoon features a briefing on "The Impact of Brain Injury: Any Time, Any One, Any Age."

17 Mar 2012

People with strong English and native language proficiencies report better health

Bilingual immigrants are healthier than immigrants who speak only one language, according to new research from sociologists at Rice University.

16 Mar 2012

Positive correlation between working memory and mind wandering

Odds are, you're not going to make it all the way through this article without thinking about something else. In fact, studies have found that our minds are wandering half the time, drifting off to thoughts unrelated to what we're doing - did I remember to turn off the light? What should I have for dinner? A new study investigating the mental processes underlying a wandering mind reports a role for working memory, a sort of a mental workspace that allows you to juggle multiple thoughts simultaneously.

16 Mar 2012

People primed with action words more likely to make impulsive decisions

Those motivated to actively change bad habits may be setting themselves up for failure, a new study suggests.

15 Mar 2012

New UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program for patients, caregivers

Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 5.4 million people in the U.S., some 480,000 of them in California. Nearly half of all people 85 and older will be stricken with the disease. The overall burden of dementia is still higher, with Alzheimer's accounting for only 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases.

15 Mar 2012

Developmental differences in brain network function found in children of parents with schizophrenia

A team of neuroscientists led by a Wayne State University School of Medicine professor has discovered stark developmental differences in brain network function in children of parents with schizophrenia when compared to those with no family history of mental illness.

14 Mar 2012

Uncovering the science behind generations of mental illness

Sometimes the most interesting way to digest scientific information is within the context of personal experiences. Likewise, the story of someone's personal journey or struggle can take on broader significance when melded with the insights of scientific knowledge.

14 Mar 2012

Study examines how symptoms presented online influence people's reactions to medical conditions

Maybe you've had a reoccurring sore throat or frequent headaches. Perhaps the pain in your leg won't go away. In the past, you might have gone to a doctor's office to diagnose symptoms.

13 Mar 2012

Tweens decidedly ambivalent toward cigarettes and alcohol

When it comes to prevention of substance use in our tween population, turning our kids on to thought control may just be the answer to getting them to say no.

13 Mar 2012

Many children with life limiting conditions have been underestimated

The number of children with conditions such as muscular dystrophy, neurodegenerative disorders or severe cerebral palsy who are surviving into adulthood has been underestimated, a new study shows.

12 Mar 2012

First study to document potential effects of cancer on young children's development

Infants and toddlers who have been treated for cancer tend to reach certain developmental milestones later than do their healthy peers, say researchers at the National Institutes of Health and in Italy.

12 Mar 2012

Root cause of dental phobia

Women in their forties are more likely to have dental anxiety than any other age group according to a University of Sydney study into dental anxiety and phobia.

11 Mar 2012

Methylphenidate may affect learning and memory in children with ADHD

New research with monkeys sheds light on how the drug methylphenidate may affect learning and memory in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

11 Mar 2012

Employees who feel valued more likely to report better physical and mental health

Half of all employees who say that they do not feel valued at work report that they intend to look for a new job in the next year according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.

9 Mar 2012

Measuring wellbeing in Huntington’s disease

The new tool, the first Huntington’s disease-specific quality of life instrument of its kind, aims to fully capture the impact of this complex disease on the everyday life of sufferers. By using this new tool to more accurately measure the impact of Huntington’s and also any effect of therapeutic interventions, scientists will be in a better position to evaluate the usefulness of interventions on patients’ everyday quality of life to see if there is actually a practical benefit. It is hoped that in this way, this tool will lead to more effective treatments.

8 Mar 2012

Heart rate lowering drug may reduce “implicit” racial prejudices: Study

It was found that volunteers given the beta-blocker, used to treat chest pains and lower heart rates, scored lower on a standard psychological test of “implicit” racist attitudes. They appeared to be less racially prejudiced at a subconscious level than another group treated with a “dummy” placebo pill.

8 Mar 2012

Body dysmorphic disorder - “Manorexia”, among weight lifters: Study

More than 10 per cent of weightlifters, in a study conducted by Southern Cross University in northern NSW, believe that they are too small, and may suffer from a psychological disorder known as muscle dysmorphia. Tthe psychological condition has been nicknamed as “reverse anorexia” or “manorexia.” and is usually characterized by sufferers being determined to become more muscular, despite some exhibiting more muscles than the average person.

8 Mar 2012

Children with autism look away from faces when thinking

Children with autism look away from faces when thinking, especially about challenging material, according to new research from Northumbria University.

8 Mar 2012