Psychology News and Research

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

Psychological scientist examines concept of identity fusion

People who are "fused" with a group-a bond even stronger than group identification-will take extreme actions to protect other group members, but not outsiders, conclude researchers in a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. This intense bond to a group may help explain the actions of suicide bombers.

19 Aug 2010

Individuals more likely to maintain work-related personal ties after retirement: Study

The influence of traditional social structures such as neighbourhoods and local organisations has declined. The workplace has become the "new neighbourhood" and has become increasingly important for maintaining social interaction and forming relationships. A new article in Personal Relationships finds that those who retired just ten years ago, at the beginning of the 21st century, were more likely to maintain (or even gain) work-related personal ties after retirement, than were those who retired in the 1990's.

19 Aug 2010

New study finds no link between exposure to sexualized media and early onset of sexual activity

The prevalence of sex in the mainstream media has led many researchers to study its effect on impressionable adolescents. Several published, peer-reviewed studies have indicated that there is a link between exposure to sex in the media and the early onset of sexual activity among teens. However, a study led by Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg questions these findings.

19 Aug 2010

Unavoidable breakdowns in brain connections as we age: Study

It's unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new study suggests.

19 Aug 2010

Cougar myth busted

A new study shows that the phenomenon of the “cougar” where an older woman seeks a younger partner is a myth, confined to the world of celebrities. The study looked into online dating and was conducted by the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC). The study found the conventional – men looking for younger and attractive women and women looking for older and wealthier men.

18 Aug 2010

Capella University introduces new DNP degree

Capella University, an accredited online university* that has built its reputation by providing high-quality online degree programs for working adults, announced a new Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The DNP is the preferred credential for advanced practice nurses and will be the required terminal degree for the profession by 2015.

18 Aug 2010

Aggressive children more inclined to misuse drugs

Aggressive and hyperactive boys with low parental monitoring are more likely to befriend deviant peers and become heavy drug users as teens, according to a new study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors. Yet the investigation by scientists from the Universit- de Montr-al and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center found that bad boys can be protected from heavy substance use as teenagers if they are highly monitored and befriend good boys as children.

18 Aug 2010

Psychological support from health visitors prevents depression after child birth: Study

The world's first ever analysis of data from a full scale clinical trial in adults shows that training Health Visitors to assess and psychologically support mothers after childbirth can prevent the development of depression over the following year.But the substantial reduction in the number of NHS health visitors was identified by researchers as a key issue for the health and well-being of mums.

18 Aug 2010

Brain connections break down as we age

It's unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new study suggests.

17 Aug 2010

Humans adapt to visual search to adjust different levels of stimulus uncertainty: Study

The most beautiful thing about humans, says Indiana University researcher S. Lee Hong, is that they are both ever-changing and sometimes prone to error. Yet humans are still extremely flexible and adaptable, managing the transition from one context to another almost seamlessly. His new study demonstrates how this adaptability boils down to a zero-sum game.

17 Aug 2010

Depressive Cognition Scale questions can detect cognitive symptoms of early depression

A diagnostic test of eight short questions designed by Jaclene Zauszniewski from the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University can be used to detect depressive thinking patterns that lead to clinical depression in women who care for an adult family member with a serious mental illness.

17 Aug 2010

Springer's article wins American Psychological Association award

An article from Springer's journal Human Nature, "Fundamental dimensions of environmental risk," has been selected as the winner of the George A. Miller Award by the American Psychological Association. Accompanied by a $1,000 honorarium, the award was presented at the APA annual meeting in San Diego, CA, which took place from 12 to 15 August 2010. The lead author of the paper, Bruce Ellis, will present aspects of the paper at next year's APA meeting.

17 Aug 2010

$Study finds first clue that links childhood obesity to skeletal fractures$

Study finds first clue that links childhood obesity to skeletal fractures

Children at risk for diabetes before they reach puberty also appear to be at risk for weak bones, Medical College of Georgia researchers report.

16 Aug 2010

Recent research on schizophrenia published in journal Current Directions in Psychological Science

It has been nearly a century since the term "schizophrenia" was first used to describe what was then considered a hopeless and incurable disorder of thought and emotion. Schizophrenia is still baffling to both scientists and the general public, but it is no longer considered hopeless. Significant advances have been made on several fronts in fathoming and combating this debilitating mental illness-from genetics to neuroscience to the psychosocial aspects of the disorder.

16 Aug 2010

Phenomenon to block thoughts of cigarette unwittingly triggers a subsequent increase: Study

Blocking thoughts of cigarettes helps reduce smokers' intake at first, but means they smoke more than usual when they stop suppressing, according to new research.The study was carried out by researchers at St George's, University of London and the University of Hertfordshire.Co-author Dr James Erskine, a psychologist at St George's, says the study shows that many smokers attempting to give up - as well as people trying to quit other vices - may be thwarted by the very technique they use to stop.

16 Aug 2010

Menopause is not the end of women's love life

Menopause doesn't have to signal the end of a woman's love life. In fact, most women can enjoy even better sex after their reproductive years if they follow some healthy advice. Sex is good exercise and slows the aging process, so it's not only permissible but also smart to keep it a central part of one's lifestyle.

16 Aug 2010

Adverse effects in childhood lead to immune impairment later in life

The emotional pains we suffer in childhood can lead to weakened immune systems later in life, according to a new study.Based on this new research, the amount of this immune impairment even enhances that caused by the stress of caregiving later in life."What happens in childhood really matters when it comes to your immune response in the latter part of your life," explained Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Ohio State University. She explained her work at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Diego.

16 Aug 2010

Low socioeconomic status, stressful childhood events develop risk of cardiovascular disease

Early life adversity through poverty, social isolation or abuse in childhood is linked to heightened reactivity, which can lead to heart disease later on, a leading expert on stress and disease said Saturday."Many diseases first diagnosed in mid-life can be traced back to childhood," Karen A. Matthews, PhD, said at the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association. "Having some bad health habits in your 20s and 30s is part of the reason why people get diseases later on. However, it isn't the whole reason. The evidence shows that certain reactions to adverse childhood experiences associated with lower socioeconomic status, isolation and negative events can affect the disease process."

16 Aug 2010

UCLA Professor receives 2010 Rumelhart Prize for research on AI

The Cognitive Science Society today announces that Professor Judea Pearl of University of California at Los Angeles has received the 2010 Rumelhart Prize for his leading research in Artificial Intelligence and systems that reason plausibly from uncertain evidence. His work on graphical models addresses one of the deepest challenges in philosophy and science: The dynamics of beliefs and the analysis of causality.

13 Aug 2010

ISW calls upon states to consider community-based programs as treatment for sex offenders

A recent analysis conducted by the Associated Press revealed that the 20 states with civil commitment laws will spend nearly $500 million in 2010 to incarcerate only 5,000 offenders. According to experts at the Boston-based Institute for Sexual Wellness (ISW), states concerned with how to pay for these programs over the long term should investigate community-based programs. Not only are such programs available at a fraction of the cost of civil commitment, but they are demonstrating high success in preventing recidivism.

13 Aug 2010

Psychology News and Research

Further Reading

Psychological scientist examines concept of identity fusion

Individuals more likely to maintain work-related personal ties after retirement: Study

New study finds no link between exposure to sexualized media and early onset of sexual activity

Unavoidable breakdowns in brain connections as we age: Study

Cougar myth busted

Capella University introduces new DNP degree

Aggressive children more inclined to misuse drugs

Psychological support from health visitors prevents depression after child birth: Study

Brain connections break down as we age

Humans adapt to visual search to adjust different levels of stimulus uncertainty: Study

Depressive Cognition Scale questions can detect cognitive symptoms of early depression

Springer's article wins American Psychological Association award

Study finds first clue that links childhood obesity to skeletal fractures

Recent research on schizophrenia published in journal Current Directions in Psychological Science

Phenomenon to block thoughts of cigarette unwittingly triggers a subsequent increase: Study

Menopause is not the end of women's love life

Adverse effects in childhood lead to immune impairment later in life

Low socioeconomic status, stressful childhood events develop risk of cardiovascular disease

UCLA Professor receives 2010 Rumelhart Prize for research on AI

ISW calls upon states to consider community-based programs as treatment for sex offenders

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