Psychology News and Research

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

Boys outnumber girls at extremely high levels of math ability and scientific reasoning: Study

A study that examined 30 years of standardized test data from the very highest-scoring seventh graders has found that performance differences between boys and girls have narrowed considerably, but boys still outnumber girls by more than about 3-to-1 at extremely high levels of math ability and scientific reasoning.

7 Jul 2010

Social, psychological factors rather than biological changes influence women's sexual behaviour during menopause

New research from the University of Sheffield has found that social and psychological factors have the biggest influence upon women's sexual behaviour during the menopause, rather than biological changes such as declining hormone levels.

7 Jul 2010

New study may lead to in-car warning system that may provide enough time for drivers to react

It is well-documented that when negotiating winding roads, drivers tend to look at a specific, well-defined point on the lane marking - referred to as the tangent point. New research finds that the further drivers can look ahead, generally in left-hand curves, wide curves and when leaving a curve, the less they have to look at the tangent point.

7 Jul 2010

If you witness rudeness you are more likely to make mistakes, says Professor of Applied Psychology

If someone is rude to you at work or if you witness rudeness you are more likely to make mistakes, says Rhona Flin, Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Aberdeen, in an editorial published in this week's BMJ.

7 Jul 2010

Drug use debilitates sexual response: Study

Sharing a bottle of red wine may seem like the best recipe for a romantic interlude. However, the evening may not turn out as planned according to a Concordia University study, which evaluated the effect of a wide range of drugs, including alcohol, on sexual behaviour. The findings, published in the journal Hormones and Behavior, definitively show that despite our preconceived notions, use of many recreational drugs can cause a loss in that lovin' feeling.

7 Jul 2010

Therapist competence strongly related to symptom improvement in some patients: Study

While studies have shown that cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for depression, it has still not been clear the role therapists' training and expertise plays in making treatment successful. A new study finds that depressed patients show more symptom improvement when their therapists more competently follow the guidelines for delivering cognitive therapy.

7 Jul 2010

Anxiety can cause individuals become more idealistic in religious belief, researchers find

Anxiety and uncertainty can cause us to become more idealistic and more radical in our religious beliefs, according to new findings by York University researchers, published in this month's issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

7 Jul 2010

New MRI technology may revolutionize diagnosis of medical conditions

The development of a new magnetic resonance imaging technology that could revolutionise the way medical conditions are diagnosed and treated is to take a major step forward as a £7m research centre is established at the University of York.

2 Jul 2010

Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing different cultures

Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing cultures different from one's own, according to a study in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (published by SAGE).

2 Jul 2010

Does too much texting puts teenagers at risk?

A seemingly harmless method of communication - text messaging on mobile phones could damage teenagers physically and psychologically a new study has revealed.

1 Jul 2010

Kilimani Sesame benefits Tanzanian children

There are 8.3 million children who are 5 years and younger living in Tanzania. With limited access to formal education, can media intervention make a positive and significant impact on what these children learn? Sesame Workshop, which produces Kilimani Sesame, the Tanzanian version of Sesame Street, recently commissioned researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in full collaboration with a Dar es Salaam-based research team, to examine the effects of a six-week intervention delivering Kilimani Sesame content to 223 children.

1 Jul 2010

Sleep enhances ability to remember to do something in future

When it comes to executing items on tomorrow's to-do list, it's best to think it over, then "sleep on it," say psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis.

1 Jul 2010

Blind people and people with vision think about manipulating tools in same brain regions

Blind people think about manipulating tools in the same regions of the brain as do people who can see, according to a new study. The researchers say this adds to evidence that the brain has a fairly defined organization, while still being able to adapt to unusual conditions, such as not having any vision.

30 Jun 2010

Study to analyze individual differences in impulsivity among alchohol users

Previous studies have found that the personality trait impulsivity, or a lack of planning and forethought regarding behaviors, is associated with alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders. For most individuals, impulsivity decreases during emerging and young adulthood. Some, however, do not "mature out" of impulsivity.

30 Jun 2010

When it comes to decision making, older adults fare as well as juniors

Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions - using your "gut instincts" - older adults fare as well as their juniors.

30 Jun 2010

Researchers evaluate hospital working conditions to promote improved patient care

Researchers at The University of Nottingham are part of a new pan-European research study examining whether working conditions in hospitals are contributing to doctor 'burnout' and putting patients' lives at risk.

29 Jun 2010

Adolescent girls who perceive being overweight are more likely to feel depressed

Adolescent girls who think they are overweight, but are not, are at more risk for depression than girls who are overweight and know it, according to Penn State sociologists.

29 Jun 2010

New therapy for people suffering from body dysmorphic disorder

A nose job to treat a mental health problem? Teeth whitening to overcome a severe anxiety disorder? These are just two procedures that people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have traditionally turned to in order to deal with body-related concerns.

29 Jun 2010

Older adults experience more supportive friendships, less conflict with children and siblings

Part of what makes those relationships so golden during the golden years is that people of all ages are more likely to forgive and respect one's elders, according to research from Purdue University.

29 Jun 2010

New brain-to-computer chip technology revolutionizes neurological therapy

By stimulating certain areas of the brain, scientists can alleviate the effects of disorders such as depression or Parkinson's disease. That's the good news. But because controlling that stimulation currently lacks precision, over-stimulation is a serious concern - losing some of its therapeutic benefits for the patient over time.

29 Jun 2010

Psychology News and Research

Further Reading

Boys outnumber girls at extremely high levels of math ability and scientific reasoning: Study

Social, psychological factors rather than biological changes influence women's sexual behaviour during menopause

New study may lead to in-car warning system that may provide enough time for drivers to react

If you witness rudeness you are more likely to make mistakes, says Professor of Applied Psychology

Drug use debilitates sexual response: Study

Therapist competence strongly related to symptom improvement in some patients: Study

Anxiety can cause individuals become more idealistic in religious belief, researchers find

New MRI technology may revolutionize diagnosis of medical conditions

Creativity can be enhanced by experiencing different cultures

Does too much texting puts teenagers at risk?

Kilimani Sesame benefits Tanzanian children

Sleep enhances ability to remember to do something in future

Blind people and people with vision think about manipulating tools in same brain regions

Study to analyze individual differences in impulsivity among alchohol users

When it comes to decision making, older adults fare as well as juniors

Researchers evaluate hospital working conditions to promote improved patient care

Adolescent girls who perceive being overweight are more likely to feel depressed

New therapy for people suffering from body dysmorphic disorder

Older adults experience more supportive friendships, less conflict with children and siblings

New brain-to-computer chip technology revolutionizes neurological therapy

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