Psychology News and Research

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

University of Montreal research on hyper-masculinity and driving

"Catch that car!," was the instruction given to 22 men sitting in a driving simulator. The more "macho" the man, the more risks he took on the road, according to a study by Julie Langlois, a graduate student at the University of Montreal Department of Psychology, who presented her findings at the annual conference of the Association francophone pour le savoir.

27 May 2010

UCSF research shows brief exercise buffers the effects of stress-induced cell aging

Exercise can buffer the effects of stress-induced cell aging, according to new research from UCSF that revealed actual benefits of physical activity at the cellular level.

27 May 2010

Obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms

Researchers, led by Kerri Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms, but not for clinical depression, suggesting that weight status could play a part in the development of depression in some adolescent girls.

25 May 2010

Advances in health IT

The New York Times: A "broad transformation in health care underway" is "fueled in good part by technology" that "promises to shift a lot of the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of disease from hospitals and specialized clinics, where treatment is expensive, to primary care physicians and patients themselves — at far less cost."

25 May 2010

Researchers develop new therapy for psychological treatment of patients suffering from fibromyalgia

Researchers of the Labpsictec at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellon and the LahHuman Group at the Universidad Politecnica of Valencia and the University of Valencia have developed a new therapy based on the use of mobile devices and virtual reality for the psychological treatment of patients suffering from fibromyalgia.

24 May 2010

Researchers receive NIH grant to study speech and language development in bilingual children

University of Texas at Austin researchers have received a $3.3 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to conduct a five-year study of speech and language development in bilingual children who speak English and Spanish, comparing those whose language skills are delayed with those who have no delays.

21 May 2010

Researchers propose steps to enhance patient-physician communication to improve depression care

Because people with depression often do not recognize they have a problem or are unable to describe their distress, many do not seek treatment. About a quarter of those with major depression are undiagnosed, according to several studies, and fewer than half receive treatment.

21 May 2010

Arizona's smoking ban reduces hospital admissions for stroke, asthma and angina

Two University of Arizona researchers have studied the relationship between Arizona's 2007 law that bans smoking in public places and hospitalization rates for a range of ailments related to secondhand smoke exposure.

21 May 2010

Role of voice in mate selection and attraction

Flirtation may seem largely visual - the preening, the coy eye contact - but voice plays a role, too.

21 May 2010

Research studies on depression in preschool-aged children

It is difficult to imagine a depressed third-grader. It is even more difficult to imagine a depressed preschooler. Although childhood depression is a well-recognized and treated disorder, only recently have research studies begun looking at depression in children younger than six years old.

20 May 2010

2010 funding program for Inova Life Sciences - George Mason University research collaboration open

What do you get when you mix a world-class health system with an innovative, entrepreneurial university? A very successful research collaboration.

20 May 2010

Anxiety or depression do not raise teen's risk for motor vehicle accidents

Teen drivers are four times more likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes than older drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but anxiety and depression do not play a role in teen motor vehicle accidents, a new study finds.

19 May 2010

Psychological scientists review latest research on food cravings

Swimsuit season is almost upon us. For most of us, the countdown has begun to lazy days lounging by the pool and relaxing on the beach. However, for some of us, the focus is not so much on sunglasses and beach balls, but how to quickly shed those final five or ten pounds in order to look good poolside. It is no secret that dieting can be challenging and food cravings can make it even more difficult.

19 May 2010

Supersize me: The social context of the childhood obesity epidemic

Boston Children’s Museum announced today the second Lunch & Learn in a series of lectures which focus on helping parents, educators and child caregivers understand and react to the most prevalent issues facing our children.

18 May 2010

University of Leeds researchers identify natural defence mechanism against heart disease

A natural defence mechanism against heart disease could be switched on by steroids sold as health supplements, according to researchers at the University of Leeds.

18 May 2010

Sleeping newborns are better learners: Study

Sleeping newborns are better learners than thought, says a University of Florida researcher about a study that is the first of its type. The study could lead to identifying those at risk for developmental disorders such as autism and dyslexia.

18 May 2010

Pregnant, postnatal women follow mothers’ and grandmothers' advice rather than medical guidelines

Researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London have found that pregnant and postnatal women, while wanting to do the best for their baby, do not follow medical advice without question and are more likely to adopt practices their mothers and grandmothers carried out during their pregnancies.

15 May 2010

Low testosterone levels can impact sleep quality

At 30 years old, male testosterone levels drop by one to two percent annually. By age 40, men's quality of sleep begins to diminish. Could there be a link between decreased testosterone and reduced sleep?

15 May 2010

New intervention method reduces self-stigma in mentally-ill patients

A new intervention, the result of a collaboration between researchers from the University of Haifa, City University of New York and Indiana University, was found to reduce the self-stigma and improve the quality of life and self-esteem among persons with serious mental illness.

15 May 2010

Cognitive strategies lessen depression symptoms: Study

Moderate to severely depressed clients showed greater improvement in cognitive therapy when therapists emphasized changing how they think rather than how they behave, new research has found.

13 May 2010