Psychology News and Research

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

NWO awards 31 grants in Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 grants in the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme for the acquisition of equipment, the setting up of data collections and the production of software and bibliographies. The total investment amounts to 10 million euro.

30 Apr 2010

A major research initiative to optimize quality of life for cancer survivors

At the age of 12, she was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer, with a nasty tumor sitting at the very base of her spinal cord and getting entangled with spinal nerves.

30 Apr 2010

The OCD Project challenges six severe OCD sufferers to face fears in a bold move to better their lives

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a disorder of the brain where people experience obsessive thoughts, images, ideas or impulses – and they can't get past them. The day-to-day existence for severe OCD sufferers is dire. Untreated, they lead lives of self-punishment, fear and isolation that can result in job loss, broken families, bankruptcy and in some cases death.

29 Apr 2010

Hand-clapping song activity has positive effect on children: Study

A researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev conducted the first study of hand-clapping songs, revealing a direct link between those activities and the development of important skills in children and young adults, including university students.

29 Apr 2010

Baby swimming develops balance and movement in infants and young children

Teaching babies to swim turns out to be more than just fun. Baby swimmers have better balance and are also better at grasping at things than non-swimmers.

29 Apr 2010

Blind and sighted individuals have similar smell perception

An ongoing study by Mathilde Beaulieu-Lefebvre, a graduate student from the Universit- de Montr-al Department of Psychology, has debunked the myth that the blind have a more acute sense of smell than the sighted.

29 Apr 2010

Research finding sheds more light on the workings of lateral PFC

Whether it's for money, marbles or chalk, the brains of reward-driven people keep their game faces on, helping them win at every step of the way. Surprisingly, they win most often when there is no reward.

28 Apr 2010

Distinct gender differences underlying risks for abuse of prescription pain drugs: Study

There are distinct gender differences underlying the risks for abuse of prescription pain drugs, according to a Harvard study published in The Journal of Pain, the peer review journal of the American Pain Society, www.ampainsoc.org and www.jpain.org.

28 Apr 2010

Rare neuroscience looks at how strong identification with racial group affects empathy

Race matters on a neurological level when it comes to empathy for African-Americans in distress, according to a new Northwestern University study.

28 Apr 2010

Laughter is truly the best medicine says new research

A new study has shown that laughter may be one of the simplest exercises that has similar effects on the body as pumping iron in the gym. Researchers have named “Laughercise” as significant elevators of mood, stress busters, immunity boosters and blood pressure and cholesterol reducers. It can also stimulate appetite for the malnourished.

28 Apr 2010

Reluctant Australian sperm donors forces fertility clinics to import from U.S.

With the shortage of sperm donors the Queensland Fertility Group, the largest fertility facility in Townsville has resorted to importing sperm from United States. This facility, some 1,300 Kilometers from Brisbane is reportedly paying $700-800 an ampule for the imported sperm. This is a new situation. Earlier the facility had a large number of donors of which a huge number were the university students but there has been a steady decline in donors with many north Queensland men, or even Australian men who are not prepared to donate.

27 Apr 2010

The Women and Heart Disease Summit in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and University of Minnesota are convening The Women and Heart Disease Summit in Minneapolis.

27 Apr 2010

Free groups available for socially vulnerable children

Free groups for socially vulnerable children aged 8 to 12 are available through Fairleigh Dickinson University. These groups, which are part of a research program, are ongoing and consist of either 10 weekly group sessions emphazing anxiety reduction and changing misperceptions or 10 weekly group sessions emphasizing the application of broad-based social skills.

27 Apr 2010

Chocolate and depression?

The ‘chocoholics’ of the world may also be the most depressed people around. A recent study found that those who were suffering from depression ate an average of 8.4 servings of chocolate a month, compared to just 5.4 servings eaten by those who were not depressed. And the people who suffered from major depression ate 11.8 servings per month.

27 Apr 2010

Successful full face transplant in a 22 hour long operation: Barcelona

In a recent development a team of 30 Spanish surgeons have succeeded in a World’s first full face transplant. The patient had accidentally injured a large part of his face with a shotgun five years ago. This had left him disfigured an unable to breathe, swallow or talk properly. He has undergone nine unsuccessful operations before this operation was planned. In this operation he received the whole of his facial skin, muscles, nose, lips, teeth and cheek bones from a donor in a 22 hour operation at the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital on 20th March. He is on his way to recovery now. This is not the first face transplant but the first full face transplant and also the most complex of its kind.

26 Apr 2010

Spring fever not an official medical condition

In the season of ducklings, blooming dogwoods and open-toed sandals, some people are struck with a mysterious malady - spring fever.

24 Apr 2010

Psychological acupuncture successful in reducing food cravings in obese people: Study

Psychological acupuncture has been shown to be successful in reducing food cravings for up to six months in people who are overweight or obese.

24 Apr 2010

While obesity rates for American adults stabilized, rate of childhood and minority obesity rising: Study

Obesity rates for American adults have stabilized while the rate of childhood and minority obesity is rising, according to a study in the journal Medical Decision Making, published by SAGE.

24 Apr 2010

Gelesis presents Attiva data at AACE 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress

Boston-based medical technology firm Gelesis, Inc. unveiled its capsulated device Attiva™, and presented data showing that Attiva™ significantly increased the post-meal feeling of satiety and reduced hunger between meals in obese patients. This data was presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

23 Apr 2010

Cognitive behavior therapy works better as couples therapy for alcohol-dependent women

Barbara McCrady and Elizabeth Epstein wanted to know whether cognitive behavior therapy worked better for alcohol-dependent women when delivered as couples therapy than when delivered as individual therapy. They reported recently that both treatment methods worked well, but women treated in couples therapy maintained their gains a bit better than those in individual therapy. Also, women suffering from depression in addition to alcohol-dependence did better in couples therapy. Their paper appeared recently in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

22 Apr 2010