Psychology News and Research

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

Alcohol and impulsivity are a dangerous mix

Alcohol and impulsivity are a dangerous mix: People with current drinking problems and poor impulse control are more likely to die in the next 15 years, a new study suggests. However, they could get by with a little help from their friends: The study also found that a strong social support network buffers the toxic effects of impulsivity.

17 Aug 2011

Study explores how some cognitive strategies and abilities boost self-efficacy

Sticking with an exercise routine means being able to overcome the obstacles that invariably arise. A key to success is having the confidence that you can do it, researchers report. A new study explores how some cognitive strategies and abilities increase this "situation-specific self-confidence," a quality the researchers call "self-efficacy."

16 Aug 2011

Regular exercise could help prevent brain damage linked with Alzheimer's

Regular exercise could help prevent brain damage associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, according to research published this month in Elsevier's journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

16 Aug 2011

The face may reveal facts from childhood: Study

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh claim that it is possible to learn about a person’s childhood by looking at the symmetry of their face.

15 Aug 2011

Pro-eugenic Yale psychologist's deception discovered

A University of New Hampshire researcher has discovered that a former Yale professor who espoused pro-eugenic beliefs manipulated his research findings so he could conclude that his Wisconsin home town was overflowing with mentally and morally "unfit" people.

12 Aug 2011

Money now preferred to cocaine later

When a research team asked cocaine addicts to choose, hypothetically, between money now or cocaine of greater value later, "preference was almost exclusively for the money now," said Warren K., Bickel, professor in the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, director of the Advanced Recovery Research Center, and professor of psychology in the College of Science at Virginia Tech.

12 Aug 2011

Narcissism may help children navigate adolescence

We all know one, or think we do: the person whose self-regard seems out of proportion to his or her actual merits. Popular culture labels these folks "narcissists," almost always a derogatory term. But a new study suggests that some forms of narcissism are - at least in the short term - beneficial, helping children navigate the difficult transition to adulthood.

11 Aug 2011

Light may play a role in modulating fear and anxiety

Biologists and psychologists know that light affects mood, but a new University of Virginia study indicates that light may also play a role in modulating fear and anxiety.

11 Aug 2011

Music therapy for cancer: Relieves anxiety and pain

According to a new analysis of previously published research singing, playing an instrument or even just listening to music may lessen anxiety in cancer patients and improve their overall quality of life.

11 Aug 2011

PCOS Challenge television series win national award for 'Best Informational Feature'

PCOS Challenge television series addressing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome win national award for "Best Informational Feature." PCOS Challenge was named the professional category winner for programming from over 3,000 education, government and public stations across the country by the Alliance for Community Media.

10 Aug 2011

Study examines role of weight lifting in smoking cessation

Resistance training, or weight lifting, can do more than just build muscle: it may also help smokers kick the habit, say researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.

10 Aug 2011

Hutchinson Center to conduct free online smoking-cessation study

Adult smokers nationwide who want to kick the habit have until Aug. 31 to see if they are eligible to enroll in WebQuit, a free, online smoking-cessation study being conducted by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

10 Aug 2011

Sleep deprivation negatively affects school-age children

Going back to school should not be just an excuse for kids to get new clothes and school supplies. Instead, say University of Alabama at Birmingham experts, it also should be a time to get them back to healthier sleep schedules.

10 Aug 2011

Psychologists reveal how people really feel about video games

TWO lecturers at the University of Huddersfield have uncovered new research that contradicts a wide stream of consciousness in the media.

9 Aug 2011

Stress boosts performance for confident students, but holds back those with more anxiety

Knowing the right way to handle stress in the classroom and on the sports field can make the difference between success and failure for the millions of students going back to school this fall, new University of Chicago research shows.

9 Aug 2011

EDRP offers free family counseling to combat eating disorders in adolescents

In an effort to combat eating disorders among adolescents, the Eating Disorder Research Program (EDRP) at University of the Sciences is offering free treatment for families with an adolescent who struggles with eating and weight concerns.

9 Aug 2011

Mindless eating: Don't rely on your stomach to tell you when you're full!

There a millions of people around the world who are a victim of mindless eating – or eating without being hungry. The phrase is coined by Cornell University food psychologist Brian Wansink, PhD, to describe subconscious eating habits that can lead to unnecessary weight gain.

8 Aug 2011

Even minor weight loss can improve men’s sex lives: Study

The team of Australian researchers placed 31 obese men with type 2 diabetes on either a meal replacement-based low-calorie diet or a low-fat, high-protein, reduced-carbohydrate diet meant to decrease calorie intake by 600 calories a day. A modest weight loss of 5 percent led to an easing of erectile dysfunction and improved sexual desire within eight weeks, and these improvements continued for 12 months, according to the study published Aug. 5 in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Problems with urinary tract function also improved, the team added.

8 Aug 2011

Anisotropic encoding of three-dimensional space by place and grid cells

Animal's brains are only roughly aware of how high-up they are in space, meaning that in terms of altitude the brain's 'map' of space is surprisingly flat, according to new research.

8 Aug 2011