Psychology News and Research

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

When facelifts go wrong: Stanford expert counsels plastic surgeons on dealing with unhappy patients

Watch for the red flags: the patient who pulls out a photo of Tom Cruise and says he wants to look just like that, or the perfectionist who comes to the initial interview with each hair in place, makeup just so.

21 May 2008

New insights into the neural circuitry of trust

The brain centers triggered by a betrayal of trust have been identified by researchers, who found they could suppress such triggering and maintain trust by administering the brain chemical oxytocin. The researchers said their findings not only offer basic insights into the neural machinery underlying trust; the results may also help in understanding the neural basis of social disorders such as phobias and autism.

21 May 2008

NPR program examines HIV/AIDS education in U.S.

NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" examined issues surrounding HIV/AIDS education in the U.S. The segment included a discussion with Adam Tenor -- executive director of Metro TeenAIDS, a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that runs education programs in city schools -- and with John Jemmott, a specialist in health psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

20 May 2008

Eye tracker technology detects autism at 9 months of age

The ability to detect autism in children as young as nine months of age is on the horizon, according to researchers at McMaster University.

20 May 2008

New York Times profiles support group for HIV-positive women over age 50

The New York Times on Sunday profiled the Divas, a support group for black and Hispanic HIV-positive women over age 50 in Harlem, N.Y. The Divas is organized through Iris House, an HIV/AIDS service center that opened 15 years ago in Harlem.

19 May 2008

21st birthday drinking

The "21 for 21" ritual, where 21st birthday revelers attempt to down 21 alcoholic drinks, is highly prevalent among college students, according to new research. In the largest study of its kind, researchers at the University of Missouri determined that many college students drink to excess on their 21st birthdays and potentially jeopardize their health.

19 May 2008

Despondent nurse practitioners - disabling postmodern punishment

The essence of postmodernism theme is that of an epochal shift, discontinuity, or rupture with modernity, bringing new social conditions and sociological principles with it (Baudrillard, 1988). Postmodernism views that the authority and status of the medical professionals does not exist anymore in the area of health care consistent with the postmodern message about the deconstruction of traditional centers of postindustrial authority (Cockerham et.al, 1997).

19 May 2008

Sleep deprivation could affect students' academic results

A study by an American psychologist has found that many college students have sleep patterns that could have an adverse affects on their academic performance.

15 May 2008

Just what is a binge drinker and how to get through to them

Just as governments in Australia and Britain are on the brink of introducing new measures to combat alcohol abuse and binge drinking, new research says that campaigns warning about the harmful effect of excessive alcohol consumption don't work.

13 May 2008

Think before you drink, says University research

People are being urged to think before they drink as part of a research project aimed at changing people's binge drinking habits.

12 May 2008

Binge drinking and driving

While many people believe that alcohol-impaired (AI) drivers are usually alcoholics, in fact, 80 percent of AI incidents are caused by binge drinkers. A recent study conducted among college students has found that binge drinkers, even when legally intoxicated, nonetheless believe they having adequate driving abilities.

11 May 2008

Australian research shows children are safer with their biological parents

An Australian psychologist who has conducted research into the deaths of children from violence or accidents, says children are safer with their biological parents.

7 May 2008

Pregnant women face hostile behavior when applying for jobs

Pregnant women may still face judgment and obstacles to getting jobs, shows two recent studies by George Mason University and Rice University professors.

6 May 2008

Mood and anxiety disorders put cancer patients at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder

Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, new research suggests.

5 May 2008

Oestrogen works for women the way testosterone does for men

Collaboration by American and German scientists has revealed that the sex hormone oestrogen increases a women's competitiveness.

5 May 2008

Children's experiences in a pediatric intensive care unit

Nearly one in three children admitted to pediatric intensive care will experience delusions or hallucinations, which put them at higher risk for post-traumatic stress symptoms, according to a new study of children's experiences in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

1 May 2008

Obesity prevention program reduces onset of eating disorders by 61% and obesity by 55%

In their research on eating disorders, Oregon Research Institute (ORI) scientists help young women reduce the influence of the "thin ideal," which is described as associating success and happiness with being thin.

29 Apr 2008

High self-esteem not always what it's cracked up to be!

Oscar Levant, a mid-century pianist, film star and wit, once watched noted keyboardist and composer George Gershwin spend an evening playing his own music at a party and clearly having a great time.

28 Apr 2008

Study shows false memories complicate end-of-life treatment decisions

Advance directives, or living wills, may not effectively honor end-of-life wishes because life-sustaining treatment preferences often change without people being aware of the changes, according to a new study co-authored by UC Irvine researchers Peter Ditto and Elizabeth Loftus.

27 Apr 2008