Psychology News and Research

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

Tuning the brain for music

The Department of Psychology at the University of Helsinki is co-ordinating a wide-ranging EU-funded research project, Tuning the brain for music, or Braintuning, for short.

5 Sep 2006

Anticipation plays a powerful role in human memory

Psychologists have long known that memories of disturbing emotional events - such as an act of violence or the unexpected death of a loved one - are more vivid and deeply imprinted in the brain than mundane recollections of everyday matters.

4 Sep 2006

'God Spot' in the brain - no such thing!

According to Canadian researchers there is no such thing as a "God spot" in the brain.

31 Aug 2006

The latest big thing - Obesity!

As the obesity fanfare continues researchers in Britain say a person's body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference are the easiest ways of predicting health risks due to excess weight, particularly amongst older men.

31 Aug 2006

Severe mental illness in Gulf Coast doubled after Katrina

The rate of severe mental illness in the Gulf Coast region about doubled in the six months after Hurricane Katrina, according to a report surveying a sample of the storm's survivors published on Monday in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, USA Today reports (Sternberg, USA Today, 8/29).

30 Aug 2006

Challenges parents, physicians face in addressing HPV vaccine

The AP/Washington Post on Sunday examined the challenges parents and physicians face in addressing the issues associated with Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil (Irvine, AP/Washington Post, 8/27).

30 Aug 2006

Young people are more likely to use condoms with a casual sex partner than with their main partner

The study finds that those with and without regular partners on average have the same amount of unprotected sex.

30 Aug 2006

Rate of disabilities higher among U.S. residents with lower incomes

U.S. residents ages 55 and older with annual incomes less than the federal poverty level are more likely to have disabilities that limit routine physical activities than those with higher incomes, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, Bloomberg/Dallas Morning News reports.

17 Aug 2006

Anxiety during pregnancy does not negatively impact infant's health

A pregnant woman's feelings of anxiety do not negatively impact the outcome of her pregnancy, according to study published online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the New York Times reports.

16 Aug 2006

Majority of pregnant women with depression not receiving treatment

The majority of pregnant women who have full-blown major depression aren't getting any treatment for the condition, and neither are most pregnant women who have signs of milder depression or depression risk.

14 Aug 2006

Predicting aggressive and disruptive behavior in referred 6- to 12-year-old boys

A decision support system, in form of a checklist with 20 risk- and need factors, complements clinical evaluation of boys between the ages of six and twelve with behavioural problems, according to new research from Karolinska Institutet.

9 Aug 2006

Further proof that children require more time

Further proof that children require more time comes via a study to be published today in Developmental Science asserting that the fast pace expected by adults - both parents and educators - can be beyond chindren's perceptual abilities.

8 Aug 2006

Different genes may be responsible for causing autism in boys than in girls

Like detectives trying to solve a murder case, researchers searching for the biological cause of autism have come up with some surprising suspects.

2 Aug 2006

Multi-tasking adversely affects brain's learning

Multi-tasking affects the brain's learning systems, and as a result, we do not learn as well when we are distracted, UCLA psychologists report this week in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

26 Jul 2006

Ice cream illusions: bowls, spoons, and self-served portion sizes

Picking out the perfect bowls and spoons sounds like a concern solely for brides-to-be, but a new study of eating habits suggests that selecting right-sized serving utensils may help dieters avoid unconscious overeating.

26 Jul 2006

Naltrexone may increase the urge to drink

Naltrexone (NTX) is able to reduce drinking and craving among many alcoholics and heavy drinkers, but not all of them.

25 Jul 2006

Inadequate hospital hand hygiene is spreading MRSA

Unwashed hands in England's hospitals are contributing to the spread of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and will continue unless healthcare professionals are taught to assess risk, reveals new research.

24 Jul 2006

Treatment for ADHD: Is more complex treatment cost-effective for more complex cases?

A combination of medication and behavioral therapy is the most cost-effective treatment for children with attention problems complicated by other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or aggression, according to a new analysis.

21 Jul 2006

Hyperactive girls more likely to develop heart problems later in life

Hyperactive girls are more likely to develop hints of heart problems later in life, according to a new Finnish study that tracked 708 kids into young adulthood. However, it's not clear if there's a direct cause-and-effect link.

21 Jul 2006

Study sheds light on how we form new memories

A study conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh involving an amnesia-inducing drug has shed light on how we form new memories.

18 Jul 2006