Psychology

Would You Rather Have A Robot Mom Or Robot Butler?

The uncanny valley has a new hill to climb- our ability to consider it human-like depends on its role in our lives, say a group of scholars.  And roles are also important in positive feelings. Designers and engineers assign robots specific roles, such as ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 8 2013 - 12:08pm

Americans Were Less Depressed In 2008

According to a survey, fewer Americans overall feeling the blues, with rates of depression in people over 50 on the decline. ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 10 2013 - 2:47pm

Prisoners Doing Yoga Report Lower Stress And Higher Well Being

Yoga improves the mood and mental wellbeing of prisoners, say psychologists who report that after a ten-week yoga course, the convicts reported improved mood, reduced stress and were better at a task related to behavior control than those who continued in ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 11 2013 - 6:00am

Why People Enjoy Listening To Sad Music

Sociology might actually have an explanation for the odd popularity of Tori Amos songs- depressing music might evoke positive emotions, according to a new paper. Obviously depending on your age you can just insert Joy Division or The Smiths where it says ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 12 2013 - 6:30am

Music Decreases Perceived Pain For Kids In Pediatric Emergency Room

Music decreases children's perceived sense of pain, say the authors of an article in JAMA Pediatrics.   The team conducted a clinical research trial of 42 children between the ages of 3 and 11 who came to the pediatric emergency department at the Sto ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 16 2013 - 11:12am

Why Do Dogs Look Like Their Owners?

The idea that dogs tend to look like their owners is big news to no-one. Even before the days of Paris Hilton dressing her Chihuahua, ‘Tinkerbell’ in mini-me outfits, it has long been observed that dogs and their owners often share a striking resemblance. ...

Article - Sarah Harrison - Jul 19 2013 - 2:12pm

Outgoing People Are Happier Than Shy Ones

Shy? You may be less happy. Surveys say so. In its happy journey into becoming anthropology, epidemiology is increasingly tackling social issues like they are diseases and using surveys as verification. They have time now, since that whole malaria problem ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 17 2013 - 10:11pm

Sex Addiction- Still Not A Real Thing

Is sex as addictive as cocaine or alcohol? It depends on who you ask. Obviously there is an entire industry built up around the idea that it is, just like there is an industry build around homeopathy and curing gay people, but that doesn't mean the NI ...

Blog Post - Hank Campbell - Jul 20 2013 - 12:22pm

Superstitious Baseball Fans Will Change Candy Bars If It Means A Team Win

Does buying a Snickers bar instead of a Milky Way improve a baseball team's chance to win?  You can't prove it doesn't- and for that reason the most superstitious baseball fans have little brand loyalty beyond their baseball team. A paper i ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 22 2013 - 12:30pm

Speaker's Power To Act Influences Listeners' Brain Response To Speeches

When President Ronald Reagan told the Soviet Communists to "tear down this wall" in his legendary Berlin speech, it resonated with a lot of people. Reagan was regarded as someone who could do things and listeners reacted accordingly. Some random ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 25 2013 - 10:46am