12/22/08- Study Finds We Are Better Able to Detect Racial Tension in Members of Our Racial Group

In March of 2008, in a speech addressing contemporary racial tensions in America, then-Senator Barack Obama suggested that there is a “chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races.” Could this be true? Read More

12/22/08- The Effect of Parental Education on the Heritability of Children’s Reading Disability

Parental education is a strong predictor of socioeconomic status and children’s educational environment. Nevertheless, some children continue to experience reading failure in spite of high parental education and support for learning to read. Read More

12/18/08- Study Indicates How We Make Proper Movements

When you first notice a door handle, your brain has already been hard at work. Your visual system first sees the handle, then it sends information to various parts of the brain, which go on to decipher out the details, such as color and the direction the handle is pointing. Read More

12/18/08- A Walk In The Park A Day Keeps Mental Fatigue Away

If you spend the majority of your time among stores, restaurants and skyscrapers, it may be time to trade in your stilettos for some hiking boots. A new study reveals that spending time in nature may be more beneficial for mental processes than being in urban environments. Read More

12/17/08- Are Power and Compassion Mutually Exclusive?

The fact that many cultures emphasize the concept of “noblesse oblige” (the idea that with great power and prestige come responsibilities) suggests that power may diminish a tendency to help others. Read More

12/17/08- Racial Tension in a "Split-Second"

Research has suggested that apprehensive behaviors such as brief hesitations may often be a result of anxiety experienced in intergroup interactions. However, Yale University psychologist Adam R. Pearson along with his colleagues from the University of Connecticut wanted to know if the opposite was true: Can brief hesitations in conversation (often associated with anxiety) actually cause interracial tension? Read More

12/17/08- Cry Me a River: The Psychology of Crying

We’ve all experienced a “good cry”—whether following a breakup or just after a really stressful day, shedding some tears can often make us feel better and help us put things in perspective. But why is crying beneficial? And is there such a thing as a “bad cry”? Read More

12/12/08- More Than Just Being a Sentimental Fool: The Psychology of Nostalgia

In the 17th and 18th centuries, nostalgia was viewed as a medical disease, complete with symptoms including weeping, irregular heartbeat and anorexia. By the 20th century, nostalgia was regarded as a psychiatric disorder, with symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and depression and was confined to a few groups (e.g. first year boarding students and immigrants). Read More

12/12/08- Study Reveals Clues to How We Forget Over Short-Term

Even though forgetting is such a common occurrence, scientists have not reached a consensus as to how it happens. One theory is that information simply decays from our memory—we forget things because too much time has passed. Another idea states is that forgetfulness occurs when we confuse an item with other items that we have previously encountered. Read More

12/9/08- Thinking Like a President: How Power Affects Complex Decision Making

Studies have suggested that power changes not only a person’s responsibilities, but also the way they think. Now, a new study indicates that having power may lead people to automatically think in a way that makes complex decision-making easier.  Read More

12/9/08- Conscious vs. Unconscious Thought in Making Complicated Decisions

When faced with a difficult decision, we try to come up with the best choice by carefully considering all of the options, maybe even resorting to lists and lots of sleepless nights. So it may be surprising that recent studies have suggested that the best way to deal with complex decisions is to not think about them at all—that unconscious thought will help us make the best choices. Read More

12/9/08- When 2 + 2 = Major Anxiety: Math Performance in Stressful Situations

Imagine you are sitting in the back of a classroom, daydreaming about the weekend. Then, out of nowhere, the teacher calls upon you to come to the front the room and solve a math problem. In front of everyone. If just reading this scenario has given you sweaty palms and an increased heart rate, you are not alone. Read More

12/2/08- Is Empty Nest Best? Changes in Marital Satisfaction in Late Middle Age

The phrase “empty nest” can conjure up images of sad and lonely parents sitting at home, twiddling their thumbs, waiting for their children to call or visit. Now, a new study suggests that an empty nest may have beneficial effects on the parents’ marriage. Read More