Neurogenesis? Depression? Marmosets?

This brilliant article by Jonah Lehrer accomplishes so much, so elegantly and logically, that the best I can do is direct you to it and invite you to read.

Breast cancer, statistics, and grapefruit

Carol Tavris is a social psychologist who's written before about how cognitive dissonance makes it difficult for us to admit our mistakes. Now, she turns her spotlight on how our thinking is manipulated by statistics and the media. This time, she and Avrim Bluming, a medical oncologist, have written an article about the risk factors for breast cancer and how they've been publicized in the media, feeding the fear of women around the world.

Millions of women felt compelled to trade in their hormone replacement therapy for hot flashes after publicized reports of higher rates of breast cancer in women taking those hormones for menopausal symptoms. More recent analysis may reduce those fears.

Part of the problem, on the part of the journalists who write the articles that end up under headlines that misinform us, is the difficulty of explaining complex science in three paragraphs. And many of us are also guilty of reading those three paragraphs and actually changing our lives as a result - without going to the source of that information to see what it really reports.

Reading your mind?

Looks like it just got closer - a computer program that will read your mind, with the help of a fMRI, of course. Check out this article about a report just published in the journal Nature. And then start thinking about all the implications . . . .

Internet Addiction

Addicted to the internet? The media loves the idea; of course, the media wants all of us to be sick! Just look at all the ads for drugs and treatments that clog the airways (and your computer screen!). Now, the American Journal of Psychiatry is getting into the game by suggesting that Internet Addiction be made an "official" diagnosis. Check this out at mindhacks.
Do you meet the criteria? Maybe we could do a little group therapy on this one!

Can Money Buy Happiness?

Here's some new research about that . . . and about how the way you spend your money CAN buy happiness.

This article also reminds me that there are so many ways we can do things for others without spending a dime. So I think I'll stop writing this right now and call my friend who is sick to offer support!

I challenge you to do something for someone else - whether it costs money or not - and let us know how you feel afterward!

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

I used to watch this show, and so I can resist pointing you toward this great article on memory strategies reported by a cognitive scientist who made it onto the show. Did he become a millionaire? It's a great read for anyone studying memory.

Cost Counts with Placebos!

Dan Arieley, the MIT behaviorial economist, is at it again, showing how irrational we humans are. He and his colleagues reported, in a recent study I came across on Medpage Today, that expensive placebos were perceived to be more effective than cheaper ones.

In a randomized, blinded study, healthy volunteers were told they were taking a new opioid and asked to rate its effectiveness on shocks to their wrists. All the volunteers were actually given the same placebo, but some were told the cost was ten cents, while others were told $2.50. The results were reported in the March 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Those receiving the more expensive pill reported significantly great pain reduction than those told they received the cheaper pill.

Dr. Arieley is the author of a recent book entitled Predictably Irrational. He commented on this study on his website:

". . . we showed that when people get more expensive painkillers (placebos in our case) they expect a lot and get a lot of pain relief, but when the price of these pills is discounted, the expectations are lowered and so is their efficacy. As it turns out, with painkillers, we sometimes get what we pay for."

Dealing with Fatigue?

Feeling that Monday morning dread every morning? Lacking in energy and feeling unmotivated? Many students experience that during this time of year. A recent study reported in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Journal looked at the effects of regular exercise on this kind of fatigue. Young adults
who complained of fatigue were divided into groups of no exercise, low intensity aerobic exercise, and moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Both groups who exercised reported more energy at the end of the study, with those who participated in the low intensity exercise reporting the biggest gains in energy.

So if you're dealing with fatigue, that sofa or bed is not going to make you feel better! Take a walk, or a bike ride instead!

Adolescent Popularity and Weight

Our discussions in psychology classes lately have focused on the nature/nurture issue in development, as well as the issue of obesity in children.

A recent study reported in the Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent health reported on how an adolescent girl's opinion of her social status or popularity predicted weight gain. Those who felt less popular were more likely to gain weight over the following two years.

Researchers at Harvard queried 4500 girls from 12-18 about their social standing at their school, asking this question:

At the top of the ladder are the people in your school with the most respect and the highest standing. At the bottom are people who no one respects and no one wants to hang around with. Where would you place yourself on the ladder?

Two years later, the girls who had answered at a level four or lower were at a 70% more risk of gaining excess weight. The researchers point out that interventions aimed at reducing obesity consider social as well as nutritional variables. What do you think?

Child's Play

Another article for parents and students of developmental psychology. Remember "the play years" - that age from 2-6 when the child's work is play? That's the topic of this article from NPR: how child's play promotes cognitive growth and how child's play has changed.

We love dogs!

The relationships between humans and canine are sometimes extraordinary. Watch this video clip about some amazing actions taken by dogs to save their human companions!

Taming the Toddler?

With so many of our students also parents, I thought this article from the New York Times would be interesting. I'd especially like to hear about any of you parents who have an opportunity to try this "method" with your own toddlers. Did it work?

The problem I find with articles like this is that we don't have any scientific proof that this method works better than any other method. Has this been scientifically tested? If so, we're not told.

The method, however, reminds me of another article, also from the New York Times, about how mimicry creates liking between people. Maybe that's what's really going on in this method to tame toddlers!

How couples resolve conflict linked to length of life

Ernest Harburg and associates at the University of Michigan followed couples for 17 years and found that their style of resolving conflicts was linked to how long they lived! Read about the article here. This study focused on whether couples express their anger and reach consensus or suppress their anger. Those who suppress their anger appear to be at greater risk for health problems over time.

So the next time you're feeling hurt and angry by something your partner said or did, speak up! Hear Harburg explain further about his findings, and how they differ for males and females, in this podcast.

Are drugs always the answer?

That's certainly what the drug companies and many others would like us to believe! A recent article and interview reported on recent research comparing the effects of antipsychotic drugs on the aggressive behavior of persons with mental retardation. As long as I've worked in clinical practice, these drugs have been used to reduce this behavior. Or so they thought! This article and audio interview with the researcher tell us that these drugs don't work at all. The placebo was the best treatment! We're also learning that antidepressants are not always the wonder drugs that we would wish they were. Psychological treatments may still be better and may offer fewer negative side effects. This article from Consumer Affairs explores that issue.

Who's the happiest?

Sometimes we think it's our next-door-neighbor, or the person sitting in the next seat in class, or our instructor. . . or anyone but us! New research suggests trends in happiness over the lifespan that change what we've thought. Maybe middle age isn't so great, after all! Check out this article!

Quit Smoking Drug Danger?

Chantix, a new drug to help smokers quit, is associated with increased risk of psychiatric problems, according to the FDA, as reported in this news article.

According to this story in Wired Science, a musician in Texas started exhibiting aggressive and bizarre behavior within a week of starting the drug.

Have you tried Chantix? What effects did it have, pro or con?

Why do we kiss?

Every possible reason to kiss is explored in this longish article from Scientific American . Bet you never thought of all this as you puckered up! With Valentine's Day on the way, it's worth a read!

People in Order

I just came across this interesting and creative video by Lenka Clayton and James Price on Youtube. Which is your favorite? What do you like about it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okOBUp0oaNM

Inquiring minds want to know . . .

more about psychology in all its forms - neuroscience, cognition, personality, health, happiness and on and on! I'm developing this blog to point you, my students, to blogs of interest. And I hope that you'll comment and also suggest other pertinent blogs or websites that you have found!

To begin, check out http://www.mindhacks.com/. Every week, these two offer a wonderful compilation of links to new research reported all over the web.

Another one that has a new post on study habits is http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/ published by the British Psychological Society and also filled with new research, as well as lots of links to other online psychological information.

Finally, check out one of my faves at http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/. Be sure to scroll down to his entry of crowds and watch the video of a recent happening. How would you have reacted to this?

I'll be waiting to see your reactions and the other sites you find!