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Enjoying the possibility of defeat

A study by Sami Abuhamdeh and colleagues found that players' enjoyment of games is linked to suspense and uncertainty, not just winning. Participants preferred playing games with close margins over those with predictable outcomes. This suggests that games with unpredictable outcomes can be more engaging and enjoyable for some players.

SourceSpringer·JournalMotivation and Emotion·DateSep 3, 2014

Researchers switch emotion linked to memory

The study reveals that the hippocampus can freely associate with either positive or negative emotions, while the amygdala is hard-wired for specific experiences. This flexibility may help explain the success of behavioral therapy for phobias and PTSD, and suggests novel treatments for depression and other disorders.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature·DateAug 27, 2014

In our digital world, are young people losing the ability to read emotions?

A UCLA study suggests that excessive digital media use is linked to declining social skills in children, as they spend less time engaging in face-to-face interactions. The research found that sixth-graders who went device-free for five days showed significant improvements in recognizing human emotions compared to their peers.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalComputers in Human Behavior·DateAug 21, 2014

Study cracks how the brain processes emotions

Researchers at Cornell University have discovered that the human brain uses fine-grained patterns of neural activity to represent emotions in a standardized code. This code allows individuals to share similar emotional experiences, regardless of personal perspectives or cultural backgrounds.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJul 9, 2014

'Let it go,' but not in the boardroom

Researchers found that individuals cooperated more with computer counterparts expressing positive emotions after cooperation and negative emotions after exploitation. This study highlights the importance of managing facial expressions in business interactions to achieve cooperation.

SourceUSC Marshall School of Business·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateApr 28, 2014

Some people really just don't like music

Researchers identified individuals with specific musical anhedonia, a condition where people can't experience pleasure from music. They found that these individuals show no autonomic responses to music but respond to monetary rewards, suggesting different ways to access the reward system.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMar 6, 2014

'Gaydar' revisited

A recent study revisits the phenomenon of 'gaydar' in women, finding that lesbians are better at detecting sexual orientation, while straight women excel at identifying emotions and thoughts. The research also highlights differences in judgments between lesbian and straight judges.

SourceNortheastern University·JournalCognition & Emotion·DateMar 4, 2014

Sporting success does affect birth rates

A study published in The BMJ found a significant increase in births in Catalonia nine months after FC Barcelona won three major football trophies. Births rose by 16% in February 2010, with some areas experiencing even higher increases, although the findings fall short of earlier media reports.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·DateDec 17, 2013

Boredom research has now become more interesting

Researchers identify five types of boredom, including apathetic boredom, which resembles learned helplessness or depression, in a study published in Motivation and Emotion. The findings show that people tend to experience one type of boredom at a time, rather than randomly switching between different types.

SourceSpringer·JournalMotivation and Emotion·DateNov 18, 2013

Dogs know a left-sided wag from a right

Dogs exhibit asymmetric brain organization, with left-brain activation linked to right-tail wagging and right-brain activation tied to left-tail wagging. This difference affects emotional responses in dogs, who display anxious behavior when seeing a dog with a left-tail wag and relaxed responses when seeing a dog with a right-tail wag.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateOct 31, 2013

Studying the emotions which cause opinions to change

A physicist has developed a model to study the dynamics of opinions, combining information with emotions to understand how opinions form and change. The study reveals that minority groups can persist despite being surrounded by enemies and that many elections have close results.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateJul 31, 2013

Babies can read each other's signals

Researchers found that infants as young as 5 months can match positive and negative emotional cues, including facial expressions and vocalizations. This groundbreaking study sheds light on early infant development and suggests babies are more attuned to emotions than previously thought.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalInfancy·DateJun 26, 2013

How men and women cooperate

A new study published in Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that during high mutual cooperation, men tend to match their partner's emotions, while women experience an 'antiphase' pattern. Women may serve as emotional regulators during cooperation, potentially impacting relationship outcomes.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalJournal of Social and Personal Relationships·DateJun 25, 2013

Human emotion: We report our feelings in 3-D

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry found that humans report emotions in three distinct systems: attention, categorization, and intensity. The researchers used brain scans to examine the neural architecture underlying emotional reports.

SourceElsevier·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateMar 27, 2013