Research on why people act as they do. Covers self-processing across primates, substance use, weight-loss behavior, and nicotine seeking.
Research published in PLoS ONE found that blue whales change their vocal behavior when exposed to man-made noise from sonar and ship sounds, regardless of frequency overlap. The study suggests a strong probability of noise affecting the vocal behavior of blue whales, with long-term implications unknown.
Researchers created a zebrafish model to study Maple Syrup Urine Disease, which causes brain injury and severe dystonia. The model reveals abnormal swimming behavior and neurotransmitter imbalances, shedding light on disease mechanisms.
A new study published by the American Thoracic Society found that PAP therapy significantly improves neurobehavioral function in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Despite suboptimal adherence, patients showed improvements in attention deficits, behavior, and quality of life.
A new study by Pankaj Aggarwal and Ann L. McGill found that humanizing brands can influence consumer behavior, with participants more likely to take the stairs if they imagined a healthy brand like Kellogg's and more likely to take the elevator if they thought of an unhealthy brand like Krispy Kreme. In contrast, participants who thoug...
Researchers discovered that male wolf spiders eavesdrop on rival males' courtship signals to improve their chances of mating. The study found that experienced spiders are more likely to exhibit this 'signal matching' behavior.
Researchers found a strong connection between compulsive tendencies and hypersensitivity in childhood, with ritualistic behaviors developing as a defence mechanism. A longitudinal study aims to better understand the connection between childhood sensitivities and adult OCD.
A study by University at Buffalo researchers found that humble leaders model growth and learning, and legitimize followers' journeys. Humble leaders who admit mistakes, praise followers, and learn from errors tend to have higher-performing organizations.
A new study found that climate change is causing humans to visit national parks earlier, with peak attendance shifting four days earlier than 30 years ago. This shift may serve as a bellwether for more severe human adjustments required to cope with climate change.
A recent study by Queen's University found that TV viewing, but not computer use, predicted higher cardio-metabolic risk in children. This suggests that limiting screen time, particularly TV viewing, may be an effective way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in young people.
A new study from the University of Missouri found that rural adolescents who engage in prosocial behaviors like volunteering and helping others are less likely to use substances as young adults. This research has important implications for substance use prevention and intervention programs aimed at teens.
According to a new article, psychologists recommend making treatment memories stronger through methods like giving more therapy or conducting it in different locations. This approach exploits established principles of learning and has been shown to be effective in reducing relapse rates.
A study by McGill University Health Centre researchers found that adolescent amphetamine use can cause neurobiological imbalances and increase risk-taking behavior, effects that persist into adulthood. The study used animal models and found abnormalities in key neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
Researchers found that 10-month-old infants can understand another person's thought process, even if it diverges from their own knowledge. This discovery sheds light on how humans acquire knowledge and develop communication skills.
Researchers have successfully measured dopamine release in a human brain, tracking its movement between brain cells while a subject makes decisions. The study provides preliminary evidence that dopamine can predict future market changes.
A multidisciplinary group of researchers found that a glazed stare is accompanied by measurable changes in eye behavior, indicating the existence of a conscious state. This discovery challenges the long-standing debate about the existence of a hypnotic state.
A recent study found that conservatives exhibited stronger physiological reactions to disgusting images, particularly those related to gay marriage. The research suggests that people's political orientations are reflected in their biology, with certain attitudes becoming ingrained in the body.
Motherhood is associated with changes in brain function, particularly in the auditory cortex, enabling mothers to recognize and respond to pup distress calls. The study shows a rapid appearance of olfactory-auditory integration in lactating mothers.
Scientists discover miniscule metal nanoparticles naturally occurring in silver articles, jewelry, and utensils, revealing a dynamic behavior that changes over time. This finding challenges traditional views on nanoparticle toxicity and suggests humans have been exposed to these particles for millennia.
A study published in Current Biology found that human children consistently chose to cooperate with others over working alone, whereas chimpanzees showed no such preference. The researchers suggest that this behavioral difference may be rooted in small motivational differences between humans and other species.
In a study of wild field crickets, males are found to protect females from predators, increasing their chances of survival. In exchange, paired males sire more offspring with each partner, suggesting that this 'chivalry' may have evolutionary benefits. The findings challenge traditional interpretations of male guarding behavior.
A new study found that teenagers experience more arguments with family members on days when they had conflicts with peers, and vice versa. Family fights lasted longer than peer conflicts, affecting relationships for up to two days later.
Hypothetical questions used in jury selection and political polling can create bias or entrench existing beliefs. Researchers found that pre-trial questioning can actually introduce bias, making it essential to recognize the potential for influence.
A UCLA study found that hysterectomized women have higher brain iron levels than non-hysterectomized women, comparable to men. This may explain why men develop age-related neurodegenerative diseases earlier than women. The research suggests that reducing peripheral iron levels could lower disease risk and improve brain health.
Researchers developed a tracking system to monitor worm behavior and brain activity, revealing that certain neurons remain active as the worm moves. The study provides a new window for exploring links between brain and behavior, genetic mutations, and mental illness in humans.
Researchers found that ritualistic behavior is not only human but also animal behavior, developed to induce calm and manage stress. In both humans and animals, repetitive behavior serves as a way to feel in control of unpredictable situations.
A study by Brown University researchers found that people seeking a mate rarely express their political preferences, with women and lower-income individuals less likely to do so. However, once paired, spouses tend to share similar political views, suggesting a potential filter for compatible long-term relationships.
Researchers created a new mouse model of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that replicates both symptoms and treatment timing in humans. The model points to new treatments, including blocking serotonin receptors or using an activator, which may be more specific and work faster than current therapies.
Research found that engaging in one healthy lifestyle behavior can decrease heart failure risk, while each additional behavior further reduces the risk. Key findings include: regular physical activity and a diet rich in vegetables lowering risk by 21-33% and 26-27%, respectively.
A University of Virginia study found that watching fast-paced TV shows like SpongeBob SquarePants can severely compromise a child's executive function, leading to difficulties in problem-solving, self-control, and behavioral moderation. In contrast, slower-paced shows like Caillou had little impact on test scores.
A Michigan State University study linked parental behavior to kids' videogame playing, revealing that perceived negative parent interactions and lack of monitoring drive children to engage in gaming. Researchers aim to explore the relationship between videogame playing and actual parental behavior.
Researchers found that second-grade students from diverse backgrounds are aware of ethnicity-based stigma and experience higher academic anxiety. However, strong social connections at school can mitigate these effects and boost interest in academics.
Gina Turrigiano's concept of synaptic scaling resolves the paradox of maintaining stability and flexibility in neurons. Her laboratory has shown that neurons can 'tune' themselves by adjusting excitatory synaptic strengths to control output, while maintaining relative input strengths.
Researchers found that adventurous females prefer mates with similar outgoing personalities, regardless of physical attributes. This study provides evidence that compatible personalities play a crucial role in partner choice in non-human species.
Scientists discovered that the intestinal membrane receptor protein, GC-C, is also expressed in critical brain areas. The study found that GC-C's activation amplifies dopamine responses, leading to hyperactivity and attention deficits in mice. Treatment with a PKG activator reversed these behavioral problems.
Researchers discuss the function of mirror neurons in humans, including their limited role in understanding speech and unexpected capabilities in understanding minds, particularly in individuals with autism. The study clarifies the limits of mirror neuron functions in humans.
A team of researchers discovered that consuming a fat solution attenuated behavioral and nerve cell responses to sad emotion, suggesting a link between gut-brain signaling and emotional state. This finding has significant implications for various mental health conditions, including obesity and depression.
A Temple University study found that teenage girls significantly influence their mothers' purchasing decisions, particularly for personal items like makeup and clothing. The 'doppelganger effect' suggests mothers tend to mimic their daughters' consumption behavior rather than vice versa.
A new framework for the evolutionary analysis of the mind proposes that humans cannot be accurately portrayed as being adapted only to a Stone Age environment due to recent selection of genes. Experimental evidence suggests that humans utilize general learning rules rather than a modular account of cognition.
Researchers found that women who attended weekly group sessions to improve their body image lost more weight than those receiving general health information. The study showed a strong correlation between improved body image and positive changes in eating behavior, highlighting the importance of addressing body image issues in weight lo...
Researchers found that alpha males in Kenya's baboon groups have higher glucocoricoid levels, indicating a potential cost to high social rank. The study has implications for human behavior and societal structures.
A new study found that ghrelin, a naturally occurring gut hormone, increases the willingness to pay for food while decreasing it for non-food items. This increase in reward signaling is specifically linked to the nucleus accumbens region of the brain.
Research reveals that olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic drug, promotes overeating, weight gain, and insulin resistance due to reduced body temperature. The study demonstrates altered peripheral glucose metabolism, contributing to impaired insulin sensitivity.
Clinical research identifies 'food addicts' with increased binge-eating disorder, depression, and impulsive personality traits. The study proposes personalized treatment approaches for obesity.
Research suggests that dietary supplementation with molasses extract can reduce body weight and fat levels in mice. After 12 weeks on a high-fat diet supplemented with 4% molasses extract, mice had lower body weight, reduced body fat, and decreased leptin levels.
A new owl study uncovers the advantage of stereopsis, revealing its ability to discriminate between objects and background. The findings debunk the long-held consensus that the evolutionary advantage of seeing in stereo must be depth vision, suggesting a more nuanced role for binocular disparity.
Gray's research focuses on cognitive strategies and decision-making under uncertainty. He will spend six months at the Max Planck Institute Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition (ABC) in Berlin to advance his work on heuristics and cognitive control.
Young house spiders exhibit perfect angles and regular patterns in their webs, but as they age, their webs deteriorate. The research suggests that degeneration of the central nervous system may be behind this decline, providing a model for understanding aging mechanisms in humans.
A Tel Aviv University researcher suggests investors can master their fear of the market by analyzing and understanding its dynamics. The team's study reveals a strong correlation between volatility and price variations, enabling investors to redefined risk parameters and enrich their portfolios with stocks that behave in different ways.
Research shows that men excel in both visuo-spatial and auditory-spatial tasks, such as detecting a single sound source in a noisy environment. Women struggled with the same task, indicating a 'high attentional mechanism' in the brain involved in extracting spatial information.
Research reveals that an individual's consumption habits and contraceptive choices are influenced by their cultural background, which in turn affects their responses to climate change. People's perceptions of environmental impact influence their behavior, with some behaviors offsetting environmental gains.
A recent study explores how improved design and user behavior can reduce stepladder accidents. Potential solutions include sturdier platforms, closed tubular sections, and warnings for users to avoid overreaching.
A new study by University of Notre Dame researchers reveals that the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae exhibits daily rhythms in gene expression, with nearly 16% of its genome showing time-of-day specific changes. This discovery highlights potential targets for novel malarial control strategies and optimization of existing approaches.
A study by Brown University researchers found that certain stressful life events cause panic symptoms to increase steadily over succeeding months, rather than acutely. This challenges the common assumption that stress triggers immediate panic attacks.
Researchers at the University of Exeter have developed a system to anticipate high-risk climate tipping points, providing early warning systems for devastating consequences. By analyzing observational data, scientists can identify signs of instability in climate systems, allowing for forewarning and adaptation.
As people age, their brain responses to morally laden scenarios change, with adults showing reduced punishment for accidental harm and increased empathy. Young children's brains are more activated by emotional responses, but gradually develop cognitive processes that improve moral judgments.
A study at the University of Cambridge found that compulsions lead to obsessions, challenging the traditional understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The research provides insight into the debilitating repetitive behavior of OCD and could lead to more effective treatments.
A new paper identifies three ways employees hide their knowledge from co-workers: being evasive, rationalized hiding, and playing dumb. Basic distrust and a poor knowledge-sharing climate are the two big predictors of this behavior.
Scientists at Ruhr-University Bochum find that passive stimulation can induce lasting changes in human behavior and perception, opening new perspectives for intervention and treatment of visual perceptual disorders. Visual perception is impaired after slow stimulation but improved with rapid stimulation.
Researchers at Caltech have found a specific brain region, the dorsal striatum, to be involved in reinforcement-learning behaviors and the gambler's fallacy. This discovery provides insight into how people make decisions in real-world situations.
Dr. Joseph V. Brady, a pioneer in spaceflight training, is being honored by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) with its Pioneer Award. NSBRI recognizes his role in launching early US human spaceflights and his contributions to the field of behavioral biology.