Mind
Bouncy Gait Improves Mood
If you're in an up mood, you may walk more energetically. But a study finds that purposefully walking more energetically may improve your mood. Christie Nicholson reports
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Stories by Christie Nicholson
Mind
Lots or Little Sleep Linked to Sick Days
Absence from work due to illness increased dramatically for those who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours per night. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Can’t Take My Eyes off You—Your Face, That Is
The direction of your gaze when looking at someone offers an unconscious, automatic giveaway of whether your initial reaction is romance or sex. Christie Nicholson reports...
Mind
Talking to Strangers Makes You Happy
People who had to strike up conversations on a subway later reported feeling happier than those who didn’t. Christie Nicholson reports.
Mind
Childhood Stress Decreases Size of Brain Regions
Children who experience neglect, abuse and/or poverty can have smaller amygdalas and hippocampuses, brain regions involved in emotion and memory, compared with kids raised in nurturing environments...
Mind
Body's Pain Perception Mapped for First Time
Our ability to pinpoint pain varies across the body, and in a specific pattern. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Vision Involves a Bit of Hearing, Too
Researchers could tell what sounds blindfolded volunters were hearing by analyzing activity in their visual cortexes. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Parents Who Support Corporal Punishment Do It a Lot
Thirty-three families allowed themselves to be recorded for up to six nights. Parents who said they supported corporal punishment did it often and with little provocation. Christie Nicholson reports
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Mind
Extroversion Extends Benefits across Cultures
In a study covering five different countries, subjects reported feeling best on the days when they practiced what are considered extroverted actions. Christie Nicholson reports
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Mind
Eaters Assume Crunchy Foods Have Fewer Calories
Food’s texture in your mouth—also called “mouthfeel” or “oral haptics”—influences estimates of calorie counts. And people might eat more crunchy stuff assuming (often incorrectly) it has fewer calories than softer fare...
Mind
Stressed Teens May Be Better Drivers
Teenage drivers who have a high sensitivity to stress actually have lower rates of car accidents than their more mellow friends. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Kids Books May Cause Confusion about Animals
Children who heard descriptions of animals behaving like humans were less likely to attribute to a real animal a newly learned biological fact than were kids who heard realistic information...
Mind
Danger Explainers Convince Kids Better Than Do Edict Issuers
Moms were better able to sway a child's perception of risk when they explained the reasons an activity was dangerous and its possible consequences rather than just saying no. Christie Nicholson reports
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Mind
Youth Gang Membership Affects Mental Health Later in Life
Adults who had been members of gangs in their adolescence had poorer outcomes on a variety of measures, including physical and mental health, than those who'd never been in a gang. Christie Nicholson reports
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Mind
Infants Use Verbs They Know to Learn New Nouns
Babies learning speech figure out what an object is by listening to others talk about what that object does. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Your Memory May Be Edited
Recent and easily retrievable information can overwrite the details of memories, thus altering them in your mind. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Movie-Watching Together Strengthens Marriages
Psychologists found that encouraging newlywed couples to watch romance flicks, and then discuss them cut the three-year divorce rate in half. Christie Nicholson reports
Mind
Review Finds Meditation Somewhat Effective against Anxiety and Depression
A meta-analysis of 47 previously published studies concludes that there's moderate evidence for meditation offering some relief of anxiety and depression, and low or insufficient evidence for effects on other conditions...
The Sciences
The Humor Gap
Men and women may have different roles when it comes to comedy, but laughter is crucial from flirtation through long-term commitment
Tech
Droning It In: Storm-Chasing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Makes First Foray into Nascent Twister
Unmanned aerial vehicles hold great potential in their ability to provide crucial data about tornado behavior--if only the FAA allowed scientists to use them
