Could an Infection Cause Tourette's-Like Symptoms in Teenage Girls?
The sudden onset of a tic disorder in 15 upstate New York teens might be the result of a strep or other microbial contagion, not "conversion disorder"
Stories by Karen Schrock
Why Penn State Students Rioted—They Deify Joe Paterno
The psychology of group membership helps explain why Penn State students can’t stop loving a man who ignored a child molestation scandal
Mummy Says John Horgan Is Wrong about Fat and Carbs in Food
I was struck today by the juxtaposition of two recent articles here at ScientificAmerican.com. In “Thin Body of Evidence,” John Horgan expresses his skepticism about journalist Gary Taubes’s claims that carbohydrates, not fat, are the cause of obesity, heart disease and other health problems faced by many Americans.
How Smokers Think about Death
Do graphic warning labels on cigarette packages really deter people from lighting up?
The hidden health power of spices and herbs is revealed in recent studies
BOSTON—As most of us learned in school, fruit is delicious because it evolved to be eaten—if plants can entice animals to eat their seeds, they'll be spread far and wide in handy packets of fertilizer.
People with Asperger's less likely to see purpose behind the events in their lives
BOSTON—Why do we often attribute events in our lives to a higher power or supernatural force? Some psychologists believe this kind of thinking, called teleological thinking, is a by-product of social cognition.
Once Learned, Never Forgotten
Lost languages acquired during childhood persist in the brain
Should Parents Spank Their Kids?
A task force concludes that parents probably should not use spanking as a punishment
Should parents spank their kids? Probably not, task force concludes
TORONTO—Corporal punishment has long been a hotly debated subject, with conflicting study results and opposing ideologies feeding the fire. Now the results of a five-year effort to review the scientific literature are in: a task force appointed by the American Psychological Association concludes that "parents and caregivers should reduce and potentially eliminate their use of any physical punishment as a disciplinary measure."
The recommendation was announced at the APA's annual meeting here today by the task force chair, psychologist Sandra A.
Imaginary worlds are early sign of highly creative kids
TORONTO—All kids like to use their imagination, and many play fantasy games where they pretend to be characters in a made-up world. Some children persist in building especially elaborate imaginary worlds, with impressive depth in terms of histories, taxonomies, language and maps.
Monogamy Is All the Rage These Days
TORONTO—Gay or straight, male or female—everyone is having fewer affairs now than they were in the 1970s. According to a new study presented here today at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, extramarital (and extra-partnership) sex is way down, and discussion about the topic within couples is way up.
Why Music Moves Us
New research explains music's power over human emotions and its benefits to our mental and physical well-being
SciAm Mind Calendar: February/March 2009
Mind Events in February and March
What does Barack Obama's brain look like?
Barack Obama still has a month before his inauguration as the 44th U.S. president, but there have already been a number of attempts to get inside his brain.
Mental Benefits
A new law requires better insurance coverage for mental illness
SciAm Mind Calendar: June/July 2008
The summer's best brain-related exhibitions, movies, conferences and more.
