Posted on January 17 2012 Read more...

The illusion of courage: Why people mispredict their behavior in embarrassing situations

Whether it's investing in stocks, bungee jumping or public speaking, why do we often plan to take risks but then "chicken out" when the moment of truth arrives? Scientists argue that this "illusion of courage" is one example of an "empathy gap" -- that is, our inability to imagine how we will behave in future ...
Posted on January 17 2012 Read more...

Brain Circuits For Visual Categorization Revealed By New Experiments

Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorize a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. In new research from the University of Chicago, scientists have pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded...
Posted on January 17 2012 Read more...

Emotional News Framing Affects Public Response To Crises, MU Study Finds

When organizational crises occur, such as plane crashes or automobile recalls, public relations practitioners develop strategies for substantive action and effective communication. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that the way in which news coverage of a crisis is framed affects the public's emotional response toward the company involved...
Posted on January 17 2012 Read more...

No walk in the park: Factors that predict walking difficulty in elderly

Researchers have found that the likelihood of becoming disabled with age increases with the following factors: having a chronic condition or cognitive impairment; low physical activity; slower gross motor coordination; having poor lower-extremity function; and being hospitalized. Women are also more likely than men to become disabled in their later years.
Posted on January 17 2012 Read more...

Broken arm? Brain shifts quickly when using a sling or cast

Using a sling or cast after injuring an arm may cause your brain to shift quickly to adjust, according to a new study. The study found increases in the size of brain areas that were compensating for the injured side, and decreases in areas that were not being used due to the cast or sling.
Posted on January 16 2012 Read more...

Large and in charge: Powerful people overestimate their own height

The psychological experience of power makes people feel taller than they are, according to new research. It seems there is actually a physical experience that goes along with feeling powerful.
Posted on January 16 2012 Read more...

The Lure Of Gangs – Good Parenting May Protect

Research published online in Injury Prevention demonstrates that even moderate levels of parental monitoring together with good coping skills, potentially assists in reducing the appeal of gangs for young people at high risk of joining a gang. Between 2002 and 2006, gangs were responsible for one in five murders in 88 of ...
Posted on January 16 2012 Read more...

People behave socially and ‘well’ even without rules, online avatar study shows

Millions of online human interactions were assessed during a new study which included actions such as communication, founding and ending friendships, trading goods, sleeping, moving, however also starting hostilities, attacks and punishment. The game does not suggest any rules and everyone can live with their avatar (i.e. with their “game character” in the virtual world) ...
Posted on January 16 2012 Read more...

Planned actions improve the way we process information

Preparing to act in a particular way can improve the way we process information, and this has potential implications for those with learning disabilities. Researchers have shown that using a grabbing action with our hands can help our processing of visual information.
Posted on January 16 2012 Read more...

I Recognize You! But How Did I Do It?

Are you someone who easily recognises everyone you've ever met? Or maybe you struggle, even with familiar faces? It is already known that we are better at recognising faces from our own race but researchers have only recently questioned how we assimilate the information we use to recognise people...