Tag Psychology
Recent sightings: Hands-on healthy
Students in Counseling Psychology 105: Health, Community and Action, a course taught by Margaret Nellis, a lecturer in the School of Education, participate in…
Can blocking a frown keep bad feelings at bay?
Your facial expression may tell the world what you are thinking or feeling. But it also affects your ability to understand written language related to emotions, according to research that was presented today (Jan. 29).
Expectant mom’s flu exposure stunts baby’s brain development
For expectant mothers, catching even a mild case of the flu could stunt brain development in their newborns, according to a new study conducted in rhesus macaques.
Depression saps endurance of the brain’s reward circuitry
A new study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that depressed patients are unable to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion.
Curiosities: Is it true that laughing is good for your health?
Indeed, says Robert McGrath, a clinical psychologist specializing in mind/body wellness at University Health Services at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and for many reasons. “Humor…
Study: Can meditation sharpen our attention?
A new study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that people can train their minds to stay focused.
Monkeys get a groove on, but only to monkey music
Music is one of the surest ways to influence human emotions; most people unconsciously recognize and respond to music that is happy, sad, fearful or mellow. But psychologists who have tried to trace the evolutionary roots of these responses usually hit a dead end. Nonhuman primates scarcely respond to human music, and instead prefer silence.
Researchers cite President’s role in reducing racism
President Obama spurred a dramatic change in the way whites think about African-Americans before he had even set foot in the Oval Office, according to a new study.
Early childhood stress has lingering effects on health
Stressful experiences in early childhood can have long-lasting impacts on kids' health that persist well beyond the resolution of the situation.
Expectant brains help predict anxiety treatment success
A network of emotion-regulating brain regions implicated in the pathological worry that can grip patients with anxiety disorders may also be useful for predicting the benefits of treatment.
Professor spends 25 years making ‘prejudice puzzle’
In the 1980s, when equal rights were becoming a cultural norm in America, many psychology researchers encountered people who would respond in interviews that they were not prejudiced, yet their actions would still reflect a bias. The pessimists in the field would conclude that they simply were lying. But UW–Madison psychology professor Patricia Devine saw things differently.
Curiosities: Why do people like to scare themselves by watching horror movies or going on thrill rides?
First of all, it’s important to remember that many people don’t enjoy these experiences, said Jack Nitschke, a UW–Madison professor of psychiatry and psychology.
Can love change your mind? New project explores neuroscience of ‘positive qualities’
What is happening in the minds of people who have developed a greater capacity for forgiveness and compassion? Can a quality like love — whether it’s shown toward a family member or a friend — be neurologically measured in the brain? A new research project at UW–Madison offers the opportunity to apply hard science to these seemingly ethereal questions.
Study: No gender differences in math performance
A team of scientists says that there aren't gender differences in math performance any longer.