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social neuroscience

·September 21, 2019·3 min read

Three faces of teen popularity: Being feared, being loved, and being feared and loved

Study identifies three distinct types of teen popularity, prosocial popular, aggressive popular, and bistrategic popular or Machiavellian. The Machiavellian teens were considered most popular, despite being above average on both physical and relational aggression traits, as they displayed the most prosocial behavior.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 20, 2019·4 min read

Introvert? You may just be bad at recognizing faces

Extroverts perform significantly better at facial recognition tasks than introverts.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 19, 2019·3 min read

Supportive relationships in childhood leads to longer lives

Closer social relationships in childhood and being raised by a family with higher socioeconomic status was linked to people being more optimistic during midlife and increased chances of living to an older age. Those who were more disadvantaged growing up and experienced psychosocial stressors tended to experience more stressful events during midlife and had an increased risk of early death.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·September 18, 2019·5 min read

Low-cost blood pressure drug improves brain function in individuals with autism

Propranolol, a common 'beta-blocker' drug used to control blood pressure, could be a promising new treatment for those on the autism spectrum. The medication improved cognitive performance and positively altered the frontal-parietal control network, an area of the brain associated with word and information processing, in those with ASD.

This shows a happy couple reading by a lake

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 17, 2019·3 min read

The happiest introverts may be extraverts

Introverts who alter their behavior to act more extraverted are happier and report improvements in overall well-being.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 16, 2019·5 min read

Violent video games blamed more often for school shootings by white perpetrators

Video games are often blamed as a cause of mass shootings, especially if the perpetrator is white. When it comes to perpetrators of other racial backgrounds, people are more likely to assume they are involved in violent criminal activities. Blaming gaming for school shootings perpetrated by white people, and thereby providing an unfounded excuse for their actions, is a sign of a larger racial issue. Similar excuses aren't extended to people of other racial backgrounds. Instead, they are viewed as more culpable for their crimes.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 5, 2019·1 min read

Study examines personality and motivation in relation to internet gaming disorder

Researchers identify predictors for those at risk of internet gaming disorder (IGD). Those most at risk for developing IGD are male, have neurotic or introverted personality traits, and are motivated to acquire in-game achievements.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 2, 2019·4 min read

Anxiety and depression: why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs

Exposure to nature has been shown to help improve depression and anxiety symptoms. Many mental health professionals are recommending patients spend time gardening as a therapy. The main treatment benefits may be seen when a person enters a community gardening project, which helps develop social and cooperative skills, as well as providing support for those with mental health conditions.

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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·September 1, 2019·4 min read

Adolescents’ fun seeking predicts both risk taking and prosocial behavior

A positive correlation has been identified between prosocial and rebellious behaviors in teens. The more risk taking behaviors a teen exhibited, the more likely they were to act prosocially. The findings suggest the same developmental processes are at work for both types of behaviors. Also noted was faster brain development in the medial prefrontal cortex predicted a decrease in rebellious behavior.

This shows a man and child on space hoppers

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 25, 2019·5 min read

The unbeatable lightness of being

Finding humor in life can help to improve happiness and reduce stress.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·August 21, 2019·4 min read

Why we remember our youth as one big hedonistic party

Were we as hedonistic as we remember as teens? Most likely not. Researchers look at how we recall memories of our past years and how our youthful experiences helped us form our current identities.

This shows an eye with a woman in the middle

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 16, 2019·3 min read

Political campaigns may influence acceptance of violence against women

Study links acceptance of violent attitudes toward women and more tolerance to 'rape culture' with a person's presidential candidate support in the 2016 election.