Latest and Breaking Social Behavioral News

Researchers find social robots require astute tuning to improve acceptability by the human mind
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(The Kavli Foundation) The future of social robotics requires meeting the expectations of the human brain, as well as keenly respecting the subtle complexities of both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Making sense of addiction terminology
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(SAGE Publications) A new editorial released this week offers clarity and structure on confusing drug and alcohol addiction terminology for prescribers, users and regulators.

AIBS names emerging public policy leaders
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(American Institute of Biological Sciences) The American Institute of Biological Sciences has selected two graduate students to receive the 2012 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. Lida Beninson is a Ph.D. candidate in Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Andrew Reinmann is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology at Boston University.

Dieting with the denomination, determination
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(SAGE Publications) According to a new study, those starting new weight loss programs may be surprised to find out that both location and level of experience may influence their success. A recent article published in the Journal of Black Psychology (a journal from the Association of Black Psychologists, published by SAGE) finds that African-American women beginning a new group weight loss program are more successful if they are less experienced with weight management and if the program meets in a church.

AFER announces 2011 Genentech Fellowship recipients
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) ARVO Foundation for Eye Research congratulates the first AFER/Genentech Age-related macular Degeneration Fellowship recipients -- Balamurali K. Ambati, M.D., Ph.D., and Stephen H. Tsang, M.D., Ph.D. Each received $40,000 to support their age-related macular degeneration research and will be honored at the 2012 ARVO Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 6, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Hearing metaphors activates brain regions involved in sensory experience
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(Emory University) New brain imaging research reveals that a region of the brain important for sensing texture through touch, the parietal operculum, is also activated when someone listens to a sentence with a textural metaphor. The same region is not activated when a similar sentence expressing the meaning of the metaphor is heard.

Schooling protects fleeing children from disease
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(University of Copenhagen) Refugee children have scant access to medical care and are particularly vulnerable to disease. Fresh research results from the University of Copenhagen show that just a few hours of schooling a week may have a pronounced positive impact on their health not only in childhood but later in life when they achieve adulthood.

New study to assess 3 simple, cost-effective strategies to promote healthy aging
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(International Osteoporosis Foundation) A new international study announced today by the University of Zurich hopes to provide definitive evidence that three effective, affordable and safe measures can be taken to significantly reduce the burden of chronic diseases in the elderly. The DO-HEALTH study will be Europe's largest healthy aging study. It expects to provide solid evidence for the efficacy and safety of three simple preventive interventions: Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids and a simple home exercise program.

Why 2 new studies represent important breakthrough in Alzheimer's disease research
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(AHAF-American Health Assistance Foundation) Two separate research findings have the potential to give us a much more sophisticated understanding of what goes wrong in Alzheimer's disease and what can be done to prevent or repair damage in the brain.

A new study shows how to boost the power of pain relief, without drugs
3 February 2012, 5:00 am
(Association for Psychological Science) Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction -- say, doing a puzzle -- relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That's the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention -- which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle.