Psychology

Would A Guardian Angel Make You Cautious Or Reckless?

If you had an angel walking beyond you, would you be more reckless or more cautious? It's surprising how many people believe that guardian angels watch over them to keep them safe in a dangerous world, and it's even more surprising that those wh ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 23 2014 - 9:38am

Why Perfectionists Are At Higher Risk For Suicide

For some people, their own standard is much more demanding that anything the outside world could expect. Perfectionism is a bigger risk factor in suicide than it is credited for, says York University Psychology Professor Gordon Flett, who is calling for c ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 25 2014 - 10:45am

Evolutionary Psychology: Why Women Like Older Men And Men Like Younger Women

A new evolutionary psychology paper says that men and women have different age preferences regarding sexual partners- but it's primarily women realize their preferences.  ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 25 2014 - 10:16am

Couvade Syndrome: Why Some Men Develop Signs Of Pregnancy

Sympathetic or jealous? Credit: Belly by Shutterstock By Arthur Brennan, St George's, University of London Harry Ashby, the 29-year-old security guard who was signed off work with morning sickness, cravings, a growing stomach and breasts during his g ...

Article - The Conversation - Sep 25 2014 - 3:00pm

For Obese People, Bariatric Surgery Is Not A Magic Wand To Curb Depression

There's a common trope in Hollywood celebrities who gain weight and receive attention for it. They talk about how much healthier and better they feel about themselves at higher weight- and then they immediately lose weight and talk about how much hea ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 25 2014 - 9:00pm

No Drugs Needed: Talk Therapy Best For Social Anxiety Disorder

Antidepressants are the most commonly used treatment for social anxiety disorder but we know they don't work for many people and their efficacy goes down over time. New research finds they are not even needed in many instances.  Social anxiety disord ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 25 2014 - 8:31pm

A Constant In A Changing World: Hand Size Keeps Us Grounded

We know our bodies don't just change in size, which makes it an effective metric in a world in motion. Psychologists have found that people tend to perceive their dominant hand as staying relatively the same size even when it's magnified, lendin ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 29 2014 - 9:09am

Depression Surveys Linked To Unnecessary Antidepressant Prescriptions

Almost everyone agrees the Western world is over-prescribed; except the people doing the prescribing. Symptom-based medicine stopped being used 50 years ago but when it comes to mood disorders, it is still the norm. And "brief depression symptom meas ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 29 2014 - 7:30pm

In Men, Smiles Become Contagious When Alcohol Is Involved

Consuming an alcoholic beverage may make men more responsive to the smiles of others in their social group,  but now women. That suggests to psychologists behind a new paper in  Clinical Psychological Science that since alcohol increases sensitivity to re ...

Article - News Staff - Sep 30 2014 - 9:26am

Benevolent Despotism: Power Can Corrupt Even The Honest

When choosing a new leader, people base their decision on desirable characteristics such as honesty and trustworthiness. However once leaders are in power, can we trust them to exercise it in a prosocial manner?  A new paper in The Leadership Quarterly fi ...

Article - News Staff - Oct 1 2014 - 11:31am