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Teens’ Brains Are More Sensitive to Rewarding Feedback From Peers
Teenagers are risk-takers -- they’re more likely than children or adults to experiment with illicit substances, have unprotected sex, and drive recklessly. But research shows that teenagers have the knowledge and ability to make competent decisions about risk, just like adults. So what explains their risky behavior? In a new report, psychological scientists Laurence Steinberg and Jason Chein of Temple University and Dustin Albert of Duke University argue that some teens’ risky behavior reflects the unique effect of peer influence on the still-developing teenage brain.
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Seeing Happiness In Facial Expressions, Instead Of Anger, Can Lessen Aggression
The Huffington Post: How you perceive emotions in others can have a real impact on how you feel yourself, according to a new study. The new research, published in the journal Psychological Science, shows that training people to be biased to recognize happiness instead of anger in a facial expression can help to lower their own feelings of aggression and anger. "Our results provide strong evidence that emotion processing plays a causal role in anger and the maintenance of aggressive behavior," study researcher Marcus Munafo, a professor at the university, said in a statement.
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Recycled Emotions
The Wall Street Journal: Rage, I've discovered, encourages writing. A couple of years ago I wrote a column about collecting trash along my road upstate. Or rather I wrote a column where I tried, unsuccessfully, to decipher the mentality of those who habitually toss trash from their cars. Since then my annoyance with these reprobates has only grown—prompting a follow-up story. ... I decided to call Wesley Schultz, a professor of psychology at California State University at San Marcos, for added perspective. He's an expert on littering and those who do so. "You might think littering by pedestrians would be unintentional," said Prof.
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Chi non sa controllare i propri impulsi sceglie amici con i nervi saldi (Those with little self-control choose strong-willed friends)
La Stampa: Le persone che hanno difficoltà a mantenere l’autocontrollo tendono a preferire partner e amici dotati di un forte e radicato self-control. La propensione genera relazioni adattative che permettono di colmare all’esterno la carenza di controllo individuale. Lo dimostra una nuova ricerca condotta da Catherine Shea della Duke University che ha analizzato i comportamenti delle persone prive di autocontrollo in diversi contesti in cui era necessario riuscire a trattenersi dallo svolgere un dato compito. Read the whole story: La Stampa
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Continuing Education Credits at Convention
Don’t miss out on the many opportunities to earn Continuing Education credits at the 25th APS Annual Convention in Washington, DC. A full list is below — please note that separate registration is required for Workshops. From Revolution to Legislation: The NIMH Research Domain Criteria Project Bruce N. Cuthbert, Robert F. Krueger, Elaine F. Walker Thursday, May 23, 2013 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM Beyond the Guild: Innovative Models to Expand Dissemination Science in Mental Health Marc S. Atkins, Kimberly Eaton Hoagwood, Mary M.
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The Science Behind the Heroism in Boston
The onsite response to the Boston Marathon bombings — bystanders bravely running toward the gruesome scene to help the wounded — exemplifies a growing body of psychological research on compassionate behavior. The classic research on the bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility suggests that in the tragedy on Boylston Street, the vast number of onlookers would be more likely than not to avoid providing help — largely because each person assumes there are plenty of others nearby who will do so.