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People With Low Self-Esteem Show More Signs of Prejudice
When people are feeling badly about themselves, they're more likely to show bias against people who are different. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, examines how that works. “This is one of the oldest accounts of why people stereotype and have prejudice: It makes us feel better about ourselves,” says Jeffrey Sherman of the University of California, Davis, who wrote the study with Thomas Allen.
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Talk Therapy May Help Treat Social Anxiety
WebMD: A 12-week course of talk therapy, when used to treat social anxiety disorder, produces changes in the electrical activity of the brain, according to new research. The findings appear in Psychological Science. Symptoms of social phobia or social anxiety disorder include anxiety and self-consciousness in everyday social situations. This anxiety may also have associated physical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and difficulty speaking. In some, the anxiety is limited to a specific situation, such as public speaking. In other people, it becomes so overwhelming and debilitating they can no longer leave the house. Read the whole story: WebMD
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Emotions drive us to do the right or wrong
The Times of India: A new study has shown that it's our emotions that drive us to do a right or wrong thing. A study by Rimma Teper, Michael Inzlicht, and Elizabeth Page-Gould of the University of Toronto Scarborough tested the difference between moral forecasting and moral action—and the reasons behind any mismatch. They found that emotions such as fear, love or guilt play a big role in determining our actions but when people are contemplating how they'll act, "they don't have a good grasp of the intensity of the emotions they will feel" in the breach, says Teper, so they misjudge what they'll do. Read the whole story: The Times of India
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Patriots Are Happier?
MSN: Do you fly the stars and stripes in your front yard? You might be happier than your neighbors. The more satisfied people are with their country, the more content they are with their lives, a new study in Psychological Science finds. Read the whole story: MSN
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How to cut your losses on a bad investment
The Globe and Mail: Your dream house has turned out to be a money pit. The roof is crumbling. The foundation is sinking. The plumbing needs a complete overhaul. You’ve already gone way over budget, and completing the job will put you further into debt. When do you cut your losses? Read the whole story: The Globe and Mail
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Autism: Take a Puppet for a Friend
La Stampa: Social cognition is a complex construct that goes far beyond some of the acquired expertise on how to behave in certain situations and adapting to the demands of the environment, but involves the ability, typically human, to engage in interpersonal relationships and to understand the thoughts and emotions of others. This capacity is manifested in very simple form in the early months of a child's life, but at different stages of development, it becomes increasingly complex.
