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New Research From Psychological Science
A sample of research exploring genetic variation and social-rejection sensitivity, judging impurity versus harm, and contextual fear learning.
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Scientists doing basic studies of human brain win longer reprieve from clinical trials reporting rule
U.S. scientists who challenged a new rule that would require them to register their basic studies of the human brain and behavior in a federal database of clinical trials have won another reprieve. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, says it now understands why some of that kind of research won’t easily fit the format of ClinicalTrials.gov, and the agency has delayed for the reporting requirements for another 2 years. ... The agency has not backed down from classifying many basic research studies with humans as clinical trials.
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In the tough academic job market, two principles can help you maximize your chances
This time of year generates a wave of excitement and anxiety as many early-career scientists prepare to face the academic job market. There is usually a flood of advice to help clarify this terrifying process. But for every useful piece of advice, there are a dozen that are idiosyncratic to the person giving the advice or that are unique to their own institution. They might have secured a coveted tenure-track position, but it’s not clear which things (a) helped them get the job or (b) are relevant to the jobs you plan to pursue. The job market—both inside and outside of academia—is full of random events.
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Tech Is Already Reading Your Emotions – But Do Algorithms Get It Right?
From measuring shopper satisfaction to detecting signs of depression, companies are employing emotion-sensing facial recognition technology that is based on flawed science, according to a new study. If the idea of having your face recorded and then analyzed for mood so that someone can intervene in your life sounds creepy, that’s because it is. But that hasn’t stopped companies like Walmart from promising to implement the technology to improve customer satisfaction, despite numerous challenges from ethicists and other consumer advocates. ...
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People Seek Out a Certain Kind of Person When They Are Happy
Heaps of research suggest that social relationships make people happier—but which relationships, specifically? A guilt-ridden afternoon with a mother-in-law might not have the same effect as drinks with a best friend. A “fair-weather friend” stands by your side only during good times. Recently a group of researchers set out to determine whose company we actually seek out when we’re happy or unhappy. Their findings, published this month in the journal Psychological Science, suggest that when times are actually good, the people we turn to aren’t friends at all. They’re strangers.
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Experts Say ‘Emotion Recognition’ Lacks Scientific Foundation
Emotion recognition is a hot new area, with numerous companies peddling products that claim to be able to read people’s internal emotional states, and AI researchers looking to improve computers’ ability to do so. This is done through voice analysis, body language analysis, gait analysis, eye tracking, and remote measurement of physiological signs like pulse and breathing rates. Most of all, though, it’s done through analysis of facial expressions. A new study, however, strongly suggests that these products are built on a bed of intellectual quicksand. The key question is whether human emotions can be reliably determined from facial expressions.
