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Behavior’s Influence on Biology
One of the basic tenets of psychological science holds that the biology of our brains heavily influences our actions, behaviors, judgments, and more. But what if we reverse that premise and examine an opposite supposition: that our choices and decisions may influence our physical neural structure? Several prominent psychological scientists examine this bidirectional equation. The following researchers will speak: Darlene D. Francis, University of California, Berkeley. Her research delves into how biological, psychological, and social developments throughout people’s lives combine to influence their susceptibility to disease or illness. Adam H.
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How Gossip Serves a Greater Good
Pacific Standard: Halfway through the 1800s, someone named Cecil B. Hartley wrote a guide titled The Gentlemen’s Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness, which offers instruction on everything from conversation to dress to table manners to manly exercises. On the topic of gossip, Hartley advises readers to shun the practice outright, deeming it “detestable” in a woman and “utterly despicable” in a man. His sentiment was neither new nor dated.
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Rischio cardiovascolare se nella coppia non c’è sostegno morale (Cardiovascular risk in the pair if there is no moral support)
La Stampa: Nelle coppie di fatto spesso si litiga, non c’è solidarietà. Questa solidarietà, che dovrebbe essere reciproca, spesso però viene a mancare. In molti casi la mancanza di sostegno avviene da parte sia di lui che di lei, ma può anche capitare che sia solo uno dei due partner a non essere di sostegno all’altro, magari facendo delle pressioni psicologiche o morali per le questioni più disparate. In tutti questi casi a soffrirne non è soltanto il morale, ma anche e soprattutto il cuore, dimostrando che la salute del cuore è collegata proprio alle questioni di cuore. Rapporti problematici promuovono dunque una salute cardiovascolare altrettanto problematica.
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Mental Health on the Go
The Huffington Post: Journalist Scott Stossel was so anxious at his own wedding that he had to hold on to his new bride in order to steady himself at the altar. His clothes were by then soaked through by torrential sweat. At the birth of his first child, with his wife in the throes of labor, the nurses had to turn their attention to the expectant father, who had gone pale and keeled over. He has also had breakdowns in the middle of job interviews, dates and plane flights. Even ordinary activities like talking on the phone can trigger pervasive dread, accompanied by nausea, shaking, and vertigo. ...
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What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Overpriced roses and generic greeting cards are flying off the shelves, only to be thrown in the trash in a day or two. Windows, storefronts, even drab office cubicles are festooned in red and pink hearts. Valentine’s Day is a holiday full of schmaltz, material excess, and, sometimes, a bit of genuine romance. But extravagant gestures and fleeting passion do not a relationship make! So, before things get too sentimental, let’s take a step back and consider how people get in, and out, of romantic relationships in the first place.
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On the Relationship Between Social Class and Prejudice
Studies have indicated that prejudice is more prevalent among people from lower social classes, but researchers are still struggling to understand what might account for this association. In an article published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, a team of researchers led by Héctor Carvacho of Bielefeld University, Germany, examine the role of two ideological attitudes — right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) — in linking aspects of social class to increased levels of prejudice.
