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Helping orchid kids blossom
Alive: An “orchid child” is one who dislikes change, notices subtle smells or emotions, and usually does well on tests but may fail if being watched. If you’re the parent of a sensitive child like this, you’ll be pleased to know the right environment can help him or her excel in health and life. Vulnerable and resilient Orchid kids make up about 15 to 20 percent of the population. Dr. Tom Boyce, a developmental pediatrician, coined the term to describe kids who have a biological predisposition to react strongly to their environment. Read the whole story: Alive
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Redd for rødt
Forskning Norway: Farger virker på oss, og rødt virker sterkest. Nå har forsøk med makake-aper vist at når vi ”ser rødt”, så er reaksjonen trolig impregnert i genene. Men rødt er ikke bare sinne. Rødt er også frykt – som for eksempel når vi ser at noen er rød i fjeset av sinne. Forskere fra Dartmouth College i USA gjorde forsøk med viltlevende rhesusaper (Macaca mulatta) i Puerto Rico. De viste frykt for rødt. Mannlige og kvinnelige forsøkspersoner kledte seg i forskjellige farger, og tilbød apene en fristende epleskive på et plastfat. Read more: Forskning Norway
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Psychology grads face below-average salaries: study
Reuters: U.S. graduates leaving university with a psychology degree face dim salary prospects when they enter the job market despite claims by employers of valuing a liberal arts education, according to a new study. "Face it, wages are tied to specific occupations, and real-world data show that psychology alumni just don't work in areas that pay top dollar," said Donald W. Rajecki, of Indiana University, and the lead author of the report. Among some of the jobs psychology graduates enter are mental health case manager, day-care teacher, home health aide, social worker and substance abuse counselor. Read the whole story: Reuters
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Humans’ Aversion to Red Stems from Evolutionary Past
Discovery News: Red can symbolize danger, heat and even anger. It's true: The color's appearance in road signs, stop lights, labels and flushed cheeks often cautions humans to avoid harm. One study even found that Olympic competitors donning red uniforms were more successful at winning events, suggesting the color intimidates competition. And a recent set of experiments featured in the journal Psychological Science indicates humans' apprehension of red may have evolutionary roots, leading to greater consideration of the color's use in human sports and primate habitats.
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New Research From Psychological Science
Do 18-Month-Olds Really Attribute Mental States to Others? A Critical Test Atsushi Senju, Victoria Southgate, Charlotte Snape, Mark Leonard, and Gergely Csibra Studies have suggested that infants can attribute beliefs to other people. In an independent test of this hypothesis, infants were blindfolded with an opaque blindfold (opaque condition) or a transparent blindfold that appeared opaque (trick condition). Then both groups watched a video of an actor wearing a blindfold while a puppet (the white bear) removed a toy from a box.
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Life is one big priming experiment . . .
One of the most robust ideas to come out of cognitive psychology in recent years is priming. Scientists have shown again and again that they can very subtly cue people’s unconscious minds to think and act certain ways. These cues might be concepts—like cold or fast or elderly—or they might be goals like professional success; either way, these signals shape our behavior, often without any awareness that we are being manipulated. This is humbling, especially when you think about what it means for our everyday beliefs and actions.
