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Magic Tricks Reveal Surprising Results About Autism
People with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to be taken in by the so-called vanishing ball trick, where a magician pretends to throw a ball in the air but actually hides it in his hand, a study shows.
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Friends Share Personal Details to Strengthen Relationships in United States, but Not in Japan
In the United States, friends often share intimate details of their lives and problems. However, such self-disclosure is much less common in Japan. A new study by an American researcher living in Japan finds that this may be because of the different social systems in the two countries, and in particular the extent to which there are opportunities to make new friends. "At first, it seemed strange that in Japan, people didn't open up and share a lot about themselves with each other," says Joanna Schug of Hokkaido University.
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When Nukes Become Sacred
Newsweek: As America and Europe wrestle with the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program, some policymakers have warned that imposing crippling sanctions on the mullahs’ regime would backfire, in that sanctions would cause Iranians to rally around their government in a show of solidarity against outside meddling. That isn't the half of it. According to a new analysis, offering Iran carrots rather than sticks—fuller diplomatic engagement, for instance, or help developing civilian nuclear power—to cease uranium enrichment and other proliferation activities may also be doomed.
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Young Children Are Especially Trusting of Things They’re Told
Little kids believe the darnedest things. For example, that a fat man in a red suit flies through the air on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. A new study on three-year-olds, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that they aren't just generally trusting. They're particularly trusting of things people say to them. Previous research has found that three-year-olds are a credulous bunch; they believe most things they're told, and skepticism doesn't kick in until later. Vikram K. Jaswal, of the University of Virginia, wanted to look more closely at trust in three-year-olds.
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Perspectives on Improving Patient Care: Genetics, Personalized Medicine, and Behavioral Intervention
Personalized medicine—improving the fit between patient and treatment—has become a major focus of research in fields from cancer treatment to the psychopharmacology of mental disorders. Genetic studies have suggested that an individual’s genetic makeup renders him either more or less sensitive to stressful social environments—but can an individual’s unique genotype also determine the effectiveness of preventative or therapeutic behavioral interventions?
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Psychological First Aid for Survivors of Disaster
Even as we breathe a sigh of relief watching the rescue of 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine for more than two months, there is recognition that their recovery from this traumatic experience involves more than just their physical health. Survivors of disasters are at significant risk for such problems as post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. But research on the psychological effects of disasters indicates that the risk varies among individuals and, further, that the most common psychological interventions currently in use are at best ineffective and at worst may actually be harmful in some instances.
