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Games to Sharpen the Brain
The Wall Street Journal: If two start-ups have their way, videogames might cure more than just boredom. They could also be used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Akili Interactive Labs Inc. of Boston, formed by start-up-creating firm PureTech Ventures, and San Francisco company Brain Plasticity Inc. are seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for a videogame treatment they hope clinicians will turn to before prescribing medicines for ADHD. The disorder, whose symptoms include difficulty paying attention and remaining focused, affects 9% of adolescents and 4.1% of adults in the U.S., according to the American Psychiatric Association.
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Sex In Movies Pushes Kids To Have Sex Earlier
Forbes: Parents, you may want to hide the remote from your teens while you read this. Or at least make sure you’ve set the parental controls on your cable box. Kids who watch movies with more sex scenes tend to lose their virginity at a younger age, have more sexual partners and report less condom use, according to a new study from Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. The article, “Greater Exposure to Sexual Content in Popular Movies Predicts Earlier Sexual Debut and Increased Risk Taking,” was published in the journal Psychological Science, and uses data from a six-year longitudinal study of American adolescents from June 2003 to October 2009. Read the whole story: Forbes
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Why Bronze Medalists Are Happier Than Silver Winners
Scientific American: In 1892, psychologist William James wrote these words in this foundational book, The Principles of Psychology. James’s observation echoes a sentiment that is well known in psychology: a person’s achievements matter less than how that person subjectively perceives those achievements. For example, you might be thrilled over a 5% raise at work until you learn that your colleague down the hall earned a 10% raise. But is there ever a case when the individual with the 5% raise is happier with his or her outcome than the person with the 10% raise?
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Si vous vous sentez stressé, souriez ! (If you feel stressed, smile!)
Le Figaro: Un sourire, même forcé, abaisse le rythme cardiaque pendant une activité stressante, révèle une étude américaine. Les scientifiques avaient déjà révélé l'effet relaxant d'un sourire, mais l'on pensait celui-ci réservé au «vrai sourire» spontané, également appelé sourire de Duchenne, qui entraîne une contraction du muscle orbiculaire situé autour des yeux. Or il semblerait que même un sourire «standard» - certain diront forcé - qui ne sollicite que les muscles autour de la bouche (zygomatiques), ait aussi un effet déstressant, selon une étude publiée dans la revue Psychological Science. Read the whole story: Le Figaro
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Why Men (Yes, Men) Are Better Multitaskers
The Huffington Post: We should all be forgiven for believing that women are good at multitasking, and far superior to men. After all, that's the popular image that has been in circulation for some time. In this depiction, a vibrant 30-something woman, still in her business suit after a demanding day at the office, is cooking a gourmet meal, balancing a toddler on her hip, all while talking on the phone, presumably raising money for a local charity. Popular books, like Why Men Can Only Do One Thing at a Time and Women Never Stop Talking, reinforce the idea that men are incapable of matching women's cognitive balancing act.
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Don’t Fear the Cybermind
The New York Times: THE line that separates my mind from the Internet is getting blurry. This has been happening ever since I realized how often it feels as though I know something just because I can find it with Google. Technically, of course, I don’t know it. But when there’s a smartphone or iPad in reach, I know everything the Internet knows. Or at least, that’s how it feels. This curious feeling of knowing has settled over most of us. In a group, someone always seems to be “checking” something in the conversation, piping up with handy facts culled from a rapid consultation with the Great and Powerful Man Behind the Curtain.
