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The Secret Language Code
Scientific American: Are there hidden messages in your emails? Yes, and in everything you write or say, according to James Pennebaker, chair of the department of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Pennebaker has been a leader in the computer analysis of texts for their psychological content. And in his new book, “The Secret Life of Pronouns,” he argues that how we use words like “I,” “she,” and “who” reveal secrets of our psychology. He spoke recently with Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook. COOK: How did you become interested in pronouns? Read the whole story: Scientific American
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“Culture of honor” in some states takes deadly toll on men
CBS News: "A real man doesn't let anyone push him around." If you agree with that that statement, you're buying in to the "culture of honor" that predominates in some parts of the country. You could also be putting your life on the line, a new study suggests. Men who think they should defend their reputation at all costs often resort to violent confrontations or take needless risks, which can lead to injury or death. Think of the man who feels he must not tolerate being cut off on the highway, or who won't back down when someone breaks in line. "Our study shows that homicide rates are a lot higher in honor states," Dr.
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Widespread panic: Why math anxiety continues to multiply
Miami Herald: One look at math word problems and many students cringe. Even worse, many elementary school teachers seem to have the same reaction. Math anxiety, a fear that first gained recognition as a feminist issue in the 1970s, remains a big problem that psychologists, educators, and parents are trying to crack. A negative emotional reaction to math or even the prospect of solving a problem that has to do with mathematics, math anxiety is now the topic of many books, research papers and seminars. Read the whole story: Miami Herald
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Self-affirmation boosts social confidence:
Toronto Sun: It may sound like another version of "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and, doggone it, people like me," but some Canadian researchers say self-affirmation has real-life social benefits. "Self-affirmation seems to provide a psychological buffer for insecure people, allowing them to put aside social fears and anxieties and behave in more warm and inviting ways," University of Victoria psychologist Danu Anthony Stinson said in a study released this week. Read the whole study: Toronto Sun
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The Unexpected Rewards of ‘Nearby Nature’
The Huffington Post: I live in one of the liveliest neighborhoods of a large city. I've lived in this city for almost all of my adult life, and I love all the urban sights and noises, right down to the sirens. But I also know the many patches of nature hidden away in my city. On those occasions when I need solitude and quiet and respite from the hectic metropolitan pace, I am minutes from streams and woodland. My rural friends don't think of these urban enclaves as real nature, but I disagree. I feel restored when I get out among the oaks, sassafras and yarrow, and when I hear the warblers singing. And new research backs me up on this.
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Speaking and Understanding Speech Share the Same Parts of the Brain
The brain has two big tasks related to speech: making it and understanding it. Psychologists and others who study the brain have debated whether these are really two separate tasks or whether they both use the same regions of the brain. Now, a new study, published in the August issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that speaking and understanding speech share the same parts of the brain, with one difference: we don’t need the brain regions that control the movements of lips, teeth, and so on to understand speech. Most studies of how speech works in the brain focuses on comprehension.
