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Fear memories can be overcome during sleep, researchers say
The Washington Post: It can take only an instant for fear to take hold in the brain: a fear of snakes after being bitten by one, or anxiety around bodies of water after witnessing a drowning. Overcoming that fear can take a long time, but now researchers are saying it can be done in your sleep. Scientists at Northwestern University say they have lowered levels of fear in people by using certain odors to trigger and rechannel frightening memories into harmless ones during a deep slumber. “Sleep sort of stamps memories in more strongly,” said neurologist Jay Gottfried, senior author of the study, which was scheduled to be published online Sunday by the journal Nature Neuroscience.
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Rethinking the Poker Face and Plans for a Cat in Space
The New York Times: In a classic work by Lady Gaga, she boasts, “No, he can’t read my poker face.” But according to a paper in the journal Psychological Science, she should be more worried about her arm and hand movements, at least when playing poker. “Even though professional players may be able to regulate their facial expressions, their motor actions could betray the quality of their poker hand,” the authors wrote. In three studies, psychologists asked undergraduates to watch clips of professional poker players placing bets; it turned out that smooth and confident arm motions while pushing the chips were the surest signal of a good hand. Read the story at: The New York Times
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Studies Explore Interplay Between Self-Control, Reward Processing, and Diet
Two new studies investigate the relationship between self-control and reward processing for chronic dieters and people who would like to control their food intake. The Future Is Now: Reducing Impulsivity and Energy Intake Using Episodic Future Thinking Tinuke Oluyomi Daniel, Christina M. Stanton, and Leonard H. Epstein Past studies have shown that thinking about a future event reduces delay discounting -- when people forgo large future rewards for immediate smaller rewards.
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The Friendship Bank: How and Why Even the Most Giving Friend Expects Payback
The Wall Street Journal: For 20 years, Christina Steinorth was happy to help one of her close friends with whatever she needed—last-minute baby sitting, a drive to work when her car was in the shop, countless hours of free marriage advice (Ms. Steinorth is a licensed marriage and family therapist). She didn't expect anything in return. When Ms. Steinorth and her husband decided to adopt a baby a few years ago, she asked her pal to write a letter of recommendation. The friend agreed enthusiastically, Ms. Steinorth says, but months went by and no letter arrived. She asked again and the friend apologized profusely, but still no letter. After several more months, Ms.
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The Problem with Death Tolls
Slate: Pakistani authorities say at least 45 people were killed by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the country’s southwestern Baluchistan province today. As my colleague Josh Voorhees writes, that number is likely to rise, and reporting by Gul Yusufzai of Reuters suggests the damage caused by the quake, which was so powerful it created a new island off the country’s southern coast and was felt as far away as New Delhi, is likely to be extensive: Officials said scores of mud houses were destroyed by aftershocks in the thinly populated mountainous area near the quake epicenter in Baluchistan, a huge barren province of deserts and rugged mountains. ...
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How to Stop Chasing Self-Esteem
Scientific American Mind: The more you pursue self-esteem, the more your confidence—and happiness—will recede. The following four steps will help you break the cycle. As soon as you sense that you are tense, obsessed or conflicted, pay attention, advises psychologist Jennifer Crocker of the Ohio State University. These emotions signal that your motivations may be tangled with self-esteem. Read the whole story: Scientific American Mind
