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Mother’s love can prevent illness in middle age
The Telegraph: Experts say that a mum who nurtures and cares for her kids can set them up in good health right, even if they've grown up in grinding poverty. Research has already proven that kids who grow up in poor areas are more likely to suffer from chronic illness in adulthood, but US researchers were puzzled why some children bucked this trend. A closer look at adults who'd come from a deprived background revealed that a stressful childhood increased the chances of a kid suffering illnesses such as diabetes, a stroke or high blood pressure later in life. Read the full story: The Telegraph
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Senior Citizens Extending Health and Wellness with Video Games
Yahoo News: To promote staying sharp and remaining active as you age, http://www.SeniorsGuideOnline.com is encouraging seniors to play video games. Research and studies show that video games on the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 rank high in strengthening senior health and physical abilities. Video games are not just for kids anymore and there is a new generation of gamers who are having fun while staying young – Senior Citizens. Seniors have become one of the strongest and enthusiastic users of the Nintendo Wii. Currently many Independent Living, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Home have a TV, if not an entire room dedicated to the Nintendo Wii and its activity games.
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The Pupils are the Windows to the Mind
The eyes are the window into the soul—or at least the mind, according to a new paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Measuring the diameter of the pupil, the part of the eye that changes size to let in more light, can show what a person is paying attention to. Pupillometry, as it’s called, has been used in social psychology, clinical psychology, humans, animals, children, infants—and it should be used even more, the authors say. The pupil is best known for changing size in reaction to light.
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Religious people feel better than non-believers, but only in devout societies: study
National Post: Religious people tend to feel better about themselves and their lives, but a new study finds that this benefit may only hold in places where everyone else is religious, too. According to the new study of almost 200,000 people in 11 European countries, people who are religious have higher self-esteem and better psychological adjustment than the non-religious only in countries where belief in religion is common. In more secular societies, the religious and the non-religious are equally well-off. Read the full story:
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Bad bosses: The Psycho-path to Success?
CNN: Think you suffer from a "psycho" boss? A small but growing body of global research suggests you might be right. Call it the "Psycho-path to Success." Psychopaths -- narcissists guided without conscience, who mimic rather than feel real emotions -- bring to mind serial killers such as Ted Bundy or fictional murderers such as Hannibal Lecter or "Dexter," the anti-hero of the popular Showtime TV series. But psychologists say most psychopaths are not behind bars -- and at least one study shows people with psychopathic tendencies are four times more likely to be found in senior management. Read the whole story: CNN
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How Do Placebos Relieve Pain?
The Huffington Post: Scientists and doctors have been studying placebos for more than half a century. These inert "sugar pills" remain highly controversial, yet they are widely used in clinical treatment today -- especially in the area of pain management. So-called "placebo analgesia" has been observed again and again not only in the pain clinic, but also in the neuroscience lab, where scientists have documented a placebo response in the brain's pain pathways. Despite this evidence, nobody really understands the psychological processes involved in placebo analgesia.
