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New Research From Psychological Science
The Use of Definite References Signals Declarative Memory: Evidence From Patients With Hippocampal Amnesia Melissa C. Duff, Rupa Gupta, Julie A. Hengst, Daniel Tranel, and Neal J. Cohen Most people will use declarative references to save time and mental resources when they are having a conversation. For example, a person might say “the game” instead of “a game” if they know the other person is aware of what they are talking about. To test whether declarative memory was required for the use of definite references, patients with hippocampal amnesia were asked to complete a communication task with a partner they were familiar with.
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Masculinity, a Delicate Flower
TIME: Real men are made, not born — so goes the conventional wisdom. In other words, manhood is a social status, something a guy earned historically, through brutal tests of physical endurance or other risky demonstrations of toughness that mark the transition from boyhood to manhood. But while that masculinity is hard-won, it can be easily lost. Once earned, men have to continue proving their worth through manly action. In modern society, that may no longer mean, say, killing the meatiest wooly mammoth, but there are equivalent displays of masculinity: earning a decent living or protecting one's family.
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Immigrants Eat American Junk Food to Fit In: Study
U.S. News and World Report: After moving to the United States, immigrant groups trying to fit in tend to choose high-calorie, fatty foods in an attempt to appear more American, a new study finds. That's one reason why immigrants approach U.S. levels of obesity within 15 years of moving to America, according to research in the June issue of Psychological Science. Researchers surveyed Asian-American and white college students about embarrassing childhood food memories. Although 68 percent of the Asian-American respondents recalled food-related insecurities, such as awkwardness about using chopsticks, only 27 percent of white respondents recalled any embarrassing food practices.
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Celebrating a Death: Ugly, Maybe, but Only Human
The New York Times: Some Americans celebrated the killing of Osama bin Laden loudly, with chanting and frat-party revelry in the streets. Others were appalled — not by the killing, but by the celebrations. It was appropriate to go after Bin Laden, just to try to cut the head off that serpent, but I don’t think it’s decent to celebrate a killing like that,” said George Horwitz, a retired meat cutter and Army veteran in Bynum, N.C. Read the whole story: The New York Times
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The hidden power of mothers: How moms improve their children’s lives
The Washington Post: Ever wonder why it is that mothers seem to have a magical fix for problems? Or always seem to say the right thing? Join Dr. Peter Vishton Friday, May 6 at 1 p.m. ET, as he chats about how scientists are discovering many surprising, and previously unrecognized, ways in which a mother may promote the well-being of her child starting from the child's fetal stage through his/her toddler years. Read more: The Washington Post
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Does this green card make me look fat?
The Vancouver Sun: Moving to the U.S. could be bad for your waistline, according to a forthcoming study linking fatty foods with the desire to belong. Within 15 years of moving to the States, research has shown that immigrants approach American levels of obesity — a finding previously linked to the ubiquity of cheap, high-calorie fast food and larger portion sizes. But investigators now suggest it's not simply the presence of such dishes but also immigrants' notion that eating them somehow validates their "Americanness." Think of it as a patriotic version of the axiom "You are what you eat," with the drive-thru doubling as a rite of passage. Read the whole story: The Vancouver Sun
