-
Rashness & Rumination: New Understanding About the Roots of Depression
TIME: Two studies explore some of the developmental roots of depression in childhood and adolescence. In the first study, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, researchers focused on depressive rumination, or the relentless focus on what has gone wrong or will go wrong, coupled with an inability to see a solution to these overwhelming problems. It’s no surprise that rumination has a strong connection to depression— in fact, studies show that some talk therapies can actually make depression worse by compelling people to focus on problems and their origins, rather than guiding them toward positive solutions on what to do about them. Read the whole story: TIME
-
Bone-tired? How about ‘gene-tired’?
The Washington Post: Hey, you, yawning in your cubicle at 2 in the afternoon. Your genes feel it, too. A new study, paid for by the U.S. Air Force but relevant for anyone with a small child, a large prostate or a lot on the mind, is helping illuminate what’s happening at the genetic level when we don’t get enough sleep. “There are 50 experiments on total sleep deprivation for every one on partial sleep deprivation — not getting a full night’s sleep,” said David Dinges, head of the Human Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school. “They are incredibly onerous, labor-intensive and difficult.” Read the whole story: The Washington Post
-
Will “Call of Duty” Be Assigned for 10th Grade (Gaming) Homework?
Scientific American: Two prominent neuroscientists have published a commentary in the Feb. 28th Naturesuggesting that video games might be crafted to improve brain function and enhance personal well-being. In “Games To Do You Good,” they cite prospects for bettering performance on behavioral measures ranging from visual perception to altruism. Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester and Richard J.
-
Bullies Hurt By Their Own Cruelty
LiveScience: "Mean girls" might be just as hurt by their own cruelty as the people they exclude, researchers say. Engaging in social bullying causes people to feel shame and guilt and makes them feel less connected to others, a new study shows. "In real life and in academic studies, we tend to focus on the harm done to victims in cases of social aggression," study researcher Richard Ryan, professor of clinical and social psychology at the University of Rochester, said in a statement. "This study shows that when people bend to pressure to exclude others, they also pay a steep personal cost.
-
A Salvo in the Soda Wars
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial ban on large, sugary drinks was slated to go into effect today, but a state judge struck it down at the last minute. Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling invalidated the proposed regulations—approved by the city board of health in September—that would have prohibited city restaurants, movie theaters and other food service providers from serving sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces. The regulations were intended to help curb troubling obesity rates.
-
Babies Prefer Individuals Who Harm Those That Aren’t Like Them
Infants as young as nine months old prefer individuals who are nice to people like them and mean to people who aren’t like them, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In our social lives, we tend to gravitate toward people who have things in common with us, whether it’s growing up in the same town, disliking the same foods, or even sharing the same birthday. And research suggests that babies evaluate people in much the same way, preferring people who like the same foods, clothes, and toys that they like. This preference helps us to form social bonds, but it can also have a dark side.
