Monthly Archives: January 2011

Are you becoming your mother?

When interacting with your child, have you ever had that moment of utter shock when the words your mother said to you as a child come tumbling out of your mouth before you can stop them? At that moment, you’re … Continue reading

Posted in Developmental Psychology | 1 Comment

Don’t take the long road home

Do you take the fastest way home? Are you sure? Really?

I think I take the fastest route to work. I avoid traffic and stoplights, take long straight sections, and make right turns when ever possible. However, I always end up taking a completely different path home. I can’t quite say why I do this, but both seem the quickest possible way to and from work. If one route wins the morning commute, why don’t I follow the same path in reverse every evening? Continue reading

Posted in Cognitive Neuroscience, Sensation & Perception | 10 Comments

WHO’s Sick? The WHO and cross-cultural mental health surveys

As a student of clinical psychology I think it is important to have an understanding of what mental illness and wellness looks like in my own country as well as in other societies. Cross cultural research on mental health disorders … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Psychology | 1 Comment

Are you smarter than a chimpanzee?

Hollywood seems to think so. Nerds in the audience know that visiting aliens, if they speak at all, often say something flattering. “We just think you’re super. We’re here to admire you for being better than other life in every … Continue reading

Posted in Cognitive Psychology, Comparative Psychology | 2 Comments

Hijacked. Does cocaine take control the brain?

Although millions of people use drugs in the US every year, relatively few users (< 3%) develop addiction. The relatively low number of individuals who become addicted has led researchers to focus efforts on identifying brain regions that drugs target, … Continue reading

Posted in Biological Psychology | 4 Comments

Is Your Child Genuinely Helpful?

Even after years of research experience with young children, I was still amazed by toddlers’ helping behavior elicited by the host Alan Alda in “the Human Spark series” on PBS. The researchers from the Max Planck Institute recently found that … Continue reading

Posted in Developmental Psychology | 1 Comment

When nature and nurture collide: Genes impact what we learn from emotional events

Do people differ from one another because of their innate, inborn qualities, or because of their personal experiences?  This question, often referred to as “nature vs. nurture”, has been debated for centuries.  Today, most psychologists would argue that both play … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Psychology | 2 Comments

Psychology’s Frenemies

It’s a lot like watching a reality television show, only without Simon Cowell providing amusing commentary.  But the essential ingredients are all there: shifting alliances, suspicions, competition for resources, and perhaps even frenemies.  Yes, watching neuroscience interact with clinical psychology … Continue reading

Posted in Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 Comments

Weapon of Choice

If you see psychology research in the press these days, chances are it comes complete with a pretty fMRI picture, the ones with the brain covered in lights showing which parts are working more.  It’s less likely that you’ve seen … Continue reading

Posted in Cognitive Neuroscience | 4 Comments

Stress improves perception, but at a cost

We all have a sense that stress affects the way we see and evaluate our surroundings—but does it help or hurt us?  In the literature on how stress affects perception, there are some conflicting reports.  On the one hand, stress … Continue reading

Posted in Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Sensation & Perception | 1 Comment