Psychology

Brain scanning experiment shows how much we take others' earnings as a measure of our success. The feelings an individual has on receiving his paycheque depend critically on how much his colleague earns. Hard evidence for this comes from an experiment conducted by economists and brain scientists at the University of Bonn. They tested male subjects in pairs, asking them to perform a simple task and promising payment for success. Using magnetic resonance tomographs, the researchers examined the volunteers' brain activity throughout the activities. Participants who got more money than their co-…

In the first evidence of its kind to date, Yale researchers find that infants prefer individuals who help others to those who either do nothing, or interfere with others’ goals, it is reported today in Nature. “This supports the view that our ability to evaluate people is a biological adaptation—universal and unlearned,” said the authors of the study. The study included six-and-10-month-old babies whose preferences were determined by recording which of two actors they reached towards. In the first experiment, infants saw a wooden character with large glued-on eyes known as “The Climber.” At…

New research reveals that the families of patients who died in the intensive care unit (ICU) had higher satisfaction of care ratings than families of patients who survived their time in the ICU. The study in the November issue of CHEST shows that while the families of ICU survivors and nonsurvivors were equally satisfied with the treatment that their loved one received, the families of non-survivors were two to three times more likely to give higher ratings regarding family-centered aspects of care. In contrast, the families of ICU survivors were shown to be less pleased with their overall…

Several studies demonstrated that alcohol-dependent patients show altered responses to alcohol-related cues. It is assumed that the regular association of these cues with the ingestion of alcohol leads to conditioned reactions, motivating reward or relief craving and instigating drug intake. A group of German investigators has reported on this phenomenon in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. They used an innovative method for studying this issue: the measurement of startle reflex, which is the eyeblink response to a sudden loud noise, that is normally inhibited by a…

An investigation by researchers published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics indicates the practicing of Zen meditation by psychotherapists matters. The study aimed to examine whether, and to what extent, promoting mindfulness in psychotherapists in training (PiT) influences the treatment results of their patients. All therapists direct their attention in some manner during psychotherapy and a special form of directing attention, 'mindfulness', is recommended. In the study, the therapeutic course and treatment results of 124 inpatients, who were treated for 9 weeks by…

A new study led by researchers at The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center finds that dieters who have the tendency to eat in response to external factors, such as at festive celebrations, have fewer problems with their weight loss than those who eat in response to internal factors such as emotions. The study also found that emotional eating was associated with weight regain in successful losers. The study is published in the October 2007 issue of Obesity. “We found that the more people report eating in response to thoughts and feelings, such as, ‘when I feel…

In a new research study, Neuroeconomist Paul J. Zak of Claremont Graduate University and his colleagues gave doses of oxytocin and a placebo to participants, who were then offered a blinded, one-time decision on how to split a sum of money with a stranger who could accept or reject the split. The results were overwhelming: Those given oxytocin offered 80% more money than those given a placebo. According to Zak, this means that although we are inherently altruistic, we are also generous when we feel empathy toward one another. It is empathy that causes us to open up our wallets and give…

Like adults, children and monkeys rationalize their decisions following a tough choice, Yale University researchers report in Psychological Science. The tendency to rationalize after, for instance, deciding what job to take, which car to buy, or who to marry, is a way to resolve “cognitive dissonance”—a psychological state in which an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are at odds, said Louisa Egan, the lead author and doctoral student of psychology. The dissonance—the anxiety over an appealing road not taken—is uncomfortable and people are driven to resolve these feelings by…

‘Munchausen's syndrome by proxy’ describes women alleged to have fabricated or induced illnesses in children under their care, purportedly to attract attention. Where conclusive evidence of guilt exists the condition's aetiology remains speculative, but when evidence is lacking diagnosis hinges upon denial of wrong-doing, which is conduct also compatible with innocence. Given those criteria, how can investigators find objective evidence of guilt or innocence? Professor Sean Spence, who has pioneered the use of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to detect lies, carried out…

People who are optimistic are more likely than others to display prudent financial behaviors, according to new research from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. But too much optimism can also be a problem: people who are extremely optimistic tend to have short planning horizons and act in ways that are generally not considered wise. Manju Puri and David Robinson, professors of finance at Duke, report in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of Financial Economics that the differences between optimists and extreme optimists provide important insights into the interaction between…