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The Heart Can Directly Influence Our Emotions
Researchers find that an increased heart rate can induce anxiety in mice, given the right context.
The Heart Can Directly Influence Our Emotions
The Heart Can Directly Influence Our Emotions

Researchers find that an increased heart rate can induce anxiety in mice, given the right context.

Researchers find that an increased heart rate can induce anxiety in mice, given the right context.

psychology

Illustration of several warped and stretched analog clocks swirling around a central point.
It’s Not Just You: Lockdowns Had Us Living in “Blursday,” Study Says
Dan Robitzski | Aug 26, 2022 | 6 min read
The Scientist spoke with Maximilien Chaumon about his database showing how COVID-19 related lockdowns warped more 2,800 people’s perception of time.
A dolphin comes out of the water to catch a red ball.<br><br>
Dolphins May Remember Personal Experiences
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Jul 29, 2022 | 4 min read
Bottlenose dolphins can recall trivial details of a prior event to later solve a novel task, a study finds, suggesting these mammals are capable of episodic memory.
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Book Excerpt from Anxious Eaters: Why We Fall for Fad Diets
Janet Chrzan and Kima Cargill | Jul 25, 2022 | 5 min read
In Chapter 1, “Why We Love Fad Diets,” authors Janet Chrzan and Kima Cargill explain the American propensity to take shortcuts to weight loss.
Two women in athletic clothing smiling at each other.
Study: People “Click” Better When Their Body Odor Matches
Dan Robitzski | Jun 24, 2022 | 6 min read
Pairs of same-sex friends who reported strong connections when they first met had similar body odors, and body odor similarity predicted whether two strangers would hit it off.
A stone statue of a medieval gatekeeper holding a spear upright. The clear sky is in the background.
Q&A: Psych and Neuro Journals Primarily Edited by American Men
Dan Robitzski | Feb 24, 2022 | 5 min read
The Scientist spoke with University of California, San Francisco, neuroscientist Eleanor Palser about her study’s finding that women, especially those working outside the US, are underrepresented in some areas of academic publishing.
A lithograph of a woman sitting up in bed while a nurse attends to her.
Death by Nostalgia, 1688
Lisa Winter | Feb 1, 2022 | 3 min read
Before its association with a pining for the toys or TV shows of yesteryear, nostalgia was deemed a dangerous psychiatric disorder.
Cute sleeping newborn baby child on mother hands stock photo
Exposure to Chemical from Babies Linked to Aggression
Chloe Tenn | Nov 22, 2021 | 3 min read
A study finds that the odorless compound hexadecanal, or HEX, increases aggressive behavior in women but has a calming effect on men.
Power of thinking, abstract imagination, world, universe inside your mind, watercolor painting
The Link Between Wandering and Sleeping Minds
Annie Melchor | Oct 1, 2021 | 5 min read
Researchers discover that when the mind wanders or goes blank, some parts of the brain behave as they do during sleep.
A woman in a colorful blouse smiles in front of a blurred background of books on shelves
Darby Saxbe Digs into Relationships’ Effects on Human Biology
Shawna Williams | Aug 1, 2021 | 3 min read
In her current work, the University of Southern California psychologist is examining how the transition to fatherhood affects men’s brains.
The Psychology of Panic
Bob Grant | Jun 1, 2021 | 3 min read
The recent news of consumers hoarding gasoline in the face of a brief closure of one of the world’s biggest petroleum pipelines is just the latest episode of panic buying since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
What a Video Game Can Reveal About Monkeys’ Minds
Shawna Williams | Apr 1, 2021 | 5 min read
Researchers find that the animals can account for others’ behavior and circumstances in their strategies.
Cuttlefish, cephalopod, mollusk, mollusca, animal behavior, marshmallow test, cognition, intelligence, evolution
Cuttlefish Delay Gratification, a Sign of Smarts
Asher Jones | Mar 5, 2021 | 8 min read
The cephalopods resisted temptation for up to 130 seconds to earn their favorite food, hinting at sophisticated cognitive abilities such as planning for the future.
Identity Crisis, 1906
Catherine Offord | Mar 1, 2021 | 4 min read
A famous account of multiple personality disorder in the early 20th century foreshadowed a century of controversial diagnoses and debate among psychiatrists.
Frozen Fecal Knives Honored by 2020 Ig Nobel Prizes
Lisa Winter | Sep 18, 2020 | 2 min read
Other recipients of the award for laugh-worthy achievements experimented with alligators on helium and vibrating worms.
Stanford University, psychology, memory, learning, Gordon Bower, human psychology
Human Memory Explorer Gordon Bower Dies
Amanda Heidt | Jul 20, 2020 | 3 min read
The Stanford University researcher shared valuable insights into memory and learning during his 49-year career.
Losing Touch: Another Drawback of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ashley Yeager | May 19, 2020 | 6 min read
Affectionate touches tap into the nervous system’s rest and digest mode, reducing the release of stress hormones, bolstering the immune system, and stimulating brainwaves linked with relaxation.
Study Questions if School Closures Limit the Spread of COVID-19
Ashley Yeager | Apr 7, 2020 | 3 min read
School shutdowns might have a relatively small effect on preventing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a new meta-analysis suggests, though the preliminary data point to the need for more studies.
Facial Expressions Decoded in Mice
Ruth Williams | Apr 2, 2020 | 3 min read
A combination of videography, machine learning, and brain imaging has identified facial expressions and neural activity patterns in mice that are associated with their emotions.
Scholars Debate Causes of Women’s Underrepresentation in STEM
Amy Schleunes | Feb 17, 2020 | 2 min read
Two new commentaries on a contested 2018 study about gender disparities in STEM fields clash over whether sex differences or social inequalities are to blame for the lack of women scientists and engineers.
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