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<\/p>\nQuick links from the past week in mind and brain news:<\/p>\n
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Time<\/i> magazine reports on how darkness<\/a> can encourage dishonest acts even when anonymity is accounted for.<\/p>\n A study finding a link with aversion to inequality<\/a> an activity in the ventral striatum is brilliantly covered by The Frontal Cortex<\/i>.<\/p>\n The Point of Inquiry<\/i> podcast has an excellent discussion on the psychology of cold reading<\/a>.<\/p>\n A preview of a special journal issue on ‘Neuroscience, power and culture’ is covered<\/a> by Advances in the History of Psychology<\/i>.<\/p>\n The Globe and Mail<\/i> covers a study finding that children highly sensitive<\/a> to stress can excel given the right support and environment.<\/p>\n Nobel-prize winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman discusses judging happiness and the paradox of experience vs memory in a talk<\/a> for TED<\/i>.<\/p>\n Neurophilosophy<\/i> covers two new studies finding that face<\/a> recognition ability is partly inherited.<\/p>\n “As for the effectiveness of gay conversion, Core’s Dr Davidson acknowledges that there are ‘relapses'”. Damn those Speedos. The Irish Independent<\/i> has an article<\/a> on gay conversion therapy in Ireland.<\/p>\n The Neurocritic<\/i> has a thoughtful response<\/a> to the recent NYT article on the possible cognitive benefits of depression.<\/p>\n ‘Ministrokes<\/a>‘ may cause more damage than thought, according to research covered by Science News<\/i>.<\/p>\n The Neuroskeptic<\/i> has an excellent piece on the decline and fall of the cannabinoid<\/a> antagonists, a class of drug supposed to be the next big thing in treating obesity.<\/p>\n Research finding that as pornography<\/a> has increased in availability, sex crimes have either decreased or not increased in every region investigated is discussed in The Scientist<\/i>.<\/p>\n Dr Petra<\/i> looks at the background to the recent report on sexualisation<\/a> and young people from the UK government with more analysis to follow. After reading the report, I can’t help but suggesting someone point out the difference between correlation and causation to its author.<\/p>\n A hay fever medicine that showed early promise as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease does nothing to stave off dementia<\/a>, a large clinical trial concludes. Coverage from the New Scientist<\/i> blog.<\/p>\n The Philosopher’s Zone<\/i> programme from ABC Radio National has a good discussion on perception, sensation and consciousness<\/a> with Nicholas Humphrey.<\/p>\n There’s a video profile<\/a> of an ex-narc who catches bent cops framing people for drugs offences over at Boing Boing<\/i>.<\/p>\n New Scientist<\/i> discusses whether brain scans could gives us an objective measure of the intensity of pain<\/a>.<\/p>\n The excellent Addiction Inbox<\/i> blog contrasts<\/a> how the media covers harm reduction services (‘they promote drug abuse’) and what the scientific studies say (the opposite).<\/p>\n io9<\/i> discusses research finding that oxygenated booze<\/a> gives you less of a hangover. No word on how it affects the beer goggles effect.<\/p>\n UK may end its controversial “dangerous and severe personality disorder” program<\/a>, according to excellent In The News<\/i>. <\/p>\n Current Biology<\/i> has a freely accessible paper on ‘archaeogenetics<\/a>‘ – the use of genetics to understand human history.<\/p>\n Eric Barker’s Barking Up the Wrong Tree<\/i> blog is full<\/A> of fascinating and off-beat psychology snippets.<\/p>\n Mental Nurse<\/i> blog has a funny post classifying<\/a> types of annoying psychologists, occupational therapists and the like in mental health.<\/p>\n There’s a video interview<\/a> with neurophilosophers Pat and Paul Churchland over at The Science Network<\/i>.<\/p>\n Women with hour-glass figures<\/a> activate the neural reward centre of the male brain, according to a study covered by the BPS Research Digest<\/i>. Women with eye-glasses, even better.<\/p>\n BBC News<\/i> discusses the cult of Omega-3<\/a> and why your life’s problems will not be solved by fish oil, despite that the advertisers will tell you.<\/p>\n The Coney Island Amateur Psychoanalytic Society Dream Films<\/a> 1926-1972.<\/p>\n When they were drunk, bigger men became especially aggressive<\/a> when given the opportunity to administer electric shocks to a fictitious opponent in a laboratory contest, according to research covered by Science News<\/i><\/p>\n Neuroanthropology<\/i> links to videos<\/a> from The Encultured Brain conference which are now available online.<\/p>\n “Only occasionally do studies come out that improve the image of men as more than stubborn, violent and incorrigible beasts with malfunctioning moral compasses. The study I\u2019m about to talk about isn\u2019t one of them.” Neuronarrative<\/i> on a study of male and female guilt<\/a>.<\/p>\n