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<\/p>\nQuick links from the past week in mind and brain news:<\/p>\n
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New Scientist<\/i> has an excellent article on the ‘global workspace’ theory of consciousness<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fast food<\/a> logos unconsciously speed up our behaviour, according to new research covered by the old Not Exactly Rocket Science<\/i>.<\/p>\n Not Exactly Rocket Science<\/i>, just moved to Discover Blogs, asks ‘when is attempted murder<\/a> more acceptable than harming someone by accident?’<\/p>\n Why are so many soldiers<\/a> on antipsychotics? asks Pharmalot<\/i>.<\/p>\n CNN<\/i> considers the interesting question of whether school memorials for pupils who have killed themselves risk suicide contagion<\/a>.<\/p>\n The fact and fiction behind the myth-attracting drink absinthe<\/a> are discussed by Neuroskeptic<\/i>.<\/p>\n Wired UK<\/i> have another of their monthly columns by the brilliant Dan Ariely. This on the effect of anger<\/a> on decision-making.<\/p>\n Facebook linked to rise in syphilis according to a dodgy press story debunked<\/a> by Dr Petra<\/i>.<\/p>\n The New Republic<\/i> has a review<\/a> of ‘Addiction: A Disorder of Choice’ by conservative psychiatrist Sally Satel.<\/p>\n A fossilized 13th century brain<\/a> with intact cells was discovered, analysed, and Neurophilosophy<\/i> has the low down with a remarkable image.<\/p>\n The New York Times<\/i> has a short but sweet piece on why we need to dream<\/a> by science writer Jonah Lehrer.<\/p>\n The excellent Addiction Inbox<\/i> asks whether ‘meth babies<\/a>‘ are fact or fiction in light of new research finding brain abnormalities to newborns exposed to speed in the womb.<\/p>\n Brainspin<\/i> has more debunking<\/a> of the scientific dodginess in the dreadful ‘why men obsess over sex’ article.<\/p>\n In societies with higher levels of disease, more masculine male faces are considered more attractive<\/a>, more feminine male faces become more attractive when there’s less disease about, at least according to research covered in The Economist<\/i>.<\/p>\n “I rather welcome the twang of bluegrass… from a patient\u2019s cellphone during a psychotherapy session”. Insights<\/a> into patients’ extra-therapy lives through one-side of a cellphone conversation considered by a therapist writing in The New York Times<\/i>.<\/p>\n Psychiatry Fun<\/i> looks like a promising new blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n ‘Pathways to and from violent extremism<\/a>: the case for science-based field research’, just published in Edge<\/i>.<\/p>\n The New York Times<\/i> has a troubling piece about the mental health system in post-earthquake Haiti<\/a>.<\/p>\n The award winning BPS Research Digest<\/i> discusses research on how the sight of their own blood is important to some people who self-harm<\/a>.<\/p>\n Frontier Psychiatrist<\/i> has a fascinating post on how the ‘critical period’ in child<\/a> development may be a result of modern family structure that differs from the collective childcare of times past.<\/p>\n The psychology of how certain issues become ‘sacred’ in negotiations<\/a> is discussed in Scientific American<\/i>.<\/p>\n The New York Times<\/i> has a brief article on body dysmorphic disorder or BDD<\/a>, where affected people come to believe that a part of their body is grossly unattractive or misshapen despite it seeming normal to others.<\/p>\n Study published in Frontiers in Cognition<\/i> finds superior cognitive flexibility<\/a> in first person shooter gamers. I have come here to chew bubble gum and switch tasks… and I’m all out of bubble gum. <\/p>\n When you feel weak, restating your core values can be a quick and easy self-control<\/a> booster according to research covered by PsyBlog<\/i>. “I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.” I feel better already.<\/p>\n