New research from the University of New Hampshire shows that students do much better in school when their parents are actively involved in their education.
Researchers Karen Smith Conway, professor of economics at the University of New Hampshire, and her colleague Andrew Houtenville, senior research associate at New Editions Consulting, found that parental involvement has a strong, positive effect on student achievement. [continue reading…]
In today’s edition of the New York Times,Kyla Dunn reviews Sue Halpern’s book ” Good News From the Front Lines of Memory Research “Â
 In her book Halpern looks at what the experts really know, what the bench scientists are working on, how close science is to a cure, to treatment, to accurate early diagnosis, and, whether the crossword puzzles, sudokus, and ballroom dancing we’ve been told to take up can really keep us lucid or if they’re just something to do before the inevitable overtakes us. Ms. Dunn, a freelance science, journalist despite finding the book itself is “a valuable snapshot in time”, finds it lacking,Â
 In the current glut of books about memory, sad to say, this one is likely to be forgotten.
Â
Introducing the “psycho-neurosurgeon”. This interesting feature in the BPS Research Digest comments on the use of psychologists in political analysis, hot on the heels of behavioural expert Steve Martin’s take on prime ministers question time.
It’s nice to see psychology being deployed in political analysis, but I fear that Martin was applying this particular theory inappropriately, at the wrong level of analysis, in a way that made it sound like he was just stating the obvious. Just to add insult to injury, the clip is labelled on the BBC site as “‘Emotional Intelligence’ at PMQs” – of course emotional intelligence is a quite separate concept from Prospect Theory, but never mind.
However, despite all this, it’s well worth watching the clip, just to witness the sheer exasperation of Lord Charlie Falconer who was a guest on the show. He labels Martin a “psycho-neuron-surgeon”, and his analysis as nothing more than “psychobabble”.
Source: BPS Research Digest
It’s not always easy for dads to develop a strong relationship with their children. Social worker John Dietrich with The Menninger Clinic in Houston offers five tips to help dads strengthen their relationship with their kids.
Bonding with children often times comes more easily to mothers than it does to fathers. After all, the connection between mother and child begins some nine months sooner in utero. While most fathers develop solid relationships with their children over time, there are ways to further strengthen the paternal connection. [continue reading…]
