University of Michigan Health System researchers have found new evidence that our genes help determine our susceptibility to depression.
Their findings, published online today in the Archives of General Psychiatry, challenge a 2009 study that called the genetic link into question and add new support to earlier research hailed as a medical breakthrough.
In the summer of 2003, scientists announced they had discovered a connection between a gene that regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin and an individualâs ability to rebound from serious emotional trauma, such as childhood physical or sexual abuse. [continue reading…]
This video courtesy of BigThink is for all of you who have resolved to lose weight. Me 2 đ Its choc ( no pun intended) full of other goodies too.
Satoshi Kanazawais an evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics. His research uses evolutionary psychology to analyze social sciences such as sociology, economics, and anthropology. His books include, “Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters: From Dating, Shopping, and Praying to Going to War and Becoming a BillionaireâTwo Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do,” “Why Men Gamble and Women Buy Shoes: How Evolution Shaped the Way We Behave” and “Order by Accident: The Origins and Consequences of Conformity in Contemporary Japan.” He also writes the The Scientific Fundamentalist blog for Psychology Today.
A study of so-called sex addiction and its impact on relationships has found that those with problematic sexual behaviour are more likely to feel threatened by or anxious about intimate relationships.
The study, the first of its kind in New Zealand, was conducted this year as part of an honours project by clinical psychology student Karen Faisandier, with assistance from practising clinical psychologist Robyn Salisbury and academic specialist Dr Joanne Taylor.
More than 880 adults agreed to participate in an anonymous on-line questionnaire about their sexual orientation, preferences and activities and their feelings about the impacts of these on them and their relationships with others. Questions included whether they engaged in online sex, prostitution, sex that made them feel degraded or put them at risk of harm, sex with multiple partners or public indecency. They were also asked about alcohol and drug use, relationship experiences and feelings about themselves.
Sex addiction, a condition often associated with the scandals surrounding celebrity entertainers and sportsmen, is described in academic terms as one of a range of out of control sexual behaviours (OOCSB) that include impulsive or compulsive sexual thoughts, feelings and actions. [continue reading…]
When faced with decisions, we often follow our intuitionâour self-described âgut feelingsââwithout understanding why. Our ability to make hunch decisions varies considerably: Intuition can either be a useful ally or it can lead to costly and dangerous mistakes. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds that the trustworthiness of our intuition is really influenced by what is happening physically in our bodies.
âWe often talk about intuition coming from the bodyâfollowing our gut instincts and trusting our heartsâ, says Barnaby D. Dunn, of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, U.K., first author of the new paper. What isnât certain is whether we should follow, or be suspicious of, what our bodies are telling us. And do we differ in the influence that our gut feelings have on how we make decisions? [continue reading…]
