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Events in the Future Seem Closer Than Those in the Past
People experience time as if they’re moving toward the future and away from the past We say that time flies, it marches on, it flows like a river -- our descriptions of time are closely linked to our experiences of moving through space. Now, new research suggests that the illusions that influence how we perceive movement through space also influence our perception of time. The findings provide evidence that our experiences of space and time have even more in common than previously thought.
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Language That Reinforces Inequality
Men solve problems differently than women. Women solve problems differently than men. At first glance, both sentences communicate the same information. But according to a 2012 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, one of these sentences — but not the other — probably reinforces inequality between men and women. Susanne Bruckmüller, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, and her coauthors were interested in how the language used to compare people and groups can affect the way those people and groups are perceived.
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The New Science of Mind
One of the greatest challenges facing the 21st century is to better understand the vast reaches and workings of the human mind. Together, neuroscientists and psychologists have made groundbreaking discoveries about the brain that will have far-reaching public policy implications. During his State of the Union address, President Obama recognized the importance of this progress when he outlined a decade-long program aimed at supporting a better understanding of the human brain.
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Rashness & Rumination: New Understanding About the Roots of Depression
TIME: Two studies explore some of the developmental roots of depression in childhood and adolescence. In the first study, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, researchers focused on depressive rumination, or the relentless focus on what has gone wrong or will go wrong, coupled with an inability to see a solution to these overwhelming problems. It’s no surprise that rumination has a strong connection to depression— in fact, studies show that some talk therapies can actually make depression worse by compelling people to focus on problems and their origins, rather than guiding them toward positive solutions on what to do about them. Read the whole story: TIME
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Bone-tired? How about ‘gene-tired’?
The Washington Post: Hey, you, yawning in your cubicle at 2 in the afternoon. Your genes feel it, too. A new study, paid for by the U.S. Air Force but relevant for anyone with a small child, a large prostate or a lot on the mind, is helping illuminate what’s happening at the genetic level when we don’t get enough sleep. “There are 50 experiments on total sleep deprivation for every one on partial sleep deprivation — not getting a full night’s sleep,” said David Dinges, head of the Human Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania’s medical school. “They are incredibly onerous, labor-intensive and difficult.” Read the whole story: The Washington Post
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Will “Call of Duty” Be Assigned for 10th Grade (Gaming) Homework?
Scientific American: Two prominent neuroscientists have published a commentary in the Feb. 28th Naturesuggesting that video games might be crafted to improve brain function and enhance personal well-being. In “Games To Do You Good,” they cite prospects for bettering performance on behavioral measures ranging from visual perception to altruism. Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester and Richard J.
