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Finger Tapping Test Could Aid in ADHD Diagnosis
The cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which affects roughly 5.4 million kids in the United States alone, remains unknown. But new research into "mirror movements" sheds light on the mysterious neurobehavioral disorder and might even aid in its diagnosis. "This would be quite valuable," said APS Member Michael Manos, who directs the pediatric behavioral health department at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital. "Even more important is the possibility that the methods, once developed, would assist us to monitor response to the medical treatment of ADHD." But Manos urges parents to not use motor movements to diagnose ADHD in their children.
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Too Many Men to Choose From…
Can’t find the right guy or girl for Valentine’s Day? Research suggests you might be looking in the wrong place. A study published in Psychological Science found that volunteers who have the choice of many potential mates pay less attention to important characteristics that take more time to elicit and pay more attention to trivial characteristics that are quickly and easily assessed. Volunteers participated in either small (15-23 partners) or large (24-31 partners) speed-dating events and later chose ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to go on a date with each candidate.
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Pitfalls and Opportunities in Nonverbal and Verbal Lie Detection
Full Text PDF (Available to the Public) Full Text HTML (Members Only) Aldert Vrij, Par Anders Granhag, and Stephen Porter Unlike Pinocchio, most of the time people do not give telltale signs that they are being dishonest. In lieu of a growing nose, is there a way to distinguish people who are telling the truth from those who aren’t?
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Intelligence and Personality as Predictors of Illness and Death: How Researchers in Differential Psychology and Chronic Disease Epidemiology Are Collaborating to Understand and Address Health Inequalities
Full Text HTML (Available to the Public) Ian J. Deary, Alexander Weiss, and G. David Batty Do smarter people live longer and better? Are certain personality types more prone to premature death than other types? As our population continues to age in dramatic numbers, these questions become increasingly relevant. A new report in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, authored by Ian J. Deary (University of Edinburgh), Alexander Weiss (University of Edinburgh), and G.
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Weighing the Costs of Disaster: Consequences, Risks, and Resilience in Individuals, Families, and Communities
Full Text HTML (Available to the Public) George A. Bonnano, Chris R. Brewin, Krzysztof Kaniasty, and Annette M. La Greca How do people cope in the aftermath of a disaster? A team of leading scientists — George A. Bonanno (Columbia University), Chris R. Brewin (University College London), Krzysztof Kaniasty (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), and Annette M. La Greca (University of Miami) — has reviewed the psychological effects of disasters in order to determine why and how some individuals — according to the research, most individuals — eventually recover while others suffer lasting effects.
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Bilingual Minds
Full Text HTML (Available to the Public) Ellen Bialystok, Fergus I.M. Craik, David W. Green, and Tamar H. Gollan Speaking two languages can be handy when traveling abroad, applying for jobs, or working with international colleagues. But research has revealed that bilingualism influences the way we think and process information. In the current issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, a panel of distinguished psychological scientists examine the ways in which knowing two languages can change brain function, affecting cognitive processes involved in more than just communication.
