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Monetary Gain and High-Risk Tactics Stimulate Activity in the Brain
Monetary gain stimulates activity in the brain — even the mere possibility of receiving a reward is known to activate an area of the brain called the striatum. A team of Japanese researchers measured striatum
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The Science of Recovery
Over the past few years, I have written many short essays on new findings in psychological science. Most have these have appeared in this blog, “We’re Only Human,” but many others have been published in
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Scent of a Woman: Men’s Testosterone Responses to Olfactory Ovulation Cues
Women around the world spend billions of dollars each year on exotic smelling perfumes and lotions in the hopes of attracting a mate. However, according to a new study in Psychological Science, going “au naturale”
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Could Acetaminophen Ease Psychological Pain?
Headaches and heartaches. Broken bones and broken spirits. Hurting bodies and hurt feelings. We often use the same words to describe physical and mental pain. Over-the-counter pain relieving drugs have long been used to alleviate
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A broken heart? Take two Tylenol and call me . . .
Anyone who has ever experienced heartache knows that the “ache” is not metaphorical. Hearts and minds can hurt with the intensity of a migraine. Rejection and isolation can break one’s spirits as surely as a
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A Vast Right Arm Conspiracy? Study Suggests Handedness May Effect Body Perception
There are areas in the brain devoted to our arms, legs, and various parts of our bodies. The way these areas are distributed throughout the brain are known as “body maps” and there are some
