IB Psychology Crane

Humans and animals could not evolve in a co-operative environment by being selfish, scientists say

How well do we know ourselves? The intuition that you are your own best judge is strong, yet flawed. The prevailing wisdom in social psychology today is that we are incorrigible self-enhancers. We tend to think we are more attractive, intelligent and agreeable than we really are. Conversely, depressed people have been found to make more realistic estimates of their own abilities, a phenomenon that suggests a touch of optimism may build our resilience to the bumps and bruises of everyday life.

How synthetic hormones change desire in women-and their choice in a mate

WE live in a technological universe in which we are always communicating. And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.

If you live in New York, you know what it feels like to regularly have your subway ride interrupted by a stranger with a sad personal tale, asking for a couple of bucks. Some beggers talk about how they just lost their job, or share some pictures of their kids with big dreams and high hopes. The people in this train were expecting this kind of story, but what happened took them all by surprise.

Stephen D Reicher (Steve Reicher) is Professor of Social Psychology and former Head of the School of Psychology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK. In this short clip he talks about "group hatred" referring to examples of Nazi Holocaust and Hindu Extremism.

Young children who use gestures outperform their peers in problem-solving tasks, says a new study. Children aged between two and five were asked to sort cards printed with colored shapes first by color, then by shape. Making this switch can be tricky but the study found that kids who gesture are more likely to make the mental switch and group the shapes accurately.

Being poor can sap a person's mental resources, research published in the journal Science suggests.

It's an inconvenient truth of aging: In our 30s and up, it gets increasingly harder for most of us to recall names, faces, and details from the past. Scientists have long debated whether this gradual decline is an early form of Alzheimer's disease-a neurodegenerative condition that leads to severe dementia-or a distinct neurological process. Now, researchers have found a protein that distinguishes typical forgetfulness from Alzheimer's and could lead to potential treatments for age-related memory loss.

Games have long been accused of making players violent, but evidence has been building over the years that they can have positive effects. Scientists say they are not only understanding why, but they also trying to put these observations to the test.

Vik Nithy is the founder of 3 companies at the age of 20 including how own marketing consulting firm. His left after school Vik has been extremely successful despite being diagnosed with ADHD after finishing his school exams. Developing his passion for cognitive neuroscience, educational reform and the potential of young people.