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Tag Psychology

Recent sightings: Hands-on healthy

April 21, 2010

Students in Counseling Psychology 105: Health, Community and Action, a course taught by Margaret Nellis, a lecturer in the School of Education, participate in…

Expectant mom’s flu exposure stunts baby’s brain development

January 25, 2010

For expectant mothers, catching even a mild case of the flu could stunt brain development in their newborns, according to a new study conducted in rhesus macaques.

Depression saps endurance of the brain’s reward circuitry

December 28, 2009

A new study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that depressed patients are unable to sustain activity in brain areas related to positive emotion.

Curiosities: Is it true that laughing is good for your health?

November 24, 2009

Indeed, says Robert McGrath, a clinical psychologist specializing in mind/body wellness at University Health Services at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and for many reasons. “Humor…

Study: Can meditation sharpen our attention?

November 13, 2009

A new study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that people can train their minds to stay focused.

Professor spends 25 years making ‘prejudice puzzle’

November 5, 2008

In the 1980s, when equal rights were becoming a cultural norm in America, many psychology researchers encountered people who would respond in interviews that they were not prejudiced, yet their actions would still reflect a bias. The pessimists in the field would conclude that they simply were lying. But UW–Madison psychology professor Patricia Devine saw things differently.

Curiosities: Why do people like to scare themselves by watching horror movies or going on thrill rides?

October 30, 2008

First of all, it’s important to remember that many people don’t enjoy these experiences, said Jack Nitschke, a UW–Madison professor of psychiatry and psychology.

Can love change your mind? New project explores neuroscience of ‘positive qualities’

September 10, 2008

What is happening in the minds of people who have developed a greater capacity for forgiveness and compassion? Can a quality like love — whether it’s shown toward a family member or a friend — be neurologically measured in the brain? A new research project at UW–Madison offers the opportunity to apply hard science to these seemingly ethereal questions.