Brain And Consciousness Research - February 2009 Archives

Gestures lend a hand in learning mathematics (2/28/2009)

Hand movements help create new ideas ...> Full Article

Physical fitness improves spatial memory, increases size of brain structure (2/28/2009)

When it comes to the hippocampus, a brain structure vital to certain types of memory, size matters. Numerous studies have shown that bigger is usually better. Now researchers have found that elderly adults who are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampi and better spatial memory than those who are less fit. ...> Full Article

Father/daughter relationships lead to more girls following dad's career path (2/27/2009)

A new study co-authored by a researcher from North Carolina State University says the relationship between fathers and daughters is leading to an increase in the number of daughters who are pursuing careers in the same field as their dads. ...> Full Article

Can different languages be analyzed using the same model? (2/27/2009)

Spanish and Russian are relatively different languages. The differences extend to the verbal system. Spanish has inherited a system that is relatively rich in forms from Latin. Russian, however, has a structure that is more similar to Classic Greek with a division based on the concept of aspect. David Westerholm, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, compares the way past time is expressed in Spanish and in Russian and arrives at a new analysis model that can also be applied to other languages. ...> Full Article

Decoding short-term memory with fMRI (2/26/2009)

Experiments at the University of Oregon bring focus to perceptual and memory storage processing ...> Full Article

How we think before we speak: Making sense of sentences (2/25/2009)

How does the brain turn seemingly random sounds and letters into sentences with clear meaning? Recent findings suggest that, as we read or have a conversation, our brains are continuously trying to predict upcoming information. These findings reveal that our brains very rapidly draw upon a wide range of information, including what was stated previously and who the speaker is, in helping us understand what is being said to us. ...> Full Article

Study indicates how we maintain visual details in short-term memory (2/24/2009)

We receive much of our information through our visual system, but it was unknown how much of this visual information is actively involved in short-term memory. A new study in Psychological Science suggests that during short term memory, the visual area of the brain is actively "thinking" about a specific feature of an object (e.g. color or orientation), to ensure that the information will be maintained and not forgotten. ...> Full Article

The liberating effects of losing control (2/23/2009)

Self-control is one of our most cherished values. But is it possible that willpower can sometimes be an obstacle rather than a means to happiness and harmony? A new study reveals that the volunteers lacking discipline and self-control found talking about race with a black interviewer much more enjoyable than did those with their self-control intact, presumably because they weren't working so hard at monitoring and curbing what they said. ...> Full Article

Is difficult better? Study reveals we tend to ignore simple items while pursuing goals (2/23/2009)

When we are pursuing a goal, we need to carefully consider the best ways of achieving it. If we come across something very difficult, how will that affect our ability to meet our goal? A new study in Psychological Science reveals that when something is difficult, we tend to believe that because it is difficult, it must be important in helping us achieve our goals. ...> Full Article

Echoes discovered in early visual brain areas play role in working memory (2/22/2009)

Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered that early visual areas, long believed to play no role in higher cognitive functions such as memory, retain information previously hidden from brain studies. The researchers made the discovery using a new technique for decoding data from functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI. The findings are a significant step forward in understanding how we perceive, process and remember visual information. ...> Full Article

Violent media numb viewers to the pain of others (2/20/2009)

Violent video games and movies make people numb to the pain and suffering of others, according to a research report published in the March 2009 issue of Psychological Science. ...> Full Article

Yours, mine, ours: When you and I share perspectives (2/19/2009)

While reading a novel, why do we imagine scenes differently -- when do we view the action from an outsider's perspective and when do we place ourselves in the main character's shoes? The results of a new study, reported in Psychological Science, indicate that we use different perspectives, depending on which pronouns are used. ...> Full Article

Researchers shed new light on connection between brain and loneliness (2/17/2009)

Work is part of emerging field examining brain mechanisms ...> Full Article

Involuntary maybe, but certainly not random (2/16/2009)

Our eyes are in constant motion. Even when we attempt to stare straight at a stationary target, our eyes jump and jiggle imperceptibly. Although these unconscious flicks, also known as microsaccades, had long been considered mere "motor noise," researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that they are instead actively controlled by the same brain region that instructs our eyes to scan the lines in a newspaper or follow a moving object. ...> Full Article

Study shows why sleep is needed to form memories (2/16/2009)

First-of-its-kind study shows how brain connections strengthen during sleep ...> Full Article

Born to be wild? Thrill-seeking behavior may be based in the brain (2/15/2009)

What draws some people to daredevil behavior while others shy away from it? The results of a new study in Psychological Science show that high sensation seekers respond very strongly to arousing cues, but have less activity in brain areas associated with emotional regulation. These findings may indicate the way by which sensation seeking results in negative behaviors, including substance abuse and antisocial behavior. ...> Full Article

True or false? How our brain processes negative statements (2/14/2009)

Previous research has suggested that including negative words in the middle of a sentence can throw off our brains and make it more difficult to understand. A new study reveals that the way negative statements are processed in the brain depends on the structure of the sentence itself. This indicates that negation, when it is useful and informative, does not make it more challenging for the brain to understand the negative meaning of the statement. ...> Full Article

Sleeping brain is still hard at work: Mechanisms for consolidation of cortical plasticity (2/14/2009)

New research provides strong support for the idea that one of the key functions of sleep is the consolidation of memories. The study, published by Cell Press in the Feb. 12 issue of the journal Neuron, provides fascinating insight into the cellular mechanisms that govern the sleep-dependent consolidation of experiences that occur while we are awake. ...> Full Article

Read my lips: Using multiple senses in speech perception (2/13/2009)

When someone speaks to you, do you see what they are saying? We tend to think of speech as being something we hear, but recent studies suggest that we use a variety of senses for speech perception - that speech is not meant to be just heard, but also to be seen. A new report in Current Directions in Psychological Science describes research examining how our different senses blend together to help us perceive speech. ...> Full Article

Time is what we make of it (2/13/2009)

Study by Case Western Reserve researcher shows perception of time pressure impairs performance ...> Full Article

Brain-injured patients can relearn emotions (2/12/2009)

New treatment holds promise for those who can't understand facial expressions ...> Full Article

Buying experiences, not possessions, leads to greater happiness (2/12/2009)

Can money make us happy if we spend it on the right purchases? A new psychology study suggests that buying life experiences rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them. The findings will be presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual meeting on Feb. 7.The study demonstrates that experiential purchases, such as a meal out or theater tickets, result in increased satisfaction and well-being. ...> Full Article

Computer exercises improve memory and attention (2/12/2009)

Study shows brain exercises improve memory and processing speed ...> Full Article

That gut feeling may actually reflect a reliable memory (2/11/2009)

You know the feeling. You make a decision you're certain is merely a "lucky guess." A new study from Northwestern University offers electrophysiological evidence that such decisions may sometimes not be guesswork after all. The research points to the surprising accuracy of memories that can't be consciously accessed. During a special recognition test, guesses turned out to be as accurate or more accurate than when study participants thought they consciously remembered. ...> Full Article

Young teens really are shortsighted, but don't blame impulsivity (2/10/2009)

A study of 900 ethnically and socially diverse people ages 10-30 uses a questionnaire and experimental task called delay discounting to show that teens are shortsighted more due to immaturity in the brain systems that govern sensation seeking than to immaturity in the brain systems responsible for self-control. This research on adolescent decision-making may impact the way legal policies are shaped concerning teenagers' rights and responsibilities. ...> Full Article

Color boosts brain performance and receptivity to advertising, depending on task: UBC study (2/9/2009)

A new University of British Columbia study reconciles a debate that has long raged among marketers and psychologists: What color most improves brain performance and receptivity to advertising, red or blue?It turns out they both can, it just depends on the nature of the task or message. The study, which could have major implications for advertising and interior design, finds that red is the most effective at enhancing our attention to detail, while blue is best at boosting our ability to think creatively. ...> Full Article

Xenophobia, for men only (2/8/2009)

We have an evolved mental readiness to be fearful of certain things in our world. It's known that people are more fearful of "out-groups" -- people who are different from them. A new study reveals that volunteers' most persistent fears were reserved for men -- that is, male members of the out-group. So white men and women feared black men, and black men and women feared white men; all the other lab-induced fears diminished. ...> Full Article

Do you know what your mother did when she was young? (2/8/2009)

A study of brain function in young, memory-deficient mice reveals that a stimulating environment improves not only their memory but also the memory of their memory-deficient offspring. If this improvement also occurs in humans, a mother's youthful experiences may help shape her children's ability to learn. ...> Full Article

Not just your imagination: The brain perceives optical illusions as real motion (2/7/2009)

Ever get a little motion sick from an illusion graphic designed to look like it's moving? A new study suggests that these illusions do more than trick the eye; they may also convince the brain that the graphic is actually moving. ...> Full Article

Boys have greater psychological well-being than girls, due to a better physical self-concept (2/6/2009)

A Ph.D. thesis defended at the University of the Basque Country has investigated the relationship between adolescents' perception of their physical qualities and their psychological well-being and unwellness. ...> Full Article

How your body clock avoids hitting the snooze button (2/5/2009)

Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London, have discovered a new part of the mechanism which allows our body clocks to reset themselves on a molecular level. ...> Full Article

Behind closed eyes (2/5/2009)

Weizmann Institute research shows our brain's sense centers are continuously active. In the absence of a stimulus, however, their electrical activity remains in "screen saver" mode. ...> Full Article

Readers build vivid mental simulations of narrative situations, brain scans suggest (2/4/2009)

A brain-imaging study is shedding light on what it means to "get lost" in a good book -- suggesting that readers create vivid mental simulations of the sounds, sights, tastes and movements described in a textual narrative while simultaneously activating brain regions used to process similar experiences in real life. ...> Full Article

Marching to the beat of the same drum improves teamwork (2/4/2009)

Armies train by marching in step. Citizens sing the National Anthem before sporting events. Why do we participate in these various synchronized activities? A new study, published in the January issue of Psychological Science, suggests that when people engage in synchronous activity together, they become more likely to cooperate with other group members. ...> Full Article

Scientists see the light: How vision sends its message to the brain (2/4/2009)

Scientists have known for more than 200 years that vision begins with a series of chemical reactions when light strikes the retina, but the specific processes have been a mystery. A team of researchers have she new light on this process by "capturing" this chemical communication for future study. This research, published in the February 2009 issue of the FASEB Journal, may lead to new treatments for some forms of blindness and vision disorders. ...> Full Article

Observers of first dates can predict outcome, study shows (2/3/2009)

Interested or deceptively flirting? Observers of first dates try to predict dating outcome in speed-dating study ...> Full Article

The paradox of temptation (2/3/2009)

Does the mere availability of something tempting weaken the will to resist? The answer is of more than theoretical interest to public health experts, and the problem goes far beyond serious addictive disorders. As our national obesity crisis shows, difficulties with discipline and self-control are widespread and harmful. A new study in Psychological Science suggests that self-control does in fact operate paradoxically, by actually diminishing desire for what's tempting and accessible. ...> Full Article

You can't always get what you want: Young infants understand goals, even if unsuccessful (2/2/2009)

As adults, we are able to tell the difference between people's internal goals and the behaviors they influence. When do we gain this ability? Are infants able to "see" the hidden reasons behind certain actions? New findings indicate that by 10 months of age, infants, just like adults, are able to understand goals and intentions, even when those goals are not obvious based on the resulting behavior (that is, if the goal is unsuccessful). ...> Full Article

Support cells, not neurons, lull the brain to sleep (2/2/2009)

Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study in mice, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing effects that are inhibited by caffeine. ...> Full Article

Surprising discoveries contribute to memory research (2/1/2009)

Neuroscientists around the world knew Henry Gustav Molaison, or H. M., well -- his story of undergoing experimental brain surgery that controlled his epilepsy but left him unable to form new and lasting memories. Molaison's experience pointed scientists interested in understanding learning and memory to the temporal lobe, particularly the hippocampus. In a new study Northwestern University researchers report discovering a cellular mechanism that could be critical to the formation of memories in the hippocampus. ...> Full Article