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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: human behavior

human behavior stories: 7 news summaries

 Forget Comfort Food: 
 We Shun It in Turmoil 

Studies suggest we don't seek solace in the familiar

Aug 25, 09 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Conventional wisdom has it that when we face big changes, we look to the familiar to get us through—whether it’s comfort food or music we’ve loved for years. But new studies suggest the opposite is true, that “change begets change,” in the words of one... More »

MORE ABOUT:
food • study • research • psychology • human behavior • change • women's issues

Moody Teen? 
Must Have
an Immature
Frontal Lobe

Decision-making area matures last: study

Apr 6, 09 12:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists studying teenage brains believe the growth process is responsible for some of the more unpleasant traits of adolescence, the Daily Telegraph reports. Brain scans revealed that the front of the frontal lobe—responsible for impulses and decision-making—was among the very last parts of the brain to mature, which... More »

MORE ABOUT:
brain • human behavior • adolescents • teenager • National Institute of Mental Health

 Skull Hints 
 at Caveman 
 Compassion 

Skull suggests ancient humans cared for sick

Mar 31, 09 1:02 PM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists have pieced together the skull of an ancient human who appears to have been deformed, but survived to at least age 5—suggesting he or she was cared for in spite of the handicap. That’s evidence for the existence of compassion in early humans, a trait other primates... More »

MORE ABOUT:
skull • human behavior • human evolution • prehistoric • prehistoric mammals

(Newser) - Tears are more than just an indicator of sadness, Wired reports—they may be the indicator, as far as other people are concerned. People categorize identical images of a face totally differently if tears are present in one photo and digitally removed from the other, a new study found.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
human behavior • crying • emotion • scientific study • sadness • digital imaging • tears

 'Social Siberia' 
 Isn't Just a Metaphor 

Icy behavior cools body temperatures: study

Sep 16, 08 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - Icy stares and chilly receptions can leave you feeling—well, cold. Metaphors about social behavior, like "warm welcome" and "cold shoulder," seem to relate to physical reality, new research finds. People who had experienced and recalled social rejection perceived a 5-degree temperature drop in the lab and... More »

MORE ABOUT:
behavior • brain • human behavior • personality • social behavior

Officials Worry About Staying Power in Gustav Tales

Those who partied in New Orleans could influence evacuees to remain next time

Sep 4, 08 3:21 PM CDT
(Newser) - As the thousands who rode out Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans boast about the hardy, and sometimes boozy, camaraderie to neighbors who paid in frustration for following evacuation orders, authorities are hoping those tales won’t keep residents from heeding warnings next time around, the Christian Science Monitor reports. “... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Hurricane Katrina • New Orleans • culture • human behavior • Hurricane Gustav

Rats! Humans, Rodents Have Lots in Common

Much-maligned animals laugh, dream, look forward to sex

Jul 24, 07 5:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - Rats may be repulsive to some, but scientists are finding that they're a lot like humans. A recent crop of behavioral studies shows that rats are astonishingly self-aware, Natalie Angier reports in today's Times. They laugh when tickled and dream in epic narratives. There are even rat optimists and rat... More »

MORE ABOUT:
rats • lab rat • human behavior • animal behavior • animal testing

7 Stories


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