By: Megan E. Birney 2011 marks 10 years since the mixed-race category was added to the U.K.’s annual censes.  To commemorate this event, BBC Two has been running a series of programmes documenting the mixed-race experience both in Britain and ……
- 17 Oct 11, 9:23pm -

- 6 Oct 11, 10:26pm -

Social and Personality Psychology Compass © Blackwell Publishing Ltd Volume 5, Issue 10 Pages 694 – 823, October 2011 The latest issue of Social and Personality Psychology Compass is available on Wiley Online Library   Emotion Motivation Affiliat…
- 5 Oct 11, 7:52am -

By Kevin R. Betts Netflix witnessed a storm of customer outrage and tumbling stock prices this month as they dramatically increased their price for subscription to the service. Early this morning, CEO Reed Hastings reacted with an email to customers.…
- 19 Sep 11, 5:47pm -

Navy videographer at Ground Zero In the 10 years since the events of September 2001 a vast amount of scholarly research has been written on the impact of 9/11. Wiley-Blackwell is pleased to share with you this collection of free book and … Contin…
- 2 Sep 11, 10:21am -

- 7 Aug 11, 1:13pm -

By Kevin R. Betts I started reading a book this weekend titled, “The Perfect Swarm: The Science of Complexity in Everyday Life.” Author Len Fisher’s central idea is that understanding swarm intelligence can help us make better decisions. Swarm…
- 1 Aug 11, 2:00am -

By Erica Zaiser I came across this cartoon recently from Funnymos.com: Obviously it is meant to be humorous but it also made me wonder:  Does having a trait like glasses change people’s initial impressions of you? And has there been … Continue r…
- 26 Jul 11, 1:43pm -

By: Megan Birney We all want to be happy.  It’s something we’ve learned to strive for and likely the primary motivator for trying to land that perfect job, find your soul mate, start a family, get that promotion or buy … Continue reading →
- 24 Jul 11, 10:03pm -

By, Adam K. Fetterman Making appeals to religion is nothing new for American politics. Nearly every candidate makes statements such as “God bless America” or claims that their candidacy is a calling from God. However, on the other end of … Cont…
- 12 Jul 11, 5:50pm -

Unfortunately, I had to read this book more quickly than it would deserve; still, it is an engaging, up-to-date and pleasant synthesis of works from different disciplinary fields. There are, however, several alternative hypotheses that the book does…
- 1 day ago, 10 Dec 13, 6:32pm -

- 2 days ago, 9 Dec 13, 6:23pm -

(This week, cognitionandculture.net is hosting a "book club" webinar discussing Ara Norenzayan's latest book with its author. This précis introduced the discussion.)Norenzayan’s Big Gods presents an elegant account of how belief in super-knowing…
- 3 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 7:19pm -

(This week, cognitionandculture.net is hosting a "book club" webinar discussing Ara Norenzayan's latest book with its author. This précis introduced the discussion.)I have to confess that I may be misunderstanding the point that Ara Norenzyan's ma…
- 3 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 6:14pm -

(This week, cognitionandculture.net is hosting a "book club" webinar discussing Ara Norenzayan's latest book with its author. This précis introduces the discussion.) On a hilltop in what is now Southeastern Turkey rests the world’s oldest temp…
- 4 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 11:25am -

A new book by the archeologist David Wengrow: The Origins of Monsters: Image and Cognition in the First Age of Mechanical Reproduction (Princeton U.P.)The blurb: It has often been claimed that "monsters"--supernatural creatures with bodies compos…
- 7 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 1:34pm -

An interesting, methodologically innovative paper by Jamie Terhani in PLoS One on the phylogeny of "Little Red Riding Hood."Abstract: Researchers have long been fascinated by the strong continuities evident in the oral traditions associated with dif…
- 8 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 10:24am -

The Department of Cognitive Science at Central European University (CEU) invites applications for doctoral student positions starting in September 2014. This is a research-based training program in human cognition with social cognition and learning a…
- 9 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 7:41am -

REGISTRATION OPEN – “iCog: Interdisciplinarity in Cognitive Science.”Registration for the iCog Inaurural Conference is now open and can be found here. Registration closes on the 22nd of November.iCog is an interdisciplinary network fo…
- 55 days ago, 18 Oct 13, 3:10pm -

I am pleased to have been given by the ICCI the opportunity to advertise two notes here, each about four pages long, that I have recently written and put on SSRN. Both try to shed light on supernatural agency beliefs. The abstract to the first one re…
- 55 days ago, 18 Oct 13, 8:19am -

Rescuers have been successful in coaxing some of the stranded pilot whales to deeper waters in the Everglades National Park (Florida). However this success is still marred by tragedy as eleven animals are now confirmed dead. It is currently unclear w…
- 6 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 5:36am -

Dr. Michael Stanhope from Cornell University has discovered that great white sharks actually share more proteins involved in metabolism and biochemistry in common with humans than zebrafish, a common fish model used in biomedical research. They made…
- 8 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 11:43pm -

More science-themed haikus. I seem to keep writing them because we tend to put out three “mini press releases” at a time (a relic of the days when they were printed on two sides of a fold-up page and mailed). So I could pick just one to blog abou…
- 17 days ago, 25 Nov 13, 6:45am -

In honor of Veteran’s Day, we must not forget to thank the dolphins (and more recently sea lions) that have been active members of the US Military. The US military used dolphins trained to find and disarm underwater mines in the Iraq War. Eight dol…
- 30 days ago, 12 Nov 13, 2:54am -

I came across this interesting technology to communicate with dogs that I just had to share. A research team at Georgia Tech has come up with the idea of creating a high-tech vest for assistance dogs to better communicate with their owners. The proje…
- 33 days ago, 8 Nov 13, 11:28pm -

If you are a graduate student just starting your academic career or a relatively new assistant professor, I highly recommend Nathaniel Lambert’s Publish and prosper: A strategy guide for students and researchers. This is a highly readable – I rea…
- 9 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 9:46am -

If I just had space to write about one criticism pertaining to the presented book, it would be that the title "Searching for Meaning - Idealism, Bright Minds, Disillusionment, and Hope" gives only a vague notion about the information that is actually…
- 22 days ago, 20 Nov 13, 1:46pm -

People are sense-making creatures in a world that does not always make sense. This is a problem – although we prefer our world and environment to be orderly and predictable, and an expanding body of research shows that we do not like randomness and…
- 42 days ago, 31 Oct 13, 3:16pm -

Do animals have souls? What is the connection between animals and people? Is there a spiritual bond between human and beast? How do animals impact our lives? Dr. Vint Virga, a distinguished practitioner and leader in veterinary behavioral medicine ha…
- 58 days ago, 15 Oct 13, 9:22am -

Is a funny pick-up line a good idea, or will it hurt your chances? The role of humor in courtship is a fascinating puzzle that is beginning to receive empirical attention. The current article provides a glimpse at when and why humor might be useful d…
- 72 days ago, 1 Oct 13, 8:28am -

Cyprus Was Very Much Part of Neolithic Revolution
- 2 days ago, 10 Dec 13, 6:00am -

Terracotta Warriors Inspired by Ancient Greek Art
- 2 days ago, 10 Dec 13, 6:00am -

The Selfish Gene Is Losing Friends
- 3 days ago, 9 Dec 13, 6:00am -

Ancient Estate and Garden Fountain Unearthed in Israel
- 4 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 6:00am -

Philippa Langley: I Just Felt I Was Walking on Richard III's Grave. I Can't Explain It'
- 5 days ago, 7 Dec 13, 6:00am -

A human ancestor characterized by "robust" jaw and skull bones was a muscular creature and more adaptive to its environment than previously thought, scientists have discovered. Researchers found a partial skeleton dated to 1.34 million years (Paranth…
- 6 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 11:56pm -

An analysis of the femur of one of the oldest human ancestors reveals the six-million-year-old “Millenium Man” was bipedal but lived in the trees. The research could provide additional insight to the origins of human bipedalism.
- 7 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 11:12pm -

Using novel techniques to extract and study ancient DNA researchers have determined an almost complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a 400,000-year-old representative of the genus Homo from Sima de los Huesos, a unique cave site in Northern Spain,…
- 7 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 6:20pm -

Scientists have found that Neanderthals organized their living spaces in ways that would be familiar to modern humans, a discovery that once again shows similarities between these two close cousins.
- 9 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 2:16pm -

The properties of lead bricks recovered from ancient shipwrecks are ideal for experiments in particle physics. Scientists have begun to use them, but archaeologists have raised alarm about the destruction and trading of cultural heritage that lies be…
- 13 days ago, 29 Nov 13, 3:19pm -

An archaeology team has delved back into a Neolithic site at Damerham, Hampshire, and uncovered a sink hole of material that may hold vital information about the plant species that thrived there 6,000 years ago. Scientists say the find was completely…
- 15 days ago, 27 Nov 13, 4:01pm -

Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence of a structure at the birthplace of the Buddha dating to the sixth century B.C. This is the first archaeological material linking the life of the Buddha -- and thus the first flowering of Buddhi…
- 16 days ago, 25 Nov 13, 5:17pm -

Scientists have discovered a novel receptor, which allows the immune system of modern humans to recognize dangerous invaders, and subsequently elicits an immune response. The blueprint for this advantageous structure was in addition identified in the…
- 20 days ago, 22 Nov 13, 1:44pm -

Results from a DNA study of a young boy’s skeletal remains believed to be 24,000 years old could turn the archaeological world upside down – it’s been proven that nearly 30 percent of modern Native American’s ancestry came from this youngster…
- 21 days ago, 20 Nov 13, 7:36pm -

The genome sequence of a 24,000-year-old Siberian individual has provided a key piece of the puzzle in the quest for Native American origins. The ancient Siberian demonstrates genomic signatures that are basal to present-day western Eurasians and clo…
- 21 days ago, 20 Nov 13, 6:39pm -

Quartz, a business and marketing website, recently released data on the Facebook dating app Are You Interested, which connects single people with others within the confines of their Facebook networks. Quartz’ data are based on a series of yes-or…
- 15 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

This 1 minute commercial for Pantene, running in the Philippines, is getting a lot of praise.  It does a powerful job of pointing out the way that women are disadvantaged in corporate contexts.  The men and women in the ad are portrayed similarly,…
- 2 days ago, 10 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

Sociologists observe that cultures are centered around some people and  not others such that members of some groups just seem like people and others are perceived as deviations from that presumed norm. Names are part of how we divide the world into…
- 3 days ago, 9 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

“The United States is one of few advanced nations where schools serving better-off children usually have more educational resources than those serving poor students,” writes Eduardo Porter for the New York Times.  This is because a large percent…
- 4 days ago, 8 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

The joke about the woman who sued McDonald’s after spilling hot coffee in her lap has become a cultural lightening rod, mocked in sitcoms and used to argue in favor of reforming the law that guides civil lawsuits.  In fact, the coffee was served 3…
- 5 days ago, 7 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

Source: Robert Pereida Illustration. Have a scholar we should commemorate?  Send us a cool pic and we will! Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
- 5 days ago, 7 Dec 13, 12:00pm -

Way back in 1978, Mark Fishman wrote an article titled “Crime Waves as Ideology.”  It referred to the way in which TV news gets organized thematically in ways that make non-trends appear to be trends.  Fishman pointed out that the news director…
- 6 days ago, 6 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article about income inequality. What follows is a chart from the article which shows that average income for the bottom 90% of families actually fell by over 10% from 2002-2012 while the average income for…
- 7 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 1:00pm -

Cats and dogs are gendered in contemporary American culture, such that dogs are thought to be the proper pet for men and cats for women (especially lesbians).  This, it turns out, is an old stereotype.  In fact, cats were a common symbol in suffrag…
- 7 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 7:35pm -

What separates those with a criminal record from the rest of the population?  According to lawyer Emily Baxter, not a whole lot.  Baxter’s new project “We Are All Criminals” examines the illegal activities committed by people without a crim…
- 8 days ago, 3 Dec 13, 11:00pm -

Repeated blows to the head during a season of contact sports may cause changes in the brain's white matter and affect cognitive abilities even if none of the impacts resulted in a concussion.
- 5 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 11:55pm -

Scientists have discovered how to fix sleep disturbances in mice with traumatic brain injuries -- a discovery that could lead to help for hundreds of thousands of people who have long-term and debilitating sleep and wakefulness issues after they suff…
- 5 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 11:53pm -

The degree to which students' exam scores differ owes more to their genes than to their teachers, schools or family environments, according to new research. The study, which took place in the UK, looked at students' scores for their GCSE's (General C…
- 5 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 11:53pm -

Researchers have made strides in staying ahead of Huntington’s disease, a devastating, incurable disorder that results from the death of certain neurons in the brain.
- 10 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 6:39pm -

Smokers who are addicted to cocaine or methamphetamine can quit smoking while being treated for their stimulant addiction, without interfering with stimulant addiction treatment, according to new research.
- 10 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 6:29pm -

A biology student spent the past few summers developing an experiment for observing the brain's cellular response to a concussion. The never-before-seen action could one day lead to therapies that mitigate brain damage following mild traumatic brain…
- 10 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 6:29pm -

In new research, neuroscientists find that even high-performing schools don't influence their students' abstract reasoning.
- 10 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 6:19pm -

A mechanism in the brain that controls tics in children with Tourette Syndrome has been discovered by scientists.
- 13 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 3:41pm -

A scientist makes a definitive case against spanking, including how it slows cognitive development and increases antisocial and criminal behavior.
- 13 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 3:39pm -

In a study published, researchers found that when celebrities publicly discuss their struggles with cancer diagnoses, the resulting media coverage prompts more smokers to search for information on quitting than events like New Year's Day or World No…
- 14 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 2:39pm -

The Twitter-sphere is abuzz with the talk about David Dobbs recent article in Aeon Magazine, Die, Selfish Gene, Die! Dobbs’ article attacks Richard Dawkins (as is clear from the title). Dawkins responded here and also sent his readers to Jerry Coyn…
- 1 day ago, 10 Dec 13, 9:51pm -

To recap, in the first installment I pointed out that the three post-war decades were remarkably clean, in terms of corporate malfeasance. Then, during the 1980s, there was a series of scandals primarily involving insider trading. The trend really in…
- 6 days ago, 5 Dec 13, 10:56pm -

The Global Financial Crisis of 2007–8 which triggered the Great Recession had many causes, not all of which are well understood. But it is clear that one of the most important factors (if not the most important) was the general atmosphere of corpor…
- 7 days ago, 4 Dec 13, 11:10pm -

Readers who have been following this blog for a while know that in addition to being a professor at the University of Connecticut, I wear a second hat as the Vice-President of the Evolution Institute (EI). The chief goal of the Evolution Institute is…
- 12 days ago, 29 Nov 13, 9:03pm -

The original text of the opinion piece on intraelite competition that I sent to Bloomberg Opinion grew to almost twice the length when it was finally published. The two editors kept asking me to expand on some points and to provide supplementary evid…
- 15 days ago, 26 Nov 13, 9:14pm -

My newest article has been published in Pursuit Magazine on detecting deception during an investigative interview. For this article I asked three world class scholars of deception,  ”how do you catch a liar?” See it at: http://pursuitmag.com/de…
- 9 days ago, 2 Dec 13, 11:32pm -

Hello! OK—so I still have a few dedicated subscribers; this message is for you. 1st I am now a Huffington Post blogger.2nd Pursuit Magazine (a publication for professional investigators) has asked me to become a regular contributor.3rd I’…
- 23 days ago, 18 Nov 13, 7:57pm -

Sociologist Elijah Anderson influenced criminology with his descriptive theory of the code of the street. In a nutshell the code contends that social economic conditions isolate poor inner-city neighborhoods giving rise to the code of the street—no…
- 29 days ago, 13 Nov 13, 3:09am -

Nope, I haven’t disappeared but my personal blog is no longer a priority. Rather, I’m spending my free-time investigating stories worth telling and writing them well. My latest story is titled The Dark Net: The New Face of Black Markets and Organ…
- 71 days ago, 1 Oct 13, 8:52pm -

John Searle is one of my favorite contemporary philosophers. I read his book The Construction of Social Reality as part of a graduate seminar at Indiana University on social metaphysics.In a recent TED conference (posted below) Searle argues for the…
- 11 Aug 13, 2:25am -

The Curiosity Mars mission's successes make it a strange time for NASA to make funding changes that risk the careers of a generation of planetary scientists    
- 8 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 8:30pm -

Tiny hybrid robots could shepherd individual sperm to eggs to help fertilisation, or to deliver targeted doses of drugs    
- 8 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 8:00pm -

Make a gelatin scaffold, add a pinch of brain tissue with the cells removed, followed by stem cells – and watch the neurons grow    
- 9 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 7:30pm -

If you can't remember all your passwords, take heart: hardware tokens that can't be cloned will soon offer secure access to your digital life    
- 9 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 7:00pm -

A device that keeps an eye on what you're looking at could one day make transferring files between devices as easy as shifting your gaze    
- 10 hours ago, 11 Dec 13, 6:37pm -