London, Oct 20 (IANS): The chemical produced by decaying tissue of dead bodies can produce a fight-or-flight response in humans, researchers have revealed, suggesting that humans, like other species, can perceive certain scents as threatening. These are the first results to show that a scent emanating from a specific chemical compound called putrescine can be processed as a threat signal. "So far, nearly all the evidence for threat chemosignals has come from those that are transmitted by body sweat,” said Dr Arnaud >>>

Men are attracted to the idea of dating intelligent women - but don't actually like the reality of it. That's according to researchers who carried out several studies into what men find desirable in women.  The findings, to be published in the November edition of ‘Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin’, concluded that men find the propect of dating intelligent women intimidating.  The study, carried out by researchers the University of Buffalo, California Lutheran University and University of Texas, Austin, posits that men’s attraction to certain traits in women can >>>

The smell of dead organisms can trigger fight or flight in us, according to a new study which suggests humans, like other species, can perceive certain scents as threatening. Dr Arnaud Wisman, from the University of Kent's School of Psychology, found that putrescine, the chemical produced by decaying tissue of dead organisms, can produce a fight-or-flight response in humans. In four different experiments, people were exposed consciously and non-consciously to putrescine. The results show that putrescine can serve as a (non-conscious) signal that initiates threat management >>>

Date: October 19, 2015 10:59 pmAuthor: Arthur Schoen Professor Ariel Malka has been teaching in Yeshiva College since 2009. An alumnus of the University of Rochester and Berkeley, he has conducted extensive research in various fields of social science and has published a number of fascinating findings. He teaches in the psychology department and also offers a course in YC’s Core Curriculum. Professor Malka recently was granted tenure, and in honor of this milestone The Commentator sat down (virtually) with Professor Malka for an interview. AS: I think >>>

A new study by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London provides the first clinical evidence on the toll human trafficking has on mental health, including high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, amongst a patient population in South London. Human trafficking is the recruitment and movement of people, by means such as deception and coercion, for the purposes of exploitation. The UK Home Office has estimated that in 2013 there were between 10,000 and 13,000 trafficked people in the UK, including people >>>

Contrary to what most people think, most humans are atrocious at multi-tasking. In fact, only about 2% of the population can excel on more than one task at the same time, according to research by David Strayer, a psychology professor at the University of Utah. The rest of us get worse at things when we try to do more than one thing at once. There’s hope though — at least some. Psychology researchers have found that people can improve their multitasking abilities, and a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pinpoints at least >>>

NEW - Psychology, Rather Than Airstrikes, the Key to the Middle East October 19, 2015 By: Dr. Jim Penman The Russians are in Syria and the war is about to become bloodier and messier. At one level, this is a power play, with Russia beefing up its international power and prestige in the face of what seems to be a weakening America.   But at another level, it reflects a genuine disagreement on what course of action is most likely to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East. Where America and the West see Syrian President Bashar Al Assad as an obstacle to peace, Russian >>>

Fox News host Kennedy Montgomery speculated on Monday that a female researcher’s study about smart women was probably biased because she was bitter that men didn’t find her attractive. A study published in a recent edition of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin examined how men perceived women differently based on “psychological distance,” which they define as “the subjective experience that a target is close to or far from the self.” Researchers Lora Park, Ariana Young and Paul Eastwick found that as the “psychological distance” decreased, men tended to be less attracted >>>

 (University of Stirling) Have a couple of thousand people design the perfect car and you’ll end up with something perfectly hideous. At least that was the outcome of a study conducted by a psychology professor in the U.K. Professor Peter Hancock of Scotland’s University of Stirling asked 2,004 Britons to pick their favorite cars from among the most popular in several categories, including sports and retro models, and the elements they liked most about each, The Sunday Times reports. They then had to choose their favorite body styles, colors, >>>

The psychology behind the way pokie machine are designed is revealed on Ka-ching! Pokie Nation