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Eye-catching studies that didn’t make the final cut.

11 February 2010

By Christian Jarrett

Democrats and Republicans can be distinguished from photographs of their faces. Observers base discrimination judgements on power and warmth – people who look more powerful are identified as Republican, those who look warm as Democrat.

Child witnesses make more false identifications when suspects are in uniform.

Wished-for objects are perceived as being closer. ‘We suggest that seeing desirable objects as closer than less desirable objects serves the self-regulatory function of energizing the perceiver to approach objects that fulfill needs and goals.’

Testing the efficacy of a three-hour deception detection training programme.

Connectivity in the default mode network as a marker for level of consciousness in brain damaged patients. What’s the default mode network? See ‘the Resting Brain‘ article in the Psychologist magazine.

Our ongoing behaviour is more influenced by autobiographical memories that are low in ‘psychological closure’.

Hallucinating patients are more likely to obey heard voices that they perceive to be more powerful and of higher rank than themselves.

Analysing how text-books from 1984 to 2005 illustrate AIDS. ‘Images of AIDS continue to invoke concepts of “the Other,” death, victimization, and culpability. It is difficult to discuss AIDS without accessing its stereotypes.’

When selecting from the new ideas they’ve generated, people show a bias for feasible and desirable ideas at the cost of originality.

The psychological impact of floods.

The feeding goals mothers have for their young children. ‘Mothers spontaneously classified their child as a `good’ or a `bad’ eater.’

Praying for a person leads us to be more forgiving of them.