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Tuck into our latest round-up of the best psych and neuro links.

16 March 2012

By Christian Jarrett

The dilemma of weak neuroimaging papers – Daniel Bor explains all on his new blog and then other experts comment, including Neuroskeptic, Jon Simons, Dorothy Bishop et al.

The last of the split-brain patients.

A failed replication of one of Darly Bem’s dramatic psi-effect experiments from 2010 has finally found a home to be published in – Chris French explains the background. (Check out the Digest coverage of the Bem studies from 2010). The new failed replication is here, and now features a reply from Bem and a reply back from French et al.

One for the diary – Prof. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore on the “social brain in adolescence” at the Royal Institution on March 30.

Around 20 per cent of psychologists acting as expert witnesses for the family courts are not qualified” – Channel 4 reports on an investigation by forensic psychologist Prof. Jane Ireland.

Is neuroscience the new freakonomics?

Podcast of the latest Maudsley debate: “This house believes that psychoanalysis has a valuable place in modern mental health service”

Saying you are fond of someone might make you actually like that person

The story of the teenage girls in a New York town afflicted with a twitching disorder

Make your own thinking cap (requires printer and scissors).

BBC Horizon episode on the unconscious mind is available on iPlayer for 5 weeks.

360 degree hi-res view of a male human brain

Fallout from the failed replication of Bargh’s 1996 classic stereotype priming study. Several psychologists have posted their views online, including Matt Lieberman and Daniel Simons.

The image of the ‘creative type’ is a myth – excerpt from Jonah Lehrer’s new book

Memory champ Joshua Foer was a guest on this week’s Guardian Science podcast.

Every time we blink, a wave of activity sweeps through our brain – and this could be a serious problem for some fMRI researchers” – Neuroskeptic blogs on a new study.

Big changes are proposed for the way autism is diagnosed. Two leading experts argue for and against the suggested redefinition

Newly posted TED talk – Psychologist Jonathan Haidt asks a simple, but difficult question: why do we search for self-transcendence? 

BBC reports on research suggesting that voters prefer candidates with a deeper voice. The Digest covered some related research recently: Want to feel powerful? Do a Barry White impression.

Do E-Books Make It Harder to Remember What You Just Read?

Why the world needs introverts

Attractive people are less shallow

The psychology of post-coital behaviours.

Why can smells unlock forgotten memories? (Related research covered by the Digest: Do smells really trigger particularly evocative memories?)

That’s all, enjoy your weekend!