human behavior

Video game Everquest 2 provides new way to study human behavior

harminka — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:01:37 -0600

Can researchers study the populations of online video games, like Everquest 2, just as they study traditional communities like Miami, Pittsburgh or Minneapolis?

Computer model can predict human behavior and learning

harminka — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:27:17 -0600

A computer model that can predict how people will complete a controlled task and how the knowledge needed to complete that task develops over time is the product of a group of researchers, led by a professor from Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology.

Age-old magic tricks can provide clues for modern science

harminka — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:25:17 -0500

Revealing the science behind age-old magic tricks will help us better understand how humans see, think, and act, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia and Durham University in the U.K.

Why it pays to be choosy

harminka — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:21:22 -0600

Cooperative behaviour is common in many species, including humans. Given that cooperative individuals can often be exploited, it is not immediately clear why such behaviour has evolved.

People genetically programmed to be generous

harminka — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:41:14 -0600

Are those inclined towards generosity genetically programmed to behave that way? A team of researchers, including Dr. Ariel Knafo of the Psychology Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, believes that this could very well be the case.

Earliest evidence for modern human behavior in South Africa

harminka — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:48:07 -0500

Evidence of early humans living on the coast in South Africa, harvesting food from the sea, employing complex bladelet tools and using red pigments in symbolic behavior 164,000 years ago, far earlier than previously documented, is being reported in the Oct. 18 issue of the journal Nature.

Why it is Impossible for Some to ‘Just Say No’

harminka — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:25:40 -0500

Drug abuse, crime and obesity are but a few of the problems our nation faces, but they all have one thing in common--people’s failure to control their behavior in the face of temptation. While the ability to control and restrain our impulses is one of the defining features of the human animal, its failure is one of the central problems of human society. So, why do we so often lack this crucial ability?

Negativity is contagious

harminka — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 05:37:03 -0500

Though we may not care to admit it, what other people think about something can affect what we think about it. This is how critics become influential and why our parents’ opinions about our life choices continue to matter, long after we’ve moved out.

Choosing mate, what we really want

harminka — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 01:40:22 -0500

While humans may pride themselves on being highly evolved, most still behave like the stereotypical Neanderthals when it comes to choosing a mate, according to research by Indiana University cognitive scientist Peter Todd.

Not all risk is created equal

harminka — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:03:47 -0500

A camper who chases a grizzly but won't risk unprotected sex. A sky diver afraid to stand up to the boss. New research shows that not all risk is created equal and people show a mixture of both risky and non-risky behaviors.

An early ape shows its hand

harminka — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 01:50:55 -0500

Fossils often have provided important insights into the evolution of humans and our ancestors. Even small fossils, such as bones from the hand or foot can tell us much about our ancestor’s and their behavior. Such may be the case with an ape that lived more than nine million years ago.

Why do people love horror movies?

harminka — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 03:12:21 -0500

A bedrock assumption in theories that explain and predict human behavior is people's motivation to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. How can this be reconciled with the decision to engage in experiences known to elicit negative feelings, such as horror movies" It certainly seems counterintuitive that so many people would voluntarily immerse themselves in almost two hours of fear, disgust and terror.