Life is full of processes to be learned and then relearned as they become more elaborate. One day you log into an app with just a password, then the next day you also need a code texted to you. One day, you might just microwave your favorite lunch in the oven for six straight minutes, … Read more
There is a common perception that people with autism cannot recognize the emotions of others and have little idea how effectively they do so. But autistic adults are only slightly less accurate at reading people’s facial emotions compared to their non-autistic peers, new research from Australia has found. Recent research published in two articles in … Read more
The octopus is an exceptional organism with an extremely complex brain and unique cognitive abilities among invertebrates. So much so that in some ways it has more in common with vertebrates than with invertebrates. The neural and cognitive complexity of these animals could come from a molecular analogy with the human brain, as discovered in … Read more
According to the authors of a new study, a founding economic principle that everyone is driven by “unlimited desires,” stuck on a consumerist treadmill and striving to accumulate as much wealth as possible, is wrong. The long-held economic belief that people have unlimited desires has permeated economic thought and government policy and shaped much of … Read more
It’s often said that “the eyes say it all,” but regardless of their outward expression, the eyes may also be able to signal neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD and ADHD, according to new research from Flinders University and the University of South Australia. In the first study of its kind, researchers found that retinal recordings … Read more
In the workplace, even subtle differences in language choice can influence gender perception, for better or for worse. These choices fall into two main categories: minimizing the role of gender by using gender-neutral terms or emphasizing an individual’s gender through ‘gender marking’. In a newspaper comment Trends in cognitive sciencebehavioral scientist Stav Atir says that … Read more
Attempts to build a more equitable and inclusive society have taken a step forward with the discovery of an “illusion of diversity” by a team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI). Their results clearly show that in a social context, most people greatly overestimate the presence of a minority – and this … Read more
A specially created scent delivery device, along with machine learning-based analysis of the electroencephalogram recorded on the scalp, allowed University of Tokyo researchers to see when and where scents are processed in the brain. The study found that odor information in the brain was unrelated to perception during the early stages of processing, but when … Read more
The best things in life are unlikely to happen. In many situations, taking at least moderate risks yields higher expected rewards. Yet many people find it difficult to take such risks: they are too cautious and give up on high gains. “However, we are not alone in this struggle, but we can observe and learn … Read more