The study shows that A foreign language provides a distancing mechanism that moves people from the immediate intuitive system to a more deliberate mode of thinking.

Through a series of experiments in Korea, France and the United States, the team showed that asymmetry disappears when a person makes decisions in a foreign language. The students were able to evaluate the choices based on expected outcomes, rather than having their decisions influenced by the different presentations of the problems.

Source: University of Chicago

Some people think reverse. We must think about the death more frequently. It may be good for our life. Nonconcious thinking like going to a cemetery may be good.

Here is the detailed explanation about this:

Past research suggests that thinking about death is destructive and dangerous, fueling everything from prejudice and greed to violence. Such studies related to terror management theory (TMT), which posits that we uphold certain cultural beliefs to manage our feelings of mortality, have rarely explored the potential benefits of death awareness.

“This tendency for TMT research to primarily deal with negative attitudes and harmful behaviors has become so deeply entrenched in our field that some have recently suggested that death awareness is simply a bleak force of social destruction,” says Kenneth Vail of the University of Missouri, lead author of the new study in the online edition of Personality and Social Psychology Review this month. “There has been very little integrative understanding of how subtle, day-to-day, death awareness might be capable of motivating attitudes and behaviors that can minimize harm to oneself and others, and can promote well-being.”

In constructing a new model for how we think about our own mortality, Vail and colleagues performed an extensive review of recent studies on the topic. They found numerous examples of experiments both in the lab and field that suggest a positive side to natural reminders about mortality.

For example, Vail points to a study by Matthew Gailliot and colleagues in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2008 that tested how just being physically near a cemetery affects how willing people are to help a stranger. “Researchers hypothesized that if the cultural value of helping was made important to people, then the heightened awareness of death would motivate an increase in helping behaviors,” Vail says.

The researchers observed people who were either passing through a cemetery or were one block away, out of sight of the cemetery. Actors at each location talked near the participants about either the value of helping others or a control topic, and then some moments later, another actor dropped her notebook. The researchers then tested in each condition how many people helped the stranger.

“When the value of helping was made salient, the number of participants who helped the second confederate with her notebook was 40% greater at the cemetery than a block away from the cemetery,” Vail says. “Other field experiments and tightly controlled laboratory experiments have replicated these and similar findings, showing that the awareness of death can motivate increased expressions of tolerance, egalitarianism, compassion, empathy, and pacifism.”

For example, a 2010 study by Immo Fritsche of the University of Leipzig and co-authors revealed how increased death awareness can motivate sustainable behaviors when pro-environmental norms are made salient. And a study by Zachary Rothschild of the University of Kansas and co-workers in 2009 showed how an increased awareness of death can motivate American and Iranian religious fundamentalists to display peaceful compassion toward members of other groups when religious texts make such values more important.

Thinking about death can also promote better health. Recent studies have shown that when reminded of death people may opt for better health choices, such as using more sunscreen, smoking less, or increasing levels of exercise. A 2011 study by D.P. Cooper and co-authors found that death reminders increased intentions to perform breast self-exams when women were exposed to information that linked the behavior to self-empowerment.

One major implication of this body of work, Vail says, is that we should “turn attention and research efforts toward better understanding of how the motivations triggered by death awareness can actually improve people’s lives, rather than how it can cause malady and social strife.” Write the authors: “The dance with death can be a delicate but potentially elegant stride toward living the good life.”

Source: http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/04/thinking-about-death

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2318/12/3#B14

A research made on fruit flies shows that there is a defect on memory depending on aging. The same research shows that these age related memory defects can be reversed.
“This study shows that once the appropriate neurons are identified in people, in principle at least, one could potentially develop drugs to hit those neurons and rescue those memories affected by the aging process,” Davis said. “In addition, the biochemistry underlying memory formation in fruit flies is remarkably conserved with that in humans so that everything we learn about memory formation in flies is likely applicable to human memory and the disorders of human memory.”

While no one really understands what is altered in the brain during the aging process, in the current study the scientists were able to use functional cellular imaging to monitor the changes in the fly’s neuron activity before and after learning.

“We are able to peer down into the fly brain and see changes in the brain,” Davis said. “We found changes that appear to reflect how intermediate-term memory is encoded in these neurons.”

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402185349.htm

Too much happines is bad for you because it makes you unhappy. She compares happiness to food and says:

“Although necessary and beneficial, too much food can cause problems; likewise, happiness can lead to bad outcomes. “Research indicates that very high levels of positive feelings predict risk-taking behaviors, excess alcohol and drug consumption, binge eating, and may lead us to neglect threats,”

 

Interesting, isn’t it?

Read the rest of the story here: the washingtonpost

“I’m not the only one who ever told a lie!” Such a remark is an example of one of many ego defense mechanisms – also known as defense mechanisms. These are not necessarily maladaptive or inappropriate. In some cases, they are positive and socially acceptable reactions to impulses that we have.

In Freudian psychology, ego defense mechanisms (EDMs) are strategies through which the ego manages the inherent conflict between the id and superego. The id is impulsive, childish and pleasure seeking while the superego is normative and moralistic. EDMs are tactics/strategies that the ego uses to cope with anxieties that arise from this conflict. Individuals also use them to maintain their self-image.

All ego defensive mechanisms are habitual or unconscious and seek to affect reality in some way. Usually, they represent attempts to transform, distort or falsify reality (or perceptions at least). Defense responses are not coping mechanisms either. Coping mechanisms are characterized as conscious and rational, whereas defense mechanisms are irrational and subliminal.

Freudian psychologists consider EDMs as natural responses to various forms of anxiety. These anxieties could be reality anxiety (often a fear of something physical), neurotic anxiety (an unconscious fear that arises from the need to restrict the id) and moral anxiety (fear of breaking social and moral codes). Psychologists typically classify defensive responses according to the anxieties that they address. Freudian psychology perceives defense mechanisms as tension-reducing tactics.

There exist several types of defense mechanisms. George Vaillant’s classification of defense mechanism breaks the plethora of these into four levels:

i) Psychotic defenses
ii) Immature defenses
iii) Neurotic defenses
iv) Mature defenses

Psychotic defenses are harmful, maladaptive mechanisms that can affect the development of an individual and lead to deeper psychological issues. These include psychotic delusions and psychotic projection. Attributing a deviant act to an improbable cause is an instance of psychotic defense.

Immature defenses are those that we used in childhood and which some individuals continue to use through adolescence and adulthood. Tantrums, fantasies and projection are common forms of this second level of defense mechanisms. Playing the ‘blame game’ is a classic example of an immature defense.

Neurotic defenses are used by adults and represent ways of preventing the impulses and desires of the id from surfacing or being revealed. Tactics include intellectualization, justification, repression and displacement. Persons who attribute problems that they are experiencing to external stimuli or other persons use this level of defense.

Mature defenses are positive ways of managing the conflict between the id and superego. The primary tactic here is sublimation- the transformation of socially unacceptable impulses and desires of the id into highly desirable (even noble) actions. Altruism, humor and suppression are other common methods of reducing psychological tension that arises through the id/superego conflict. An example of this is someone engaging in sporting activities to reduce sexual tension.

Individuals use several types and instances of ego defenses mechanisms in their daily lives. These are merely ways in which they respond to anxieties, impulses or threats that arise from the id. Defense mechanisms are triggered by fears, desires and perceived threats. Whether they have positive or negative effects depends on their frequency, context and their root cause.

The link between exercise and mental health has been studied since the early 1900s. Various studies show a relationship between exercise and how it can ease anxiety and depression, improve mood and self-esteem, and help a person achieve quality sleep.

Researchers have engaged in many studies to determine the effect that exercise has on patients suffering from anxiety. Anxiety affects 7.3 percent of the U.S. adult population to the point of requiring treatment. 81 percent of the studies found a definitive link between decreased anxieties following exercise, with no conflicting information. The other 19 percent also found a link between reducing anxiety by exercising, however, there were some conflicting results. But more often than not exercising aided in calming anxiety.

Clinical depression affects 2.5 percent of Americans, and since the turn of the 20th century there have been over 100 studies done to examine the relationship between exercise and depression. All of the studies that have been conducted clearly illustrate that exercise is linked to a significant reduction in depression symptoms. Exercise can actually have an antidepressant-like affect that may be evident the first week of starting a fitness routine. These studies have also illustrated that exercise can create a greater affect when the exercise program is longer than nine weeks.

Exercise doesn’t just have an effect on anxiety and depression. It can also affect mood, self-esteem and sleep. The Surgeon General’s Report mentions that exercise may improve mood, however, there have been no analytic reviews in this area. But there have been 4 meta-analytic reviews focusing on how self-esteem is affected by exercise. These studies have shown that exercise can bring about small but significant increases in self-esteem.

There has also been clinical evidence that increased physical activity can be beneficial for alcohol and substance abuse recovery, as it can help improve social skills, cognitive thinking and dependence. Exercise can even improve brain function in the elderly and help stave off dementia.

With the mounting evidence that exercise has a positive impact on many of the body’s systems, engaging in physical fitness to promote healthy mental function is a smart move. Even light exercise such as walking or stretching offers a myriad of benefits. Exercising for 30 minutes, 3 times a week is recommended to maintain healthy brain function and may relieve symptoms of common mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. So get movin!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brittany_A._Smith

Here is the definition of DNA and some detailed information about it:

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints or a recipe, or a code, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells, such as proteins and RNA molecules. The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information.

And DNA testing is:

DNA testing (also called Genetic fingerprinting , DNA typing, or DNA profiling) is a technique used to distinguish between individuals of the same species using only samples of their DNA. Its invention by Dr. Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester was announced in 1984. Two humans will have the vast majority of their DNA sequence in common. Genetic fingerprinting exploits highly variable repeating sequences called minisatellites. Two unrelated humans will be unlikely to have the same numbers of minisatellites at a given locus. In STR profiling, which is distinct from DNA fingerprinting, PCR is used to obtain enough DNA to then detect the number of repeats at several loci. It is possible to establish a match that is extremely unlikely to have arisen by coincidence, except in the case of identical twins, who will have identical genetic profiles. But not fingerprints.

So DNA and DNA testing are may be more important for us than others. Some may want a dna testing, Easy DNA may help you a lot.

I like, especially the newsletter section as it includes precious recommendations and articles about daily common psychological problems. For example in one of the article:

If this were your last day on earth would you be happy with the way your spent it?” If you answer yes, then you are truly living your life. If you answer no, then you have two choices. Don’t change anything but stop complaining or dreaming about change. Nothing will change, so stop dreaming. Nobody cares about your uninteresting life.

I am one of those who strictly believe that psychology is a self-practiced science and articles and recommendations like these helps people improve their mental health.

The first step is to identify the boundaries of your comfort level in both your personal and professional life. Next, try to attempt one small modification each day that makes you a little uncomfortable, but not too stressed. Remember, even a small accomplishment can ultimately lead to a desired goal. Lastly, determine if maintaining your comfort zone is actually the real problem. Apprehension and fear could be stopping you

Dr. Svec, especially, focuses on diagnosis and treatments of ADD and ADHD. You can buy and download presentations about ADD here, you can buy his book, or request an appointment through contact page. You can listen free mp3s about Why You Can’t diagnose ADHD in 5 minutes, 6 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Counselor or Therapist, How we Treat Pain! on the frontpage of the site.

You can view Dr. Svec’s biography here and you can subscribe the free newsletter here.