Monitor on Psychology - November 2011 - (Page 17)

Brief IN to represent facial expressions, while Caucasians relied on the eyebrows and mouth. Those cultural distinctions could lead to missed cues or misinterpreted signals about emotions during crosscultural communications, Jack says (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, April 25). n Video-game competitiveness may trump violence in causing aggressive behavior, according to research led by Paul Adachi, a psychology doctoral student at Brock University in Canada. In a series of experiments in which video games were matched on competitiveness, difficulty and pace of action, researchers found videogame violence alone did not increase aggressive behavior. However, more competitive games produced greater levels of aggressive behavior than less competitive games, no matter how much violence was in the games (Psychology of Violence, Aug. 17). n Impulsivity is one of the strongest predictors of obesity, finds a study by scientists with the National Institute on Aging. In an examination of 50 years of data from a longitudinal study of 1,988 people, the researchers found that participants who scored in the top 10 percent on impulsivity weighed about 22 pounds more than those in the bottom 10 percent. Further, participants scoring high in conscientiousness tended to be leaner — most likely due to their ability to show restraint in their diet and commit to exercise (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, September). n A few fatigued members won’t drag down a team, according to researchers at London South Bank University. The investigators studied 171 army officer cadets as they worked on a series of math problems. Half were well-rested while the others were exhausted from military drills and night-watch duty. The results showed that, when working individually, cadets who were fatigued performed significantly worse on the tests than alert soldiers. However, cadets working in teams performed just as well when they were tired as when they were alert, perhaps because team members can compare solutions to reach the best decision (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Aug. 15). n Depressed women are at higher risk for stroke, according to a study of 80,000 women age 54 to 79. Harvard University researchers found that women with a history of depression have a 29 percent greater risk of having a stroke than women who are not depressed. In addition, the study found that those who take antidepressants — particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — face a 39 percent higher stroke risk, perhaps because the use of antidepressants most likely indicates more severe depression, the authors say (Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, Aug. 11). Depressed women are more likely to have strokes, new research suggests. N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 1 • M O N I TO R O N P S YC H O L O G Y 17 Photos.com http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-08515-001/ http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-08515-001/ http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/42/10/2770.abstract http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/42/10/2770.abstract http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-17705-001/ http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2011-17705-001/ http://www.Photos.com http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/vio-ofp-adachi.pdf http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/vio-ofp-adachi.pdf http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/101/3/579/ http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/101/3/579/ http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/101/3/579/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - November 2011

Monitor on Psychology - November 2011
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
Guest Column
‘Grand Challenges’ offers blueprint for mental health research
Documentary seeks to reach parents of LGBT kids
Treating veterans will cost at least $5 billion by 2020
Selfless volunteering might lengthen your life
Combat and stress up among U.S. military in Afghanistan
South Africa to host international psychology conference
Study uncovers a reason behind sex differences in mental illness
Navy psychologist gives a voice to combat trauma
In Brief
Psychologist suicide
On Your Behalf
Journey back to Heart Mountain
Psychology is key to pain management, report finds
ACT goes international
Judicial Notebook
Random Sample
Time Capsule
Questionnaire
Science Watch
Behavior change in 15-minute sessions?
Health-care reform 2.0
Perspective on Practice
Giving a heads up on concussion
Practice Profile
Searching for meaning
Inspiring young researchers
Aging, with grace
Public Interest
Thank you!
APA News
Division Spotlight
American Psychological Foundation
The man who gave Head Start a start
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - November 2011