working memory
New research from Psychological Science
Controlling the Unconscious: Attentional Task Sets Modulate Subliminal Semantic and Visuomotor Processes Differentially
Ulla Martens, Ulrich Ansorge, and Markus Kiefer
Unconscious processing can be affected by how a person’s attention is focused…
Listening to music is biological
Music is listened in all known cultures. Similarities between human and animal song have been detected: both contain a message, an intention that reflects innate emotional state that is interpreted correctly even among different species. In fact, se…
Friends with cognitive benefits
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Talking with other people in a friendly way can make it easier to solve common problems, a new University of Michigan study shows. But conversations that are competitive in tone, rather than cooperative, have no cognitive be…
Schmoozing good for the brain
Michigan researchers say they’ve found that shooting the bull with friends has measurable benefits for the brain, keeping it sharp in later life. “Most advice for preserving and enhancing mental function emphasizes intellectual activities such as reading, doing crossword puzzles, and learning how to use a computer,” says the lead researcher. “But my research suggests that just getting together and chatting with friends and family may also be effective.”