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Navigation auf uzh.ch
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Empathy can be learned (L'empathie, ça s'apprend!) Le Soir Online - December 23, 2015 A study conducted by Dr. Grit Hein, Prof. Dr. Philippe Tobler, Dr. Jan Engelmann and Marius Vollberg shows that empathy for strangers can be learned through positive experiences. A variety of international news sources have reported on the study. Other sources: Grenzwissenschaft-Aktuell Online
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We won't do anything for money after all (Für Geld machen wir doch nicht alles) Feinheit.ch - September 9, 2015 Prof. Dr. Christian Ruff helped the Stapferhaus Lenzburg to develop a quiz for their exhibit titled "Money Beyond Good and Evil." In this interview, he explains how money affects behavior and why we need to look at the brain to determine patterns in human behavior.
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Disrupted brainwaves make fickle (Gestörte Hirnströme machen wankelmütig) ScinExx - August 21, 2015 How and why are we unsure about our preferences? Using transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), Prof. Dr. Christan Ruff's research showed that a disruption of the brainwave flow between the prefrontal cortex and the parietal cortex destabilized the test subjects' ability to make preference-based decisions. Magazine ScinExx and many other international news outlets reported on this study. Other sources:
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Candy Brain The New York Times Magazine - August 20, 2015 The New York Times Magazine reports on the study conducted by Prof. Dr. Todd Hare with Silvia Maier which links stress to the consumption of less healthy foods: "Sticking to a diet requires self-control and a willingness to forgo present pleasures for future benefits. Not surprisingly, almost everyone yields to temptation at least sometimes, opting for the cookie instead of the apple. Wondering why we so often override our resolve, scientists at the Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research at the University of Zurich recently considered the role of stress, which is linked to a variety of health problems, including weight gain."
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One common thing stands in the way of you and a healthy diet The Huffington Post - August 7, 2015 A study conducted by Silvia Maier and Prof. Dr. Todd Hare indicates that moderate amounts of stress affects people's choice of food: "The small study [...] showed that the neural pathways in the brain that influence a person’s desire for immediate gratification show increased activity following moderate stress, whereas the brain areas that help control willpower and that affect the desire to maintain a long-term goal, such as healthy eating, show reduced activity." Other sources:
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How to beat smoking, other bad habits with better self-control WTVR.com - July 31, 2015 How can we effectively kick bad habits? This article reports on a study conducted by researchers from Texas Tech University and the University of Oregon which has shown that integrative body-mind training (IBMT) strengthens the self-control network in the brain. Prof. Dr. Todd Hare comments that more research needs to been done to explore the effectiveness of IBMT, but that the potential benefits of a method that reduces cravings or addictive behavior without "increased attention or cognitive effort [...] would be a very exciting step forward."
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We apes are inclined to share (Nous sommes tous des grands singes partageurs) Le Temps - April 14, 2015 This article focuses on behavioral biologist Frans de Waal's work on primates' sense of empathy and fairness. It references Philippe Tobler, whose work has shown that human primates - like chimpanzees, for instance - have an inclination to share equally.
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The bed stays empty for too long (Das Bett bleibt zu lange leer) Tages-Anzeiger Online - January 14, 2015 In this article on sleep deprivation, Prof. Dr. Thomas Baumann and Prof. Dr. Christian Ruff's research on the connection of sleep deprivation and risk taking is referenced. Their study has shown that lack of sleep can be linked to a tendency to take higher financial risks. |
