ScienceDaily: Living Well News

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• IUDs, implants most effective birth control, study suggests
• The goldilocks effect: Babies choose ‘Just right’ experiences
• Sociologists' research study finds everyday tax talk is 'morally charged'
• Americans find doing their own taxes simpler than improving diet and health
• Wearing two different hats: Moral decisions may depend on the situation
• 'Obesity genes' may influence food choices, eating patterns
• Make no mistake -- male bosses' errors matter
• Resilient people more satisfied with life
• Visual perception system unconsciously affects our preferences
• Phthalates in PVC floors taken up by the body in infants
• Touching tarantulas: Overcoming phobias with brief therapy

IUDs, implants most effective birth control, study suggests Posted: 23 May 2012 05:02 PM PDT A study to evaluate birth control methods has found dramatic differences in their effectiveness. Women who used birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring were 20 times more likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who used longer-acting forms such as an intrauterine device (IUD) or implant.

The goldilocks effect: Babies choose ‘Just right’ experiences Posted: 23 May 2012 05:02 PM PDT Infants ignore information that is too simple or too complex, focusing instead on situations that are "just right," according to a new study. Dubbed the "Goldilocks effect" by the people that discovered it, the attention pattern sheds light on how babies learn to make sense of a world full of complex sights, sounds, and movements.

Sociologists' research study finds everyday tax talk is 'morally charged' Posted: 23 May 2012 01:19 PM PDT A new study by sociologists demonstrates how everyday "tax talk" is morally charged and how many Americans associate the income tax with a violation of the moral principle that hard work should be rewarded.

Americans find doing their own taxes simpler than improving diet and health Posted: 23 May 2012 11:56 AM PDT Most Americans (52 percent) have concluded that figuring out their income taxes is easier than knowing what they should and shouldn't eat to be healthier, according to a new survey.

Wearing two different hats: Moral decisions may depend on the situation Posted: 23 May 2012 10:55 AM PDT An individual's sense of right or wrong may change depending on their activities at the time -- and they may not be aware of their own shifting moral integrity -- according to a new study looking at why people make ethical or unethical decisions.

'Obesity genes' may influence food choices, eating patterns Posted: 23 May 2012 08:48 AM PDT Blame it on your genes? Researchers say individuals with variations in certain "obesity genes" tend to eat more meals and snacks, consume more calories per day and choose the same high fat, sugary foods.

Make no mistake -- male bosses' errors matter Posted: 23 May 2012 08:47 AM PDT Male leaders who make mistakes are judged more harshly than women in the same situation.

Resilient people more satisfied with life Posted: 23 May 2012 08:47 AM PDT When confronted with adverse situations such as the loss of a loved one, some people never fully recover from the pain. Others, the majority, pull through and experience how the intensity of negative emotions (e.g. anxiety, depression) grows dimmer with time until they adapt to the new situation. A third group is made up of individuals whose adversities have made them grow personally and whose life takes on new meaning, making them feel stronger than before.

Visual perception system unconsciously affects our preferences Posted: 23 May 2012 07:30 AM PDT New research shows that the brain's visual perception system automatically and unconsciously guides decision-making through valence perception. The findings offer important insights into consumer behavior in ways that traditional consumer marketing focus groups cannot address. For example, asking individuals to react to package designs, ads or logos is ineffective. Instead, companies can use this type of brain science to more effectively assess how unconscious visual valence perception contributes to consumer behavior.

Phthalates in PVC floors taken up by the body in infants Posted: 23 May 2012 07:21 AM PDT Phthalates from PVC flooring materials is taken up by our bodies, according to new research. Phthalates are substances suspected to cause asthma and allergies, as well as other chronic diseases in children. The study shows that children can ingest these softening agents with food but also by breathing and through the skin.

Touching tarantulas: Overcoming phobias with brief therapy Posted: 21 May 2012 01:40 PM PDT A brief therapy session for adults with a lifelong debilitating spider phobia resulted in lasting changes to the brain's response to fear. The therapy was so successful, the adults were able to hold a tarantula in their bare hands six months after the treatment. This is the first study to document the immediate and long-term brain changes after treatment and to illustrate how the brain reorganizes long-term to reduce fear.

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