Monitor on Psychology - April 2012 - (Page 16)

Brief IN Snapshots of some of the latest peer-reviewed research within psychology and related fields. n Exercise makes us happy, according researchers at Pennsylvania State University. For eight days, the study tracked the daily activities of 190 college students, who reported on the amount and level of their physical activity and their overall mental states. The participants who were more physically active reported greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than those who were less active. (Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, December) n Children who get more exercise do better in school, according to a study conducted by scientists at the Vrije Universiteit Free University Medical Center in Amsterdam. Researchers reviewed 14 studies that compared kids’ physical activity with their grades or scores on math, language and general thinking and memory tests. They found that those with higher rates of physical activity did better in the classroom. The authors say this may be because children can concentrate better when they get enough exercise or because physical activity improves blood flow to the brain. (Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, January) n Online dating services don’t work any better than meeting someone in a bar, finds research led by a Northwestern University psychologist. In a review of more than 400 studies examining online dating, the authors found that while the sites do enable singles to meet people quickly, going through so many online profiles may overwhelm daters. The researchers also questioned the algorithms some sites use to match people based on their interests 16 Exercise may boost blood flow to the brain, enabling kids to concentrate better in class. or personalities, noting that personality similarity has no effect on relationship well-being or marital satisfaction. (Psychological Science in the Public Interest, Feb. 2) n Cognitive behavioral therapy may not work as well with older adults, finds a study by researchers at King’s College London. In a review of 12 studies with participants 55 and older with anxiety disorders, the authors found that cognitive behavioral therapy appears to help older adults battle anxiety disorders slightly better than other approaches, but not as well as it does younger adults. It’s possible that talk therapy might take longer to work for this population, the authors say. (Journal of the American Geriatrics Association, online Jan. 27) n People eat less when they munch on snacks in pre-packaged segments or portions, according to a study by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania. In the study, 98 college students ate from MONITOR ON PSYCHOLOGY • APRIL 2012 Thinkstock http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-back-issues/jsep-volume-33-issue-6-december/unpacking-the-feel-good-effect-of-free-time-physical-activity-between--and-within-person-associations-with-pleasantndashactivated-feeling-states http://journals.humankinetics.com/jsep-back-issues/jsep-volume-33-issue-6-december/unpacking-the-feel-good-effect-of-free-time-physical-activity-between--and-within-person-associations-with-pleasantndashactivated-feeling-states http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/1/49 http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/1/49 http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/journals/pspi/online-dating.html http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/journals/pspi/online-dating.html http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03824.x/abstract;jsessionid=8e3f79d941a155b751bb4665abb5d665.d01t03 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03824.x/abstract;jsessionid=8E3F79D941A155B751BB4665ABB5D665.d01t03

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Monitor on Psychology - April 2012

Monitor on Psychology - April 2010
Letters
President’s Column
Contents
From the CEO
Internship Shortage Continues
Mental Health Services Remain Scarce at Community Colleges
Apa Weighs in on the Constitutionality of Life Without Parole for Juvenile Offenders
Apa Praises Court’s Support for Equality
New Mobile App Answers Psychologists’ Clinical Questions
Nih Offers Free Web Resources for Psychologist Researchers
New and Improved Psyclink
In Brief
Government Relations Update
Time Capsule
Questionnaire
Random Sample
Judicial Notebook
Early Career Psychology
Psychologist Profile
Coal Miners’ Dilemma
The Science of Political Advertising
Science Watch
Science Directions
More Support Needed for Trauma Interventions
The Case Against Spanking
Innovative Psychology at the High School Level
Speaking of Education
Apa Divisions Reach Out to New Psychologists
New Journal Editors
A Home Base for Multiple Fields
Division Spotlight
American Psychological Foundation
Awards and Funding Opportunities
Personalities

Monitor on Psychology - April 2012