UC Berkeley |

The sleep-deprived brain can mistake friends for foes

Without enough shut-eye, a smile can look more like a scowl. And the price for that mistake can be high.
UC San Diego |

What we know colors what we see

Perception is strongly influenced by prior knowledge, lending credence to the theory that the brain does not faithfully represent the environment but rather attempts to predict it.
UC Berkeley |

Intellectual pursuits may buffer the brain against addiction

Mice engaged in stimulating activities were less likely to seek out cocaine.
UC Berkeley |

Humans’ built-in GPS is our 3-D sense of smell

Our brains are wired to convert smells into spatial information, allowing us to navigate territory by following one's nose.
UC Merced |

In any language, learning to walk and talk are linked

Walking infants are better able to speak and understand their native language — regardless of what language that may be — than crawling infants of the same age.
UC Berkeley |

Oh Joy! Berkeley consults on Inside Out emotions

Emotion expert helps guide Pixar movie on uprooted tween's rush of feelings.
UC Davis |

Fidgeting may help children with ADHD perform better in school

Study: Children who moved more intensely exhibited substantially better cognitive performance.
UC Berkeley |

Get the giggles often? It may be in your DNA

A gene involved in the regulation of serotonin makes some of us more prone to spontaneous smiles and bursts of laughter.
UCLA |

Even when at rest, our brains prepare us to be social

The brain has a major system that seems predisposed to get us ready to be social in our spare moments.
UC San Francisco via The Conversation |

We trust kids to know what gender they are

That is, until they go against the norm: addressing transgender issues in children.
UC Irvine |

Awe promotes altruistic behavior

The sense of something greater than the self encourages cooperative behavior.
UC Berkeley |

Stereotypes persist that class, privilege determine intellect, success

Despite egalitarian efforts to downplay class as a forecaster for intelligence and achievement, many people still believe their destiny is tied to their station in life.