A new neuroimaging study points to an answer of what may have driven the evolutionary development of creativity. The study, recently published in NeuroImage, discovered that, in some people, creative insights, colloquially known as «aha moments,» trigger a burst of activity in the brain’s reward system — the same system which responds to delicious foods,…

A new study shows that the more people read any kind of fiction the better their language skills are likely to be. Researchers found that people who enjoyed reading fiction for leisure and who identified as a reader scored higher on language tests, whereas those who read to access specific information scored more poorly on…

Time on the internet can be informative, instructive and even pleasant, there is already significant literature on the potential harm caused by young children’s problematic internet use (PIU). A new study is one of only a few that examines PIU’s effects on older adolescents. As many previous studies have pointed out, and as many parents…

When you start learning how to do something new, like playing a musical instrument, the simplest tasks can feel difficult. But as you gain experience, you play with ease and without conscious thought. Researchers are mapping the signals that correlate with adaptive behavior and learning. Your brain is processing new sensations from the outside world…

Researchers have found that offline consolidation of a motor task was enhanced by praise delivered by robots, whether they were presented on a screen or were physically present. Further, simultaneous praise from two agents had a stronger effect than praise from just one, regardless of whether the agents were physically present or virtual. Such effects…

In the United States, low-income and minority students are completing college at low rates compared to higher-income and majority peers — a detriment to reducing economic inequality. Double-dose algebra could be a solution, according to a new study. The paper, «Effects of Double-Dose Algebra on College Persistence and Degree Attainment,» is the culmination of a…

Researchers found that digital storybooks that animate upon a child’s vocalization offer beneficial learning opportunities, especially for children with less developed attention regulation. «Digital platforms have exploded in popularity, and a huge proportion of the top-selling apps are educational interfaces for children,» said Erik Thiessen, associate professor of Psychology at CMU’s Dietrich College of Humanities…

Toddlers whose mothers received special coaching in talking about memories grew into teenagers who experience better wellbeing, research shows. The study found that 15-year-olds told more coherent stories about turning points in their lives if their mothers had been taught the new conversational techniques 14 years earlier. These adolescents also reported fewer symptoms of depression…

School-based interventions that target students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in kindergarten to grade 6 have positive effects on reading and mathematics, according to a new article. The review analyzed evidence from 205 studies, 186 of which were randomized controlled trials, to examine the effects of targeted school-based interventions on students’ performance on…

Scientists have discovered that mindful meditation can help subjects learn and improve the ability to mind-control brain computer interfaces (BCIs). He and collaborators conducted a large-scale human study enrolling subjects in a weekly 8-week course in simple, widely-practiced meditation techniques, to test their effect as a potential training tool for BCI control. A total of…