Human Behavior, features and articles | Educational Science

Sep 30, 2010

Why Do People Love to be Scared?

Every Halloween, Americans spend millions on scary fun. From haunted houses to horror movies, teens as well as adults seem to crave a good spine-chilling scare. People go to horror films because they want to be frightened, or they wouldn't do it twice, said Jeffrey Goldstein, editor of Why We...

Aug 31, 2010

More Parents 'Redshirting' Kindergartners

As schools start back into session around the country, some parents of young children face a difficult question: Send their little ones to kindergarten as soon as they become age-eligible, or hold them back in hopes that an additional year of maturity will give them an academic boost? This voluntary...

Jul 31, 2010

13 Strange Things That Happened on Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is synonymous with bad luck and superstitions — so much so that some people flat-out refuse to fly, make business deals or get married on this fateful day. As many as 21 million people in the United States are fearful of Friday the 13th, according to the...

Jul 31, 2010

'Only Children' Are Not Socially Awkward

With smaller families all the rage these days, some parents may worry over the consequences of having just one child. New research suggests that, as teenagers, only children fare no better or worse in social skills than adolescents with siblings. I don't think anyone has to be concerned that if...

Jul 31, 2010

How Do Marriages, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships Differ?

The ongoing debate playing out in California courtrooms over the validity of Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, has sparked debate over how marriage is defined. In the United States, there are several types of legally recognized monogamous relationships, with some granting couples gay or straight more rights...

Jul 31, 2010

Women's right to vote: Which countries led and which still lag?

Today marks the 90th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the United States. While some states had allowed women to vote conditionally, it wasn't until the passing of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution on this date in 1920 that women throughout the country could enjoy...

Jun 30, 2010

Little-Known Fourth of July Facts

Most Americans know the Fourth of July celebrates some aspect of American Independence. But do you know exactly what the day commemorates? (Answer below*) Meanwhile, other facts surrounding the day widely known for BBQ and outdoor fun, and the patriotism that stemmed from it: THE REVOLT: The Declaration of Independence...

Jun 30, 2010

What's Pitch?

American Idol's judges, such as Randy Jackson, never seem to get tired of bantering those less-gifted singers with phrases like, that's a little pitchy. It turns out that it means exactly what you may have guessed: Pitchy means out of tune, said Elizabeth Marvin, professor of music theory at the...

Jun 30, 2010

How Does a Curveball Curve?

When most of us throw baseballs to our friends, the arc of the ball through the air is fairly predictable. Professional pitchers, however, can often make baseballs do amazing things including curve at the last second to fake out a batter. How does a curveball curve? It's all in the...

Jun 30, 2010

What's the Most Expensive Painting Ever Sold?

As the old adage goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that beauty can go for quite a pretty penny. The most expensive painting ever sold is Jackson Pollock's No. 5 (1948), which sold for $140 million, according to an article published in The New York Times....

Jun 30, 2010

What's a Henge?

Archeologists poking around the famous Stonehenge monument in Wiltshire, England think they have unearthed another henge. But whether or not the new discovery found half a mile from Stonehenge is, in fact, a henge is still up for debate which raises the question: What's a henge, anyway? Technically speaking, a...

May 31, 2010

How Does Kobe Bryant Hit Those Amazing Jump Shots?

Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen have spoiled us all season, but especially now in the NBA Finals. Their ability to attract defenders, often the best on the court, stop on a dime, rise up with at least one opponent's hand in their face and send the basketball on a perfect...

May 31, 2010

What's the Shroud of Turin?

The Shroud of Turin is perhaps the most famous religious artifact in the world, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus. It is a rectangular linen cloth about 15 feet long and four feet wide that bears the image of a man's body. ' On display at...

May 31, 2010

Good or Bad, Baby Names Have Long-lasting Effects

Choosing a baby name proves to be a challenging task for many parents. And they're wise to work hard at it. A name can have a profound impact on a child that reverberates well into adulthood, a growing body of research suggests. There is a reason why baby name books...

May 31, 2010

How Many Presidents Have Been Divorced?

Despite many public and presumably even more numerous private instances of infidelity, presidential marriages have remained remarkably stable throughout history. America has only had one divorcee president, but two widower presidents moved on to second wives while in office. And one president never got married at all. Ronald Reagan was...