Archived articles

Psychological and brain science

Graphic of brain activity
Neuroscience
This is your brain on code
Published Dec 17, 2020
Using fMRI scans of computer programmers as they read code, researchers have discovered that the complex language processing takes place in the left hemisphere in a part of the brain dedicated to logical reasoning
A baby selects a toy from a selection of toys in front of him
Psychological sciences
Babies' random choices become their preferences
Published Oct 2, 2020
We assume we choose things that we like, but research suggests that's sometimes backward: We like things because we choose them, and we dislike things that we don't choose
Barren shelves at a supermarket
Oh, the humanity
Published March 19, 2020
Why are people hoarding toilet paper during the coronavirus outbreak? It takes restraint to resist our instincts in the face of social dilemmas, JHU professor says.
Illustration of a giraffe and ostrich
Cognitive science
Conceptualizing color
Published Fall 2019
Studies from Marina Bedny and Judy Kim suggest people born blind have a rich understanding of visual concepts that is not based solely on what they've been told / Johns Hopkins Magazine
fMRI scan
Brain science
Study may shed light on age-related cognitive decline
Published Aug 5, 2019
In some older adults, fibers connecting the front and back of the brain have been damaged over the years, making it harder to recall information
Flamingo
Psychology
How do blind adults learn about animal appearance?
Published May 22, 2019
Study finds that people born blind develop rich and accurate ideas about appearance based on cultural inference
Brain illustration
Brain science
Study: Treats might mask animal intelligence
Published May 14, 2019
Using rewards might incrementally improve learning, but new study reveals that performance overall improves when rewards aren't available
Composite image of abstract images
Mind games
Do you see what AI sees?
Published March 22, 2019 Video
Artificial intelligence can be fooled by abstract images—but can humans see why?
Owl
Neuroscience
Owl study offers clues to human attention
Published Oct 30, 2018 Video
Owls help JHU scientists unlock the secret of how the brain pays attention
A bat
Bat signals
Brain science, unleashed
Published April 10, 2018 Video
Wireless devices record brain activity of bats, helping researchers better understand what happens in the brain as we move through the world