A review of human nature

[Ian Pitchford <Ian.Pitchford@SCIENTIST.COM>]

News in Brain and Behavioural Sciences
The Weekly Edition of The Human Nature Daily Review
Volume 1: Issue 26 - 11th August, 2001
http://human-nature.com/nibbs/issue26.html

Selected items from this week's issue:

News and Views
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Primatology - Primate experts have found more evidence that chimpanzees, like
humans, show cultural diversity.

Evolutionary psychology - Darwin's own family stimulated his interest in the
continuity between human and animal behaviour, making him the first
"evolutionary psychologist" says Matt Ridley.

Anorexia - Anorexic women are most likely to have been born in the spring or
early summer, reports a researcher in Scotland. The finding raises the
possibility that a common winter infection, such as flu, may predispose an
unborn baby to the condition.


Papers and Commentary
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IQ and birth weight - Babies who are a little bigger at birth have a marked
advantage in terms of intelligence later in childhood, a study suggests.

Placebo effect - Scientists have found the first hard evidence that the placebo
effect is not all in the mind: it does produce measurable effects in the body
that can help to treat disease.

Suicide - Adolescents who live with adoptive parents may be more likely than
their peers to attempt suicide, researchers report.


Reviews and Discussion
_________________________