readings in psychology for december 5th 2010

Welcome to our Home!

Here are a few readings for today:

• brain mapping human reach

“A ballet dancer grasps her partner’s hand to connect for a pas de deux. Later that night, in the dark, she reaches for her calf to massage a sore spot. Her brain is using different “maps” to plan for each of these movements, according to a new study at UC Santa Barbara.”

• our bacteria play our matchmaker?

“Could the bacteria that we carry in our bodies decide who we marry? According to a new study from Tel Aviv University, the answer lies in the gut of a small fruit fly.”

• matchmakers are still out there

“She is Julia McCurley, 45, a professional matchmaker who commands up to more than $6,000 for a year’s worth of helping men and women find a committed relationship and ultimately a mate. He is a psychology major in his late 30s (who asked not to be identified here). He will later say that if the sky’s the limit, he wouldn’t mind McCurley introducing him to someone who looks like model and actress Olivia Wilde.”