PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Holding a gun makes you think others are too, new research shows

2012-03-22
(Press-News.org) Wielding a gun increases a person's bias to see guns in the hands of others, new research from the University of Notre Dame shows. Notre Dame Associate Professor of Psychology James Brockmole, who specializes in human cognition and how the visual world guides behavior, together with a colleague from Purdue University, conducted the study, which will appear in an upcoming issue of Journal of Experimental Psychology: Perception and Performance. In five experiments, subjects were shown multiple images of people on a computer screen and determined whether the person was holding a gun or a neutral object such as a soda can or cell phone. Subjects did this while holding either a toy gun or a neutral object, such as a foam ball. The researchers varied the situation in each experiment – such as the having the people in the images sometimes wear ski masks, changing the race of the person in the image or changing the reaction subjects were to have when they perceived the person in the image to hold a gun. Regardless of the situation the observers found themselves in, the study showed that responding with a gun biased observers to report "gun present" more than did responding with a ball. Thus, by virtue of affording the subject the opportunity to use a gun, he or she was more likely to classify objects in a scene as a gun and, as a result, to engage in threat-induced behavior, such as raising a firearm to shoot. "Beliefs, expectations, and emotions can all influence an observer's ability to detect and to categorize objects as guns," Dr. Brockmole says. "Now we know that a person's ability to act in certain ways can bias their recognition of objects as well, and in dramatic ways. It seems that people have a hard time separating their thoughts about what they perceive and their thoughts about how they can or should act." The researchers showed that the ability to act is a key factor in their effects by showing that simply showing observers a nearby gun did not influence their behavior; holding and using the gun was important. "One reason we supposed that wielding a firearm might influence object categorization stems from previous research in this area which argues that people perceive the spatial properties of their surrounding environment in terms of their ability to perform an intended action," Brockmole says. For example, other research has shown that people with broader shoulders tend to perceive doorways to be narrower, and softball players with higher batting averages perceive the ball to be bigger. The blending of perception and action representations could explain, in part, why people holding a gun would tend to assume others are, too. "In addition to the theoretical implications for event perception and object identification, these findings have practical implications for law enforcement and public safety," Brockmole says.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Thromboembolic events are uncommon following ankle fracture surgery

2012-03-22
Below is a news summary of an orthopaedic research study appearing in the March 21, 2012 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), as well as the issues' full Table of Contents. Thromboembolic Events are Uncommon Following Ankle Fracture Surgery Thromboembolic events – such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), blood clots developing in the extremities; or pulmonary embolism (PE), a complication that causes a blood clot to move to the lungs – can occur following musculoskeletal injury and related surgery, and are potentially life threatening. In "The Incidence ...

BUSM study demonstrates tomosynthesis effective in diagnosing knee osteoarthritis

2012-03-22
(Boston) - A recent study done by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that tomosynthesis may be more beneficial in diagnosing knee osteoarthritis than X-ray imaging. In the study, which is published online in the journal Radiology, tomosynthesis detected more osteophytes (abnormal bony spurs) and subchondral cysts (small collection of fluid within the bone) in the knee joint than conventional X-ray imaging . Daichi Hayashi, MD, PhD, research instructor at the Quantitative Imaging Center in the department of radiology at BUSM, is the lead ...

AmeriCheckUSA, One of the Most Trusted Names in the Background Screening Industry, Offers Competitive Pricing and Incomparable Service

AmeriCheckUSA, One of the Most Trusted Names in the Background Screening Industry, Offers Competitive Pricing and Incomparable Service
2012-03-22
AmeriCheckUSA, specializing in employment and residential background checks has become one of the most trusted names in the background screening industry. Located in south Florida, AmeriCheckUSA is a full-service, licensed and insured agency with services throughout the entire United States and more than 200 countries. Part of what makes AmeriCheckUSA stand out from the competition is the company's extensive experience - more than 15 years experience in the industry, along with: - its competitive pricing, including no set-up fees, no contracts and no monthly minimums, ...

Salk scientists open new window into how cancers override cellular growth controls

Salk scientists open new window into how cancers override cellular growth controls
2012-03-22
LA JOLLA, CA----Rapidly dividing cancer cells are skilled at patching up damage that would stop normal cells in their tracks, including wear and tear of telomeres, the protective caps at the end of each chromosome. Loss of telomeres forces cells out of the dividing game and into a growth arrest state called "senescence," but cancer cells evade this by employing an enzyme called telomerase to extend eroded telomeres. If telomerase fails to activate, the tumor cells of about 10 percent of all human cancers have a back-up strategy to build serviceable telomeres and keep ...

Autism risk gene linked to differences in brain structure

Autism risk gene linked to differences in brain structure
2012-03-22
New Rochelle, NY, March 21, 2012—Healthy individuals who carry a gene variation linked to an increased risk of autism have structural differences in their brains that may help explain how the gene affects brain function and increases vulnerability for autism. The results of this innovative brain imaging study are described in an article in the groundbreaking neuroscience journal Brain Connectivity, a bimonthly peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc (http://wwwliebertpub.com). The article is available free online at the Brain Connectivity (http://www.liebertpub.com/brain) ...

Business Owners Advised to Safeguard Office Equipment

2012-03-22
The website has urged organisations to asset tag their property and is keen to promote office security and safety. According to whatishealthandsafety.co.uk, businesses lose money every year due to the theft of valuable office equipment. Many companies go under due to a lack of supplies and are unable to struggle through these difficult economic times. As a result, the site is encouraging people to invest in high-quality, customised asset tags and to review their insurance policies. Matt Hornsby, a spokesman for the website said: "replacing computers, laptops, ...

A structured, independent exercise regimen can reduce the need for therapy

2012-03-22
Below is a news summary of an orthopaedic research study appearing in the March 21, 2012 issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), as well as the issues' full Table of Contents. A Structured, Independent Exercise Regimen Can Reduce the Need for Therapy Following Meniscus Surgery The treatment of meniscus tears in injured workers is associated with less favorable outcomes and higher utilization of clinical services. "Disability, Impairment, and Physical Therapy Utilization in Workers' Compensation Patients after Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy," is a study ...

Scientists discover new method of proton transfer

2012-03-22
Scientists at USC and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab have discovered a new route by which a proton (a hydrogen atom that lost its electron) can move from one molecule to another – a basic component of countless chemical and biological reactions. "This is a radically new way by which proton transfer may occur," said Anna Krylov, professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Krylov is a co-corresponding author of a paper on the new process that was published online by Nature Chemistry on March 18. Krylov and her colleagues demonstrated ...

Emerge Medical Awarded an Orthopedic Trauma Agreement with the Premier Healthcare Alliance

Emerge Medical Awarded an Orthopedic Trauma Agreement with the Premier Healthcare Alliance
2012-03-22
Emerge Medical, Inc., a pioneer in generic orthopedic devices for the healthcare industry, recently announced that it has signed a nationwide agreement with the Premier healthcare alliance. The agreement will make Emerge's orthopedic devices available to Premier's 2,500 hospital members at specially negotiated pricing and terms. Emerge will provide Premier member hospitals with a high-quality, low-cost alternative to traditional medical device suppliers. Emerge manufactures standard orthopedic devices exclusively in the United States and provides them for 40 to 50% ...

Discovery offers insight into treating viral stomach flu

Discovery offers insight into treating viral stomach flu
2012-03-22
ST. LOUIS, MO, March 21, 2012—Twenty million Americans get sick from norovirus each year according to data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Often called vomiting illness, it can spread rapidly on cruise ships, and in dormitories and hospitals. Recent data from the CDC shows deaths from gastrointestinal infections have more than doubled and have become a particular threat to the elderly. The virus is shed in the stool of the infected individual, has a short incubation period and can spread quickly if proper hand washing and other measures ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

[Press-News.org] Holding a gun makes you think others are too, new research shows