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In looking at why teens drink, a new study found that kids who do drink alcohol are more likely to have more friends and be popular http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-teenagers-drink-20140108,0,104718.story http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460313004267

Violent movie characters are also likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual behavior in films rated appropriate for children over 12. There’s intense debate among experts over whether violence on screen has any direct connection to what people do in real life. Even if there is a link, the new findings don’t […]

Amazon has updated its parental control features on the Kindle Fire tablet with an unprecedented level of fine-tuning. Parents can use a “Learn First” setting to ensure kids hit educational apps before they can access games or movies. An “Educational Goals” feature enforces a set time, say 30 minutes a day, of reading or some […]

A new researcher is looking at how self control (the ability to resist momentary distractions or temptation) and grit (the disposition to pursue long-term goals with passion and perseverance sustained over time) are both essential traits for high achievement, and she exploring how people might improve these traits in themselves or others: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/12/high-achievers.aspx

New research suggests that messiness can promote creativity and learning: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/12/messy-kids-learn-more/282095/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-12/uoi-mcm112613.php