Bruce Bower has written about the behavioral sciences since 1984. He often writes about psychology, anthropology, archaeology and mental health issues. Bruce has a master's degree in psychology from Pepperdine University and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. Following an internship at Science News in 1981, he worked as a reporter at Psychiatric News, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, until joining Science News as a staff writer. In 1996, the American Psychological Association appointed Bruce a Science Writer Fellow, with a grant to visit psychological scientists of his own choosing. Early stints as an aide in a day school for children and teenagers with severe psychological problems and as a counselor in a drug diversion center provided Bruce with a surprisingly good background for a career in science journalism.
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All Stories by Bruce Bower
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Teenage depression shows family ties
Parents and siblings of severely depressed teenagers suffer from a disproportionately high rate of severe depression, strengthening the theory that a common form of this disorder afflicts young and old alike.
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Conductors single out sour side notes
Experienced classical-music conductors learn to pinpoint the sources of sounds originating from the side as well from in front of them, an essential skill for fine-tuning the performance of each musician in an orchestra.
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Anthropology
Rumble in the Jungle
A new book raises troubling and controversial issues regarding research on a famous South American Indian population.
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Brain takes emotional sides for sexes
Men's and women's brains may adopt different approaches to fostering memories of emotional experiences.
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When diabetics dismiss their treatment
Diabetics who retreat from close relationships in favor of self-reliance may have particular difficulty adhering to diabetes treatments if their physician communicates poorly with them.
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Anthropology
Human ancestors had taste for termites
Incisions on ancient bone implements found in South Africa indicate that human ancestors gathered termites, a protein-rich food source, more than 1 million years ago.
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Anthropology
Gene, fossil data back diverse human roots
Ancient mitochondrial DNA extracted from Homo sapiens fossils and anatomical links among H. sapiens crania from different regions both support a theory of geographically diverse human origins.
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Brain keeps eye on performance
A brain area that controls eye movements may also participate in a broader neural system of self-regulation.
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Suicide rates revised for depression
A research review concludes that the suicide rate among people diagnosed with depression has been overstated.