Bruce Bower

Bruce Bower

Behavioral Sciences Writer

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.

All Stories by Bruce Bower

  1. Humans

    Stone Age art gets animated

    Cave paintings and decorated disks provided moving experiences in ancient Europe.

  2. Humans

    Family labels framed similarly across cultures

    Despite differing languages, a trade-off between simplicity and usefulness of words defining kin relationships might be universal.

  3. Humans

    Maya wall calendar discovered

    Classic-era structure displays rare calculations of lunar and planetary cycles.

  4. The Hot and Cold of Priming

    Psychologists are divided on whether unnoticed cues can influence behavior.

  5. Psychology

    When good moods go decisively bad

    Positive feelings may lead seniors to weigh fewer options and make poorer choices in some situations.

  6. Humans

    DNA tracks ancient Mediterranean farmers to Scandinavia

    Modern genetic profile emerged from mating with resident hunter-gatherers, a new study suggests.

  7. Psychology

    Two heads sometimes better than one

    Group decisions rise or fall based on what the most confident member knows or doesn’t know.

  8. Humans

    Highlights from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists annual meeting, Portland, Ore., April 11-14

    Shorts on Stone Age finds in Southeast Asia, chatting among Neandertal ancestors and early cannibalism.

  9. Humans

    Ancient walking gets weirder

    Fossil footprints and bones suggest variations among human ancestors in upright gait and stance.

  10. Animals

    Chimps show lethal side

    A collaborative scientific effort offers an inside look at ape homicides.

  11. Life

    Baboons show their word skills

    Monkeys learn to distinguish words from nonwords, suggesting ancient evolutionary roots for reading.

  12. Psychology

    Autism rates rise again

    Related developmental disorders affect 1.1 percent of U.S. 8-year-olds.