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Writing a New Story: How Narratives Can Improve Intergroup Attitudes
The real power to change people’s hearts and minds may lie in the television programs, books, and other media we consume on a daily basis.
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The Hidden Psychology Behind Games of Thrones
As Game of Thrones barrels to its conclusion, impatient fans can find torrents of rumors and alleged leaks as to who will rule Westeros when the curtain closes. We will not be linking to these flagrant would-be spoilers, but we can offer proprietary information that spoils nothing: The psychological personality profiles that drive the motivations of the remaining contenders. TIME is currently running a scientifically crafted survey that determines how closely your personality aligns with each of five major characters—Cersei, Daenerys, Tyrion, Arya and Jon Snow.
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What Actually Works to Get People to Vaccinate?
Does public shaming work? Being kind and non-judgmental? Banning people from public places and fining parents $1,000? As communities deal with the United States' worst measles outbreaks in 25 years and the country faces losing its "measles-free" status, Americans are debating how best to encourage the reluctant to get vaccinated. Measles is an infectious disease that can be deadly and has no cure (although some treatments can make the symptoms less severe). So, both during outbreaks and during less critical times, the best bet for preventing the illness from spreading is to get people immunized.
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What to Do When the Boss Is Wrong
Mercurial bosses in dysfunctional offices sometimes give orders that their employees just ignore—even when that dysfunctional office is the highest in the country. According to Robert Mueller’s recent report, Donald Trump tried to get his staff to impede the special counsel’s investigation, but figures such as Don McGahn and Rod Rosenstein protected the president—and themselves—by quietly letting those orders slide. In better-run offices, employees defy their superiors overtly. Back in the early 1980s, when Joanna Hoffman was in charge of marketing for Apple’s nascent Macintosh computer system, her boss, Steve Jobs, was a demanding, tantrum-throwing perfectionist.
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Denver area sees more school shootings by population than nation’s largest metro areas, analysis shows
During a 6 a.m. news conference the day after Colorado’s latest school shooting, District Attorney George Brauchler made a point of declaring the tragedies that have rocked the area in recent years don’t define the “kind, compassionate, caring people” who live here. “If you had suggested to anyone behind me or in this room that, within 20 years in 20 miles, we would have dealt with Columbine, the Aurora theater, Arapahoe High School, the shooting of Zack Parrish and four other deputies, we’d have thought you mad,” he said.
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Propose a Topic for the NSF Convergence Accelerator by 6/24
The National Science Foundation requests input on future topics for the NSF Convergence Accelerator Pilot, an initiative to facilitate multidisciplinary teams in executing fundamental research of national importance. Researchers and stakeholders from institutions of higher education, industry, nonprofits, and government entities are encouraged to submit concepts. Behavioral scientists can offer valuable information on broad topics with benefits to society and should consider proposing ideas.
