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New APS Journal Rolls Off the Press
The first issue of Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science is now available and promises a unique blend of empirical work, commentaries, tutorials, and other informative content.
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Should twins be taught separately?
Should twins automatically be put in different classes at school? New research suggests not. A study from Goldsmiths, University of London, finds no strong evidence that putting twins into different classes at school is better for them academically. And this is the case for both identical and non-identical twins. It says there should be no strict rules on separating twins, and it should be left to the youngsters, their parents and teachers to decide what is best. The researchers analysed data from more than 9,000 pairs of twins aged between seven and 16 in schools in the UK and Canada.
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12 Bad Decisions You Make Every Day Without Realizing
Even smart people can make terrible decisions. Generally, it’s not because they spent time deliberating and somehow arrived at the wrong answer. It’s because they didn’t spend any time thinking at all. For example: You might automatically keep your phone on your desk at work, or grab a smoothie as a go-to “healthy” snack. But these aren’t the wisest choices you could make. Below, we’ve listed some of the easiest traps to fall into, at the office and at home.
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Can marriage make you sick?
Is hostility in your marriage stressing or depressing you? Does your partner have a chronic disorder? Then watch out. Although married people generally have better health than others, studies have found, partners in these two situations can face an increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser, director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio State University, and Stephanie J. Wilson, a postdoctoral researcher in her lab, study — and explain here — the health effects of intimate relationships. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Psychological Weapons of Mass Persuasion
When I was a teenager, my parents often asked me to come along to the store to help carry groceries. One day, as I was waiting patiently at the check-out, my mother reached for her brand new customer loyalty card. Out of curiosity, I asked the cashier what information they record. He replied that it helps them keep track of what we’re buying so that they can make tailored product recommendations. None of us knew about this. I wondered whether mining through millions of customer purchases could reveal hidden consumer preferences and it wasn’t long before the implications dawned on me: are they mailing us targeted ads? This was almost two decades ago.
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Group norms influence individual self-control in children
Those participants who were told their group members were patient ended up waiting almost twice as long for a second marshmallow as the others
