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Could ‘Season Creep’ Affect Human Behavior?
You might have noticed that the seasons don’t quite behave like they used to. In some places, fall and spring seem to fly by, while winter and summer are much longer and feel more intense. This shift is known as season creep, where the timing of the seasons starts to shift. ... SciFri guest host Rachel Feltman is joined by Dr. Michael Varnum, social psychology area head and associate professor at Arizona State University, to discuss these questions.
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When They’re Not Paying Attention, Children Can Learn as Much as Adults
Children’s short attention spans are often framed as a barrier to learning. New research suggests that their limited ability to focus, however, could actually aid in their ability to learn information adults ignore.
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The Myth of “Fight or Flight”
Lisa Feldman Barrett is professor of psychology at Northeastern University and author of How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain. In a recent Scientific American article, she asked whether the brain's much-touted "fight or flight" function is a myth. She decided, ultimately, that its primary job is to reduce uncertainty in an ever-changing world.
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Link Between Meditation App Use and Well-Being Needs Further Investigation
Meditation apps offer users an accessible introduction to an ancient, evidence-based practice known to help quiet the mind. But exactly how much a person needs to use these apps to reap the benefits of guided meditation remains unclear.
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The Surprising Benefits of Gossip
Scientists have studied gossip for decades. That’s not surprising given the activity’s near universality in any social group, big or small. It’s estimated that more than 90 percent of people in workplaces in the U.S. and Western Europe indulge in such banter—defined as talking about someone not present. People in modern societies spend about an hour a day immersed in chin-wagging, one study reports. But investigators are now approaching this fixture of social life from a new perspective.
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How Much Screen Time Should Toddlers Have? None, Sweden Says.
Swedish public health authorities recommended this week that children under the age of 2 should not use any digital media, as parents, pediatricians and governments struggle to respond to the challenges of today’s tech-soaked world. ... “The most educational thing is another human being — who is not looking at a phone,” said Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a professor of psychology at Temple University.
