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Anti-racism campaigns increase bias: Message of tolerance proves more effective
Montreal Gazette: Touting the benefits of tolerance, as opposed to trying to shame people for their prejudices, can be more effective in reducing racism, suggests a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto. Aggressive anti-racism campaigns might actually increase bias toward other groups, while messages emphasizing the personal stake one has in a more open-minded society can be most effective, says the paper, which will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science. In one experiment, non-black subjects were divided into three groups. Two of the groups read brochures designed to prevent prejudice.
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Football players are smart, in their own way
Los Angeles Times: Christian Tupou is a student-athlete. He plays football, and more specifically he plays defensive tackle. The combination of these simple traits traps USC's Tupou in a series of stereotypes that thrust him to the bottom of the intellectual scale at a top-tier university. But listening to Tupou talk and watching him show his football skills muddies the water. The starting redshirt senior has boatloads of athletic intelligence in addition to school smarts. Read more: Los Angeles Times
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Money, mimicry send up warning signals: study
Victoria Times Colonist: What is a little money between friends? According to new research, at the very least, it's not going to stimulate bonding. Researchers have long known that mimicry strengthens social bonding between strangers. By subtly imitating a person's posture or gestures, you can create goodwill. But a new study looking at the psychological effects of money on our behaviour suggests this does not apply when money is involved. Mimic someone and he'll feel a warm glow; but mimic someone while he's being reminded of money and he'll feel threatened. Read more: Victoria Times Colonist
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Heartbreak Puts Brakes on Heart
HealthDay: Waiting for another person's opinion of you will slow your heart, and its rate will dip even further if you get rejected, a new Dutch study has found. "Unexpected social rejection could literally feel 'heartbreaking,' as reflected by a transient slowing of heart rate," the study authors wrote in a news release from the Association for Psychological Science. Read more: HealthDay
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Thirst for career happiness is bumming us out
MSNBC: Finding career happiness seems to be what everyone wants these days. The shelves in bookstores are lined with books on how to find career happiness, and an endless stream of life coaches are trying to help workers attain it. Twitter is rife with advice and corny quotes about finding job joy. But is happiness a wise career goal? There is growing evidence that our thirst to find happiness, especially during tough economic times, is actually bumming us out.
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Meditation helped Jane Anderson fight seasonal affective disorder
Zee News India: Landscape artist Jane Anderson struggled with seasonal affective disorder in the winter months. She tried meditation and noticed a change within a month. "My experience was a sense of calmness, of better ability to regulate my emotions," she says. Her experience inspired a new study which found changes in brain activity after only five weeks of meditation training, the journal Psychological Science reports. Read more: Zee News India