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The Truth Is, Lying Might Not Be So Bad
NPR: VEDANTAM: So that's right. If you buy the idea that all behavior stems from the brain, Rachel, this prick of conscience that we often experience obviously has something to do with what's happening in the brain. Some months ago, Neil Garrett, Stephanie Lazzaro, Dan Ariely, and Tali Sharot conducted a very interesting study. I talked to Dan Ariely. He studies economics and psychology at Duke University. And he said that the premise of the study was actually a very old idea. DAN ARIELY: The brain is really a mechanism for detecting surprising things, right? The brain is basically working on adaptation. You get to a certain level of flight.
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Meet the ‘super-agers’ who defy the effects of old age
TODAY: TODAY special anchor Maria Shriver visits a group of senior citizens known as “super-agers” whose brains have been shown to be as sharp as those of people in their 20s. Late in life they’re taking on new challenges, learning to play piano and chess, and preventing loss of memory as well as aches and pains formerly considered inevitable. Read the whole story: TODAY
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How Uber Uses Psychological Tricks to Push Its Drivers’ Buttons
The New York Times: The secretive ride-hailing giant Uber rarely discusses internal matters in public. But in March, facing crises on multiple fronts, top officials convened a call for reporters to insist that Uber was changing its culture and would no longer tolerate “brilliant jerks.” Notably, the company also announced that it would fix its troubled relationship with drivers, who have complained for years about falling pay and arbitrary treatment. “We’ve underinvested in the driver experience,” a senior official said. “We are now re-examining everything we do in order to rebuild that love.” Read the whole story: The New York Times
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New Research From Psychological Science
A sample of new research exploring thinking fast and risk-related framing effects, the relationship between pronounceability and risk, and numerical cognition in wild baboons.
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What Are Everyday Daydreamers Like?
Scientific American: “Before experimenting, isn’t it appropriate to know as exactly as possible on what one is going to experiment?” -- Sartre Rarely do I read a scientific paper that overwhelms me with so much excitement, awe, and reverence. Well, a new paper in Psychological Science has really got me revved up, and I am bursting to share their findings with you!
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Everybody Lies, And That’s Not Always A Bad Thing
NPR: When we think about dishonesty, we mostly think about the big stuff. We see big scandals, big lies, and we think to ourselves, I could never do that. We think we're fundamentally different from Bernie Madoff or Tiger Woods. But behind big lies are a series of small deceptions. Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, writes about this in his book The Honest Truth about Dishonesty. Read the whole story: NPR
