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Ho-Ho-Horrible: Why We’re So Bad at Choosing Good Gifts
Scientific American: Many of us recognize that familiar feeling of eagerly tearing open a carefully wrapped gift box only to reveal a terrible woolen sweater, a creepy figurine with vacant eyes or a set of crystal “knife rests” for the dinner table. But what makes for a good gift? The answer is very different, depending on whether you ask the gift giver or receiver. A study published this month in Current Directions in Psychological Science highlights the disconnect between the gifts we actually want and the ones we want to give, and offers some insights that may come in handy this holiday shopping season. Read the whole story: Scientific American
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Can’t Wait to Celebrate: Holiday Cheer Increases Impulsivity
World financial markets tend to spike just before holidays, new research suggests this may be because “holiday euphoria” prompts impulsive behavior.
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Year of Upheaval for Restaurants That Ended Tipping
The New York Times: The owners of Huertas, a cheerful Spanish small-plates restaurant in the East Village, knew they would have to raise prices when they abolished tipping last December. But when the octopus plate rose to $21 from $16, they looked at the plate and realized another adjustment was needed. “We decided to add a tentacle,” an owner, Nate Adler, said. The extra limb costs about a dollar, but the more substantial dish eased the sting of the $5 price increase. “Ultimately it’s not about the numbers on the check, but about whether the balance and the value feels right to people as they leave the restaurant,” Mr. Adler said.
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Bosses Micromanage When They Feel Powerless
New York Magazine: The next time your boss gets too deep into your business, consider this: They may feel powerless, as a new study in Personality and Individual Differences indicates, prompting them to exert control over what you’d rather just take care of yourself. Led by Michael P. Haselhuhn at the University of California, Riverside, the research team ran two experiments. In the first, done with 238 subjects at a large European business school, participants were asked how much they agreed with statements like “In my relationships with others, I can get them to listen to what I say,” which indicates how powerful people feel personally.
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Think you’re a great gift-giver? Probably not
CNN: If you're stressed about finding the perfect presents for your friends and loved ones this holiday season, ask them what they want. It could save you a lot of trouble in the long run, according to a new study. Even the most well-intentioned gift givers don't always give their friends and loved ones what they really want. But it's not for a lack of trying -- it's more of an "expectations vs. reality" dilemma, according to researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Indiana University. This scenario will sound familiar to most people. Read the whole story: CNN
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When Is It OK to Brag?
The Wall Street Journal: Like to brag? That may be a good thing. New research on “self enhancement,” or what most of us call bragging, by psychologists at Brown University shows that people can manipulate how others see them by carefully choosing when and how to boast. Brag when you can back up your claim, or there is zero evidence to refute it, and people will see you as competent, albeit arrogant. Stay quiet about your achievements and people will see you as warm and humble, although less capable. Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal
