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Freedom from want
The Boston Globe: AMONG NON-OBESE college students who were allowed to eat as many cookies as they wanted, students who had grown up poor as children ate the same amount regardless of how hungry they were — or what their glucose levels were — even controlling for body weight and how much they liked the cookies. In contrast, consumption by students who had an affluent childhood was strongly tied to hunger. Read the whole story: The Boston Globe
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Money triggers social insensitivity … and hard work
Marketplace: The third topic of our series: Money priming. That is, how subtle exposure to the concept of money can influence our behaviors. When we're exposed to money — even fake money or reminders of money — our behavior changes. Many studies show that people become less socially sensitive when exposed to reminders of the idea of money. They also work longer and harder on difficult tasks. Kathleen Vohs teaches marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. She studies the psychology of money and tells us about some of her favorite experiments. Read the whole story: Marketplace
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Maximizing the Gains and Minimizing the Pains of Diversity
For organizations, diversity pays off. Empirical research has shown that diversity increases creativity and innovation and promotes better decision making because it spurs deeper information processing and complex thinking.
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Quick Thinkers Seem Charismatic, Even If They’re Not That Smart
The Atlantic: The rapid-fire back and forth of a witty repartee is an exhilarating thing. When the conversation is ping-ponging between you and someone else—be it on a date, or in a business meeting, or at happy hour—chances are you’ll find yourself drawn to that person. And it’s the speed that’s the key, according to a new study in Psychological Science.
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Study: Just playing with money makes children more likely to work hard—and give less
Quartz: Money often does strange things to us—kids included. Many parents have observed that their children may be changed by an allowance, for example, or even just an intense game of Monopoly. And now science bears this out. According to new research from the University of Minnesota and the University of Illinois at Chicago, even kids who lack concrete knowledge about what money is exhibit behavioral changes just from encountering it. ... “Money is a double-edged sword.
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Proof That Positive Work Cultures Are More Productive
Harvard Business Review: Too many companies bet on having a cut-throat, high-pressure, take-no-prisoners culture to drive their financial success. But a large and growing body of research on positive organizational psychology demonstrates that not only is a cut-throat environment harmful to productivity over time, but that a positive environment will lead to dramatic benefits for employers, employees, and the bottom line. Although there’s an assumption that stress and pressure push employees to perform more, better, and faster, what cutthroat organizations fail to recognize is the hidden costs incurred. Read the whole story: Harvard Business Review
