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Close Friendships in Adolescence Predict Health in Adulthood
Teens are often warned about peer pressure, but research suggests that following the pack in adolescence may have some unexpected benefits for physical health in early adulthood.
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New Research From Psychological Science
Read about the latest research published in Psychological Science: Concreteness and Psychological Distance in Natural Language Use Bryor Snefjella and Victor Kuperman Research has shown that people form more abstract mental representations, and use more abstract language, when thinking or talking about events that are distant from the self. Despite knowing this, researchers are still unsure of the exact form of this relationship. In a series of four studies, the authors examined the language used when discussing various physical distances, future and past time points, and social distance.
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Why Introverts Make Great Entrepreneurs
The Wall Street Journal: Imagine a typical entrepreneur. A quiet, reserved introvert is probably not what first came to mind. Aren’t entrepreneurs supposed to be gregarious and commanding—verbally adept and able to inspire employees, clients and investors with the sheer force of their personality? No wonder the advice for introverts who want to be entrepreneurs has long been some form of: “Be more extroverted.” Now, though, business experts and psychologists are starting to see that guidance is wrong.
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A New Study Says Daycare Doesn’t Make Kids Aggressive
Parents: If you’re worried that your little tyke is picking up some bullying behavior from daycare, relax: A recent study has found that the amount of time kids spend in daycare has little effect on aggressive behavior. The study, published in Psychological Science, interviewed parents of 939 Norwegian children, aged 6 months to 4 years, who attended non-parental child care. Each child’s aggression (tendency to hit, push, and bite) was reported by their teacher. It was found that as the length of time a child remained daycare increased, the impact on aggression actually decreased. Read the whole story: Parents
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You’re A Distracted Driver Even When You Ignore That Text
By now, drivers should be well aware of the dangers posed by using a mobile phone while driving. Each day 9 people are killed, and more than 1,153 people are injured in crashes due to driver distraction, according to the CDC. However, new research shows that simply receiving a call or text—even if drivers ignore it—can be dangerously distracting. Psychological scientists from Florida State University, Cary Stothart, Ainsley Mitchum, and Courtney Yehnert, found that an incoming text or call impaired people’s ability to concentrate—even if they didn’t check their phone.
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When Knowledge Is Unforgettable
The Atlantic: I recently found a box of papers from high school and was shocked to see what I once knew. There, in my handwriting, was a multi-step geometric proof, a creditable essay on the United States’ involvement in the Philippine revolution, and other work that today is as incomprehensible to me as a Swedish newscast. Chances are this is a common experience among adults like me who haven’t stepped foot in the classroom for ages—which might suggest there wasn’t much point in learning the stuff in the first place. But then again, maybe there is. Research shows that people can often retain certain information long after they learned it in school.
