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Practice at “Guesstimating” Can Speed Up Math Ability
A person's math ability can range from simple arithmetic to calculus and abstract set theory. But there's one math skill we all share: A primitive ability to estimate and compare quantities without counting, like when choosing a checkout line at the grocery store. Practicing this kind of estimating may actually improve our ability to do the kinds of symbolic math we learn in school, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Previous studies have suggested a connection between the approximate number system, involved in estimating, and mathematical ability.
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Psychological Adaptation to Urbanization, Technology Reflected In Word Usage Over Last Two Centuries
New research shows that as culture has evolved over the last two centuries -- with increasing urbanization, greater reliance on technology, and widespread availability of formal education -- so has human psychology. The findings are forthcoming in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. “This research shows that there has been a two-century long historical shift towards individualistic psychological functioning adapted to an urban environment and away from psychological functioning adapted to a rural environment,” says psychological scientist Patricia Greenfield of the University of California, Los Angeles, author of the new study.
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Tidy Desk or Messy Desk? Each Has Its Benefits
Working at a clean and prim desk may promote healthy eating, generosity, and conventionality, according to new research. But, the research also shows that a messy desk may confer its own benefits, promoting creative thinking and stimulating new ideas. The new studies, conducted by psychological scientist Kathleen Vohs and her fellow researchers at the University of Minnesota are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. “Prior work has found that a clean setting leads people to do good things: Not engage in crime, not litter, and show more generosity,” Vohs explains.
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Young Versus Old: Who Performs More Consistently?
Tests on memory and perceptual speeds indicate that older adults display more consistent cognitive performance day to day compared with younger adults.
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New Research From Psychological Science
Read about the latest research published in Psychological Science. When Holding Back Helps: Suppressing Negative Emotions During Sacrifice Feels Authentic and Is Beneficial for Highly Interdependent People Bonnie M. Le and Emily A. Impett Can suppressing negative emotions help people's relationships? Participants kept a daily diary in which they noted whether they had made a sacrifice for their partner. Each time participants made a sacrifice, they completed measures of suppression and of personal and interpersonal well-being.
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Autism Symptoms Not Explained by Impaired Attention
Finding from a clinical study challenge the hypothesis that impaired attention might be at the root of autism symptoms.
