-
Clean hands, but a foul mouth!
Lady Macbeth is history's most famous washer, hands down. Plagued by guilt for plotting her king's murder, she scrubs and scours her palms and knuckles to get rid of imagined blood stains. But all the scrubbing can't cleanse her impure heart. Or mind, as psychological scientists like to think of it. Researchers have discovered in the past few years that moral purity is no mere metaphor--that we all physically embody both our malevolent thoughts and our repentance. Soap and water can literally salve our guilt, and soften our moral judgments of others, while moral transgressions can send us searching for wash cloths and disinfectants.
-
The pursuit of happiness: Buying time
When the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas was diagnosed with cancer in 1984, he resigned his Senate seat with these words: "Nobody on his death bed ever said, 'I wish I had spent more time at the office.'" Wise words, yet despite the sentiment, Tsongas remained conflicted about time and money. In 1992, he returned to politics for an unsuccessful presidential run, and two years later tried unsuccessfully to form a third political party. He died of liver failure in 1997, at the age of 56. Most Americans are similarly torn about time and money.
-
Barroom genetics: Triggering heavy drinking
Recovering alcoholics are generally counseled to stay away from “people, places and things”—anything, that is, that might be a cue for drinking. Bars are an especially potent trigger for the cravings that can lead to relapse. Yet sober alcoholics vary greatly in their susceptibility to such social cues. Many appear to have no problem hanging around taverns and parties sipping club soda, and some even work as bartenders. But others—even alcoholics with years of sobriety—get a yearning every time they see even a stranger hoist a glass. Why do some find these cues so vexing, while others appear free of temptation? Some new research points to genetics—but with a surprising twist.
-
Goalkeeping with an ancient mind
Behavioral economist Ofer Azar did an intriguing study of premier soccer goalies a few years ago, worth dusting off for the World Cup. Azar, a lecturer at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, studied penalty kicks. A penalty kick is awarded after a foul, and is often used as a tie-breaker in championship games. A designated player stands 36 feet from the goal, which measures 24 feet side to side. Only the opposing goalie stands between the kicker and the goal, so it’s a high probability shot. In fact, with the typical penalty kick flying at more than 60 miles per hour, the goalie has only a fraction of a second to respond.
-
Does Botox impair empathy?
Hollywood film directors were among the first to recognize the downside of Botox. Several years ago, Martin Scorsese, whose works include Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and The Departed, became an early and outspoken critic of the anti-aging treatment. The Academy Award-winning director complained that it was becoming increasingly difficult to find an actress who could use her face to express the range of human emotion, especially anger. It may be worse than the famed director suspected. New evidence is now suggesting that Botox may harm not only the expression of emotion, but also its comprehension.
-
Gulf psychology: My own private oil spill
Soon after Jimmy Carter took office in 1977, the press got whiff of a rumor that the 39th president was personally handing out court times for the White House tennis court. He soon got a reputation, earned or not, for being a micro-manager who failed to see the big picture. Dan Ackroyd of “Saturday Night Live” was merciless: He parodied the cardigan-wearing executive’s radio chats with the American people, in which he adroitly fielded questions on everything from knotty plumbing problems to bad acid trips. Nobody wants their president to be a micro-manager. It’s not plausible that any leader of such a complex nation could have all the answers, with Xs and Os.
