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How to Avoid the Self-Esteem Trap
Scientific American: I have always assumed that having a strong sense of self-worth was important. I figured it made a person happier, healthier, more successful, and easier to be around. Turns out that these benefits of self-esteem are rather hard to prove. Having high self-esteem has some modest pluses, studies suggest. ... Speaking of learning, this issue of Mind includes a Special Report that highlights learning techniques. In the lead article of this section, John Dunlosky, a psychologist at Kent State and his colleagues explain how they sifted through hundreds of scientific papers to determine what study methods work best (see “Identify the Best Ways to Study”).
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Is Weak Evidence Better Than No Evidence?
NPR: In my post last week, I wrote that "weak evidence is still better than no evidence." The statement prompted some thoughtful comments from readers: I find that weak evidence is often worse than no evidence. (Chris Harlan) Is weak evidence a positive or a negative? Does weak evidence accomplish anything? My glass is half full on this point. (Bobbi Wilson) Weak evidence often does something, but what that something is may be quite destructive, from the invasion of nations to needless surgeries. A lot of damage can be done by a few misplaced assumptions based on something that appears to be there, but isn't.
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People Prefer Products That Help Them ‘Save Face’ in Embarrassing Moments
People who are feeling embarrassed are more likely to choose items, such as sunglasses or 'restorative' lotion, that hide or ‘repair’ the face, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research indicates that feelings of embarrassment can be alleviated by using so-called ‘restorative’ products -- effectively helping people to “save face.” “Previous research on embarrassment mainly documents that embarrassed individuals are motivated to avoid public exposure,” explains Ping Dong, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto and lead author of the new research.
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New Research From Psychological Science
Read about the latest research published in Psychological Science. Seeing in 3-D With Just One Eye: Stereopsis Without Binocular Vision Dhanraj Vishwanath and Paul B. Hibbard Researchers have long thought that stereopsis -- the sense of depth and immersive space -- is a byproduct of binocular vision, but can stereopsis also be induced by monocular vision? In a series of studies, the researchers determined that observers report the same characteristics for monocular and binocular stereopsis. They also found no support for several standard theories used to explain variations in stereopsis under different viewing conditions.
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Rituals Make Our Food More Flavorful
The New York Times: Do you always fold a New York slice in all its oily glory? Is a whole lobster best relished in this order: legs, claws then succulent tail? Do you eat Oreos middle first? Or dunked in milk? Far from being mere quirks of personality, rituals like these may actually enhance how much people savor what they eat or drink, new research shows. Flavor is intensified. The meal is enjoyed more. It may be one reason why birthday cake is savored more than the stumbled-upon 4 p.m. brownie, because of the singing and candle blowing that precedes it.
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Meditation may help reduce smoking, study says
Los Angeles Times: Meditating just a modest amount may help curb cigarette smoking, even in smokers who don’t intend to quit, according to a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. After a few hours of meditation, smokers puffed significantly less and had increased activity in brain regions associated with self-control — without even knowing that their behavior had changed. Researchers from several institutions recruited 60 college students, including 27 smokers. Half the subjects learned a form of meditation called integrative body-mind training, or IBMT, practicing for five hours over a two-week period.
