-
Small Price Differences Can Make Options Seem More Similar, Easing Our Buying Decisions
Some retailers, such as Apple’s iTunes, are known for using uniform pricing in an effort to simplify consumers’ choices and perhaps increase their tendency to make impulse purchases. But other stores, like supermarkets, often have small price differences across product flavors and brands. As counterintuitive as it might seem, these small price differences may actually make the options seem more similar, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research shows that adding small differences can actually help to make choosing less difficult and reduce the likelihood that we’ll put off making a choice.
-
It’s Complicated: The Psychology of “Singlism”
I’m married, but I have also been single for significant stretches in my life. I think I’m being honest when I say that I can see the virtues in both life choices, and understand why someone might opt for either. And I have certainly never felt judged, or discriminated against, for choosing to be single or for choosing a partner. So it came as a surprise to me to read recently about “singlism.” Apparently, some people do feel judged, and unfairly, for their status. And intriguingly, this subtle form of discrimination appears to cut both ways.
-
Just 8% of People Achieve Their New Year’s Resolutions. Here’s How They Do It.
Forbes: Let me guess: You want to lose weight in 2013, or maybe just eat healthier. Perhaps you want to spend less money or spend more time with your friends and family. I know I do. Self-improvement, or at least the desire for it, is a shared American hobby. It’s why so many of us—some estimates say more than 40% of Americans—make New Year’s resolutions. (For comparison, about one-third of Americans watch the Super Bowl.) ... “We say if you can’t measure it, it’s not a very good resolution because vague goals beget vague resolutions,” says John Norcross of the University of Scranton. Read the whole story: Forbes
-
Resolutions: So Irresistible, So Hard to Keep
The Wall Street Journal: It's a scenario most of us know well: We start out on a grand plan to exercise more, lose weight or cut out the cigarettes. Then we fail, sometimes repeatedly, each time convincing ourselves that next time we'll manage. Why can't we stick to the plan, and why do we try again? ... Having hope that one can achieve a goal, and making repeated efforts to reach it, can sometimes be necessary, says Janet Polivy, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto who has studied dieters for decades. After all, people may need several tries to learn from their mistakes or come up with better strategies.
-
The 21-Minute Marriage Cure!
The Huffington Post: I know. I know. It sounds like one of those late-late night TV pitches, or some volume on the self-help shelf of a bookstore. Six-pack abs or a lucrative new career today -- no effort required. Only $19.95 -- half off if you act now! I'm as cynical as you are about such claims, and we're right to be. Any offer of something for nothing is almost always a gimmick or scam. But what if such a claim were based on scientific theory and supported by credible evidence? Would we be able to put our skepticism aside and give the claim a fair hearing, even if it sounds outlandish? Eli Finkel is hoping that you can.
-
Willpower is limited, so say yes to dessert
The Globe and Mail: If you haven’t already overdosed on shortbread cookies, eggnog and other holiday treats, the big meal on Tuesday is sure to put you over the top. Sure, advice on how to trim calories and fat abounds. Skip the appetizers (especially that triple-crème cheese or those 1,000-calorie-a-handful sugary spiced nuts). Use a smaller plate. Choose between wine and dessert. (Good luck with that.) But willpower expert Roy Baumeister, co-author of the best-seller Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, says focusing on the meal doesn’t account for all the other simultaneous draws on your willpower during the holidays. Read the whole story: The Globe and Mail
