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Why Forgetfulness Might Actually Help You
Many people worry that forgetting names, facts or tasks on their to-do list is a sign of aging or mental decline. A growing body of research offers a more welcome excuse: Forgetting stuff can actually be a byproduct of rigorous thinking, smooth decision-making or heightened creativity. Forgetting can help us block out useless or outdated information and keep us from fixating on a single set of ideas or thoughts. And contrary to the notion that forgetfulness reflects a withering of brain cells, scientists say it can actually be driven by the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, a brain region linked to memory. This doesn’t excuse major memory mishaps.
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Want to Close the Pay Gap? Pay Transparency Will Help
Here’s what we know about salary transparency: Workers are more motivated when salaries are transparent. They work harder, they’re more productive, and they’re better at collaborating with colleagues. Across the board, pay transparency seems to be a good thing. Transparency isn’t just about business bottom line, however. Researchers say transparency is important because keeping salaries secret reinforces discrimination. “From a worker’s perspective, without accurate information about peer compensation, they may not know when they’re being underpaid,” said Emiliano Huet-Vaughn, an economist at U.C.L.A. who ran a study in 2013 that found workers are more productive when salary is transparent.
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The Meandering Path to That ‘Aha!’ Moment
A psychological study suggests that creative professionals may have their most inventive ideas when their minds are wandering.
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How Young Adults Experience Pain Affects Self-Injury
Teenagers and young adults who intentionally hurt themselves engage in such behavior based, in part, on how they experience pain and their emotional distress.
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New Research From Clinical Psychological Science
A sample of research exploring pain and self-injury, associative activation and false memories, flashbacks in PTSD, and a potential contributor to obesity.
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Russell Sage Foundation Programs Accepting Letters of Inquiry
The Russell Sage Foundation is currently accepting letters of inquiry for programs and initiatives in the following categories: Behavioral Economics; Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration; Social, Political and Economic Inequality; Decision Making and Human Behavior in Context; Immigration and Immigrant Integration; Social, Economic, and Political Effects of the ACA The Russell Sage Foundation was established by Mrs. Margaret Olivia Sage in 1907 for “the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States.” The foundation now focuses exclusively on supporting social science research in its core program areas as a means of examining social issues and improving policies.
