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Fact Checker: Is the U.S. a land of Haves and Have-Nots?
Reno Gazette-Journal: The claim America is increasingly becoming a land of Haves and Have-Nots. The background What do you think is a fair amount of wealth inequality? Before getting to that, an explanation of "why this question now" is needed. People on the left and right have been noting the disparity in wealth with increasing alarm. The Occupy Wall Street movement has faced mass arrests, pepper spraying and increasing attention. It has spread to Boston, Chicago, LA, Japan -- and Las Vegas and Reno.
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The Perils of Polite Misunderstandings
Your friend debuts a questionable haircut and asks what you think of it. Brutal honesty would definitely hurt his feelings, so what do you say? Most people in this situation would probably opt for a vague or evasive response, along the lines of “It’s really unique!” or “It’s so you!” Politeness helps us get through awkward social situations like these and makes it easier for us to maintain our relationships. But a new article published in the October issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggests that this kind of politeness can have disastrous consequences, especially in high-stakes situations.
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Do programs that pay people to lose weight really work?
The Washington Post: What if someone would pay you to lose weight? Not a token amount from your meddling fitness freak brother-in-law, but serious cash, say $10,000? Would you try it? But what if you had to put some skin in the game, 60 of your hard-earned dollars for the chance to win that $10,000 or smaller prizes of $5,000 and $3,000? And what if you had to do this at the office, with a team of co-workers who would monitor your progress, or lack thereof, and whose chances at a payoff depended on you? Deal breaker or motivator?
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Washing the Body ‘Cleanses’ the Mind
U.S. News & World Report: There may be some truth to the expression "cleanliness is next to godliness" after all, finds a new review of previously published studies. University of Michigan researchers found that showering and hand-washing help people rid themselves of bad feelings, such as guilt, sadness or doubt. "Cleansing is about the removal of residues," said researcher Spike W.S. Lee. "By even just thinking about washing themselves, people can rid themselves of a sense of immorality, lucky or unlucky feelings, or doubt about a decision." The review was published in the latest issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science. Read the full story: U.S. News & World Report
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Mind Reading: Steven Pinker’s Case for Why the World Is Heading Toward Peace
TIME: Amidst the headlines tallying the damage wrought by persistent economic decline, cataclysmic climate change and unbending political stalemate — among other things — Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker brings good news. In his new 802-page masterwork, The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined, the bestselling author and two-time honoree on TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world makes a nearly ironclad case for human progress toward peacefulness. I recently spoke with Pinker about his book and the critical influences that can pacify the human brain. Read the full story: TIME
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Envy May Bear Fruit, but It Also Has an Aftertaste
The New York Times: Why envy? It seems to be the most useless of the deadly sins: excruciating to experience, shameful to admit, bereft of immediate pleasure or long-term benefits. To an evolutionary psychologist, there’s a certain logic to seducing thy neighbor’s wife or stealing his goods, but what’s the point of merely coveting them? Philosophers have offered theories, but empirical evidence has been in short supply, maybe because envy is such an uncomfortable topic for everyone, including psychologists.
