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Millennials might not be as narcissistic as everyone thought
The Washington Post: If you ever read anything about millennials online, you’ve probably seen something calling this generation narcissistic. A surge in self-importance, some say! “Deluded narcissists,” others opine! Whatever this “Me Me Me Generation” article was! Well, it turns out that because many millennials began their professional lives during an economic nightmare, they are actually less likely to be self-interested when they get older. That’s according to new research published in the journal Psychological Science.
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To Remember a Lecture Better, Take Notes by Hand
The Atlantic: Psych 101 was about to start, and Pam Mueller had forgotten her laptop at home. This meant more than lost Facebook time. A psychology grad student at Princeton, Mueller was one of the class teaching assistants. It was important she have good notes on the lecture. Normally she used her laptop to take notes, but, without it, she’d have to rely on a more traditional approach. So she put pen to paper—and found something surprising. Class just seemed better. “I felt like I had gotten so much more out of the lecture that day,” she said. So she shared the story with Daniel Oppenheimer, the professor teaching the class.
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No Extra Credit for Delivering on Promises
If you promise to complete a project on time and you deliver it ahead of the deadline, don’t expect any special kudos from your boss. If you pledge a certain level of service and deliver even more than you promise, you aren’t likely to receive any especially-rosy customer reviews. That’s the conclusion drawn from a recent management study about the social consequences of surpassing promises. There is plenty of research showing that keeping promises builds trust and loyalty from customers, employees, and friends.
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‘Self Talk’: When Talking to Yourself, the Way You Do It Makes a Difference
The Wall Street Journal: Do you ever talk to yourself? Be honest. Researchers say talking to yourself, out loud, is more common than many of us might care to admit. Psychologists call it "self talk" and say how we do it makes a big difference in both our mood and our behavior. Most people engage in self-talk, experts say, though some do it louder and more often than others. When I asked, I heard from people who talk to themselves in the basement, in their cubicle at work and at the urinal in the men's room. One woman turns the car radio down so she can hear herself better. Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal
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Study: Opportunities in Young Adulthood Linked to Later Narcissism
The Atlantic: There has been much debate over which generation, exactly, is the “Me” generation. Is it Millennials? Is it Baby Boomers? People have been taking selfies for pretty much as long as there have been cameras, after all. And painting them before that. There have always been and will always be narcissists, and, seemingly, we will always be horrified by their entitlement. But if there are generational differences in narcissism, a new study published in Psychological Science suggests that they might be attributable to the economy.
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Sense of purpose ‘adds years to life’
BBC: Having a sense of purpose may add years to your life, regardless of what the purpose is, research suggests. Not only does it contribute to healthy aging, but it may also stave off early death, according to a study of 7,000 Americans. The research, published in Psychological Science, applies across adult life, says a US-Canadian team. It may be because purposeful people look after their health better and are physically fitter, they believe. The study tracked the physical and mental health of more than 7,000 US adults aged 20 to 75 years. Read the whole story: BBC
