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New Research From Psychological Science
Read about the latest research published in Psychological Science: Below-Baseline Suppression of Competitors During Interference Resolution by Younger but Not Older Adults M. Karl Healey, K. W. Joan Ngo, and Lynn Hasher Researchers have argued that successful retrieval of a memory requires suppression of competing information. The authors examined the suppression abilities of older and younger adults using a novel paradigm that allowed them to study below-baseline suppression, which is considered a hallmark of true suppression effects.
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Cell Phones on Planes? Forget About Getting Work Done
Last month the US Federal Communications Commission announced that it may allow airlines to experiment with permitting passengers to use cell phones during flights. That’s good news if you need to make some business calls during a long trip. The downside is that you’ll have to listen to other passengers gab away on their own handhelds — something you already endure if you commute on a train or bus to work. But aren’t conversations between two of your fellow passengers just as distracting or annoying? And what about the screaming baby in the row behind you?
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7 Science-Backed Reasons Why Generosity Is Good For Your Health
The Huffington Post: Giving of yourself -- whether it be your time, energy or money -- isn't just a boon to those you're helping. A wealth of research shows that generosity can also have benefits for the receiver, ranging from a better outlook at your job, to more years of life. Check out these science-backed reasons to make generosity a regular part of your day. Read the whole story: The Huffington Post
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Irony in Our Diets: Stigmatizing Obesity Increases Overeating
Pacific Standard: Numerous causes contribute to the nation’s obesity epidemic, including our increasingly sedentary lifestyles and the easy availability of high-calorie foods. Newly published research points to another, less-obvious factor that appears to be exacerbating the problem: The negative labels we attach to people who are overweight. Ironically, this stigmatization often can be found in anti-obesity campaigns themselves. According to a research team from the University of California-Santa Barbara, this may actually make these well-meaning efforts counterproductive.
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The Experience of Awe in Nature Leads to Religious Beliefs
Big Think: It has been said that there are no atheists in foxholes. The fear of death will make even the most hardened skeptic a believer. According to a new study published in the journal Psychological Science, the experience of awe — in the form of mountains, canyons and outer space — makes one more apt to believe that the universe was constructed "according to God’s or some other nonhuman entity’s plan." Read the whole story: Big Think
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When Superstition Works
The Wall Street Journal: It starts when people try something different—Pepsi instead of Coca-Cola, a blue tie instead of the old red one—and find that something good happens. Soon, without realizing it, someone who wouldn't think twice about, say, walking under a ladder or traveling on Friday the 13th begins to associate their new behavior with good luck—and starts reaching for the Pepsi again and again. Such "conditioned superstitions" can develop when people believe there is something they can do to control a situation, despite there being no rational reason to think so, says Gita Johar, a professor of business at Columbia University who recently co-wrote a paper on the phenomenon.
