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Want to Remember More? Make More Mistakes
Whether we are trying to master a new language or play a musical instrument, the pain of making mistakes is a big obstacle, especially early in the learning curve. But novices become experts only when we push ourselves to the edge of our abilities, and errors are both inevitable and essential for moving forward. ... Curious about the power of tests as a learning tool, cognitive psychologists Henry “Roddy” Roediger and Jeff Karpicke had hundreds of students memorize excerpts from a test-preparation book for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
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Compassion is making a comeback in America
Think back to the United States as it was a year ago, a decade ago, a generation ago. Is the US a more caring or less caring nation now than it was back then? If you think Americans have lost their compassion, the data would be on your side — until recently. Since the late 1970s, psychologists have measured empathy by asking millions of people how much they agreed with statements such as “I feel tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me.” In 2011, a landmark study led by researcher Sara Konrath examined the trends in those surveys.
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That Sounds Right: Hearing Objects Helps Us Recognize Them More Quickly
Audio associations can help us recognize objects more quickly, suggesting that sounds can help us make fine-grained discriminations between objects, new research suggests.
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Tackling the Force of Habit
How much of our behavior is habitual? APS President Wendy Wood and her colleagues answered this question on April 16 during “Habits and Behavior Change—A Case Study of Digital Technology,” an APS Science for Society webinar. The webinar is now available for registrants and APS members.
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New Content From Perspectives on Psychological Science
A sample of research on referential communication in language and gesture, personality science in the digital age, understanding collective intelligence, and much more.
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Shaping Kinder Kids Through Parental Example
Podcast: When kids witness their parents engaging in warm and positive interactions, it could have a positive effect on the children themselves. Hear from Brian Don, who discusses his new theory on the topic, what it could mean for future research, and much more.
