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Study: Making Direct Eye Contact Is Not An Effective Way To Persuade
Forbes: Few popular beliefs are as unshakable as, “If you want to influence someone, always make direct eye contact.” But new research suggests that this bit of sturdy pop lore is hardly gospel – in fact, in many circumstances a direct gaze may result in the exact opposite effect. Researchers from Harvard, the University of British Columbia and the University of Freiberg used newly developed eye-tracking technology to test the claim during two experiments. ... According to Julia Minson of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, co-lead researcher of the studies, “The findings highlight the fact that eye contact can signal very different kinds of messages depending on the situation.
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Learning new skill beats puzzles for boosting seniors’ memory
CBS News: Want to work out your brain? A new study suggests you should put away that crossword puzzle, because learning new skills may be a more effective way to keep your mind sharp. A new study in Psychological Science shows that frequently engaging in brain-teasing activities you love like puzzles may not be enough to noticeably stave off mental decline. "It seems it is not enough just to get out and do something--it is important to get out and do something that is unfamiliar and mentally challenging, and that provides broad stimulation mentally and socially.
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The Poor and the Heartless
Last year, the top 10 percent of American earners took home more than half of the country’s total income. The top 1 percent took home a fifth. That’s the greatest income disparity ever recorded, and it’s getting worse. Indeed, the income of the wealthiest has grown dramatically during the recession that began in 2008, while the less fortunate have seen their incomes stagnate. This inequality has all sorts of consequences for the poor, besides the obvious financial burden of everyday living. As Maia Szalavitz reported in Time magazine this week, the poor also suffer from poorer health and higher mortality.
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Stress Eaters May Compensate by Eating Less When Times Are Good
When faced with stress, some people seem to lose their appetite while others reach for the nearest sweet, salty, or fatty snack. Conventional wisdom tells us that stress eaters are the ones who need to
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A Simple ‘Thanks’ Can Tame the Barking Boss
Supervisors often resort to bullying to compensate for their own feelings of incompetence. But studies show that bosses lower their aggression when they feel appreciated.
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The future of facial recognition: 7 fascinating facts
TED Blog: Alessandro Acquisti thinks we are about to have an Adam and Eve moment, where all of a sudden we realize that we aren’t wearing any clothes. Up until now, we have — for the most part — willingly offered up our personal information online without thinking too much about it. But as Acquisti puts it in today’s talk, “any personal information can become sensitive information.” To illustrate what he means, he focuses our attention on facial recognition software and a study he conducted in 2010, when about 2.5 billion photos were uploaded to Facebook in a single month, many of them tagged. ...
