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The Bystanders Who Could Be Heroes
The New York Times: When the bombs went off at the Boston Marathon, the crowd scattered. But some people ran toward the carnage, so they could help the wounded. Even in everyday situations, bystanders have opportunities to prevent a crime, call for help or support survivors. Often, they do not: in Torrington, Conn.; in Steubenville, Ohio; in State College, Pa.; in Cleveland, Tex.; and, the most famous case, in Queens. Do bystanders have a responsibility to intervene in crimes, and should we fault those who don’t? Why do some individuals rush to help rather than to escape? Read the whole story: The New York Times
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What Does Modern Prejudice Look Like?
NPR: Harvard psychologist Mahzarin Banaji was once approached by a reporter for an interview. When Banaji heard the name of the magazine the reporter was writing for, she declined the interview: She didn't think much of the magazine and believed it portrayed research in psychology inaccurately. But then the reporter said something that made her reconsider, Banaji recalled: "She said, 'You know, I used to be a student at Yale when you were there, and even though I didn't take a course with you, I do remember hearing about your work.' " The next words out of Banaji's mouth: "OK, come on over; I'll talk to you." After she changed her mind, Banaji got to thinking. Why had she changed her mind?
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The Education Issue: Believing self-control predicts success, schools teach coping
The Washington Post: At first blush, Julia King’s middle-school classroom at D.C. Prep Public Charter School seems like any other middle school. Seventh-graders are busy reviewing math skills that they struggled with on a recent test. Walls are plastered with motivational posters: “Willpower, Improve, Never Give Up!” But look more closely. Something else is going on here — something that would have seemed more familiar to these 12- and 13-year-olds’ great-grandparents. ... The study of self-control began in the 1960s with a marshmallow.
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Discriminated Groups Strategize to Avoid Prejudice
Scientific American: When they think they'll be discriminated against, people do their best to put on a good face for their group, new research finds. An obese person, for example, might focus on dressing nicely to combat stereotypes of slovenliness. A black man, used to assumptions that he's violent, might smile more. The new study reveals both that people are well aware of stereotypes and that they try to combat them.
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How to Stimulate Curiosity
TIME: Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement — it’s what drives us to keep learning, keep trying, keep pushing forward. But how does one generate curiosity, in oneself or others? George Loewenstein, a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, proposed an answer in the classic 1994 paper, “The Psychology of Curiosity.” ... Here, three practical ways to use information gaps to stimulate curiosity: 1. Start with the question.
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Green spaces boosts wellbeing of urban dwellers – study
BBC: Using data from 5,000 UK households over 17 years, researchers found that living in a greener area had a significant positive effect. The findings could help to inform urban planners and have an impact on society at large, they said. The study is published in the journal Psychological Science. The research team examined data from a national survey that followed more than 5,000 UK households and 10,000 adults between 1991 and 2008 as they moved house around the country. They asked participants to report on their own psychological health during that time to estimate the "green space effect".
