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A Neuroscientist Debunks the Myth of Musical Instinct
The Atlantic: Are musicians born or made? What is the line between skill and talent in any domain, and can we acquire either later in life? That's exactly what neuroscientist Gary Marcus explores in Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning—a fascinating journey into the limits of human reinvention. In an effort to reconcile his lifelong passion for music with his self-admitted chronic musical ineptitude, Marcus set out to debunk one of science's longest-running theories about learning—that there are "critical periods" in which complex skills can be learned, and that they slam shut after adolescence. Read the full story: The Atlantic
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Think Fast! Take Risks! New Study Finds a Link Between Fast Thinking and Risk Taking
New experiments show that the experience of thinking fast makes people more likely to take risks. This discovery suggests that some of the innovations of the modern world—fast-paced movies, social media sites with a constant
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Where Does Self-Discipline Come From?
Willpower is the key to much that’s good in life. Willpower is what makes us save for the future rather than splurge now. It helps us to keep our heads down, studying and working when we really don’t feel like it, to earn that degree or promotion. Willpower allows us to say no to that tempting cigarette, extra dessert, or second glass of whiskey—and to hop on the treadmill. And, of course, failures of self-control can sabotage all those goals. So it’s no wonder that psychological scientists have been studying willpower for decades, trying to figure out who is disciplined under what circumstances—and why.
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Babies Know What’s Fair
“That’s not fair!” It’s a common playground complaint. But how early do children acquire this sense of fairness? Before they’re 2, says a new study. “We found that 19- and 21-month-old infants have a general expectation of fairness, and they can apply it appropriately to different situations,” says University of Illinois psychology graduate student Stephanie Sloane, who conducted the study with UI’s Renée Baillargeon and David Premack of the University of Pennsylvania. The findings appear in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science. In each of two experiments, babies watched live scenarios unfold.
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‘Likes Long Walks in the Woods on Autumn Days’
Huffington Post: Valentine's Day is for many just a cruel reminder that they have not yet found the love of their life, their soul mate, their life partner. And let's face it: finding that special person can be tough in 21st-century America. The village matchmakers are long gone, along with the villages themselves, and most of us are spread far and wide, without the traditional networks of family and old friends. That's why millions are turning to online dating services, which promise to use math and science to find people dates -- and often more than dates, life partners. But how reliable are these popular services, and the matchmaking algorithms they use?
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Uomini e donne: quanti malintesi!
la Repubblica: Per la prima volta degli scienziati affrontano seriamente il problema dell'interpretazione dei segnali erotico-amorosi tra i sessi. Scoprendo come spesso gli uomini fraintendono i messaggi ma proprio per questo hanno successo. ne abbiamo parlato con alcuni esperti che ci svelano altri risvolti interessanti di Sara Ficocelli Read the full story: la Repubblica
