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7 Reasons Your Brain Can’t Spot A Liar
The Huffington Post: Think you're adept at calling someone's bluff? Convinced you can spot a liar from halfway across the room? You're probably wrong, says a recent study published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest. According to the research, led by psychologist Aldert Vrij of the University of Portsmouth in the UK, several factors contribute to our inability to tell when we're being deceived. Have you fallen victim to one (or more) of them? Find out all 7 reasons here: The Huffington Post
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Chicks Dig Certain Types of Music
Newly hatched chicks appear to prefer certain sounds over others, just like human infants, suggesting that this musical preference may be innate.
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Some People May Be Bad to the Bone
Discovery News: Men who have wider faces relative to their facial height are more likely to engage in unethical behavior, according to a new study in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The finding adds to the growing body of evidence that an individual's genes and hormonal development can influence that person's behavior. The research also supports that certain static physical characteristics — in this case, a man's facial bone structure — may serve as reliable visual cues to behavior. "Other researchers have found that differences in facial width-to-height ratio (WHR) emerge around puberty," co-author Michael Haselhuhn told Discovery News.
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In Defense of Wishful Thinking
Scientific American: In my most recent post and others—and in chats with George Johnson and Robert Wright on Bloggingheads.tv—I rail against biological determinism and defend free will. Some critics accuse me of letting wishful thinking cloud my judgment when it comes to these issues. They say that objective reality is objective reality, regardless of our subjective attitudes toward it.
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Ironic Effects of Anti-Prejudice Messages
Organizations and programs have been set up all over the globe in the hopes of urging people to end prejudice. According to a research article, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, such programs may actually increase prejudices. Lisa Legault, Jennifer Gutsell and Michael Inzlicht, from the University of Toronto Scarborough, were interested in exploring how one’s everyday environment influences people’s motivation toward prejudice reduction.
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Mo’mimicry, mo’problems
Financial Post: What is a little money between friends? According to new research, at the very least, it's not going to stimulate bonding. Researchers have longknown mimicry strengthens social bonding between strangers. By subtly imitating a person's posture or gestures, you can create goodwill. But a new study looking at the psychological effects of money on our behaviour suggests this does not apply when money is involved. Mimic someone and he'll feel a warm glow; but mimic someone while he's being reminded of money and he'll feel threatened. Read more: Financial Post
