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The Science of ‘Inside Out’
The New York Times: FIVE years ago, the writer and director Pete Docter of Pixar reached out to us to talk over an idea for a film, one that would portray how emotions work inside a person’s head and at the same time shape a person’s outer life with other people. He wanted to do this all in the mind of an 11-year-old girl as she navigated a few difficult days in her life. As scientists who have studied emotion for decades, we were delighted to be asked. We ended up serving as scientific consultants for the movie, “Inside Out,” which was recently released. Our conversations with Mr.
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Good news for foodies: Adventurous eaters may be healthier
CBS: Food lovers are often associated with over-indulgence, but adventurous eaters, often referred to as "foodies," actually weigh less and may be healthier than the less-adventurous among us, according to a new study. Researchers from the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University surveyed just over 500 women from across the United States about their eating habits, perceptions of novel foods, weight satisfaction, and a number of physical, psychological and lifestyle characteristics. In the questionnaire, participants were asked if they had tried 16 foods not typical of the American diet, including beef tongue, seitan, polenta, Kimchi, and bean sprouts.
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A Full Night’s Sleep Boosts Satisfaction with Work
Treating workers’ sleep problems may be one way to improve employee satisfaction on the job, according to new research. After analyzing data from nearly 5,000 employed adults, a team of psychological scientists from Stockholm University
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Why Is It So Hard to Take Your Own Advice?
New York Magazine: If there is one piece of advice I give regularly to my friends, it is this: “Just talk to him!” Or her, or them, or whomever. I’m constantly advising my friends that their problems would be more quickly and efficiently solved were they to just say something to the person currently stressing them out. And, probably, this works. I wouldn’t know, as it’s something I rarely do myself. It’s one thing to give advice to someone else, dispensing thoughtful words of wisdom over Gchat. But try applying those same suggestions to your own life and it often falls apart.
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Supreme Court Breakfast Table: The court acknowledges “unconscious prejudice.”
Slate: Thursday’s blockbuster opinion in the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project case will be primarily and justly remembered for interpreting the Fair Housing Act to include a disparate-impact cause of action. In anti-discrimination law, “disparate treatment” requires an intent to discriminate, while “disparate impact” can allow a plaintiff to win even in the absence of discriminatory intent. For instance, if an entity has a policy that disproportionately affects a protected group, it has to justify that disparity even in the absence of any allegation of discriminatory intent. If it cannot produce such a justification, it will lose.
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People Who Need People Have the Longest Lives
The Wall Street Journal: Personal independence is such an iconic American value today that few of us question it. In previous generations, retirees lived with family, but now that a large swath of older people can afford to live on their own, that’s what they choose. The convenience of digital devices means that we can now work, shop and pay our bills online, without dealing directly with other people. According to the U.S. Census, 10% of Americans work alone in remote offices and over 13% live alone, the highest rate of solo living in American history. ...
