-
Training People to Inhibit Movements Can Reduce Risk-Taking
New research from psychological scientists at the Universities of Exeter and Cardiff shows that people can be trained to become less impulsive, resulting in less risk-taking during gambling. The research could pave the way for
-
Social Psychology A Chilly Reception
The Wall Street Journal: When we don’t see what we expect to see in the face of a conversation partner, the situation starts to feel chilly—literally. In one experiment, a female researcher greeted 40 undergraduates
-
Allowing the Mind to Wander Aids Creativity
Scientific American: History is rich with ‘eureka’ moments: scientists from Archimedes to Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are said to have had flashes of inspiration while thinking about other things. But the mechanisms behind this
-
How Baby Names Can Help Marketers Predict the Next Big Thing
TIME: Few parents would admit to naming their baby after a hurricane. But unconsciously that might be exactly what many of us are doing — or at least appropriating the sounds of a name that
-
Rethinking Rage in the Middle East
The Huffington Post: In September of last year, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas petitioned the United Nations for full membership in the world body. For many Palestinians this event was a potent and long-overdue symbol of
-
From Karen to Katie —Using Baby Names to Understand Cultural Evolution
From Top 40 hits to baby names, styles change and fashions evolve over time. While the latest fad may seem arbitrary, new research suggests that basic psychological processes can explain why some things become popular.