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Sian Beilock Named President of Barnard College
Barnard College has named APS Fellow Sian L. Beilock as its new president. Beilock, an expert on how people learn and perform at their best, particularly under stress, leaves her post as the Stella M.
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Need A Happiness Boost? Spend Your Money To Buy Time, Not More Stuff
NPR: Money can’t buy happiness, right? Well, some researchers beg to differ. They say it depends on how you spend it. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencessuggests that when people spend
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People Favor Highly-Reviewed Products, Even When They Shouldn’t
We often rely on the ratings and reviews of others to help us choose a product or service, but we sometimes use this information in ways that can actually work to our disadvantage.
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Governments are trying to nudge us into better behavior. Is it working?
The Washington Post: All over the world, public and private organizations are showing keen interest in “nudges” — interventions and policies that rely on behavioral science to steer people in a particular direction but preserve their freedom
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A Study Encourages You to Have Fun First and Finish Your Work Later
New York Magazine: It seems like the natural order of things: first work, then fun. If you finish your dinner, you can have dessert; if you finish your homework, you can play your video games.
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Why Government ‘Nudges’ Motivate Good Citizen Behavior
Working Knowledge: Most governments aren’t subtle when they want citizens to do something. The United States spends close to $1 billion annually on advertising–trying to convince citizens to do everything from taking flu prevention shots to
