Everyone is biased
keywords:
politics / bias / psychological rigidity / liberals / conservatives / right-wing authoritarianism
Everyone is biased
My first blog post tells the story of my discovery of the conditions that reveal the political biases of liberals and conservatives. It’s also a story of coming to terms with my own biases. / more
After Trayvon: The science of protecting innocent black men
keywords:
Trayvon Martin / prejudice / stereotypes / IAT / in-group / out-group
After Trayvon: The science of protecting innocent black men
Even though the death of Trayvon Martin drew much public attention in the last year and a half, the shooting of an unarmed, innocent black male is in no way an isolated case in America. Jonathan Ferrell, a 24-year-old African-American man in Florida, was recently killed by police officers when he was looking for help after crashing his car. Roy Middleton, a 60-year-old Florida man, was crippled after the sheriff’s deputies mistook him for a car thief and shot him... / more
The curse of lovely: How to break free from the demands of others and learn to say no
The curse of lovely: How to break free from the demands of others and learn to say no
Reading a self-help book is like talking to a stranger in a bar – you either identify with the person’s story immediately and feel like you can talk the whole night or you don’t, which is when you try to move to another table. Regarding Jacqui Marson’s book “The Curse of Lovely” I felt similar. After reading the first chapter I couldn’t fully identify myself with the author’s personal story so I was tempted to classify the book as “not for me”. And as can happen in a bar, when a person you didn’t like at first becomes a friend, my first impression of “The Curse of Lovely” turned out to be wrong after I continued reading it for a while. I found myself identifying with the problems and nodding approvingly more and more often. / more
Why do we sometimes enjoy the misfortune of others?
keywords:
misfortune / schadenfreude / emotion / envy / self-enhancement
Why do we sometimes enjoy the misfortune of others?
Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t resist a little smile when someone else had a setback? Have you ever experienced joy when another person suffered a mishap? We’ve all probably been in that situation and we’ve all felt that joy. The German language coined the word Schadenfreude—a compound word of the German words 'Schaden' meaning 'harm' and 'Freude' meaning 'joy'—for the pleasure at the misfortunes of others and nowadays it is used as a... / more
The reason I jump: The inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism by Naoki Higashida
The reason I jump: The inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism by Naoki Higashida
The concept of this book The Reason I Jump: The inner voice of a thirteen-year-old boy with autism by Naoki Higashida is based on a fascinating idea. A 13-year-old boy with autism answers questions about his inner life that the outer world wants to know to understand autism better. The book was first published in Japanese in 2007, and translated into English in 2013. / more
Publish and prosper: a strategy guide for students and researchers
Publish and prosper: a strategy guide for students and researchers
If you are a graduate student just starting your academic career or a relatively new assistant professor, I highly recommend Nathaniel Lambert’s Publish and prosper: A strategy guide for students and researchers. This is a highly readable – I read it in a single day, and I am a slow reader – accessible, and engaging book in which Lambert offers valuable strategies for enhancing your research productivity. / more
Why do people help strangers when disaster strikes?
keywords:
Boston Marathon / pro-social behavior / altruism / empathy / perspective taking
Why do people help strangers when disaster strikes?
Marc Fucarile, a 34-year old native of Stoneham MA, lost his right leg, nearly lost his left, was peppered with shrapnel, and suffered severe burns when the second bomb exploded at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Shortly thereafter, from his hospital bed, Marc described his situation saying, “There’s more good in the world than there is bad” (LaPierre, 2013). Given his circumstances, this is an extraordinary observation, one that inspires awe and admiration. His perspective tells... / more
Sense-making through science
keywords:
science / religion / threat compensation / control / belief in progress
Sense-making through science
People are sense-making creatures in a world that does not always make sense. This is a problem – although we prefer our world and environment to be orderly and predictable, and an expanding body of research shows that we do not like randomness and a lack of control over life’s outcomes (Kay, Gaucher, Napier, Callan, & Laurin, 2008; Lerner, 1980), our world and our social environment are far from perfectly orderly and controlled. Life in modern society...
/ moreThe soul of all living creatures: what animals can teach us about being human
The soul of all living creatures: what animals can teach us about being human
Do animals have souls? What is the connection between animals and people? Is there a spiritual bond between human and beast? How do animals impact our lives?
Dr. Vint Virga, a distinguished practitioner and leader in veterinary behavioral medicine has written a book that answers many of these questions.
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A funny thing happened on the way to romance: How humor influences romantic relationship initiation
keywords:
humor / relationship initiation / evolutionary perspective / fitness indicator / intelligence / warmth
A funny thing happened on the way to romance: How humor influences romantic relationship initiation
Is a funny pick-up line a good idea, or will it hurt your chances? The role of humor in courtship is a fascinating puzzle that is beginning to receive empirical attention. The current article provides a glimpse at when and why humor might be useful during romantic relationship initiation, and explains how your humor style might affect your success in attracting a potential romantic partner. If you were to list all the attractive qualities that you might... / more