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Do Cigarette Warnings Actually Increase Smoking?
Refinery29: We've all been susceptible to reverse psychology. But who needs those mind games when it comes to our physical health? Now, the latest confusing information we need to overcome are findings from a new study on smoking. Published in the Psychological Science journal, the experiment, conducted by experts from Tel Aviv University, New York University, and INSEAD Business School, reports that tobacco warning labels that read such things as "Smokers Die Early" actually promote cigarette buying instead of deterring it.
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Overscheduled Children: How Big a Problem?
The New York Times: Now that the school year is under way, my wife and I are busy managing our children’s after-school schedules, mixing sports practices, music lessons, homework and play dates. It can be a complicated balancing act for our elementary-age daughters, as some days end up overstuffed, some logistically impossible, some wide open. Still, compared to when we were children, the opportunities they get to sample on a weekly basis is mind-blowing. There’s only one problem: To absorb the conventional wisdom in parenting circles these days, what we’re doing to our children is cruel, overbearing and destructive to their long-term well-being.
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The Face(s) of the GOP. Who Do You See?
The Huffington Post: I've worked in Washington, D.C. for decades, so I have witnessed a fair number of political logjams, even a few government shutdowns. So I'm not quick to panic when the two parties' leaders stubbornly stake out what are seemingly irreconcilable positions. But I confess that listening to House Republicans this time around -- especially but not only the Tea Party zealots -- is making me nervous. This is not just the usual posturing and brinkmanship. I really think they perceive a different reality than the rest of us. Is that possible?
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Why You’re Able to Spot a Friend in a Crowd, Even When You Can’t See Their Face
Pacific Standard: Have you ever surprised yourself by correctly recognizing a friend in a crowd, far, far away? Even if her face isn’t at all visible, there’s something about the way she’s standing or walking that gives her away instantly. New research by psychologists at the University of Texas-Dallas helps to confirm and explain that very common phenomenon. In a study published recently in the journal Psychological Science, researchers asked participants to look at photographs of people in different settings and clothing and to match them up, determining which ones were photos of the same person.
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The Why Factor: Swearing
BBC: Why do a few, select words have such power to shock and offend? With help from swearing historian Melissa Mohr, Mike Williams traces the history of taboo language from Roman times to the present day and hears how cultural taboos have shaped offensive language down the centuries. He talks to American psychological scientist Timothy Jay of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts about why we swear and discovers that children start using profane language at a much earlier age than you might imagine. And he meets psychologist Dr Richard Stephens who persuades him to take part in two swearing experiments, one of them rather painful, with some surprising results. Read the whole story: BBC
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The Limits of Memory for Witnesses of Crime
Pacific Standard: Armed robbery. Bank hold-ups. Sleight-of-hand shoplifting. While not all of these crimes are violent, what they all have in common is the sudden, stressful position they can often put eyewitnesses and victims in—namely, the need to quickly assess a situation and react in just the right way. Does this robber really have a gun in her pocket? When the suspected shoplifter vehemently denies it, when is it time to search his bag? Our brains seek out, collect, and analyze countless cues in any given interaction, which all add up and tell us—consciously or no—who is lying, who is dangerous, and what action we should take.
