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Why Humans Are Bad at Multitasking
LiveScience: It may not be uncommon to see someone typing out an email on their phone as they walk down the street, listen to music as they read the newspaper on the subway, or stare at a computer screen with multiple windows and tabs open. But despite constantly juggling different activities, humans are not very good at multitasking, experts say. Dividing attention across multiple activities is taxing on the brain, and can often come at the expense of real productivity, said Arthur Markman, a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
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AAA Study Says Hands-Free Texting Is Still Distracting for Drivers
TIME: Using voice commands to send text messages and emails from behind the wheel, which is marketed as a safer alternative for drivers, actually is more distracting and dangerous than simply talking on a cellphone, a new AAA study found. Automakers have been trying to excite new-car buyers, especially younger ones, with dashboard infotainment systems that let drivers use voice commands do things like turning on windshield wipers, posting Facebook messages or ordering pizza. The pitch has been that hands-free devices are safer because they enable drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.
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Le donne hanno una migliore memoria fotografica (Women may have better memory for faces)
La Stampa: Le donne godrebbero di una naturale migliore memoria fotografica rispetto agli uomini. Non si tratterebbe di pigrizia mentale o scarsa attenzione da parte dei maschi, ma di una capacità innata, e spesso inconsapevole, tipica delle femmine di studiare le caratteristiche di un volto nuovo. A decretare che sul fronte memoria fotografica vincono le donne è un nuovo studio della McMaster University di Hamilton, in Canada, e pubblicato su Psychological Science.
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Why Dads Get Short Shrift on Father’s Day — and Dads Are O.K. With It
TIME: When it comes to their respective days of honor, why do dads get funny ties and moms get diamond-heart necklaces? Why do we spend 40% more on Mother’s Day than Father’s Day? Some seemingly ungrateful children (and a few dads) offer explanations. Every year since the National Retail Federation has been keep track, the amount consumers spend on Father’s Day gifts has been significantly less than the average spent on Mother’s Day. This year, average Father’s Day spending is expected to be around $120, compared with $169 for moms. To get to the bottom of this apparent inequity, I interviewed scores of dads and kids about Father’s Day.
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The Third Metric for Success
The Huffington Post: I just returned from NYC from an invitation only conference on the third metric for success: beyond money and power, hosted by Arianna Huffington. I'm not one for mindless flattery, so it is with great sincerity that I say that Arianna is a force to be reckoned with. She's extremely bright and incredibly effective so perhaps it's no surprise that the event was so successful. For me, however, the event cut both ways. It's been forever since I attended a conference without being a speaker. This was even more unusual since the event was really a conference on the importance of being mindful. Not being acknowledged by speaker after speaker was a blow to my ego.
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A Smart Answer to the Season of ‘I’m Bored’
The Wall Street Journal: When it comes to summer vacation, Victoria Lau works hard to keep her 6-year-old's days interesting and full. The South San Francisco, Calif., stay-at-home mom sets a weekly activity plan, which includes regular swimming and karate lessons and everything from exploring the local library to crafting origami butterflies and mucking around with Play-Doh. Still, she says, Carter has already voiced the dreaded summer lament. "My son does get bored," she says.
