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Why We Lie, Go to Prison and Eat Cake: 10 Questions With Dan Ariely
Wired: A professor of behavioral economics and psychology at Duke University, Ariely is the author of Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions, and The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic, both New York Times bestsellers. Ariely’s new book, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, explores some of the surprising reasons we lie to each other, and ourselves. Raised in Israel, Ariely holds Ph.D.s in both business administration and psychology. Wired senior editor Joanna Pearlstein spoke with Ariely as part of the Live Talks Business Forums series at the City Club of Los Angeles.
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There’s A Reason Americans Pass By Homeless People In The Street Without A Second Glance
Business Insider: Some people's willingness to accept income inequality has everything to do with their perception of choice, Pacific Standard's Tom Jacobs reports.
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How to fool Houdini and avoid fooling yourself
Scientific American: Last week, Alex Stone taught Wall Street Journal readers the world round how to steal a watch. It’s probably a safe bet that fellow magicians were none too pleased. Nor are they likely to have gotten a kick out of Stone’s new book, Fooling Houdini (out today), where the watch theft maneuver is but one of the effects that the amateur magician so shamelessly reveals. Shamelessly, that is, if you’re playing by the traditional rules of magic conduct, where, as Stone puts it, “exposure is seen as a form of vandalism,” something that “deadens the mystery and tarnishes the brand, shrinking all the grandeur in magic to the scale of an intellectual puzzle.” But does it really?
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La simple pensée de prendre un verre peut aider à se relaxer (The thought of a drink can help to relax)
Slate France: Lundi soir, 18 heures, votre journée a été stressante et vous vous apprêtez à ouvrir une bouteille de vin. Arrêtez tout de suite, ce n’est pas la peine. D’après une étude, le fait de penser à du vin permettrait de se relaxer, rapporte CNBC. Les chercheurs de l’université de Wellington, de Harvard et de l’université de Plymouth ont découvert ce qu’ils appellent «un phénomène de suggestion». Pour être clair, cela signifie que la simple suggestion de quelque chose, comme un verre de vin ou un médicament, peut avoir un effet réel sur une situation donnée. Read the whole story: Slate France
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5 Ways To Spark Your Creativity
NPR: Innovation is the name of the game these days — in business, in science and technology, even in art. We all want to get those big ideas, but most of us really have no idea what sets off those sparks of insight. Science can help! In the past few years, neuroscientists and psychologists have started to gain a better understanding of the creative process. Some triggers of innovation may be surprisingly simple. Here are five things that may well increase the odds of having an "Aha!" moment. 1. Take a shower. A seemingly mindless task — showering, fishing or driving — might help spur creative thoughts, as the mind wanders from "lather-rinse-repeat" to a recent problem, and then back again.
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Anxiety Can Bring Out the Best
The Wall Street Journal: You have an important presentation tomorrow but your heart is racing and your mind is serving up a steady stream of what-ifs: What if I'm not fully prepared? What if it goes badly? You're running out of time. The last thing you need is all this anxiety. Actually, a little anxiety may be just what you need to focus your efforts and perform at your peak, psychologists say. Somewhere between checked out and freaked out lies an anxiety sweet spot, some researchers say, in which a person is motivated to succeed yet not so anxious that performance takes a dive.
