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Giving Brings Its Own Rewards
As children, we are often told by our parents that it is better to give than to receive; that we will get more enjoyment, fulfillment, and happiness from giving to others than from taking for ourselves. It turns out our parents were on the right track. In a recent article published in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, Elizabeth W. Dunn (University of British Columbia), Lara B. Aknin (Simon Fraser University), and Michael I. Norton (Harvard Business School) reviewed research suggesting that when it comes to money, spending it on others really pays off.
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Yes, Mom and Dad, I Lied Sometimes—But That’s All Your Fault
Pacific Standard: Like most other kids, I was afraid of lying to my parents. As a result, I lied to them often. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that my parents embedded a sense of right and wrong in me. Included in that framework was an understanding of how important it is to always tell the truth. But that wasn’t just because telling the truth is the objectively right thing to do. It’s also because not telling the truth is wrong—and there would be consequences for it. But according to a new study by McGill researchers, punishment is actually an ineffective way to deal with lying kids. It might just make them lie more.
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How to Break Your Bad Work Habits
The Wall Street Journal: Two years after becoming vice president of innovation at VF Corp. , an apparel company based in Greensboro, N.C., Soon Yu was approached by one of his bosses, who quietly suggested that he do a 360-degree evaluation. Some of his co-workers were unhappy with his management style. The extensive review included Mr. Yu’s employees and bosses as well as a self-assessment. “It was a really painful process,” says Mr. Yu, who was told that he could be overly critical and unilateral in his decision-making. “But all of these reviews gave me a better understanding of what was driving my bad behaviors.” After some self-reflection, Mr.
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THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTANCE AND COMMUNICATION
Fast Company: Lots of ink has been spilled about how to motivate your employees—from financial incentives to recognition among peers. But new research suggests it’s not just the message that motivates, but the source that matters. It’s called construal level theory—or the study of how people react to psychological distances. According to Nir Halevy, assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University, it factors into helping motivate employees at work. Laura W. Geller, senior editor of strategy + business, a management publication from PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers), recently interviewed professor Halevy about his research and it’s impact in the workplace.
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Technology is ruining our memory. Here’s why that doesn’t matter.
The Washington Post: Two people walk into a seminar: one takes photos, video and an audio recording of the presentation, while the other takes hand-written notes. Which person do you think will better recall the information? The former can use their digital notes to create something new that builds on the topic, the latter – not so easy. Yet we still keep reading reports, such as one recently in New Scientist, which suggest that writing notes on paper gives a person a definite advantage in terms of remembering content. That report was based in part on an article in Psychological Science on the advantages written notes have over those typed on laptops.
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Being Able to Personalize Your Workspace May Have Psychological Benefits
Several studies have found that open office layouts can negatively impact employee performance. Environmental noise and interruptions can become distracting, impairing workers’ productivity. Employees in open offices have also been found to have higher levels of stress, lower levels of concentration and motivation, and they even seem to take more sick leave. In another strike against open offices, a recent study finds that employees who lack privacy may suffer from higher levels of emotional exhaustion compared to those who have an office with four opaque walls and a door. Psychological scientists Gregory A. Laurence, Yitzhak Fried, and Linda H.
