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Having a bad day? Try washing your hands
WTOP: WASHINGTON -- Washing your hands, taking a shower or even imagining cleaning up can clear away a sense of immorality, feeling unlucky or having doubts. Researchers at the University of Michigan reached this conclusion after conducting several studies showing the act of removing residue from your body corresponds to perceptions in your mind. One example of the strength of that body and mind link is how people respond to telling a lie and whether the lie is spoken or typed in an email. People voicing a lie respond better to mouthwash afterward. While people typing a lie show preference for hand sanitizer. Read the whole story: WTOP
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Evil: Is It Us or All Around Us?
Psychological scientist Philip Zimbardo reflected on his controversial Stanford Prison Experiment with Jon Stewart in a past episode of the Daily Show. In 1971, twelve students were randomly assigned to the roles of a prisoner or a guard in a mock prison in the basement of the Stanford psychology building. Within 36 hours, the students displayed characteristics of abusive guards and pathological criminals. The experiment was supposed to run for 2 weeks, but it ended after only 6 days. In this clip, Zimbardo also discusses his book The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil and explains how our environments can affect our actions.
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Psychologists Defend The Importance Of General Abilities
“What makes a great violinist, physicist, or crossword puzzle solver? Are experts born or made? The question has intrigued psychologists since psychology was born—and the rest of us, too, who may secretly fantasize playing duets with Yo Yo Ma or winning a Nobel Prize in science. It’s no wonder Malcolm Gladwell stayed atop the bestseller lists by popularizing the “10,000-hour rule” of Florida State University psychologist K. Anders Ericsson.
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The Future of Higher Education
The Center for Public Scholarship presents the 26th conference from the Social Research journal at The New School: The Future of Higher Education Thursday and Friday, December 8-9, 2011 John Tishman Auditorium, 66 West 12th Street, NYC For more information visit: www.newschool.edu/cps/future-higher-ed
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Resilience in Children
Silvia Koller’s research focuses on children who have experienced homelessness, sexual abuse, or familial violence. Koller explores the impact of these circumstances on psychological development, and uses this information to better characterize the concept of resilience. Her hope is that understanding resilience, which she defines as a process rather than an individual trait, will lead to programs and policies that help children cope with adversity and prevent future generations from experiencing such hardship. Koller uses an ecological approach, viewing children’s development in the context of their family, community, school, and society.
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Why Do Some Athletes Choke Under Pressure?
Athletes know they should just do their thing on the 18th hole, or during the penalty shootout, or when they’re taking a 3-point shot in the last moments of the game. But when that shot
