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How Puppy Photos Can Teach Your Brain to Love Your Partner More
TIME: Couples who looked at images of puppies, babies and pizza, interspersed with photos of their spouse for six minutes every three days reported being more happily married after six weeks. If you think this sounds preposterous and gimmicky — a whole study designed merely to go viral — you are not alone. The guy who did the research found it unlikely too. "I had similar skepticism myself, just based on my own experiences and existing theory of relationships," says James McNulty, a psychology professor at Florida State University and lead author of the paper. Read the whole story: TIME
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More Than a ‘Summer Slump’: How the Loss of Structure Affects Academics
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Jamie Hagen has been preparing for this summer for a long time. Ms. Hagen, a doctoral student finishing her dissertation in gender studies at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, works part time from home, sets strict schedules for herself, and is a tireless networker. The students and professors she came to know in classes have moved on or away, and working hours every day on the project that could decide her career, she said, is isolating. ...
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Taking Photos of Experiences Boosts Visual Memory, Impairs Auditory Memory
Choosing to take photos may focus our attention, helping us remember the visual details of our experiences but impairing memory for the auditory details.
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More than 50 years on, the murder of Kitty Genovese is still throwing up fresh psychological revelations
The British Psychological Society: The horrific killing of Catherine “Kitty” Genovese in New York in 1964 inspired research into what’s known in social psychology as the Bystander Phenomenon – our increased disinclination to intervene when in the company of others. That’s because early reports told how 38 witnesses to Genovese’s murder did nothing to help. But in fact it’s now clear that several people did intervene. So the tragedy that inspired research into the Bystander Phenomenon is actually a bad example of that real phenomenon. But it’s not time yet to leave the sad story alone.
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NC State researchers use simulator to make roads safer
CBS: Distracted driving is a major problem in the nation, ranging from what’s on the radio to making calls and texting while behind the wheel. And experts say it is only going to get worse. Research going on at N.C. State University could be key to keeping you and your family safe from distracted driving. The University announced it is the first in the country to test a unique car simulator that features future technology distraction, something seen in only a handful of labs worldwide. The system gives a realistic feeling for how quickly a driver could get distracted through various prompts. Read the whole story: CBS
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Why It’s So Hard to Admit You’re Wrong
The New York Times: Despite your best intentions and efforts, it is inevitable: At some point in your life, you will be wrong. Mistakes can be hard to digest, so sometimes we double down rather than face them. Our confirmation bias kicks in, causing us to seek out evidence to prove what we already believe. The car you cut off has a small dent in its bumper, which obviously means that it is the other driver’s fault. ... Another study, from the Stanford researchers Carol Dweck and Karina Schumann, found that subjects were more likely to take responsibility for their mistakes when they believed they had the power to change their behavior.
