-
To Build a Habit, Try a Streak
Streaks work for two reasons: what behavioral economists call loss aversion and potential gain, said Dr. Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania. Let’s start with gains: A streak can be profoundly motivating for people, Dr. Milkman said, “because there’s something bright and shiny that they can reach for. There’s a prize, in a sense, that’s making you more motivated to get a thing done.” ... To turn a streak into a habit, you should make it easy to repeat the behavior, said Dr.
-
‘I Spent 30 Years Searching For Secret to Happiness – The Answer Isn’t What I Thought’
... Professor Bruce Hood, of the University of Bristol, speaks of the human tendency "to blow things out of proportion…[focusing] on our own failings or inadequacies". He runs ten-week courses at Bristol on the science of happiness and talks about the need to find balance because, as he puts it, "our minds are biased to interpret things very negatively".
-
Resilience in Black Americans Spans Multiple Levels of Support
A new study shows that supports at the individual, relational, and community levels work together to foster resilience, expanding notions of mental health interventions.
-
Powerful Myths: Common Misconceptions About Statistical Power
Lukas Lengersdorff and Claus Lamm discuss three misconceptions that stand in the way of an informed discussion.
-
Seven How-To Guides to Support Research Practices
Take a look at these guides from APS journals to strengthen research practices and methods.
-
The Easiest Way to Feel More Organized
... It’s tempting, of course, to turn this type of manageable task into an existential undertaking. “Instead of thinking, I’m going to spend an hour this week on paperwork, it becomes, I’m going to be an organized person,” said Stephanie Preston, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. She emphasized that for some people, “rage cleaning” every room over a long weekend works. Certain personalities are wired for that kind of stimulation, in the same way that some people like the cold-turkey challenge of Dry January to jump-start healthier drinking habits. ...
