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Why Americans care more about experiences than possessions
Quartz: The signifiers of success used to be simple. Own a home (or two) and a car (or two) and voilà! You’ve achieved the American Dream. Ownership, however, is a complicated concept for an increasing number of Americans (this writer and her sister, included)—and not for all the reasons you might think. Multiple studies and datasets have shown that millennials are not buying homes and they are not buying cars. In fact, they are not buying many big ticket items at all (save for their smartphones) in the way generations of the past have.
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The Secret to Raising Smart Kids
Scientific American: A brilliant student, Jonathan sailed through grade school. He completed his assignments easily and routinely earned As. Jonathan puzzled over why some of his classmates struggled, and his parents told him he had a special gift. In the seventh grade, however, Jonathan suddenly lost interest in school, refusing to do homework or study for tests. As a consequence, his grades plummeted. His parents tried to boost their son's confidence by assuring him that he was very smart. But their attempts failed to motivate Jonathan (who is a composite drawn from several children). Schoolwork, their son maintained, was boring and pointless.
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How to Be a Better Shopper
Scientific American: The other day an e-mail from Old Navy arrived in my in-box with the subject line “Buy one, get one 50 percent off all activewear. Two days only!” I get these sales e-mails from the store almost weekly, and even though I know exactly what the marketers are doing (trying to get me to spend money I wasn't planning to spend), I usually click—and often end up purchasing—anyway. As a mortgage-owing, self-employed mom with two college funds and a retirement account to think about, I havegot to become a smarter, better shopper. You, too? Here's how consumer psychology and marketing researchers suggest we start.
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Will Retirement Pay You a ‘Happiness Bonus’?
The Wall Street Journal: Life gets better after retirement—despite the financial and physical challenges associated with that time of life.
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Boost Your Immune System with Hugs
Big Think: Hugs may have healing properties (beyond making you feel warm and fuzzy). This flu season add a hug a day to your regimen--it may help lessen your symptoms should you fall ill, according to one study. The find was published in Psychological Science and highlighted in Carnegie Mellon University's news by Shilo Rea. Researchers wanted to assess what social support and hugs had on illness. The study singled-out participants that may be more susceptible to a cold's symptoms because of their heightened level of stress in their lives. The team took 404 adult participants and assessed their perceived level of social support through a questionnaire.
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Even for the Person Who Has Everything, Gifts Matter
The New York Times: R. COURI HAY, a society figure in Manhattan, is not one to think small when it comes to holiday presents. He gave a former partner two Andy Warhol prints of Marilyn Monroe, because by that point in their relationship he had given him every other Monroe-inspired item he could think of, from kitschy items to trips to places linked to her. He once presented Cornelia Guest, a socialite and animal rights activist, with a plate of jewels. He told her she could pick whichever one she wanted but that only one of them was real. (“I knew the real one,” Ms. Guest said.
