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10 Fresh Looks at Love
Smithsonian: It should probably tell us something that the most frequently asked question on Google last year was “What is love?” Clearly, most of us are clueless on the matter; otherwise we wouldn’t be turning to algorithms for an explanation. Which explains why scientific research on love continues unabated. We want answers. So, on the eve of Valentine’s Day, here are 10 recent studies or surveys trying to make sense of matters of the heart. According to a study soon to be published in the journal Psychological Science, people like to believe that their way of life–whether they’re single or in a couple–is the best choice for everyone. Read the whole story: Smithsonian
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Online dating sites: Can crunching data help you find love?
CBS: People are turning to online dating to find their next partner, but how realistic is finding love by crunching data? Eli Finkel, of Northwestern University, speaks to the "CBS This Morning" co-hosts about the online dating trend. Watch here: CBS See Eli J. Finkel at the 25th APS Annual Convention.
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Why Consumers Just Don’t Feel the Love for Valentine’s Day
TIME: Valentine’s Day is a pale, pink shadow of its former self. Once associated with throbbing red passion and romance, today it’s more likely to elicit a sense of obligation, dread or apathy. The annual Valentine’s Day spending survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) reveals that 60% of Americans — and 91% of those in relationships — plan to celebrate the holiday to the tune of $18.6 billion. The folks playing along will spend an average of $131 on gifts for spouses, significant others, friends, children, parents, classmates, teachers, pets and co-workers. Average spending is expected to be up around $4 compared with Valentine’s Day last year. Read the whole story: TIME
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In Places Red, Not Blue, a Preference for the Tried and True
The Wall Street Journal: Bringing a new product to market? You’ll have a harder time in conservative parts of the country, a new paper implies. A trio of business professors studied six years of supermarket purchases in counties covering nearly half the U.S. population and found that, when it comes to groceries, conservatives like established national brands—and are significantly less likely to try new items. Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal
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Dans la vie active et en période de crise, évitons les “pseudo-amis” (In life and in times of crisis, avoid the “pseudo-friends”)
Le Monde: L'émergence des réseaux sociaux virtuels, tels Facebook, LinkedIn, Viadeo ou Twitter, a tendance à imposer l'idée que le nombre de ses amis, contacts, "followers", est un gage de qualité personnelle. Un "sans amis" est moqué dans les cours de récré et dédaigné aux abords de la machine à café. ... Cette idée vient d'être battue en brèche. "Le nombre optimal d'amis dépend des conditions socio-économiques", relativisent deux chercheurs, Shigehiro Oishi, professeur associé au département de psychologie de l'université de Virginie (Etats-Unis), et Selin Kesebir, professeur de psychosociologie des organisations à la London Business School de Londres. Read the whole story: Le Monde
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Why Married People Are Smug and Singles So Carefree
TIME: If you’re single, you can’t seem to get away from the couple who won’t stop cooing and talking about how great it is to be in a relationship and how relieved they are to be spared from the horrors of dating. And if you’re married, you can’t stop hearing from singles about how marriage is a hellish trap and their own commitment-free life is a blissful expression of their independence. ... The study, which will be published in Psychological Science, is based on the theory of “cognitive dissonance,” a phenomenon first described in the 1950s.
