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Bonobos Can Tell When a Human Doesn’t Know Something
A few captive bonobos recently faced a seemingly simple task: locate a tasty snack hidden under one of three cups. Because bonobos are brainiacs, pinpointing the cup with the treat should have been no sweat. ... According to Michael Tomasello, a comparative psychologist at Duke University, who was not involved in the new study, chimpanzees are also able to discern ignorance and modify their communication as a result. A 2012 paper found that wild chimpanzees produced vocalizations to warn group mates who appeared to be unaware of a nearby snake. Similar capabilities have even been observed in human infants.
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Can Hopeful Skepticism Replace Harmful Cynicism?
No one wants to be a sucker. But do most of us go too far in our efforts to avoid naivety? In other words, are we all a little overly cynical? My guest today is Jamil Zaki, a professor of psychology at Stanford University. He’s also the author of a new book called Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. He’s here today to tell us what the research says about cynicism—and how we can harness the power of hope to live better, happier lives.
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So You Reached Your Goal. Now What?
... Goal setting is part of how we demarcate time, said Dr. Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “How to Change.” ... It’s normal to feel a bit lost after reaching a goal, especially one you’ve been working toward for a long time, said Dr. Emily Balcetis, an associate professor of psychology at New York University. ... It’s also important to ask yourself what drove you to set a particular goal, said Dr. Elliot Berkman, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon. If your ambitions are rooted in your values, there’s a greater chance you’ll stay motivated, he added.
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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.
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‘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".
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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.
