For a while it was all the rage to adopt Wonder Woman’s famous stance and other body positions that allegedly pumped up your confidence – until more studies of the phenomenon failed to find the connection.
Zero-sum competitive environments that set up winners and losers may be less appealing to women.
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A focus on raw intellectual talent may unintentionally create a cutthroat workplace culture. New research suggests women’s preference to avoid that environment may contribute to gender gaps in some fields.
Kids figure out who’s trustworthy as they learn about the world.
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People often try to seem confident and certain in their message so it will be trusted and acted upon. But when information is in flux, research suggests you should be open about what you don’t know.
A mini break with a humorous meme can take the momentary edge off during a stressful time.
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Have you ever bought an item and then just not gotten around to using it because the time never felt right? New studies suggest an explanation for what researchers call nonconsumption.
Even young children are very aware of whether they’re getting their fair share.
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Cognitive neuroscientists use brain imaging and behavioral economic games to investigate people’s sense of fairness. They find it’s common to take care of yourself before looking out for others.
Consider some science-backed ways to keep the home fires burning in 2022.
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Unfairness alone is upsetting enough to drive people to punish lucky recipients of unfair outcomes.
They’re not just honest or ignorant mistakes, and they can poison an otherwise pleasant interaction.
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White people are often defensive when they’re called out for these subtle snubs and insults. But researchers have found that microaggressions correlate with racial bias.
Certain characteristics mean moral rebels are willing to not go with the flow.
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Psychologists have identified the characteristics of ‘moral rebels’ who make the tough choice to stand up for their principles in the face of negative consequences.
Most people felt they were doing OK – with lots of TV and news updates.
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Online pornography is one business that’s booming during the coronavirus pandemic. A psychology researcher explains its pull and whether there are likely to be longer-term effects of this surge in use.
Take a note from older couples who know how to do it right.
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Cooped up with a partner and nowhere to go to break it up? Coronavirus social distancing… or another day in retirement? Research on older couples holds tips for everyone else on how to deal.
Have some healthy skepticism when you encounter images online.
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Images without context or presented with text that misrepresents what they show can be a powerful tool of misinformation, especially since photos make statements seem more believable.
There’s a little work involved in happily ever after.
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After the intensity of early courtship, even a healthy, happy relationship can feel lackluster. Psychology researchers have ideas for what can help you perk up your relationship rather than give up.
Two people, one profile pic.
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Social psychologists investigated why Facebook users post profile pics of themselves with a romantic partner and how those online displays are interpreted by others.
Imitation is the sincerest form of being human?
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A quirk of psychology that affects the way people learn from others may have helped unlock the complicated technologies and rituals that human culture hinges on.
Kids have no problem remembering who plays fair.
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Do children understand the lesson that if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours? Developmental psychologists suggest they’re more likely to punish bad behavior than they are to reward good deeds.
Michelle Obama charted her own course, prioritizing what she values.
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A psychologist unexpectedly realized that Obama’s memoir ‘Becoming’ mirrors the life stages she’s identified in a group of women she’s been tracking since 1970.