Can “double-checking” things be a bad idea?
peated checking can cause you to lose confidence in your memory and even reduce its accuracy under certain circumstances: A paradox of memory research is that repeated checking results in a decrease in memory certainty, memory vividness and confidence [van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2003a). Phenomenological validity of an OCD-memory model and the remember/know distinction. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 369–378; van den Hout, M. A., & Kindt, M. (2003b). Repeated checking causes memory distrust. Behaviour Research…
2 minutes
How can you easily resist temptation and increase willpower?
rm "if-then" plans. Decide ahead of time how you will respond when willpower is taxed and you'll be much more likely to default to that. Without a clear plan in your head you're more likely to succumb. Via BPS Research Digest: When your willpower levels have been drained by an earlier test, that’s when you’re most vulnerable to temptation. One way to protect yourself is to form so-called ‘if-then’ plans. And: Those who followed the vague plan ‘I will find…
1 min read
Is it true that “what does not kill you makes your stronger”?
a degree, yes. Tough experiences do seem to make you tougher. People who had faced a moderate amount of adversity often coped better with problems than those who had a history of either serious problems or none at all: Via APS: Your parents were right: Hard experiences may indeed make you tough. Psychological scientists have found that, while going through many experiences like assault, hurricanes, and bereavement can be psychologically damaging, small amounts of trauma may help people develop…
2 minutes
What makes a woman more or less likely to commit infidelity?
mber of lifetime sexual partners predicted an increased risk of cheating, years of education reduced the chance. The Social Pathologist pulls from the study "Sexual infidelity in a national survey of American women: Differences in prevalence and correlates as a function of method of assessment": Each additional sexual partner increased the odds of infidelity by 7% while increasing years of education seem to decrease the risk by 10%. Join 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here. Related posts: Does…
1 min read
Should you shop when you’re happy or when you’re sad?
ppy. Consumers make quicker and more consistent judments when they're feeling good. Via Science Daily Consumers who are in a positive mood make quicker and more consistent judgments than unhappy people, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. And: Not only did people in the positive condition respond more quickly to adjectives, but they also responded more consistently. For example if they responded that they liked an object, they were less likely to respond later that…
1 min read
Would you notice an invisible gorilla?
sterday I had coffee with the very interesting Dan Simons, author of The Invisible Gorilla: How Our Intuitions Deceive Us. If you're not familar with his work on attention, check out the two videos below. Pretty fascinating: And: Join 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here. Related posts: Is there a way to increase your attention span? What's the best way to study? How can you improve learning while you sleep?
1 min read
Is thinking that “time is money” a good way to make yourself miserable?
inking about time in terms of money reduces happiness during leisure: In this paper, we investigate how the impatience that results from placing a price on time impairs individuals’ ability to derive happiness from pleasurable experiences. Experiment 1 demonstrated that thinking about one's income as an hourly wage reduced the happiness that participants derived from leisure time on the internet. Experiment 2 revealed that a similar manipulation decreased participants’ state of happiness after listening to a pleasant song and that…
1 min read
What’s a fun way to increase alertness and performance on the job?
bsp; Take a nap: Managing fatigue in complex operational settings requires attention to multiple factors, including hours of service, scheduling, education and training, counter-measures, technology, and research. Alertness-management strategies can be used to promote safety, performance, and productivity in operational settings. These strategies can involve both preventive (used prior to duty/shift) and operational (used during duty/shift) approaches. Studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of naps to improve subsequent performance and alertness. Strategic naps can be used effectively to promote performance and…
1 min read
