Which US cities are most creative?
bsp; Via The Atlantic: San Francisco has the nation’s largest concentration of open-to-experience people, followed by Los Angeles, Austin, New York, and San Diego. San Antonio, Nashville, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver round out the top 10. And the least creative: At the opposite end of the spectrum, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, and Pittsburgh have the nation’s smallest concentrations of open-to-experience people. Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, and Cincinnati round out the top ten. Why? Rentfrow’s research also suggests…
1 min read
Sometimes is it good to give up control?
in 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here. Related posts: How much of happiness is under our control? How can we make the most of it? What's the most effective way to change your behavior and improve your life? How can you maintain self-control during emotional highs and lows?
1 min read
Is underindulgence the key to happiness?
bsp; Taking in less of the things you love makes you enjoy them more. Via NYT: In a recent study conducted by our student Jordi Quoidbach, chocolate lovers ate a piece of this confection — and then pledged to abstain from chocolate for one week. Another group pledged to eat as much chocolate as they comfortably could and were even given a mammoth two-pound bag of chocolate to help them meet this “goal.” If you love chocolate, you might think…
2 minutes
Is there a way to strategically optimize first impressions?
bsp; First impressions matter even more than you think. They're the most important part of any job interview. And once they're set, they are very hard to resist. Most advice on the subject is defensive, just telling us how to not offend. How can we strategically make a good impression? From the outset, frame the conversation with a few well-rehearsed sentences regarding how you want to be perceived. This will end up being the structure the other person forms their…
2 minutes
Can your genetics determine whether you get shot, assaulted or raped?
bsp; "...exposure to assaultive trauma, such as being the victim of a mugging, or sexual assault, had a heritability of 20 percent... Genes that contribute to risk-taking, seeking out new experiences, and even antisocial traits may increase the chance that you’ll find yourself in situations where trouble happens." Via The Other Side of Normal: How Biology Is Providing the Clues to Unlock the Secrets of Normal and Abnormal Behavior: For some of us, our genes may contribute to anxiety problems…
1 min read
Should you always wish people luck but never congratulate them?
bsp; Wishing people luck actually makes them perform better: Activating a positive superstitious belief can boost people's confidence, which in turn improves performance: In an experiment, a dexterity task that normally took more than 5 minutes was accomplished in just 191.5 seconds, on average, if participants were wished good luck before they started it... Commenting on people's success can make them more likely to quit. Via The 7 Laws of Magical Thinking: How Irrational Beliefs Keep Us Happy, Healthy, and Sane: A predictable…
2 minutes
What’s the best way to respond to fear?
bsp; Via The Courage Quotient: How Science Can Make You Braver: Join 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here. Related posts: Can you learn to be courageous? Would you be attracted to someone trying to kill you? Are you dangerously overconfident?
1 min read
When is perfectionism healthy? When is it unhealthy?
bsp; Largely, it's the difference between goals that are internal or external. If you're trying to live up to internal values of excellence, it's healthy. If you're seeking approval, it's probably unhealthy. Via Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries: Depending on the form it takes, perfectionism is not necessarily a block to creativity. A growing body of research in psychology has revealed that there are two forms of perfectionism: healthy or unhealthy. Characteristics of what psychologists view…
1 min read
