Why don’t we just dump medical and nuclear waste into active volcanoes?:
e answer: Because the hazardous parts would come right back out. We do incinerate more than 90 percent of the medical waste in the United States, both to reduce its total volume and to kill off infectious agents. But burning up blood-soaked bandages, discarded needles, and stray organs like tonsils and appendices creates many dangerous byproducts, including dioxins and carbon monoxide, as well as fly ash laced with heavy metals. While an onsite incinerator at a hospital would be equipped…
2 minutes
How important is physical attractiveness to a happy marriage?:
ysical appearance plays a crucial role in shaping new relationships, but does it continue to affect established relationships, such as marriage? In the current study, the authors examined how observer ratings of each spouse's facial attractiveness and the difference between those ratings were associated with (a) observations of social support behavior and (b) reports of marital satisfaction. In contrast to the robust and almost universally positive effects of levels of attractiveness on new relationships, the only association between levels of…
1 min read
Why do the elderly choose riskier investments?:
der Americans forced to postpone retirement because of stock market losses often continue to make risky investments. These decisions may hurt not only the individuals who make them but the economy as a whole. Yet little research has tried to understand how the aging brain processes these critical investment decisions. A new study by Camelia M. Kuhnen (Assistant Professor of Finance at the Kellogg School of Management) and colleagues Gregory R. Samanez-Larkin (doctoral student at Stanford University), Daniel J. Yoo…
2 minutes
Should you kiss ass if you’re not good at it?:
this study, the authors investigated the effect of an individual's political skill on the relationships between 5 different impression management tactics (intimidation, exemplification, ingratiation, selfpromotion, and supplication) and supervisor evaluations of performance. To test these relationships, the authors used a matched sample of 173 supervisor-subordinate dyads who worked full time in a state agency. Findings showed that individuals who used high levels of any of the tactics and who were politically skilled achieved more desirable supervisor ratings than did…
1 min read
How important are the first five minutes of a negotiation?:
this research the authors examined whether conversational dynamics occurring within the first 5 minutes of a negotiation can predict negotiated outcomes. In a simulated employment negotiation, microcoding conducted by a computer showed that activity level, conversational engagement, prosodic emphasis, and vocal mirroring predicted 30% of the variance in individual outcomes. The conversational dynamics associated with success among high-status parties were different from those associated with success among low-status parties. Results are interpreted in light of theory and research exploring…
1 min read
Why do pitchers hit batters in baseball?:
is study tested the possibility that hit-by-pitch events in Major League Baseball could be explained by theories of aggression. Consistent with the general aggression model, personal and situational characteristics interacted to predict these events. Pitchers were more likely to hit batters in situations that allowed them to restore justice and protect valued social identities. Higher order interactions revealed that the likelihood of being hit by a pitch in these situations depended on the background of the pitcher and the race…
1 min read
How many people are on drugs while at work?
ross the board: 3.1% or 3.9 million workers -- but it's not evenly distributed. In some segments of the workforce it's 28%: This U.S. national study explored the overall prevalence, frequency, and distribution of illicit drug use in the workforce and in the workplace during the preceding 12 months. Illicit drug use in the workforce involved an estimated 14.1% of employed adults (17.7 million workers). Illicit drug use in the workplace involved an estimated 3.1% of employed adults (3.9 million…
2 minutes
Can making a lot of decisions leave you tired and burned out?
e current research tested the hypothesis that making many choices impairs subsequent self-control. Drawing from a limited-resource model of self-regulation and executive function, the authors hypothesized that decision making depletes the same resource used for self-control and active responding. In 4 laboratory studies, some participants made choices among consumer goods or college course options, whereas others thought about the same options without making choices. Making choices led to reduced self-control (i.e., less physical stamina, reduced persistence in the face of…
1 min read
