Is it worth reconnecting with old acquaintances on Facebook and Linked In?
solutely. People who reconnected with old friends on social networks got all the benefits usually associated with both weak and close relationships: The social networks literature suggests that ties must be maintained to retain value. In contrast, we show that reconnecting dormant ties – former ties, now out of touch – can be extremely useful. Our research prompted Executive MBA students to consult their dormant contacts about an important work project; outcomes compared favorably to those of their current ties. In addition, reconnecting previously strong ties led to…
1 min read
What do you have to do to be perceived as a leader?
eak first. Speak often. Psyblog brings the answers: Crucially, though, the study showed that not only did a leader's dominant behaviour of itself encourage others to see that person as competent, but this was true even though their suggestions to the group were no better, or even worse than others. In reality the leaders did not always make the best contribution to the task, but their voices were usually heard first and most often. This study suggests leaders emerge through…
1 min read
What’s the secret to improving your ability to learn?
acing out learning over a period of time (the opposite of cramming) is most effective. Review materially more frequently over a longer period of time vs more intensely in fewer sessions: The spacing effect—that is, the benefit of spacing learning events apart rather than massing them together—has been demonstrated in hundreds of experiments, but is not well known to educators or learners. I investigated the spacing effect in the realistic context of flashcard use. Learners often divide flashcards into relatively…
1 min read
Do Drinking And Smoking Make You Wealthier?
inkers make more money: A number of theorists assume that drinking has harmful economic effects, but data show that drinking and earnings are positively correlated. We hypothesize that drinking leads to higher earnings by increasing social capital. If drinkers have larger social networks, their earnings should increase. Examining the General Social Survey, we find that self-reported drinkers earn 10-14 percent more than abstainers, which replicates results from other data sets. We then attempt to differentiate between social and nonsocial drinking…
2 minutes
What’s an easy way to get others to agree to help you out?
monstrate that the two of you have something in common: Four studies examined the effect of an incidental similarity on compliance to a request. Undergraduates who believed they shared a birthday (Study 1), a first name (Study 2), or fingerprint similarities (Study 3) with a requester were more likely to comply with a request than participants who did not perceive an incidental similarity with the requester. The findings are consistent with past research demonstrating that people often rely on heuristic…
1 min read
What’s the best way to pick a gift for someone?
udies at Stanford reveal you should stop trying to be creative and just get them what they want: Findings revealed that recipients appreciated receiving items from their wish list more than unsolicited items, and perceived the requested items to be more thoughtful and considerate. But in direct contrast, the givers thought that recipients would be more impressed with unsolicited items. And: A fourth study showed that when recipients were explicit about one particular gift they would prefer to receive, gift givers were more accurate in predicting…
2 minutes
What marks the transition from novice to expert?
vices focus on positive feedback ("good job!") because hearing they're doing well helps them stay committed. Experts focus on negative feedback ("You're doing that incorrectly") because they're interested in progress. As people go from novice to expert their focus shifts: A large proportion of marketing communication concerns feedback to consumers. This article explores what feedback people seek and respond to. We predict and find a shift from positive to negative feedback as people gain expertise. We document this shift in a…
1 min read
Guys, how should you speak so women remember what you say?
en take note: If you want women to remember, speak to them in a low pitch voice." Via Eurekalert: ...according to a new study by David Smith and colleagues from the University of Aberdeen in the UK. Their work shows for the first time that a low masculine voice is important for both mate choice and the accuracy of women's memory. The research is published online in Springer's journal, Memory & Cognition. Join over 190,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via…
1 min read
