Does Disgust Breed Pacifism?
Jun/30/2011 09:55 Filed in: Morality | Judging Character
Anger is intimately linked with aggression. Much research has shown that people who chronically experience anger also tend to be more likely to lash out at others in hostile ways. No surprise there. But what about disgust? Recent work has suggested that the image of the school-yard pacifist with nose in the air looking down on the two kids pummeling each other while saying, "You disgust me" may have some scientific import, but in the opposite direction than most people think. Read More...
A Culture of Bribery?
Jun/24/2011 11:12 Filed in: Morality
There is a fairly universal view that bribery is an immoral practice, yet as the World Bank notes, more than $1 trillion (or 3% of the world GDP) is paid annually in bribes. Fascinating new research by Nina Mazar and Pankaj Aggarwal at the Rotman Business School in Toronto suggests, however, that the contributions to this figure may differ immensely across cultures. Everyone hates it, but citizens of some cultures might just hate it a little less . . . Read More...
Accurately Assessing Sexual Orientation: Why Timing Matters
Jun/21/2011 10:13 Filed in: relationships | romance
We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about how people judge the personal qualities of others. Nicholas Rule and colleagues have an intriguing new finding out today that examines a somewhat related question: What determines how accurate people are in assessing the sexual orientation of others? Turns out, for women at least, the timing of the judgment plays a big factor. Read More...
Myth of the Good Man
Maureen Callahan covers politicians and the new science of character with an eye toward OOC in the NY Post Opinion pages. You can find the article here.
Cold Shoulder or Ice Pack? Either Way It's a Lonely Day
Jun/17/2011 10:12 Filed in: Happiness | relationships
Why is it that people often say they are "getting the cold shoulder" when they feel lonely from someone ignoring them? The answer may come from more than linguistics. Read More...
Palin and the Politics of Pride
Love her or hate her – and those appear to be the only two options – there are few politicians who seem to evoke the same intensity of emotion as Sarah Palin. The question, though, is why? Read More...
Early Abstinence May Not Predict Future Behavior
Jun/13/2011 11:09 Filed in: Judging Character
Many have long thought that delaying adolescent sexual initiation (i.e. the “first time”, or ASI) will reduce risky adult sexual behavior. After all, the stereotype is that the kind of person who would engage in early sexual activity is the same type of person who will end up in seedy motels with their co-workers years later. But maybe not.
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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Days of protestations and puns aside, it seems it was Mr. Weiner all along. What was he thinking? It's anybody's guess. But why he fell prey to twittering his anatomy is a classic example of the short- vs. long-term tradeoffs that occupy our minds. Read More...
Consumer Envy
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. Simply put: envy = bad. Fair enough, but then why is it so rampant? Read More...
