Judging Character
How Our Brains Turn Women Into Objects
Oct/12/2011 16:16
Recent reports of a mountain lion or cougar stalking the campus of the University of Iowa prompted campus jokesters to tweet their surprise that Michelle Bachman was in town. A cougar, colloquially, is an attractive older woman who seeks out trysts with younger men, and to some, it seems that Bachmann fits the bill. This emphasis on appearance is nothing new for high-profile women, and feminist scholars are quick to point out its potential detrimental effects on perceptions of female competence. Read More...
Why We're All Moral Relativists at Heart
Sep/18/2011 09:30
Dave has an article in the Boston Globe today on how and why moral relativism is deeply embedded in the mind. Unfortunately, you have to register to gain access, but the Globe is still free online (at least for now). Read More...
Morality and the London Riots
Aug/12/2011 12:43
We have a piece in the The Times' Eureka Daily Science Blog today on why Prime Minster Cameron's assertions that the rioting reflects "criminality, pure and simple" stemming from "poor parenting" might just be a bit too simplistic. Unfortunately, we can't post it here, as it's behind the Times' pay wall. But for those of you who have access, check it out here. It makes a nice companion piece to the Times' lead story today on Natasha Reid -- a student who inexplicably, even to herself, joined the looting only to regret it later and turn herself in. Read More...
The Downside of Mirroring
Aug/02/2011 22:17
Nonconscious mimicry -- the human tendency to mirror the actions of another without awareness -- often leads to social benefits. It increases rapport, facilitates interactions, and, as our work has shown, can even lead to greater compassion and altruism. But the notion that mimicry is always a positive doesn't make sense. If it increases the "link" between two people, what happens if one of them is a boor? Read More...
East vs West in Judging Character
Jul/19/2011 10:53
The minds of most Americans are ready and willing to engage in a phenomenon psychologists term spontaneous trait inference -- the readiness to bind a single personality descriptor or action to a target in memory. Put differently, if we see someone cheat once, that label is automatically bound to our memories of that person. When we imagine his face, it's as if the label "cheater" spontaneously appears across it. New research, however, is suggesting that this phenomenon might not be as universal as first thought. Read More...
Liberals vs Conservatives: Maybe Not So Different at Heart
Jul/11/2011 08:57
This morning brings us news that the "grand bargain" in Washington appears to have collapsed. It's yet another example of the seeming disconnect between progressives and conservatives. Few psychologists have done more than my friend Jon Haidt to illuminate the psychological differences that characterize the liberal and conservative minds, respectively. But new research by Jennifer Cole Wright and Galen Baril suggests that while Jon may have the overall picture correct, one important detail may need revision: maybe we're all liberals at heart. Read More...
Malodorousness Strikes Again
Jul/07/2011 09:58
Our colleague David Pizarro at Cornell had a wonderful NYT Op-Ed awhile back explaining the science behind Carl Paladino's (former candidate for NY Governor) political mailing about the corruption in Albany that was scented to smell like garbage. David has done some of the most interesting work on disgust out there, and he (along with colleagues Yoel Inbar and Paul Bloom) has struck again -- this time showing how subtle feelings of disgust stemming from a foul smell can enhance bias against gay men. Read More...
Politics and the Paradox of Compromise
Jul/05/2011 10:52
When interests conflict, the mature compromise. In Washington, though, compromise remains a “dirty word” to many -- so much so, that as David Brooks points out today, the Republicans may be passing up the deal of a lifetime. Read More...
Does Disgust Breed Pacifism?
Jun/30/2011 09:55
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...
Myth of the Good Man
Jun/19/2011 16:52
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.
Palin and the Politics of Pride
Jun/14/2011 21:46
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
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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Seeing Character
May/31/2011 10:26
If we told you that gossip can change how you perceive people, you probably wouldn't be surprised. But what if we told you it can change how you actually see them (or whether you even see them or not)? Read More...
Talk of the Nation Recap
May/17/2011 21:28
Newt Gingrich and the Vicissitudes of Character
May/16/2011 21:03
In laying the groundwork for an expected run for the presidency, Newt Gingrich is seeking to reinvent himself, or at least part of himself. Not his mind, as almost everyone agrees that he is one of the biggest thinkers in the crowded republican field. Not his drive and managerial ability, as he is well remembered as a shrewd tactician. Not even his conservative bona fides, as his association with the 1994 Contract With America is difficult to forget. It’s that other quality that is often touted as principal factor in deciding whom to elect: character. Read More...
YouTube as Emotional Conduit
Apr/07/2011 16:20
"We are left isolated" Katsunobu Sakurai, mayor of the Japanese city of Minamisoma, said with face drawn and voice strained, as he recorded a video pleading for assistance. His city, like many in Northern Japan, was devastated by the earthquake, leaving citizens with little food and medicine and, due to radiation warnings, little option but to remain indoors. It was a dire situation with little hope for the arrival of aid anytime soon. With nothing to loose, the mayor's plea was posted on YouTube, and has since become one of the fastest spreading and viewed clips (see NYT coverage here). People from all over suddenly began sending aid and Minamisoma, though still reeling from multiple tragedies, suddenly became the beneficiary of kindness. What happened? Read More...
Hypocrisy Isn't Just for Politicians
Mar/29/2011 23:52
Joe Scarborough had an interesting piece in Politico yesterday where he suggested that many on the left were engaging in moral hypocrisy by supporting President Obama’s actions in Libya while they condemned President Bush’s in Iraq. Simply put, Scarborough asks, “ How can the left call for the ouster of Muammar Qadhafi for the sin of killing hundreds of Libyans when it opposed the war waged against Saddam Hussein? During Saddam’s two decades in Iraq, he killed more Muslims than anyone in history and used chemical weapons against his own people and neighboring states.” He’s got a point. Although people can attempt to argue nuances, it’s hard to escape the label of hypocrisy when a person condemns others for actions or beliefs she herself embraces in similar situations. Read More...
You Aren't What You Eat: Judging Character from Food
Mar/22/2011 17:48
When I (Carlo) was six, my pet rabbit, Peter, went on a “vacation in Florida” and never came back. As years passed, I eventually intuited that he was likely not living out his golden years in the sand and sun, but instead probably met the business end of a Michelin tire or got himself mixed up in the wrong patch of greens. The horrid truth of Peter’s demise, however, was not revealed to me until many years later. My beautiful furry friend had been slaughtered, butchered, sautéed and fed to me for Christmas dinner. Read More...
Your Friends Liked This Blog Post
Mar/16/2011 12:45
Conformist, tag along, copycat. In cultures that value the expression of individuality, to be labeled as such is an insult. We look down on those too weak or insecure to voice their opinions at the risk of sticking out. When a friend all of a sudden begins to like the same music as you, or dress the same way, or begin to borrow your catch phrases and jokes, it feels like a cheap and artificial strategy to ingratiate themselves to you. But what if your preferences truly shape theirs? That is, what if saying something like “You know, that Justin Bieber does have some musical talent” causes your friends to dig The Bieb even when no one else is around? Read More...
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
Mar/11/2011 13:42
In 1989 Enrico Ponzo slipped on a ski mask and attempted to murder Mafia boss Francis Salemme, aka Cadillac Frank, outside an International House of Pancakes in Saugus, Massachusetts. The Cadillac had assumed power in the late 80’s after the arrest of former boss Jerry Angiulo, but his lack of “polish” as a #1 inspired brazen attacks from those who sought the crown. With promises of endless stacks of pancakes and twenty four hour omlettes as bait, Enrico took his shot, and missed. With a contract out on his head, he eventually disappeared, only to resurface last month in the unlikeliest of places: Marsing, Idaho (you can find the full NYT coverage here) Read More...
Swan Song of The Tiger Daddy
Mar/07/2011 11:46
In the span of 3 days, Charlie Sheen went from breaking the twitter record with the help of his anti-troll followers to debuting his live-streaming “Sheen’s Korner” on the internet which saw the same people fleeing in droves. Read More...
