Psychology news

• The internet can harm your productivity by making you sad – here's what to do

  27-08-2016 16:08
  
  Following a few simple tips should protect you from the subtly depressing influence of social media, keeping you both happy and productiveIn September, the first positivity officers of the United Arab Emirates’s Ministry for Happiness will begin their training in happiness science, a program designed for them by the University of California, Berkeley, and Oxford University. The UAE established its Happiness Ministry in February. In July, the government of Madhya Pradesh state in India foll
  
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• Technology is killing the myth of human centrality – let's embrace our demotion

  27-08-2016 16:00
  
  The stories we tell around technology shape our understanding and the future of technology itself but as we grow up as a species we must rethink our positionOne of my favorite technological myths is, like all the best stories, both ancient and urgent. It’s about usurpation and seduction. In Greek mythology, the sculptor Pygmalion falls in love with his own supremely beautiful creation, Galatea. In Ovid’s telling, there’s a happy ending. The goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, takes p
  
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• Ditch the Plan B? Go ahead, so long as you're rich | Arwa Mahdawi

  27-08-2016 14:00
  
  A recent study says that if you really want to achieve your dreams, don’t worry about a safety net. Fine advice for those for whom failure wouldn’t spell disasterTo Plan B or not to Plan B, that is the question. Science finally has the answer and, apparently, it’s “No, absolutely not”. If you want to be successful then you should ditch your backup plan says a recent study. Simply considering a Plan B acts as an “emotional safety net” that decreases your
  
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• Virtual Peer Pressure May Work Just As Well As the Real Thing

  27-08-2016 09:35 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyPeer pressure is a proven social motivator. Researchers probed this decidedly human attribute and found that not only is virtual pressure from a computer-simulated peer just as motivating as the real thing, but that 'fake' competition is effective as well. Researchers formulated a mathematical model of human behavior that successfully predicted group responses across conditions -- one they hope researchers will use to overcome the difficult task...
  
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• Graying But Grinning: Despite Physical Ailments, Older Adults Happier

  27-08-2016 09:35 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  Source: ScienceDailyWhile even the best wines eventually peak and turn to vinegar, a new study suggests a paradoxical trend in the mental health of aging adults: they seem to consistently get better over time.
  
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• After Reader Outrage, Stanford Pulls "Female Bodies and Alcohol" Page

  27-08-2016 09:35 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: USA Today - U.S. NewsStanford University wiped a webpage titled Female Bodies and Alcohol Wednesday after readers expressed outrage. The webpage, which can be seen as an archived version on the Wayback Machine, went into detail about why women get drunk faster than men, how women behave under the influence of alcohol and “women and alcohol emergencies.”
  
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• Burkina Faso Bans Big Buttocks Beauty Contest, Citing Sexism

  27-08-2016 09:34 via feeds.socialpsychology.org
  
  Source: Yahoo News - HealthThe government of Burkina Faso has banned an annual beauty contest for women with the biggest buttocks, saying such events are sexist. Adverts for this weekend's third edition of 'Miss Bim-Bim', carrying an image of two fully clothed women with exaggeratedly large behinds, provoked an outcry on social media. "Our role is to do everything to avoid damaging the image of women," said Minister Laure Zongo in a statement, adding that social media...
  
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