4/22
Psychology
A squirmy, slimy, crunchy new potential staple of the American diet
Psychologist Paul Rozin discusses how it’s possible to get past the ick factor of eating bugs (the key is exposure), and how the insects actually taste. It’s all part of his research focusing on the emotion of disgust as it relates to food.
Testing the reproducibility of social science research
A team co-led by Gideon Nave of the Wharton School replicated 21 high-profile social science studies and found discrepancies with the original research. Researchers betting in prediction markets, however, were quite accurate at predicting which findings would replicate and which would not.
Study finds most teens avoid rash, impulsive behavior
A new study found that the majority of teenagers avoid the kind of impulsive behavior commonly associated with “typical teenagers,” citing that imbalance models in brain development is evident in only a subset of teens.
A gentle nudge at the right moment can curb unnecessary spending online
It turns out, reminding people of their financial goals before they start online shopping can reduce unnecessary spending of this kind by almost 25 percent.
Greening vacant lots reduces depression in city dwellers
People living within a quarter mile of greened lots had a 41.5 percent decrease in feelings of depression and a nearly 63 percent decrease in self-reported “poor mental health,” compared to those who lived near the lots that received no intervention.
Why people don’t prepare for disasters
Wharton's Robert Meyer discusses the lack of disaster preparedness individuals take in response to hurricane season, and the psychology of decision-making in relation to disasters.
Brain stimulation decreases intent to commit assault
Research from Penn Medicine and the Criminology department shows that using minimally invasive electrical currents on the prefrontal cortex can reduce the desire to carry out such violence and increase the perception that it’s morally wrong.
In the brain, ‘dislike’ and ‘dehumanization’ are not the same thing
It has long been thought that characterizing people as less than human was an expression of extreme dislike. Annenberg neuroscientists now find that neurologically, these two viewpoints actually differ.
New insight into autism and reward circuitry in the brain
New research reveals people with autism spectrum disorder respond differently to social and non-social cues than typically developing individuals, and might not respond to rewards for desired behavior.
Sharing the science behind what we do, what we say, and how we learn
Through mindCORE, a two-week undergrad program through Arts and Sciences, faculty from eight departments and five schools explore the mind and the brain via disciplines like behavioral science and language acquisition.
In the News
Expect to see AI ‘weaponized to deceive voters’ in this year’s presidential election
Cristina Bicchieri of the School of Arts & Sciences says that AI-generated misinformation exacerbates already-entrenched political polarization throughout America.
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Can money buy you happiness? Yes, it can. However…
Research by Matthew Killingsworth of the Wharton School reveals there is no monetary threshold at which money's capacity to improve well-being diminishes.
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Philadelphia hospital program adds psychologists to bridge mental health services for trauma survivors
A new psychology team at the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program has provided about 46 survivors with short- and long- term therapy, featuring remarks from Elinore Kaufman and Lily Brown of the Perelman School of Medicine.
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Early humans had ADHD, scientists say after making people play game online
A collaborative study by researchers from Penn suggests that the impulsive component of ADHD may provide a competitive advantage to learn from rivals and “catch” new methods of achievement.
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Why hasn’t the new me shown up yet?
In his book “What You Can Change and What You Can’t,” Martin Seligman of the School of Arts & Sciences says that some personal qualities and habits can’t be changed without extreme difficulty.
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The real reason you’re obsessed with spicy food
Paul Rozin of the School of Arts & Sciences agrees that it’s actually the pain that keeps us coming back for more spice.
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