1) The document discusses how environmental cues like the color of plates food is served on can influence people's perceptions of the food's taste, with salty popcorn tasting sweeter from a blue or red bowl compared to a white bowl.
2) It describes a study showing that completing a physical act of closure, like closing a menu, can increase satisfaction with choices even when the options were undesirable.
3) A field experiment found that giving people a tangible coin with weekly savings goals scratched off was more effective at encouraging savings than financial incentives or reminder text messages alone.
A review of the behavioral economics concept of the paradox of choice where some choice is good, but too much choice creates paralysis and dissatisfaction
If money doesn't make you happy, then you probably aren't spending it rightbarrettso
The relationship between money and happiness is surprisingly weak, which may stem in part from the way people spend it. Drawing on empirical research, we propose eight principles designed to help consumers get more happiness for their money. Specifically, we suggest that consumers should buy more experiences and fewer material goods; use their money to benefit others rather than themselves; buy many small pleasures rather than fewer large ones; eschew extended warranties and other forms of overpriced insurance; delay consumption; consider how peripheral features of their purchases may affect their day-to-day lives; beware of comparison shopping; and pay close attention to the happiness of others.
A summary of research dealing with two concepts from prospect theory: loss aversion and the endowment effect by Dr. Russell James III, University of Georgia
Complete a scientific inquiry research using three credible sources..pdfforwardcom41
Complete a scientific inquiry research using three credible sources. Start by summarizing the
similarities and differences between social inquiry and the everyday assumptions that people
make. In addition, analyze the way claims are made, based on these two different approaches.
Provide at least one example for each.
Solution
Scientific inquiry
Source :Husband and Wife Differences in Response to Undesirable Life Events
In our society today we have so many dynamics to a “family.” Many things factor into these rolls
and they are not things that were seen 10 or even 5 years ago! We have woman’s rights, equality,
Stay at home fathers, gay rights, and single parent homes. The divorce rate is higher than ever
and what was normal for a family last year is not the same today by any means. After reading the
study you realize that the author is testing about how certain stressors in a person’s life can affect
them in different ways depending on what sex they are. The author states that men and woman
deal with things on a different level and each process things in a different manor. Whereas,
something that may affect a man, will not have as much bearing on a woman and vies versa.
Woman tested were more prone to psychological problems like depression and anxiety. Men
tested were more likely to demonstrate other symptoms of distress such as alcohol or drug use.
They believed that men would become more hostile about situations and woman would be
anxious about the same situation
In the present study of 451 married couples living in the rural midwest, gender differences were
examined in reports of exposure and vulnerability to specific types of undesirable life events.
Consistent with expectations derived from either a social structural or identity perspective, the
results demonstrated that men are more likely than women to report exposure to and to be
distressed by work and financial events. Women, on the other hand, are more strongly influenced
by exposure to negative events within the family but not within their network of friends.
Outcomes vary according to the type of emotional distress. Financial stress, for example,
increases hostility among men more than among women, but wives are more likely than
husbands to report somatic complaints in response to the same stressor. The findings demonstrate
the need for future research that more directly investigates the intraindividual and social
mechanisms which account for gender differences in a broad range of emotional and behavioral
responses to varying types of significant life changes.
Inquiry is a natural human activity; that is, people seek a general understanding about the world
around them. We recognize that present circumstances affect future circumstances. We learn that
getting an education will determine the amount of money we earn later in life. The key to inquiry
is observation. We can never understand the way things work without first having something to
understand. Understanding through experienc.
A review of the behavioral economics concept of the paradox of choice where some choice is good, but too much choice creates paralysis and dissatisfaction
If money doesn't make you happy, then you probably aren't spending it rightbarrettso
The relationship between money and happiness is surprisingly weak, which may stem in part from the way people spend it. Drawing on empirical research, we propose eight principles designed to help consumers get more happiness for their money. Specifically, we suggest that consumers should buy more experiences and fewer material goods; use their money to benefit others rather than themselves; buy many small pleasures rather than fewer large ones; eschew extended warranties and other forms of overpriced insurance; delay consumption; consider how peripheral features of their purchases may affect their day-to-day lives; beware of comparison shopping; and pay close attention to the happiness of others.
A summary of research dealing with two concepts from prospect theory: loss aversion and the endowment effect by Dr. Russell James III, University of Georgia
Complete a scientific inquiry research using three credible sources..pdfforwardcom41
Complete a scientific inquiry research using three credible sources. Start by summarizing the
similarities and differences between social inquiry and the everyday assumptions that people
make. In addition, analyze the way claims are made, based on these two different approaches.
Provide at least one example for each.
Solution
Scientific inquiry
Source :Husband and Wife Differences in Response to Undesirable Life Events
In our society today we have so many dynamics to a “family.” Many things factor into these rolls
and they are not things that were seen 10 or even 5 years ago! We have woman’s rights, equality,
Stay at home fathers, gay rights, and single parent homes. The divorce rate is higher than ever
and what was normal for a family last year is not the same today by any means. After reading the
study you realize that the author is testing about how certain stressors in a person’s life can affect
them in different ways depending on what sex they are. The author states that men and woman
deal with things on a different level and each process things in a different manor. Whereas,
something that may affect a man, will not have as much bearing on a woman and vies versa.
Woman tested were more prone to psychological problems like depression and anxiety. Men
tested were more likely to demonstrate other symptoms of distress such as alcohol or drug use.
They believed that men would become more hostile about situations and woman would be
anxious about the same situation
In the present study of 451 married couples living in the rural midwest, gender differences were
examined in reports of exposure and vulnerability to specific types of undesirable life events.
Consistent with expectations derived from either a social structural or identity perspective, the
results demonstrated that men are more likely than women to report exposure to and to be
distressed by work and financial events. Women, on the other hand, are more strongly influenced
by exposure to negative events within the family but not within their network of friends.
Outcomes vary according to the type of emotional distress. Financial stress, for example,
increases hostility among men more than among women, but wives are more likely than
husbands to report somatic complaints in response to the same stressor. The findings demonstrate
the need for future research that more directly investigates the intraindividual and social
mechanisms which account for gender differences in a broad range of emotional and behavioral
responses to varying types of significant life changes.
Inquiry is a natural human activity; that is, people seek a general understanding about the world
around them. We recognize that present circumstances affect future circumstances. We learn that
getting an education will determine the amount of money we earn later in life. The key to inquiry
is observation. We can never understand the way things work without first having something to
understand. Understanding through experienc.
Critical Essay Swot Analysis Writing Example:Topics,Outline. Best Critical Analysis Thesis Examples Full - Exam. 002 Essay Example How To Write Critical Best Photos Of Examples Sample .... Critical Response Essay.
1. What is the question the authors are asking They asked abo.docxpaynetawnya
1. What is the question the authors are asking?
They asked about the relation between self-focused attention and interpersonal consequences of the social anxiety. Also, how the interpersonal interaction will influence the social anxiety. On top of that, they hypothesized in their study, the control group will show increased uncomfortable sign while& after the interpersonal activities,, like the less verbal speaking and more protective body language. Also, they expected the control group will show more negative effect and fairly low in positive effect after the study.
2. Why do the authors believe this question is important?
Because they have found people have agreement on the positive relation between the anxiety arousal and the shown anxiety symptoms, also the interaction and social anxiety. But, the relation and function of how the self- focused attention will trigger and influence the social anxiety when interpersonal activity happens.
3. How do they try to answer this question?
They conducted a study to testify whether the interpersonal activity will influence or trigger the social anxiety. In order to do that, they collected 120 participants after they have these participants did SPAI, the ones who got highest and lowest 20 percentile scores people have been selected as the SA group, which means they have shown the possibility of being diagnosed as social phobia patients. And the rest of the 120p people will consist of the NSA group, which names after the people who do not have any social phobia symptom when having interpersonal interaction. After having them grouped, they will be paired as dyads automatically, the SA with NSA, or the NSA with NSA. But, they are not informed their identity in this study. Then, each group will have 5 minutes session to interact with the other one, they will be video recorded at the same time they started the session, and there will be people who spectate their verbal code and nonverbal code when the recording started. Each codes represent different “behavior” of participant, for the verbal code, we have RS, ES,Q,ST AND GT for information sharing. RS is for complaining and support words said by participants, ES specifies the empathetic comments, ST represents the information shared about participant themselves, GT means the sharing information that unrelated to participants themselves. Same to nonverbal codes, we have polite smile, pleasurable smile, frown, the fidgeting hand position. After the 5 minutes session with each other, the researchers will have participants to do 2 questionnaires, PANAS and QI, one for detecting the PA and NA level of participants before and after the study, one for checking the level of satisfaction of the just finished interaction.
4. What did they find?
They found out the results not exactly same as they predicted, like for the level of NA in SA- NSA group, it did not have a significantly rising after the session is ended, either to the questions asked in the session, SA ...
According to recent research, even when you don't get what you want, there's a strong chance that you won't even notice.
For example, imagine that you've been asked to taste two different types of jams and choose your favorite. You are then offered another taste of the one you selected as your favorite and then asked to explain why you chose it. Do you think that you would notice that you actually tasted the jam that you had initially rejected?In a 2010 study by Hall, Johansson, and their colleagues presented just such a scenario to supermarket volunteers, They found that less than 20 percent of participants noticed that they tasted the jam they had turned down just a few moments earlier. In many cases, the difference between the two flavors differed dramatically, ranging from spicy to sweet to bitter.Psychologists refer to this lack of awareness of our own decisions and preference as choice-blindness.
Case Study Hereditary AngioedemaAll responses must be in your .docxcowinhelen
Case Study: Hereditary Angioedema
All responses must be in your own words. Answers that have been copied and pasted will not receive credit.
1. Translate “angioedema”. [Note: I am not looking for a description of the disorder. Rather, I would like you to translate the medical term itself.]
2. The complement system is described as a ‘cascade system’. How does the system fit into this description of being a cascade? [Suggestion: Google the definition of cascade, then think about the complement system in light of the definition]
3. Is complement involved in the innate, or the adaptive immune system, or both? Please explain you answer.
4. What role does C1INH play in the complement system? Why is it so important?
5. What was the physiologic cause of Richard’s abdominal pain?
6. How can one distinguish the swelling of HAE from the swelling of allergic angioedema?
7. What is bradykinin’s role in HA?
8. Do you think Richard’s infancy colic was related to his HA? No need to research this. Just use your intuition. Explain your thinking.
9. What is typically used to treat attacks of HAE?
10. Swelling in the extremities is not dangerous. What other areas of the body are subject to swelling? What is the most dangerous location for swelling to occur and why is it the most dangerous?
2018
BUS 308 Week 2 Lecture 1
Examining Differences - overview
Expected Outcomes
After reading this lecture, the student should be familiar with:
1. The importance of random sampling.
2. The meaning of statistical significance.
3. The basic approach to determining statistical significance.
4. The meaning of the null and alternate hypothesis statements.
5. The hypothesis testing process.
6. The purpose of the F-test and the T-test.
Overview
Last week we collected clues and evidence to help us answer our case question about
males and females getting equal pay for equal work. As we looked at the clues presented by the
salary and comp-ratio measures of pay, things got a bit confusing with results that did not see to
be consistent. We found, among other things, that the male and female compa-ratios were fairly
close together with the female mean being slightly larger. The salary analysis showed a different
view; here we noticed that the averages were apparently quite different with the males, on
average, earning more. Contradictory findings such as this are not all that uncommon when
examining data in the “real world.”
One issue that we could not fully address last week was how meaningful were the
differences? That is, would a different sample have results that might be completely different, or
can we be fairly sure that the observed differences are real and show up in the population as
well? This issue, often referred to as sampling error, deals with the fact that random samples
taken from a population will generally be a bit different than the actual population parameters,
but will be “close” enough to the actual.
A minimum of 100 words each and References Response (#1 – 6) KEEP .docxfredharris32
A minimum of 100 words each and References Response (#1 – 6) KEEP RESPONSE WITH ANSWER EACH ANSWER NEED TO HAVE A SCHOLARY SOURCE with a Hyperlink
Make sure the Responses includes the Following: (a) an understanding of the weekly content as supported by a scholarly resource, (b) the provision of a probing question. (c) stay on topic
1. In short, abnormal behavior, thoughts and emotions, are those that differ from society's definition of properly functioning, or the norm (Comer, 2018). These norms tend to differ between cultures which help to establish rules for proper conduct. What constitutes as abnormal behavior depends on specific circumstances and cultural norms (Comer, 2018). An example of abnormal behavior could be unusualness like a person who lives with many animals and isolates themselves from society. The behavior of this person is deviant and may be dysfunctional, but could be seen as eccentric rather than abnormal to a professional.
2. Abnormal behavior, in simple terms, is behavior outside of societal norms (Comer, 2018). Abnormalities differ based on what society you come from. Generally speaking, being considered normal means that you are complying by your society’s standards. Abnormalities arise when behavior is deviant, distressing, dysfunctional, or dangerous. An example of abnormal behavior would be manic behavior. A manic episode typically involves less sleep, risky behavior, irritability, increased talking, and even hypersexuality (Purse, 2019). This is typically deviant from the person’s normal behavior by definition. The manic behavior can be distressing for both the affected and their family or other loved ones. Risky behavior causes worry and distress. Irritability can create all sorts of distressing situations. When a person is manic, they are in a state of dysfunction. Memory and responsibilities often fall to the backburner while the manic episode rides its course. Of all the things that define abnormal behavior, a manic episode can be especially dangerous to both the person experiencing it as well as the others around them because it involves risky behavior—which implies many things from gambling to drugs. It often results in the person experiencing the episode being hospitalized.
3. “One common conceptualization of abnormality focuses on what is often called the Four Ds: deviance, distress, dysfunction, and danger (Topic 1 Resource, 2018).” An example of abnormal behavior is someone who hears voices telling them to do certain things. Some people may show this kind of abnormal behavior out of nowhere, or they have always heard these voices. This person can be deviant to their old life once they start hearing these voices and if they listen to them or not. These voices can cause distress to the person as well because if they listen to the voices, then they might start doing bad things. These voices can also cause dysfunction in this person life and how they act around others. Having this abnormal behavior can .
Professional air quality monitoring systems provide immediate, on-site data for analysis, compliance, and decision-making.
Monitor common gases, weather parameters, particulates.
Richard's aventures in two entangled wonderlandsRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
Comparing Evolved Extractive Text Summary Scores of Bidirectional Encoder Rep...University of Maribor
Slides from:
11th International Conference on Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering (IcETRAN), Niš, 3-6 June 2024
Track: Artificial Intelligence
https://www.etran.rs/2024/en/home-english/
Observation of Io’s Resurfacing via Plume Deposition Using Ground-based Adapt...Sérgio Sacani
Since volcanic activity was first discovered on Io from Voyager images in 1979, changes
on Io’s surface have been monitored from both spacecraft and ground-based telescopes.
Here, we present the highest spatial resolution images of Io ever obtained from a groundbased telescope. These images, acquired by the SHARK-VIS instrument on the Large
Binocular Telescope, show evidence of a major resurfacing event on Io’s trailing hemisphere. When compared to the most recent spacecraft images, the SHARK-VIS images
show that a plume deposit from a powerful eruption at Pillan Patera has covered part
of the long-lived Pele plume deposit. Although this type of resurfacing event may be common on Io, few have been detected due to the rarity of spacecraft visits and the previously low spatial resolution available from Earth-based telescopes. The SHARK-VIS instrument ushers in a new era of high resolution imaging of Io’s surface using adaptive
optics at visible wavelengths.
(May 29th, 2024) Advancements in Intravital Microscopy- Insights for Preclini...Scintica Instrumentation
Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a powerful tool utilized to study cellular behavior over time and space in vivo. Much of our understanding of cell biology has been accomplished using various in vitro and ex vivo methods; however, these studies do not necessarily reflect the natural dynamics of biological processes. Unlike traditional cell culture or fixed tissue imaging, IVM allows for the ultra-fast high-resolution imaging of cellular processes over time and space and were studied in its natural environment. Real-time visualization of biological processes in the context of an intact organism helps maintain physiological relevance and provide insights into the progression of disease, response to treatments or developmental processes.
In this webinar we give an overview of advanced applications of the IVM system in preclinical research. IVIM technology is a provider of all-in-one intravital microscopy systems and solutions optimized for in vivo imaging of live animal models at sub-micron resolution. The system’s unique features and user-friendly software enables researchers to probe fast dynamic biological processes such as immune cell tracking, cell-cell interaction as well as vascularization and tumor metastasis with exceptional detail. This webinar will also give an overview of IVM being utilized in drug development, offering a view into the intricate interaction between drugs/nanoparticles and tissues in vivo and allows for the evaluation of therapeutic intervention in a variety of tissues and organs. This interdisciplinary collaboration continues to drive the advancements of novel therapeutic strategies.
This presentation explores a brief idea about the structural and functional attributes of nucleotides, the structure and function of genetic materials along with the impact of UV rays and pH upon them.
2. Tasting with Our Eyes 3
Bias of the Month 4
Saving Money with Counterfeit Coins 5
Infectious Rudeness 6
A Second Chance at a First Impression 7
Real Life Nudge of the Month 8
Upcoming Events 8
CONTENTS
3. TASTING WITH OUR EYES
A growing body of scientific research now suggests that our experience of taste
and flavour is determined to a large degree by the expectation that we generate
(often automatically) prior to tasting. Such expectations can result from branding,
labelling and environmental factors such as cutlery, which was discussed in a
previous edition of O Behave! (food was rated as significantly more pleasant, and
perceived to be of higher quality, when tasted with a heavy metal spoon than a
lighter metallic-looking plastic spoon).
Sight, and most often colour, that is the cue used by the brain in order to help
identify sources of food and make predictions about their likely taste and flavour. A
large body of lab research has demonstrated that adding more food colouring to a
food item increases the perceived intensity of its flavour.
As environmental cues that are separate from the food items (e.g. cutlery) and
colour all influence the taste/flavour of food, Harrar, Piqueras-Fiszman, and
Spence (2011) wanted to investigate whether environmental cues such as the
colour of the dinnerware may also impact the taste/flavour of whatever foodstuff
happens to be served from it.
They asked participants to sample sweet or salty popcorn from four differently-
coloured bowls: white, blue, green and red. The participants reported that salty
popcorn tasted sweeter when taken from a blue or red bowl compared to a white
bowl, while the sweet popcorn was rated as tasting saltier when taken from the
blue bowl compared to a white bowl. This interesting piece of research shows that
it is not just the colour of the food items that might influence their taste due to
expectations, but even just the colour the of the plate that the food is served on has
similar influences.
Harrar, V., Piqueras-Fiszman, B., & Spence, C. (2011). There’s more to taste in a coloured bowl. Perception-London, 40(7), 880..
4. BIAS OF THE MONTH
Gu, Y., Botti, S., & Faro, D. (2013). Turning the Page: The Impact of Choice Closure on Satisfaction. Journal of Consumer Research, 40 (2), 268-283.
Choice closure
The relationship between mind and body is a complex one, but
research suggests that a physical act of closure can make
people mentally more satisfied with their choices.
Gu, Botti and Faro (2013) gave participants a menu with 24
different teas to choose from, and told them that, once they
had made their decision, they would be unable to change their
minds. They found that participants who were instructed to
close the menu after making their decision were more satisfied
than those who had not been given this instruction. The
authors concluded that closing the menu gave enough of a
sense of closure to reduce any post-choice regret.
This act of closure must be performed by the decision maker,
be performed after the decision has been made and be clearly
linked to the decision itself to be effective - like the feeling of
satisfaction from closing your laptop after a long day at work.
5. SAVING MONEY WITH COUNTERFEIT COINS
Akbas, M., Ariely, D., Robalino, D.A., & Weber, M. (2015). How to Help the Poor to Save a Bit: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya. Duke Working Papers.
Motiving people to save is something that all governments, banks and even the individuals in question all struggle
with. One of the most popular interventions used to encourage people to save are financial incentives in the form of
matching: matching savings rates by a certain percentage. Although these financial incentives have had promising
results, they are obviously costly to implement. Is it possible that psychological interventions could provide cheaper
and hence more practical solutions whilst also being just as effective? This is what Ariely and colleagues (2015)
sought to investigate looking specifically at individuals with low and regular income.
The first psychological intervention they implemented sought to use
emotion to motivate saving behaviour. This came in the form of a
reminder text message framed as though is was from their children
asking them to save for their future. The second psychological
intervention was a tangible gold metal coin which had the numbers for
each week of the six-month savings period that partipants could scratch
off when they deposited money that week. The idea behind this coin
was that saving small deposits towards a long-term saving goal can
seem abstract and insignificant, so the metal coin acts a as a tangible
intrinsic reward and reminder for saving. The financial reward was a
match of weekly savings (match of 10% or 20% of weekly savings up to
a certain amount). Participants in the control condition received weekly
reminders and balance reporting via text messages.
Which intervention do you think was most successful?
Those in the coin condition saved the highest amount on average and
more than twice as much as those in the control condition. These
results support many other studies which show that our financial
decisions involve subtle psychological aspects and policy-makers and
product designers should take these influences into account to change
behaviour instead of relying solely on financial incentives.
6. INFECTIOUS RUDENESS
We’re all aware of the power of social norms and how we mimic those around us, from the trivial (reusing towels and buying
pretzels) to the important (who we vote for and how much we weigh). It seems that rudeness may also be contagious, with
even mildly rude interactions having a lasting effect on behaviour in a new series of studies by Foulk, Woolum and Erez
(2015).
Foulk, T., Woolum, A., & Erez, A. (2015). Catching Rudeness Is Like Catching a Cold: The Contagion Effects of Low-Intensity Negative Behaviors. Journal of Applied
Psychology, in press.
In the first part of the study, participants who observed the experimenter being rude
to a confederate, another participant who arrived late and was either politely asked
to reschedule or berated for being late and asked to leave, were primed to recognise
scrambled rude words (e.g. tactless) more quickly than friendly (e.g. helpful) or
aggressive (e.g. savage) words. This demonstrates that these concepts were more
salient for those who had been exposed to rudeness. In the next experiment,
participants were asked to play the role of a bookseller, first watching a video of an
employee at the bookshop dealing with a customer either politely or rudely, then
given an email from a customer to reply to. This was either neutral, aggressive
(“Your incompetent staff must have lost my order”) or rude (“I’m really surprised by
this as EVERYBODY said you guys give really good customer service?”). The video
did not affect the way in which people responded to the neutral or aggressive emails,
but it did change the way those given the rude email interpreted and responded to it:
those who had watched the polite film were more likely to give a neutral response,
while those who watched the rude film were far more likely to be hostile.
The final experiment looked at the behaviour of participants who had interacted with a rude partner in a negotiation task. After
each negotiation, participants had the choice to split resources evenly, take more for themselves, or destroy all resources,
ensuring their partner received nothing but they also lost out themselves. Participants were more likely to choose the latter
hostile option after dealing with a rude partner, even up to a week later, which shows how low-level rudeness can be
contagious for a long period of time. This has huge implications for our personal and professional lives, with moderately rude
interactions potentially being passed along through colleagues, friends and family. Being aware of its infectiousness and
watching your own behaviour after someone has been rude could break this cycle.
7. A SECOND CHANCE AT A FIRST IMPRESSION
We place a huge amount of emphasis on first impressions, and evidence shows that our snap decisions often turn out
to be correct. In one study, participants shown a thirty second clip of a lecturer could accurately estimate their teaching
ability, as correlated with the lecturer’s review scores from their students at the end of the year (Ambady & Rosenthal,
1993). Even reducing the clip to six seconds didn’t reduce the participants’ accuracy. This isn’t limited to teaching
ability: we can also accurately estimate a person’s level of extraversion after viewing a photo of them for 50
milliseconds (Borkenau, Brecke, Möttig & Paelecke, 2009), and predict male and female sexuality from a brief
exposure to a static or moving face (Rule & Ambady, 2008; Rule, Ambady & Hallett, 2009). Furthermore, there is
evidence to suggest that these initial judgements influence our overall attitudes; participants in one study could predict
with almost 70% accuracy who had been the winning candidate in previous Senate elections just by facial
appearance, which implies this could also have swayed the voters (Todorov, Mandisodza, Goren & Hall, 2005).
Mann, T.C., & Ferguson, M.J. (2015). Can We Undo Our First Impressions? The Role of Reinterpretation in Reversing Implicit Evaluations. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 108 (6), 823-849.
But is there anything that can be done if you mess it up first time around? Mann
and Ferguson (2015) have shown that first impressions can be reversed, but only
with new information that explains why this impression was formed to begin with.
They introduced participants to a character named Francis West, who had broken
into two houses on his street, causing a great deal of damage, and measured their
first impressions which were naturally quite negative. One group of participants
was then told that he was motivated to break into these houses to save children
inside from a fire that was spreading. With the antisocial behaviour explained with
an altruistic motive, these participants revised their first impression and were
much more positive towards Francis, even on an unconscious level when implicit
testing was used. Interestingly, this effect seems to occur only when the positive
information directly explains the bad behaviour: in another experiment,
participants were told about the break in (but not the fire), but also that Francis
had once saved a baby from an oncoming train at great personal risk. While this
reduced their negative evaluation, it did not have the same ameliorating effect as
the explanatory story. This suggests that, if you do make a prat of yourself on a
first meeting with somebody, you can make up for it by explaining why (nerves
etc), but not by doing something positive but unrelated.
8. Spotted: Descriptive Norm in Dublin
We are social animals and look to others for cues to what
behaviour is appropriate and normal, particularly people like us.
When utilising social norms to influence behaviour, there are two
main types: descriptive – what people are doing, or injunctive –
what people should be doing. Descriptive norms have been found
to be more successful in changing behaviour. Dublin’s overground
system the Luas used this type of norm to get passengers to pay
their fare by making the social norm specific to people standing at
that particular station (Windy Arbour) and utilising the descriptive
norm that “the vast majority of you are paying your fare”.
REAL LIFE NUDGE OF THE MONTH
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Behavioural Science of Self-Control
Friday 4th December, 9.00-5.00pm
University of Stirling
Mastering Strategic Decision Making
Monday 14th – Friday 18th December
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Behavioural Boozeonomics with the London Behavioural Economics Network
Monday 14th December, 6.30-11.00pm
The Comedy Pub, Piccadilly