Ulterior Motives

Education

Do Belonging Interventions for College Students Work?

Art Markman Ph.D. on May 11, 2023

Success in college depends on being able to overcome difficulties. A feeling of belonging promotes this resilience. A new study suggests that a simple intervention may help.

Success in college depends on being able to overcome difficulties. A feeling of belonging promotes this resilience. A new study suggests that a simple intervention may help.

Bias

Bias and Diversity Training for Police Works—Temporarily

Art Markman Ph.D. on May 5, 2023

Bias training for police officers has mostly a short-term impact.

Bias training for police officers has mostly a short-term impact.

Cognition

For Bilinguals, Identity Is Influenced by Language

Art Markman Ph.D. on April 3, 2023

For people who speak more than one language, there can be subtle effects of language on thinking that can affect a person's identity in each language they speak.

For people who speak more than one language, there can be subtle effects of language on thinking that can affect a person's identity in each language they speak.

Consumer Behavior

Recommendations You Hear Are Particularly Persuasive

Art Markman Ph.D. on January 20, 2023

You are constantly exposed to recommendations for products and services. Does it matter whether those recommendations are written or spoken?

You are constantly exposed to recommendations for products and services. Does it matter whether those recommendations are written or spoken?

Child Development

How Children Learn When to Punish Others

Art Markman Ph.D. on January 11, 2023

People learn a lot about how to navigate the world from others rather than having behavior programmed in. Learning how to punish others is a case in point.

People learn a lot about how to navigate the world from others rather than having behavior programmed in. Learning how to punish others is a case in point.

Education

Early Learning Slows Later Cognitive Decline

Art Markman Ph.D. on January 2, 2023

The brain, like all areas of the body, eventually begins to weaken. Education and other kinds of learning may slow its decline.

The brain, like all areas of the body, eventually begins to weaken. Education and other kinds of learning may slow its decline.

Education

People Can Learn to Appreciate the Discomfort of Learning

Art Markman Ph.D. on November 29, 2022

Learning new things often requires some amount of discomfort. Just because something feels uncomfortable, though, doesn’t mean that it is bad for you.

Learning new things often requires some amount of discomfort. Just because something feels uncomfortable, though, doesn’t mean that it is bad for you.

Aging

Playing a Musical Instrument Can Make You Smarter

Art Markman Ph.D. on November 16, 2022

There is a lot of interest in finding ways to help people get smarter and more effective at what they do in life. Does playing a musical instrument help?

There is a lot of interest in finding ways to help people get smarter and more effective at what they do in life. Does playing a musical instrument help?

Memory

What Happens When Blind People Get Vision Correction?

Art Markman Ph.D. on October 17, 2022

The brain comes prepared to perceive the world. What happens when the brain doesn't get visual input for a decade or more?

The brain comes prepared to perceive the world. What happens when the brain doesn't get visual input for a decade or more?

Mindfulness

Mindfulness May Help You See the Bright Side

Art Markman Ph.D. on September 20, 2022

Over the last decade, there has been a growing body of research on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation techniques in calming stress and anxiety.

Over the last decade, there has been a growing body of research on the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation techniques in calming stress and anxiety.

Empathy

Culture Shapes Who We Should Help

Art Markman Ph.D. on August 25, 2022

Suppose you see your uncle in a parking lot struggling to pick up groceries. Chances are you'd stop to help. What if it was a stranger? How do beliefs about helping develop?

Suppose you see your uncle in a parking lot struggling to pick up groceries. Chances are you'd stop to help. What if it was a stranger? How do beliefs about helping develop?

Media

Sharing to Social Media Affects What You Think You Know

Art Markman Ph.D. on August 15, 2022

Do you ever post links to an article on social media without reading the article first? You may be affecting your beliefs about how much you know about the topic.

Do you ever post links to an article on social media without reading the article first? You may be affecting your beliefs about how much you know about the topic.

Motivation

The Role of Contradictions in Creativity

Art Markman Ph.D. on July 20, 2022

Research suggests that there are two factors that combine to lead to team creativity: embracing contradiction and the motivation to think deeply.

Research suggests that there are two factors that combine to lead to team creativity: embracing contradiction and the motivation to think deeply.

Stress

Changing Mindsets Can Protect Teens from Stress

Art Markman Ph.D. on July 13, 2022

We generally recognize the teen years as being a stressful time. Could a simple educational intervention reduce the negative impact of stress?

We generally recognize the teen years as being a stressful time. Could a simple educational intervention reduce the negative impact of stress?

Persuasion

Perception Shapes How Different Cultures Group Star Constellations

Art Markman Ph.D. on July 6, 2022

Do different cultures see the same patterns in the night sky? If so, what does that indicate about the way human perception creates patterns?

Do different cultures see the same patterns in the night sky? If so, what does that indicate about the way human perception creates patterns?

Memory

Violations of Expectations Drive Memory

Art Markman Ph.D. on June 27, 2022

A critical function of the brain is to predict the future in order to react effectively to what happens around you. Those predictions also affect what you learn.

A critical function of the brain is to predict the future in order to react effectively to what happens around you. Those predictions also affect what you learn.

Education

Is Expert Advice Generally Good Advice?

Art Markman Ph.D. on June 21, 2022

When you want to learn to do something, you generally seek out experts to help you along the way. Are experts really the best people to ask for advice?

When you want to learn to do something, you generally seek out experts to help you along the way. Are experts really the best people to ask for advice?

Education

The Best Tests Are Ones Students Hate

Art Markman Ph.D. on June 14, 2022

One thing I tell my students is that cognitive psychology will confirm all of your worst fears about how to learn. New research is consistent with that view.

One thing I tell my students is that cognitive psychology will confirm all of your worst fears about how to learn. New research is consistent with that view.

Happiness

Why Feeling Happy Can Make You Feel Healthy

Art Markman Ph.D. on May 24, 2022

There is a lot of evidence that happiness and health are linked. The problem is that it is hard to know whether being happy causes better health.

There is a lot of evidence that happiness and health are linked. The problem is that it is hard to know whether being happy causes better health.

Confidence

How People Differ in Confidence About Their Attitudes

Art Markman Ph.D. on May 18, 2022

People have attitudes about all kinds of things. New research suggests people differ in their overall certainty or confidence in those attitudes.

People have attitudes about all kinds of things. New research suggests people differ in their overall certainty or confidence in those attitudes.