Psychology

Kissing Inclinations, Amsterdam

In today’s foray into improbable research, Martin Gardiner takes a look at a Dutch study about the awkward logistics of going in for a kiss. “…what happens if a person who prefers to kiss with the head turned to the right attempts to kiss a person who prefers to kiss with the head turned to…

io9 Martin Gardiner - Improbable Research

Ball lightning: a shocking (and totally inexplicable) phenomenon

It skitters across the ground, floats in the air, is cold to the touch, and leaves scorch marks. It’s been scientifically explained, or hey, it might be a total hallucination. It’s ball lightning! Ball lightning is the name given to a group of phenomena that have not been completely explained, or even agreed upon. Of…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Danger! Car Dealers Now in Possession of “Perfect Handshake” Equation

To seal more car deals, Chevrolet UK looked to arm its sales force with the perfect weapon of confidence: an unstoppable handshake. Here’s the secret they received from Geoffrey Beattie, Head of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester. Beattle gave them this equation: PH (Perfect Handshake)= √ (e^2 + ve^2)(d^2) + (cg + dr)^2…

io9 Joseph Calamia - Discover

Do you suffer from nerd rage? Take our quiz and find out!

This dude just said the Battlestar Galactica finale was “great storytelling.” WTF!? And then his friend started lecturing you about why your phone sucks. Are you starting to hyperventilate? You’ve got nerd rage! But just how wrathful are you? Answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Then add up your score and find out…

Movies Annalee Newitz

The invisible gorilla returns to show us how often we miss the obvious

Eleven years ago, a gorilla demonstrated that we can miss incredibly obvious things right in front of us if our attention is focused elsewhere. This experiment became world-famous – but people still aren’t any better at expecting the unexpected. Before we get to the new experiment, let’s go back to the original. Watch the video…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Robot cracks the code of human trust

Would you trust this robot? It all depends on how well it is programmed to mimic the nonverbal gestures and tics that humans use to signal their trustworthiness. Yes, Nexi the Robot is cracking the code of why humans trust. The robot is the focus of a study put together by psychologists, economists, and roboticists…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

Romantic rejection is its own reward

Wallowing in the sting of romantic rejection? Is that tragic “hit and quit” experience keeping you up at night? It’s not your fault. Neuroscientists say your brain is hardwired to crave the rollercoaster of romantic fulfillment – and rejection. A group of researchers recently discovered that people suffering romantic rejection were displaying neurological patterns normally…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Could there be a nerd riot at Comic-Con? Experts weigh in.

San Diego Comic Con is filled with dense crowds of people who are very, very passionate about their favorite franchises. Could those elements ignite into a serious riot? According to scientists who study crowds, it’s very possible. During a riot, large crowds of people commit violent, destructive acts spurred by anger, fear, greed and the…

io9 Ed Grabianowski

Why we evolved the ability to dream

At a recent scientific meeting, Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett explained why dreams are useful, and how they evolved. Unlike Sigmund Freud, who famously observed that dreams are wish-fulfillments, Barrett thinks dreams serve a useful purpose in the real world. They are a realm where humans solve problems – especially visual problems. Live Science reports: A…

io9 Annalee Newitz

South Korea may weaponize girly K-pop for psychological warfare

Relations between North and South Korea have been frosty since the sinking of the ROK Cheonan, and it looks like South Korea may be turning to an old trick for reprisal…blasting the music of girl groups over the demilitarized zone. The Republic of Korea has installed large loudspeakers facing North Koreans, who have threatened to…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

Conquer Your Fear of Creepy Crawlies With Augmented Reality

A lot of augmented reality applications we’ve seen thus far have seemed a little, well, excessive. But if AR can put me at peace with spiders, snakes, cockroaches, and the rest? That’s a feat deserving of a Nobel Prize. https://gizmodo.com/be-iron-man-in-your-computer-monitor-5522104 In a study described in an upcoming edition of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

Is Spanking Responsible For Global War?

A new study shows that children who are spanked are more likely to be violent later in life. With that in mind, check out this map of the World Anti-Spanking League. Is there a correlation between slapping heinies and warfare? What this map shows is a world where you can see only countries who are…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

A Genetic Disorder That Removes Racial Bias?

People with Williams Syndrome lack 26 genes found in a typical human genome. As a result they are inordinately friendly, and experience no social anxiety. Now a new study reveals that they may also be free of racial bias. Over at Not Exactly Rocket Science, Ed Yong talks about the new study, published this week…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Psychopaths Won’t Stop Until They Get Enough

A Vanderbilt University study has new findings on how psychopaths weigh risk and reward. The study suggests that psychopaths may possess amped-up dopamine reward systems that compel them to pursue their goals regardless of personal cost. Study co-author David Zald notes that previous studies of psychopathy focus on the personality traits of psychopaths rather than…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

We’re More Likely to Be Kind to Each Other in Rooms That Smell Good

Want to promote an atmosphere of honesty and teamwork? Bust out some citrus candles and turn on all the lights. New studies show that little touches like these really can make a huge difference. Chen-Bo Zhong, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the University of Toronto, recently concluded that people in lightly scented rooms…

io9 Alex Eichler

The Future of Nymphomania

“Nymphomania” has fallen out of favor as a legit diagnosis among psychologists. But the hunger for sex is about to be classified as a new mental disorder: “hypersexuality.” If you think about sex a lot, you might be sick. Every few years, a team of mental health experts in the United States revise the encyclopedia…

io9 Annalee Newitz

New Studies Reveal That Schizophrenia Isn’t Just A Mental Illness

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that the effects of schizophrenia appear to extend beyond the brain. And now there’s talk of a blood test to diagnose schizophrenia being rolled out within a year. Because schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder, it was previously believed that the signs of the illness would be contained…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

DHS Funds Study Proving You Can Find Weapons If You Believe In Them

Looking for something you’re sure you won’t find? Even if the item you seek is close by, a doubtful attitude reduces your chances of finding it, claims a new study funded by the US Department of Homeland Security. Researchers simulated the conditions of an airport security checkpoint and instructed subjects to search for weapons. LiveScience…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

Next Stop, Virtual Panhandling!

If not having enough change to give to every downtrodden soul on the subway doesn’t make you feel bad enough, now you have to pretend you don’t see the abused girl staring out from a flat-screen at the bus stop. The poster, which has been put up at the Tottenham Court Road bus shelter in…

io9 Sonia Zjawinski

Will The Recession Scar You For Life? Economists Say Yes.

People who grew up during the Great Depression often turned into compulsive penny-pinchers, unable to spend money without anxiety. Will recent recessions leave similar psychological scars on people growing up today? A new study by economists suggests they will. The Boston Globe’s Christopher Shea has a terrific discussion of the study on the Brainiac blog:…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Kissing Inclinations, Amsterdam

Ball lightning: a shocking (and totally inexplicable) phenomenon

Danger! Car Dealers Now in Possession of “Perfect Handshake” Equation

Do you suffer from nerd rage? Take our quiz and find out!

The invisible gorilla returns to show us how often we miss the obvious

Robot cracks the code of human trust

Romantic rejection is its own reward

Could there be a nerd riot at Comic-Con? Experts weigh in.

Why we evolved the ability to dream

South Korea may weaponize girly K-pop for psychological warfare

Conquer Your Fear of Creepy Crawlies With Augmented Reality

Is Spanking Responsible For Global War?

A Genetic Disorder That Removes Racial Bias?

Psychopaths Won’t Stop Until They Get Enough

We’re More Likely to Be Kind to Each Other in Rooms That Smell Good

The Future of Nymphomania

New Studies Reveal That Schizophrenia Isn’t Just A Mental Illness

DHS Funds Study Proving You Can Find Weapons If You Believe In Them

Next Stop, Virtual Panhandling!

Will The Recession Scar You For Life? Economists Say Yes.

The ‘Paradise’ Season 2 Finale Paved the Way for a Wildly Sci-Fi Season 3

A $1 Samsung Galaxy Smartphone Lands at Mint Mobile With Unlimited Data at 50% Off in a Clearance Push

Your Wimpy Workouts Aren’t Cutting It, Scientists Say

Anker Prime Power Bank Drops to an All-Time Low (200W, 20,100mAh, 3-Port) as Amazon Clears Out Remaining Spring Sale Stock

Students Are Now Renting Smart Glasses to Cheat on Exams

Roborock F25 GT Cordless Vacuum and Mop Hits Its Lowest Price in Spring Sale, 20,000Pa Cleaning Power Without the Premium Price Tag

New Details Add a Bizarre Twist to NASA’s First ISS Medical Evacuation

ASUS TUF 27” HDR Gaming Monitor Briefly Returns to Black Friday Pricing for a Limited Run in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

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