Persuasion Articles of the Week

Image "Put your hands up in the air" by Thomas Leuthard, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
Image “Put your hands up in the air” by Thomas Leuthard, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

When big ideas go bad: Power Poser

According to a peer-reviewed scientific paper from 2010, and a related TED Talk, standing in a Power Pose for 2 minutes increases your risk tolerance and testosterone. But the findings haven’t been reproducible.

From a Persuasion standpoint, the Power Poses does increase one’s self-reported confidence. It also signals to others that you’re powerful, even if you may not believe it yourself. They’ll react accordingly.

Just as our brains control our body, if we change our body it will effect change in our brains. It’s a two-way street. From the point of Persuasion, “Fake It Till You Make It” is real.

 

Researchers uncover algorithm which may solve human intelligence

Can human intelligence be replicated with math? This leads to a bigger question: Are we ourselves just programs?

 

The Great A.I. Awakening

Machines are learning, faster and more every day.

 

The Scientists who Control Your Brain’s Buy Button

Using brain-wave sensors, neuromarketers are looking into pleasure spikes to craft the most successful advertisements.

 

The Secret Voice of America’s Power Players

Speechwriting in Silicon Valley is big business.

 

The Psychology of White-Collar Criminals

“As a species, though, humans are incredibly poor at actually understanding their own decision-making processes. In fact, many decisions, even consequential ones, arise not from deliberation or reflection but from intuitions and gut instincts.”