Persuasion Articles of the Week

"MM00014750x" from Florida Keys Public Library, Flicker CC-By-2.0
“MM00014750x” from Florida Keys Public Library, Flicker CC-By-2.0

Study: half of the studies you read about in the news are wrong

Science is supposed to check and recheck all assumptions and findings. When there’s money to be made with headlines, however, initial findings are trumpeted as news click-bait. People trust science less and less when every finding is given equal weight and those findings contradict previous studies.

Your Name Might Shape Your Face, Researchers Say

He looks like a Fred, we’ve all said at some point. There seems to be some sort of brain connection between your name and your face, but it doesn’t cross cultural boundaries.

Givers and Takers

Some people give, some take; most people fall in the middle. The rule of Reciprocity determines other people’s attitudes about givers and takers, and shapes their opportunities for advancement.

Scientists show how Anyone can Improve their Memory

It’s all about mnemonics and other old tricks, this time bolstered with brain scans.

How to Upgrade Judges with Machine Learning

Humans aren’t so good at assessing risk. We all have many biases that cloud our judgement. Augmenting decision-making with artificial intelligence is one step towards the Singularity and can help us make better decisions with the information at hand.

6 Psychological Tricks That Will Make People Buy Anything

Tips based around Cialdini’s work on Persuasion and Influence.