Next time you need to make a purchase (such as a car, appliance or new home), watch out if the salesperson does this: He begins by flooding you with facts, technical jargon and even nonsense words. Then [more…]
A recent study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience that compared the personality traits and brain function of 300 people reveals distinct differences among cell phone users. [more…]
To develop the best language skills, children need to hear at least 30,000 words a day from birth to age three from their parents and caregivers—not TV or videos, reveals a recent Power of Talk study. Think you’ll have trouble fitting all that in? Believe it or not, it’s really just the equivalent of 18 and a half readings of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. But, don’t stop there! Parents of children who scored between the 90th to 99th percentile on language assessment tests spoke substantially more to their kids than did parents of children who were not as advanced.
[photo: Anissa Thompson]
Think you know a bargain when you see one? Maybe not! A study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that by simply making the right-hand digit of a sale price smaller, your brain perceives the discount as larger than it really is. For instance, an item on sale for $211 from the original price of $222 is perceived to be a better deal than an item on sale for $188 from an original price of $199—even though both discounts are $11. So keep a calculator handy the next time you go bargain hunting!
[photo: Cosmic Kitty]
A lavender sachet. Long known to soothe the jangled nerves of humans, the scent of lavender has now been shown to calm anxious dogs who are traveling by car, making them more likely to lay down quietly and less inclined to move around or bark, reveals a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Even better? Unlike pricey pet tranquilizers, breathing in the scent of lavender has no dangerous side effects.
[photo: oOlemon]
Turn off the television! In a recent study, volunteers who cut their TV time in half for three weeks burned an extra 120 calories a day—the equivalent of walking eight [more…]
Your honey helps you become a better person—and vice versa! According to a new study in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, we all tend to improve our partners by encouraging positive personality traits and helping them achieve personal goals. For instance, your sweetie may help you overcome shyness by asking you to share one of your funniest stories at a dinner party. And you might help your sweetie achieve a lifelong dream of learning the guitar by signing him up for lessons.
[photo: rochelle, et. al.]
Invite pals over to chat, watch a movie, play a game, munch pizza or do another activity that helps you bond. It’s not just fun—feeling an emotional connection with girlfriends melts tension fast by raising your body’s level of [more…]
The empty wrappers! In a recent study, Cornell University Food and Brand Lab director Brian Wansink, Ph.D., found that people ate about half as many mini-sized candies when they kept the wrappers in plain sight. Turns out, having a visual cue is key for sending the message to your brain that it’s time to stop snacking. “Your stomach can’t count, but your eyes can when they see the empty wrappers,” he says.
And the savings aren’t only on items at tag sales. A national study by Consumer Reports finds that more than 90% of folks who asked for a better price got it on brand-new [more…]
Sure, Oscar night is famous for its glitz and glam as our favorite actresses get dressed to the nines and stroll the red carpet. But, special occasions are not the only time actors—or you—should dress up. A study in the Home Economics Journal reveals that wearing your dressier outfits for everyday activities makes people see you as friendlier and [more…]
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