EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SCIENCE The Science Of Cringe Key Takeaway Cringe is a physical and emotional emotion that can help people better understand themselves and one another. A recent study showed that cringe-filled entertainment can actually help people better understand themselves and one another. The study found that binge-watching a show with cringeworthy moments can be therapeutic, as it reminds us of the […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY The Importance Of Solitude Key Takeaway: Solitude is different from loneliness, as it can be found in public spaces and can have a positive impact on our daily mood. It can help us deal with feelings of frustration, agitation or anger. Spending time alone can be difficult and lonely, so it is important to have something to do during […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY Why Everyday Decisions Feel So Stressful Key Takeaway: The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less argues that an abundance of choices can cause people anxiety due to the difficulty of comparing and contrasting options, lack of expertise, and emotional high stakes. Maximisers are more likely to experience post-decision regret, so it is important to build habits to avoid ruminating on […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY The Art Of Receiving Feedback Good feedback, whether you are on the receiving or giving end, requires an attitude of curiosity and openness. Intentionally creating space for feedbackcan help, but even with the right space, receiving feedback can be really scary. Many organizations have formal systems of feedback in the style of mid-year and annual reviews. And it’s not uncommon for informal continuous […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY SCIENCE How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? Key Takeaway: Sleep is essential for maintaining normal brain functioning and memory consolidation, and is linked to cognitive flexibility and wellbeing. Poor sleep can lead to cognitive decline. Seven hours of sleep per night is optimal for cognition and mental health, but individuals respond differently to lack of sleep. Monitor sleep duration to improve cognitive […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY Understanding The Apples And Oranges Concept Key Takeaway: The Apples & Oranges concept is an English idiom that refers to the apparent differences between items that are popularly thought to be incomparable, and can be used as a thought-provoking tool for creative thinking. The connections we make are molded by our experience and level of understanding and are not rigid in […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
PSYCHOLOGY The Equation Of A Happier Life Key Takeaway: I recently took a journey to Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom known for basing its national policy decisions on happiness. On my journey, I learned some important things about happiness, such as that it can be found in the everyday, that goals can be helpful, and that it is important to let go […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY The “Sunk Benefit” Fallacy Key Takeaways: When you work on a project with people and successfully solve a problem, you (rightly) feel proud and accomplished. If the project helped create some “thing” that will require further maintenance and attention, you’ll probably come to love (and hate) that system. Don’t be afraid to move on to the next task, always […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY We’re Wrong About Attachment Theory And Relationships Key Takeaways: Misunderstandings are leading people to believe they have a ‘bad’ attachment type that is wreaking havoc on their relationships. John Bowlby developed attachment theory about 70 years ago, he wanted to create language that can be used to scientifically formulate and test hypotheses. It worked: hundreds of studies have since been carried out […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
EDITOR'S PICK PSYCHOLOGY A Look At Hypersanity Key Takeaways: C.G. Jung’s autobiography, Memories, Dreams, Reflections (1962), provided a vivid case in point. In 1913, Jung broke off his close friendship with Sigmund Freud, and spent the next few years in a troubled state of mind that led him to a “confrontation with the unconscious” Both men had a depth and acuteness that […] Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What Is The Black Box In A.I.? Key Takeaway AI black boxes refer to invisible systems with internal workings, such as machine learning. These systems have algorithms, training data, and models, which can be hidden or obscured to protect intellectual property. Explainable AI is working to develop algorithms that can be better understood by humans. Black box machine-learning algorithms and models can […] Written by Saurabh Bagchi June 1, 2023June 1, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Secrets Of Vernacular Art Key Takeaway Vernacular art, a self-taught visual art genre, is dominated by African American, Appalachian, and working-class artists. It has gained recognition, with the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, American Visionary Art Museum, Atlanta’s High Museum, and Milwaukee Art Museum building significant collections. Vernacular art emphasizes the artist’s biography, providing meaning and value to collectors […] Written by Beauvais Lyons May 31, 2023May 31, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Does Insider Trading Actually Matter? Key Takeaway: Insider trading is an illegal act in which someone relies on market-moving, nonpublic information to decide whether to buy or sell a financial asset. Punishment can range from a few months to over a decade. Insider trading is common and profitable, but difficult to prove and prevent. It undermines public confidence in financial […] Written by Alexander Kurov May 10, 2023May 10, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Are We Living In A Simulation? Key Takeaway: Rene Descartes suggests that nothing truly exists, suggesting that the mind is real but may be deceived by a higher power. Descartes theory led to an experiment called The Brain in a Vat, which suggests that humans are bodyless with their brains in a vat controlled by supercomputing. Clara Moskowitz suggests that our […] Written by Nathaniel Shaw May 9, 2023May 9, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Unravelling The Secrets Of DNA Key Takeaway: Seventy years ago, Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the structure of DNA, which led to technologies such as DNA fingerprinting, gene sequencing, gene editing and personalised medicines. Franklin, along with her PhD student Raymond Gosling, created one of the most famous images in science, Photo 51. Matthew Cobb and Nathaniel Comfort unearthed […] Written by Mark Lorch May 8, 2023May 8, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
The Concept Of Beauty In The Middle Ages Key Takeaway: Standards of beauty have been embedded in different cultures since time immemorial, often based on binary notions of idealised forms of femininity or masculinity. Eleanor Janega’s book explores medieval women’s social roles to consider the ways that women’s roles have and haven’t changed. Religious women in the middle ages used weaponised beauty to […] Written by Empirics Asia May 5, 2023May 5, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
What It Means To Be Authentic In The Age Of A.I. Key Takeaway: Authenticity is important for both individuals and society, as it is a social glue that reinforces trust. People need to reexamine and recalibrate how authenticity is judged. Social science offers guidance on what makes something feel authentic. George Newman found three dimensions of authenticity: historical authenticity, categorical authenticity, and values and beliefs. Generative […] Written by Victor Lee May 3, 2023May 3, 2023 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Rethinking Education Key Takeaways: The Industrial model of education that fueled the modern era and its dizzying reach did its job incredibly well. In his writing, Flynn illustrates study after study, spanning nations and decades, in which modern educational gift of abstraction — a transcendent sign of intelligence, as we saw in Raven’s Matrices — has been […] Written by Anthony Fieldman March 2, 2022October 19, 2022 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
How China Is Transforming Its Economy Through Learning I highly recommend reading the McKinsey Global Institute’s new report, “Reskilling China: Transforming The World’s Largest Workforce Into Lifelong Learners”, which focuses on the country’s biggest employment challenge, re-training its workforce and the adoption of practices such as lifelong learning to address the growing digital transformation of its productive fabric. How to transform the country […] Written by Enrique Dans February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
Why You’re Not Seeing Success With Influencer Marketing With the new year around the corner, now is a good time to re-evaluate your past marketing strategies and gear up for the year ahead. For some businesses, influencer marketing has simply not seemed to live up to its lofty promises of genuine engagement, credibility, and transparency. Some have claimed that it has been failing […] Written by Michael Tan January 14, 2021January 15, 2021 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked
A New Philosophy of Business I’m about to ask you to take a mental leap. For the next 8 minutes, suspend your notions of what a business is, and I’ll propose a new lens for you to look through. There are a lot of questions asked around what “community” means for business. “Where should community fit in my organization?” and […] Written by Empirics Asia September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 Saving Bookmark this article Bookmarked