The “wisdom of crowds” has become a mantra of the Internet age. Need to choose a new vacuum cleaner? Check out the reviews on Amazon. Is that restaurant any good? See what Yelp has to say. But a new study suggests that such online scores don’t always reveal the best choice. A massive controlled experiment of Web users finds that such ratings are highly susceptible to irrational “herd behavior”—and that the herd can be manipulated.
Month: March 2015
Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Happiness, New Study Finds
Facebook helps people feel connected, but it doesn’t necessarily make them happier, a new study shows. Facebook use actually predicts declines in a user’s well-being, according to a University of Michigan study that is the first known published research examining Facebook influence on happiness and satisfaction.
The Making of a Monster: Charles Manson’s Childhood
A new biography goes deep into Charles Manson’s troubled childhood and shows how he became the murderous, crazed monster that captivated America. Wendy Smith on his bizarre influences (Dale Carnegie) and his obsession with fame.
Internet trolls: What to do about the scourge of the Web?
Curtis Woodhouse earns a living punching people in the face, so it’s fair to say he’s one of the last men you’d hurl insults at if you saw him on the street.
But people tend to be a bit braver once they don the anonymity cloak the internet provides, and the 32 year-old English boxing champ faced a flurry of ugly abuse from trolls online after he lost his most recent bout in March.
Sweet Sorrow
Coke won the cola wars because great taste takes more than a single sip.
The Magic Ratio That Wasn’t
The 2009 book Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Life, by Barbara Fredrickson, was praised by the heavyweights of psychology. Daniel Gilbert said it provided a “scientifically sound prescription for joy.” Daniel Goleman extolled its “surefire methods for transforming our lives.” Martin E.P. Seligman, often called the father of positive psychology, raved that “this book, like Barb, is the ‘real thing.’”
How Exercise Can Help Us Learn
Is it better to exercise before you learn something new? What about during? And should the exercise be vigorous or gentle? Two new studies helpfully tackle those questions.
Sleep Deprivation Linked to Junk Food Cravings
A sleepless night makes us more likely to reach for doughnuts or pizza than for whole grains and leafy green vegetables, suggests a new study from UC Berkeley that examines the brain regions that control food choices. The findings shed new light on the link between poor sleep and obesity.
What Color Is Your Night Light? It May Affect Your Mood
When it comes to some of the health hazards of light at night, a new study suggests that the color of the light can make a big difference.
How supersized portions cost the earth
We’re all familiar with the phrase “waste not, want not,” but how well are we applying these words today?
For many of us, we buy more than we need, we spend more than we earn, we eat more than our fill. The consequence of excessive living and waste affect not only us, but also our global neighbors and future generations.