Jun 20 The science behind why power corrupts and what can be done to mitigate it By Dacher Keltner We gain power by advancing the welfare of other people, and yet, when we feel powerful, we lose those very skills that got us there and take more than our fair share. Continue reading
Jun 09 Why the secret to gaining power is different today By Paul Solman Is it better to be feared than loved? Or are charisma and community-building the answer? Economics correspondent Paul Solman talks to Dacher Keltner, author of the new book "The Power Paradox."… Continue reading
May 12 Column: When to quit, from an expert on grit By Angela Duckworth Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals — essentially, the opposite of quitting. But is quitting ever a good thing?… Continue reading
Apr 26 What Oprah and Warren Buffett can teach us about risk By Denise Cummins What do Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffett have in common? They are both calculated risk takers. Continue reading
Apr 17 Getting at the truth behind lying in politics By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press For more than two decades, researchers of different stripes have examined humanity's less-than-truthful underbelly. This is what they have found: We all stretch the truth, and politicians distort the truth more often, use more self-justifications and deceive in larger ways,… Continue reading
Mar 23 The woe of being labeled a pit bull By Nsikan Akpan Human perceptions may harm a dog's outcome if it is mislabeled as a pit bull at an animal shelter, according to a new study from Arizona State University. Continue reading
Feb 20 How the Nazi’s defense of ‘just following orders’ plays out in the mind By Joshua Barajas Stanley Milgram’s famous electric-shock experiments tackled whether a person could be coerced into behaving heinously, but new research released Thursday offers one explanation as to why. Turns out, people actually feel disconnected from their actions when they comply with orders,… Continue reading
Feb 17 Clinton’s critical mistake in handling her email release By Nsikan Akpan Tread carefully before opting out. A new Harvard study explores why choosing not to disclose might be perceived as worse than lying. Continue reading
Jan 07 Watch 8:01 Want to be happy? Giving is more gratifying than receiving By PBS News Hour 'Tis better to give than to receive, goes the old saying. But better for whom? Economics correspondent Paul Solman talks with psychology scholars about the ways altruism can benefit those who give. Continue watching
Dec 17 Watch 7:15 An economic divide can be seen in parents’ worries and aspirations By PBS News Hour Lower-income parents tend to worry that their children might fall victim to violence, while parents with higher incomes worry their kids are burdened by busy schedules. That’s one finding of a major new survey on the ways socioeconomic divides affect… Continue watching