We have all observed the unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards that modern media highlights. Through the commercials like those of Dove and other documentaries we have come to realize that those levels of beauty are only made possible by vast amounts of makeup and computer editing. In this video, we get a chance to laugh at these processes with concepts.
In this age of natural disasters, chronic unemployment, terrorism, public protests and housing foreclosures, one might expect newspapers and social media sites to be flooded with a deluge of negative words. Surprisingly, however, that is not the case. Researchers at the University of Vermont have found that the English language contains a natural positivity, meaning that even in troubled times, people use more happy words than sad ones.
You finally have your MBA and your first “real” job. Writing the resume was easy since your department counselor helped you with it. The interview also went well because you were given problems taken straight out of textbooks. Now you are faced with a difficulty at work that none of your professors ever covered, leaving you helpless.
It has long been theorized that concepts could not be fully understood by a members of a culture unless that culture had a word for them. However, according to new research published in the American Psychological Association journal Emotion, it appears that people do not need to be able to name an emotion in order to understand it.
Many of the products aimed at holiday shoppers this year are inspired by popular comic books. Most of these items, including toys, games, accessories and clothing, feature superheroes with names that parents will recognize from their own childhoods. According to new research from the University of Cambridge, however, these familiar characters may bear little resemblance to the wholesome heroes whose adventures filled the comic books of a generation ago.
Even in politics, good looks open a lot of doors. A study conducted by the University of Haifa found that the amount of television coverage a member of congress gets is directly proportional to how attractive he or she is perceived to be.
In the center of the political limelight is 2012 Presidential Candidate Herman Cain as he fights off allegations of past sexual infidelity and sexual harassment. The story has leaked out bit by bit, with new accusers coming from different directions and casting even more of a negative shadow on Cain. In his defense, Cain has turned around and pointed a finger at Texan rival Governor Rick Perry claiming that he is conducting a smear campaign against him to try to whittle his chances of receiving the GOP nomination presidency.
A new study out of Michigan State University shows that greater media coverage of Washington politicians does not translate into greater influence on the public. Americans are much more likely to respond to stories of political grassroots efforts led by average citizens, even though such stories are few compared to those chronicling congressional debates and speeches.
Facial expressions are one of the most powerful languages, especially in terms of communicating emotion. Culture plays a large role in how people interpret facial expressions. Because of this, researcher Rachael E. Jack, PhD, of the University of Glasgow set out to document how different cultures interpret facial expressions. The study, which was also Jack’s thesis, was published in the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Journal of Experimental Psychology.
In the internet-connected world of the 21st century, the courtship rituals of yore have been largely replaced by online dating, social networking, and “hooking up.” Lovers have always relied upon the latest advances in communications technology to facilitate their budding relationships. The perfumed, handwritten letter delivered by personal courier was replaced by the more efficient postal service.
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