Though grit and imagination are two important character traits for success, we often treat them as opposed to each other. However, many of the highest achievers find ways to incorporate both dreaming and doing into their work. Educators that combine the two can be an inspiration for students, setting them up for success in the classroom […]
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STUDY ALERT: If, Why, and When Subjective Well-Being Influences Health, and Future Needed Research
If, Why, and When Subjective Well-Being Influences Health, and Future Needed Research Ed Diener, Sarah Pressman, John Hunter, and Desi Chase We review evidence on whether subjective well-being (SWB) can influence health, why it might do so, and what we know about the conditions where this is more or less likely to occur. This review […]
STUDY ALERT: Being Present: Focusing on the Present Predicts Improvements in Life Satisfaction But Not Happiness
Being Present: Focusing on the Present Predicts Improvements in Life Satisfaction But Not Happiness Peter Felsman, Philippe Verduyn, Ozlem Ayduk, & Ethan Kross Mindfulness theorists suggest that people spend most of their time focusing on the past or future rather than the present. Despite the prevalence of this assumption, no research that we are aware […]
STUDY ALERT: Is there a “Flynn effect” for personality”?
Secular rise in economically valuable personality traits Markus Jokela, Tuomas Pekkarinen, Matti Sarvimäki, Marko Terviö, and Roope Uusitalo The secular rise in intelligence across birth cohorts is one of the most widely documented facts in psychology. This finding is important because intelligence is a key predictor of many outcomes such as education, occupation, and income. Although noncognitive skills may […]
Is Tranquility Right for Everyone?
I have a very genuine question, something I’ve long wondered. Whenever I tell people that the feeling of complete inner peace and tranquility sometimes makes me feel uncomfortable, and that on average I actually prefer the state of inspiration / excitement / exploration, the immediate, well-meaning response is always “Give it patience, give it time”. To be […]
Beautiful Minds Newsletter [July, 2017]
[Subscribe to the free monthly Beautiful Minds Newsletter] Hi All! Welcome to the July, 2017 Beautiful Minds Newsletter. Hope everyone had a lovely June! I turned 38, which caused a lot of reflection. How did I become 38? I still feel like a little child inside. But more importantly, what could the next 38 years look […]
What Would Happen if Our Political Leaders Were Vulnerable, Authentic, and Human?
Today we are not only profoundly lacking in humane leadership, but also human leadership. To be fully human means becoming what you truly are, in all of your complexities and contradictions. What would happen if, as a nation, we presented ourselves to the world openly, acceptingly, and honestly? What would be the result? This is […]
Rethinking Autism: From Social Awkwardness to Social Creativity
[This article originally appeared at the Behavioral Scientist] At a speech at the United Nations, writer and activist Steve Silberman noted that “society is on the brink of a major transformation in its understanding of autism and other developmental disabilities.” Silberman is right. For years, the story about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was […]
Can Narcissism Fuel Grit?
What are the determinants of high performance? My search for the factors that can fuel mastery have no limits– I want to know all of the pathways to greatness, and how all of the various factors can combine to help us reach our personal goals. In recent years, one such factor that has received a great […]
STUDY ALERT: Would you choose to be happy? Tradeoffs between happiness and the other dimensions of life in a large population survey
Would you choose to be happy? Tradeoffs between happiness and the other dimensions of life in a large population survey Matthew D. Adlera, Paul Dolanb, Georgios Kavetsosc A large literature documents the determinants of happiness. But is happiness all that people want from life; and if so, what type of happiness matters to them? Or […]
STUDY ALERT: Lying Because We Care: Compassion Increases Prosocial Lying
Lying Because We Care: Compassion Increases Prosocial Lying Matthew J. Lupoli, Lily Jampol, and Christopher Oveis Prosocial lies, or lies intended to benefit others, are ubiquitous behaviors that have important social and economic consequences. Though emotions play a central role in many forms of prosocial behavior, no work has investigated how emotions influence behavior when one has […]
STUDY ALERT: Creativity and personality: Nuances of domain and mood
Creativity and personality: Nuances of domain and mood Christa L. Taylor, Alexander S. McKay, and James C. Kaufman The nature of the relationship between creativity and personality is one of the core issues at the heart of creativity research. It is a rare topic that can both inspire a kneejerk, obvious response (such as “Openness […]