Becoming less creative
“When people, groups or organizations are looking for a fresh perspective on a project, they often turn to a brainstorming exercise to get those juices flowing. An upcoming study from Applied Cognitive Psychology suggests that this may not be the best route to take to generate unique and varied ideas,” Science Daily reports. “The researchers from Texas A&M University show that group brainstorming exercises can lead to fixation on only one idea or possibility, blocking out other ideas and possibilities, and leading eventually to a conformity of ideas. Lead researcher Nicholas Kohn explains: ‘Fixation to other people’s ideas can occur unconsciously and lead to you suggesting ideas that mimic your brainstorming partners. Thus, you potentially become less creative.’ ”
Out of ideas
“A man who has been charged with making a naked dash through a Tennessee supermarket told police he was ‘bored and didn’t have anything else to do,’ ” Associated Press reports. “The Kingsport Times-News reports that a man entered an IGA store Friday night wearing nothing but a face mask, and ran around the aisles.”
Stump a philosopher
“There was once a website on which academic philosophers listed the curious things that strangers had said to them upon learning that they were in the presence of a philosopher,” Intelligent Life magazine reports. “The following conversation allegedly took place on an airplane:”
– “May I ask you a question?” “Yes.” “It’s a philosophical question, is that okay?” “Sure.” “There’s a boy I fancy. Should I text him or e-mail him?”
– Also from the skies: “What do you do?” “I’m a philosopher.” “What are some of your sayings, then?”
Medicine and primates
“Traditional folk medicine poses a significant and ongoing threat to the future of primates around the world,” Matt Walker reports for BBC News. “According to a major scientific survey, at least 101 primate species are still used in traditional folk practices and in magic or religious rituals. For example, spider monkeys are eaten to treat rheumatism, while gorilla parts are given to pregnant women. Such practices are accelerating the declines of many already vulnerable species, say the survey’s authors. Details of the survey are published in Mammal Review.”
Fast-food hurry
“A new study finds that exposure to fast food does more than just add calories – it is associated with potentially detrimental lifestyle and financial choices,” Psych Central News reports. “Specifically, researchers from the Rotman School of Management [at the University of Toronto] discovered the mere exposure to fast food and related symbols can make people impatient, increase an individual’s preference for time-saving products and reduce a person’s willingness to save. ‘Fast food represents a culture of time efficiency and instant gratification,’ says Chen-Bo Zhong, who co-wrote the paper with colleague Sanford DeVoe to be published in a forthcoming issue of Psychological Science. ‘The problem is that the goal of saving time gets activated upon exposure to fast food regardless of whether time is a relevant factor in the context. For example, walking faster is time efficient when one is trying to make a meeting, but it’s a sign of impatience when one is going for a stroll in the park.’ ”
Keeping fridges clean
“For its new fridge, Whirlpool Corp. spent months inventing a shelf with microscopic etching so it can hold a can of spilled soda,” Anjali Athavaley writes for The Wall Street Journal. “The technology is just one weapon against a dirty kitchen secret: Most Americans clean their fridges only once or twice a year. Now, appliance makers like Whirlpool, Viking Range Corp. and Sub-Zero Inc. are tackling the messy-fridge problem with a host of new features including souped-up shelves, bacteria-killing devices and better lighting. General Electric Co., for example, says it is rolling out new refrigerators in May with 10 lighting sources inside instead of its usual three – so food that might be forgotten in a corner and spoil will be easier to spot.”
Thought du jour
“When we try in good faith to believe in materialism, in the exclusive reality of the physical, we are asking ourselves to step aside; we are disavowing the very realm where we exist and where all things precious are kept – the realm of emotion and conscience; of memory and intention and sensation.”
– John Updike
