Relax and spend
"A new paper in the Journal of Marketing Research … probes the effect of relaxation on consumer behaviour," reports Wired magazine. "It turns out that people who feel relaxed spend far more freely than those who feel less at ease, even when they are in an equivalent emotional state. … Feeling relaxed even increased the willingness of subjects to bid on risky activities, such as a bungee-jumping session. Why does relaxation turn us into spendthrifts? When we feel safe, we are better able to fully focus on the potential rewards at stake. Instead of worrying about price, we can contemplate the advantages of having a sophisticated camera, or the thrill of falling through the air. As the psychologists demonstrated in subsequent experiments, those subjects who were more relaxed thought less about particulars – the specific cost of the gadget or the dangers of the risky behaviour – and more about the abstract pleasures they were trying to purchase."
Quantity or quality?
"When we meet new people, we are drawn to those who are the most like us, meaning people with a large choice of friends will form a group [who]are similar to one another," says The Telegraph. "In contrast, those who move in smaller circles have to 'make do' with friends that do not necessarily share their beliefs and interests – but these friendships end up being closer, scientists claim. American researchers from Wellesley College and the University of Kansas compared groups of friends from larger and smaller universities. Those from larger universities with more than 25,000 students were more similar to their friends in terms of attitude and behaviour than those from smaller institutions, possibly because they had more choice, researchers said. But students from the smaller colleges rated their friendships as closer than people from large campuses, according to a study published in the Group Processes and Intergroup Relations journal."
Dorms, they are a-changing
"When most people envision a dorm room, they think of a cave-like space barely big enough to fit a TV, a closet and maybe a mini-refrigerator," says CNN.com. "But that's changing as universities are catering to students who want movie theatres, tanning beds, fitness centres and, most importantly, private bathrooms. Over the past few years, schools and private developers across the [United States]have poured millions into state-of-the-art dorms after recognizing that today's generation of students will pass up eight-by-10-foot rooms and apartments without washing machines. … Last September, the University of Michigan opened the North Quadrangle Residential and Academic Complex. … The $175-million [U.S.]state-of-the-art building includes 450 residential rooms, classrooms with video teleconferencing capabilities, study lounges with smart boards, and flat-screen TVs in nearly every hallway that show upcoming events."
Managing dementia
"A new study uses humour therapy rather than antipsychotic drugs to manage agitation in patients with dementia," says Psych Central. "The approach avoids the serious side effects and drug interactions that often occur with antipsychotic medications. … The study spanned 36 Australian residential care facilities [for the elderly]and involved the recruitment and training of a staff member to act as a 'Laughter Boss.' The individual worked with a humour practitioner with comedic and improvisation skills – not unlike 'Clown Doctors' used in hospitals to aid recovery and lift mood in children. The core program, called Play Up, provides a playful relationship with residents and staff in aged care, focusing particularly on people with dementia. … The study found a 20 per cent reduction in agitation using humour therapy, an improvement comparable to the common use of antipsychotic drugs."
A do-it-yourself plant
"A new plant that 'bends down' to deposit its seeds has been discovered in the Atlantic forest in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. The new species," reports BBC News, "has been named Spigelia genuflexa after its unusual adaptation. After fruits are formed, the fruiting branches bend down, depositing the capsules of seeds on the ground and sometimes burying them in the soft cover of moss." Lena Struwe, a botanist from Rutgers University in New Jersey, said: "In this species, it is most likely that because it is so short-lived (just a few months) and lives in small fragments of suitable environments, the mother plant is most successful if she deposits her seeds right next to herself, [rather than]spreading them around far into less suitable environments."
You smell like a relative
"Penguins can smell and may use that sense of smell to determine whether they are related to a potential mate, U.S. researchers say," United Press International reports. "Researchers from the University of Chicago and the Chicago Zoological society say penguins' sense of smell may allow them to find their way back to their nests in crowded colonies, thus helping them stay monogamous, and to distinguish their relatives from others to avoid inbreeding."
Thought du jour
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82), U.S. lecturer and essayist