Psychology says people who over-explain themselves in ordinary conversations aren’t insecure or needy — they often grew up with adults who required exhaustive justification...
The Hidden Layers Behind Over-Explaining
Last month, a friend cancelled dinner on me with a message that ran to about 240 words. The explanation included...
In a trial with 226 people, researchers kept tempting audiobooks on iPods that one group could access only at the gym — that group...
The Next Chapter Was Waiting at the Gym
In a fascinating experiment involving 226 participants, researchers explored how access to an enticing audiobook could serve...
At a New York university copier, adding “because I have to make copies” raised agreement to a small favour from 60% to 93% —...
Understanding the Power and Limits of “Because I Have to Make Copies”
A seemingly trivial request at a copier—“May I use it because I have...
Across 355 cities in 40 countries, researchers handed in 17,303 supposedly lost wallets — and adding cash raised the share of recipients who contacted...
Cash Inside a Lost Wallet Increases Chances of Contacting the Owner: Insights from a Global Experiment
In a remarkable international field experiment spanning 355 cities...
Psychology says people who wake at the same time every morning without an alarm aren’t relying on willpower alone — the sleeping brain can...
The Science Behind Waking Up Without an Alarm
The alarm on my phone is set for six. I have not heard it go off in...