Weapons of Mass Persuasion: Tracing the Story of Psychological Targeting on Social Media
A rigorous assessment of whether psychological targeting on social media can influence our behavior has remained elusive. Until recently.
Books
It’s a Bouba, Not a Kiki: The Relationship Between Sound, Form, and Meaning
We don’t assume that we can understand the meaning of words based on their sound alone. But a long history of research in psycholinguistics hints that we’re better at it than we might think.
The Psychology of Overhead Aversion—and What It Means for Charitable Work
Why are people so averse to paying charities’ overhead costs? What could knowing more about overhead aversion mean for successful fundraising? We conducted an experiment to find out.
The Magic of Knowing When to Use Concrete vs. Abstract Language
When trying to make language either more concrete or more abstract, one helpful approach is to focus on either the how or the why.
The Art and Science of Arguing: A Conversation with Mehdi Hasan
In his new book, Win Every Argument, Mehdi Hasan lays out his approach to debate and persuasion. Dave Nussbaum sits down with him to learn more.
Seeking a Science of Awe: A Conversation with Dacher Keltner
Awe, as in the chill-up-the-spine you might find in a poem, symphony, mountaintop, spiritual experience, or selfless act. In clever and imaginative ways, Keltner has researched what awe is and how it moves us.