19 Things you didn't know about people
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AJK
Dec 19, 2010, 4:05:20 AM12/19/10
to SA UX forum
Source: Latest Newsletter from http://www.optimalusability.com/
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness
* 94 per cent of professors at a large university believe that they
are better than the average professor.
* Roughly speaking, losing something makes you twice as miserable as
gaining the same thing makes you happy.
* If two people live together for a long time, they start to look like
each other. They grow to look alike partly because of nutrition -
shared diets and eating habits - but much of the effect is simple
imitation of facial expressions. Couples who end up looking alike also
tend to be happier!
* Obesity is contagious; you're more likely to be overweight if you
have a lot of overweight friends.
* On average, those who eat with one other person eat about 35 per
cent more than they do when they are alone; members of a group of four
eat about 75 per cent more; those in groups of seven or more eat 96
per cent more.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
* High priced entrees on the menu boost revenue for the restaurant -
even if no one buys them. Why? Because even though people generally
won't buy the most expensive dish on the menu, they will order the
second most expensive dish.
* If you want to enhance the experience of your guest, invest in a
nice set of wine glasses. Moreover, if you're really serious about
your wine, you may want to go all out and purchase the glasses that
are specific to burgundies, chardonnays, champagne etc. Each type of
glass is supposed to provide the appropriate environment, which should
bring out the best in these wines (even though controlled studies find
that the shape of the glass makes no difference at all in an objective
blind taste test, that doesn't stop people from perceiving a
significant difference when they are handed the 'correct glass').
Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us
* People are much more likely to report being in 'flow' on the job
than during leisure.
* If we watch how people's brains respond, promising them monetary
rewards and giving them cocaine, nicotine or amphetamines looks
disturbingly similar.
59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot
* 50 per cent of your overall sense of happiness is genetically
determined, and so cannot be altered. The better news is that another
10 per cent is attributable to general circumstances (educational
level, income, whether you are married or single, etc.) that are
difficult to change. However, the best news is that the remaining 40
per cent is derived from your day-to-day behaviour and the way you
think about yourself and others.
* In terms of short and long term happiness, buying experiences make
people feel better than buying products. Why? Our memory of
experiences easily becomes distorted over time (you edit out the
terrible trip on the airplane and just remember those blissful moments
relaxing on the beach). Our goods, however, tend to lose their appeal
by becoming old, worn-out, and out-dated. Also, experiences promote
one of the most effective happiness-inducing behaviours - spending
time with others.
* Those who sit upright are much happier than those who slouch.
* To increase happiness, try walking in a more relaxed way, swinging
your arms slightly more and putting more of a spring in your step.
Also, try making more expressive hand gestures during conversations,
nod your head more when others are speaking, wear more colourful
clothing, use positively charged emotional words more (especially
'love', 'like', and 'fond'), use fewer self-references ('me,'
'myself' , and 'I'), have a larger variation in the pitch of your
voice, speak slightly faster, and have a significantly firmer
handshake.
* If you want to increase your chances of making a good impression in
a meeting, sit toward the middle of the table.
* People develop a special fondness for other people, objects and
statements if they are introduced to them while eating a meal. The
effect may be attributable to the fact that good food puts people in a
happy mood and can cause them to make faster, and more impulsive,
decisions. More recently, researchers discovered that people who have
just consumed caffeinated drinks were more likely to be swayed by
arguments about various controversial topics.
* The next time you are trying to be creative in a meeting, gently
lean forward and pull against the table.
* If you want to get someone to help you out, try the briefest of
touches on the upper arm.
* Long-term couples will feel more attracted to each other when they
regularly engage in novel and exciting joint activities that involve
working together to achieve a goal.
* Research suggests that telling children that they are bright and
talented is a terrible thing to do. Telling children that they possess
a certain trait, such as being bright or talented, is not good for
their psychological health because it encourages them to avoid
challenging situations, no to try so hard, and quickly to be become
demotivated when the going gets tough. In contrast, praising effort
encourages people to stretch themselves, work hard, and persist in the
face of difficulties.
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness
* 94 per cent of professors at a large university believe that they
are better than the average professor.
* Roughly speaking, losing something makes you twice as miserable as
gaining the same thing makes you happy.
* If two people live together for a long time, they start to look like
each other. They grow to look alike partly because of nutrition -
shared diets and eating habits - but much of the effect is simple
imitation of facial expressions. Couples who end up looking alike also
tend to be happier!
* Obesity is contagious; you're more likely to be overweight if you
have a lot of overweight friends.
* On average, those who eat with one other person eat about 35 per
cent more than they do when they are alone; members of a group of four
eat about 75 per cent more; those in groups of seven or more eat 96
per cent more.
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
* High priced entrees on the menu boost revenue for the restaurant -
even if no one buys them. Why? Because even though people generally
won't buy the most expensive dish on the menu, they will order the
second most expensive dish.
* If you want to enhance the experience of your guest, invest in a
nice set of wine glasses. Moreover, if you're really serious about
your wine, you may want to go all out and purchase the glasses that
are specific to burgundies, chardonnays, champagne etc. Each type of
glass is supposed to provide the appropriate environment, which should
bring out the best in these wines (even though controlled studies find
that the shape of the glass makes no difference at all in an objective
blind taste test, that doesn't stop people from perceiving a
significant difference when they are handed the 'correct glass').
Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us
* People are much more likely to report being in 'flow' on the job
than during leisure.
* If we watch how people's brains respond, promising them monetary
rewards and giving them cocaine, nicotine or amphetamines looks
disturbingly similar.
59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot
* 50 per cent of your overall sense of happiness is genetically
determined, and so cannot be altered. The better news is that another
10 per cent is attributable to general circumstances (educational
level, income, whether you are married or single, etc.) that are
difficult to change. However, the best news is that the remaining 40
per cent is derived from your day-to-day behaviour and the way you
think about yourself and others.
* In terms of short and long term happiness, buying experiences make
people feel better than buying products. Why? Our memory of
experiences easily becomes distorted over time (you edit out the
terrible trip on the airplane and just remember those blissful moments
relaxing on the beach). Our goods, however, tend to lose their appeal
by becoming old, worn-out, and out-dated. Also, experiences promote
one of the most effective happiness-inducing behaviours - spending
time with others.
* Those who sit upright are much happier than those who slouch.
* To increase happiness, try walking in a more relaxed way, swinging
your arms slightly more and putting more of a spring in your step.
Also, try making more expressive hand gestures during conversations,
nod your head more when others are speaking, wear more colourful
clothing, use positively charged emotional words more (especially
'love', 'like', and 'fond'), use fewer self-references ('me,'
'myself' , and 'I'), have a larger variation in the pitch of your
voice, speak slightly faster, and have a significantly firmer
handshake.
* If you want to increase your chances of making a good impression in
a meeting, sit toward the middle of the table.
* People develop a special fondness for other people, objects and
statements if they are introduced to them while eating a meal. The
effect may be attributable to the fact that good food puts people in a
happy mood and can cause them to make faster, and more impulsive,
decisions. More recently, researchers discovered that people who have
just consumed caffeinated drinks were more likely to be swayed by
arguments about various controversial topics.
* The next time you are trying to be creative in a meeting, gently
lean forward and pull against the table.
* If you want to get someone to help you out, try the briefest of
touches on the upper arm.
* Long-term couples will feel more attracted to each other when they
regularly engage in novel and exciting joint activities that involve
working together to achieve a goal.
* Research suggests that telling children that they are bright and
talented is a terrible thing to do. Telling children that they possess
a certain trait, such as being bright or talented, is not good for
their psychological health because it encourages them to avoid
challenging situations, no to try so hard, and quickly to be become
demotivated when the going gets tough. In contrast, praising effort
encourages people to stretch themselves, work hard, and persist in the
face of difficulties.
John
Dec 19, 2010, 11:48:14 PM12/19/10
to SA UX forum
@ AJ: That had some really interesting thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
On Dec 19, 10:05 am, AJK <ajk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Source: Latest Newsletter fromhttp://www.optimalusability.com/
On Dec 19, 10:05 am, AJK <ajk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Source: Latest Newsletter fromhttp://www.optimalusability.com/
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