Is the holiday complete without traditional family celebrations and holiday rituals? This is exactly what a team of Spanish and Chilean researchers attempted to evaluate in a 2011 study. Situating their research into an extensive tradition finding that ritual practices are important for personal happiness and family cohesion, Dr. Paez and his team examined what…
Read MoreWant A Truly Merry Holiday? Focus on Celebrations, Not Stuff
As holiday season approaches, many of us must reflect on what exactly will make the holidays most joyous. In a fascinating study from 2002, a pair of researchers asked over a hundred people about their stress and happiness during the holidays, including questions about consumption behavior. They found that family-based or religious celebrations tended to…
Read MoreGroup Emotions of Violence
Last week we discussed the role of contempt, disgust, and anger in violence, but what is the role of emotions in group identity and differentiation? In fact, recent scientific research has focused increasingly on the role of group-level emotions, as opposed to just those of each individual. This can have significant effects in shaping when…
Read MoreCan Basic Emotions Be Used To Predict Violence?
As may be unsurprising to many of you, reading basic emotions in others may be a key to predicting violence. Humintell has written for years on the importance of basic emotions, but can understanding these emotions help better understand or predict violent behavior? Drs. David Matsumoto, Hyi Sung Hwang, and Mark Frank all agree with…
Read More