In the video below Dr. Matsumoto explains the structure of traits- dispositions that we have to act or behave in a certain way. Studies that involve analyzing traits, especially across cultures, have come to find that there seems to be a universal structure of traits. That is, people all around the world have basic traits…
Read MoreCooperation and Competition in Intercultural Interactions
Are team players more cooperative when they can relate to their teammates? New research conducted by Drs. David Matsumoto and Hyi Sung Hwang now relates the behavioral ability to cooperatively interact with people to cultural differences between the players. In this study, US born Americans played a modified Prisoner’s Dilemma game in same sex dyads…
Read MoreThe Pursuit of Ignorance
What does real scientific work look like? Neuroscientist Stuart Firestein, professor at Columbia University, implies that Ignorance is far more important to discovery than knowledge. Firestein gets to the heart of science as it’s really practiced and suggests that we should value what we don’t know — or “high-quality ignorance” — just as much as…
Read MoreEmpathy, Empowerment and Teenagers
As most of us know either from our own kids or interaction with other’s kids, teenagers can be moody, confusing and seem to lack empathy. How can we cultivate sensitivity in our teens, especially teen boys? New research published in Developmental Psychology, shows that biology, not parenting, is to blame for insensitive and selfish behavior…
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