Masculine Traits Are Still Linked to Leadership
When defining an effective leader, traditionally feminine characteristics are considered secondary to attributes like assertiveness.
Tom Jacobs
Tom Jacobs is a senior staff writer at Pacific Standard, where he specializes in social science, culture, and learning. He is a veteran journalist and former staff writer for the Los Angeles Daily News and the Santa Barbara News-Press. Through interviews, reviews, and essays, he has tracked and analyzed trends in the arts and sciences, with an emphasis on psychology, the role of culture, and the cultivation of creativity. A native of Chicago, Jacobs earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University.
Research Suggests Trump's Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Is Making Americans More Xenophobic
White Americans hold many negative stereotypes about undocumented workers.
Evangelicals' Porn Viewing Is on the Rise
But frequent churchgoers and Biblical literalists have successfully resisted the temptation.
You Don't Really Want that Burger—You Want Higher Social Status
An evolutionary leftover makes it hard to convince people to shift to a vegetarian diet.
Trump, Kavanaugh, and the Fruits of 'Dignity Politics'
Political scientist Francis Fukuyama argues we can only heal our national divisions with a new, creed-based American identity.
Drink Beer, Save the Planet
New research finds most American beer drinkers are willing to pay more for an eco-friendly brew.
Home Libraries Confer Long-Term Benefits
A large new study finds people who grew up in book-filled homes have higher reading, math, and technological skills.
States With a Higher Percentage of Right-Handed Residents Tend to Lean Republican
In describing political preference, "right" and "left" may be more than a metaphor.
Trump's Appeal to the Cognitively Challenged
New research reports Trump voters were more likely to perform poorly on a test of intellectual ability.
How Fraternity Culture Encourages Excessive Drinking
New research finds alcohol consumption is higher in chapters where members are expected to assert their masculinity.
Who Would Win a Battle Between a Liberal Congress and a Conservative Supreme Court?
Research suggests threats from Capitol Hill can make key justices skittish about overturning popular legislation.
To Most People, All-Male Lawmaking Bodies Are Seen as Less Legitimate
Americans are uncomfortable with men making decisions about women's rights.
Rural Voters Remain Reluctant to Vote for Female Candidates
Research finds voters in these heavily Republican areas are less likely to support obscure office-seekers with feminine-sounding names.
Kavanaugh's Trip to the Twilight Zone
A legal scholar dissects Thursday's emotionally charged Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearing.
Childhood Poverty Is Linked to Poorer Cognitive Skills in Old Age
Cognitively speaking, there may be no way to recover from a disadvantaged childhood.
The Impressive Potency of Political Protests
New research finds high-profile demonstrations can have a major impact on congressional races.
Why Kavanaugh Should Welcome an FBI Investigation
A legal scholar argues the judge's credibility is lower than Christine Blasey Ford's—and that's exactly why he'd be wise to embrace an independent evaluation of the assault allegation.
Discrimination Leads Corporations to See Asian-American Executives as 'Saviors'
New research reveals Asian Americans are more than twice as likely to be appointed chief executive if a company is in decline.
Americans' Attitudes Toward Suicide Are Softening
But as with so many social issues, the liberal-conservative divide has grown wider over time.
Women Are Superior Wordsmiths From an Early Age
By fourth grade, girls are better than boys at reading and, especially, writing. New research finds this gap then increases as they get older.
Women in STEM Benefit From Same-Sex Support
Fewer females drop out of doctoral programs if they have a significant number of same-sex peers.
Won't You Be My Climate-Conscious Neighbor?
New research suggests social comparison can be an effective way to reduce energy consumption.
Trump and the Playbook of Fascist Politics
In a new book, Yale philosopher Jason Stanley lays out the traditional tactics of fascist politicians, which have retained their potency.
The Slow Silencing of Sexism at the Symphony
This season, works by women composers are being featured more frequently by many American orchestras. Mozart and Schubert, meet Mazzolli and Shaw.
Are Trump's Tweets Self-Defeating?
New research finds incivility decreases politicians' public approval, even in a hyper-partisan environment.
Americans Are Reading Fewer Novels, but More Poetry
New National Endowment for the Arts research finds arts attendance is rising, but remains below 2002 levels.
Research Suggests Black Women Are More Likely to Be Objectified and Dehumanized
Serena Williams is not alone in having grounds to suspect bias.
Did Inclusiveness, a Core Value of Democrats, Lead to Their 2016 Loss?
New research argues Republicans' us-vs.-them attitude gave the GOP an advantage by heightening party solidarity.
More Evidence That Green Space Helps Develop Young Brains
Access to nature appears to provide kids with a specific cognitive advantage.
New Research Debunks the Upward Mobility Myth
You're far more likely to hold a high-status occupation if your parents did the same.
Desegregated Playtime Gives Heart Health a Boost
It's less likely you'll expand your waistline if you're expanding your horizons.
Social Networks Can Boost Knowledge, Even on Polarizing Issues
But only if they are structured in a way that deemphasizes users' partisan identities.
The Latest Poll Results—From 1932
The rediscovery of a Depression-era survey reminds us that assumptions about what drives voters can be very mistaken.
Beauty Is, Mostly, in the Eye of the Beholder
A new analysis finds a few widely shared aesthetic preferences, and a whole lot of individual and cultural variation.
The Militarization of Police Does Not Reduce Crime
New research finds it does reduce public support for law enforcement.
Hit Movies Have More Female Characters—and Stronger Ones Too
New research finds females still make up a minority of the onscreen population, but they are depicted more often in leadership roles.
Moral Outrage Can Backfire When It Goes Viral
As negative comments accumulate, they start to come across as bullying—even if they're justified.
Here's More Evidence Facebook Is Harming Democracy
A second study links use of the social media platform with lower political knowledge.
Racism May Extend to Robots
A new study finds a robot's color affects how people react to it.
Black Cops Are Just as Likely as White Cops to Kill Black Suspects
New research suggests a culture of bias is a bigger problem than individual racist officers.
Music Reduces Pain—Even in Newborns
A two-day-old is apparently not too young to benefit from listening to the Moonlight Sonata.
'I Pledge to Vote' Gets People to the Polls
Recent research identifies a promising way to get first-time voters to cast a ballot.
Female Heart Attack Victims Are More Likely to Survive If Treated by a Woman Doctor
New research suggests male physicians are less successful at treating female patients.
Reality TV Perpetuates the Stereotype of the Angry African American
A new study finds African Americans on reality television are more likely to be both the victim and perpetrator of verbal aggression.
Regional Immigration, Local Segregation: The Toxic Mix That Triggers Whites' Fears
New research suggests neighborhood-level diversity can reduce perceived threat, but regional diversity has the opposite effect.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers Make Good Romantic Partners
New research suggests they have more mature ideas about how real-world relationships work.
Research Suggests Exposure to Multiculturalism Prompts People to Inflate the Importance of Race
A new study finds promoting the philosophy can solidify the belief there are deep-seated, unalterable differences between races.
Americans Stubbornly Continue to Overestimate Their Intelligence
Nearly two-thirds believe they're smarter than average.
A Psychological Explanation for the Dysfunctional Trump White House
Kissing up to the boss takes a toll on employees' self-control.
How Christian Nationalism Begets Political Conservatism
New research finds that fused identity apparently produces a predisposition toward authoritarianism and support for punitive punishments.