Peer Pressure Can Make Americans Eat Less Meat
Harnessing the brain's desire to conform to societal norms could be key to cutting meat consumption, researchers say.
Behavior
Air Pollution Linked to Delinquent Behavior
Underprivileged kids growing up in congested cities must overcome many handicaps; this study suggests one of them is the very air they breathe.
Identifying the Genes That Influence How We Interact With Others
Scientists are studying people afflicted with Williams syndrome to figure out the biological basis for our behaviors.
Spending Time in Nature Produces Better Behaved Students
New research finds third-graders are more attentive after experiencing a class taught on the lawn.
Facial Recognition: Are We Born With It?
Do we get our cognitive abilities from our inherited "nature" or from our environment's "nurture?"
Are Babies Born Biased?
Two new studies add to the evidence that we make the distinction between members of our group and outsiders very early in life.
Seeing Yourself as Lazy is Hazardous to Your Health
People who perceive themselves as less active than their peers are at greater risk of death—whether they're accurate or not.
Perhaps We're More Self-Centered Because We're Lonely
New research finds the two traits are mutually reinforcing.
Addiction Is Not a Brain Disease
The idea that drugs and biology are to blame for addiction has done more harm than good.
When Virtual Reality Becomes a Life Saver
The cheapest VR out there has already saved a life.
Approaching Peak Capacity
Requests for consumers to shift their electrical usage when the power grid is strained can have "perverse effects."
Kids' Diets Could Impact Their ADHD
Fatty acids in fish oil may help kids with ADHD focus.
Rich or Poor, We All Behave Badly
Research shows that people of high and low social classes can act unethically—just in different ways.
Does a Cold Courtroom Result in Murder Convictions?
The ambient temperature of a courtroom could change the way people perceive crimes—which, in turn, could affect sentencing.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: David Stillwell, 28, Psychometrics
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
Can Animal-Assisted Therapy Be Used to Help At-Risk Boys?
If existing behavioral programs aren’t working, can therapeutic sessions with a dog help kids who have problems at school?
Playing Make-Believe While Black
Are preschool teachers influenced in their evaluations of young children by race?
Did Stanley Milgram's Famous Obedience Experiments Prove Anything?
Stanley Milgram's test subjects were not the only ones misled by his famous experiments on obedience.
Your Child's Brain on Math
Why do some children benefit more from tutoring than others? And does one small education study have the ability to drastically change our behavior as parents?
Why Americans Are the Weirdest People in the World
Joe Henrich and his colleagues are shaking the foundations of psychology and economics—and hoping to change the way social scientists think about human behavior and culture.
Numerology Doesn’t Know the Score
Various ways of assigning numbers to events, people, and actions is an ancient parlor game, but let’s not take it beyond that.
Women Eye Dance Moves to Find Thrill Seekers
How to spot thrill-seeking men on the dance floor, "sweet" personalities in public, and bidding fever on eBay.
Full Moon Myths Leave Skeptics Howling
Full moons appeal to our imaginations and contribute to our mythologies, but ascribing too much power to them appears to be a continuing form of lunacy.