Persuasion

Fact-checking a false 140-character claim by stating it is false can help reduce misinformation. Using evidence to refute the claim is even more effective.

British Journal of Psychology

Persuasion

Personal stories about climate change affecting people and ecosystems can shift climate change beliefs and risk perceptions.

Most people's first memories are from around the age of 3. Memories earlier than this are more likely to be fictional.

Graders who used happy face emoticons in feedback on undergraduate student essays were perceived as warmer (more friendly, approachable, pleasant, or understanding).

Computers & Education

Persuasion

Children who felt more connected to nature were more likely to perform sustainable behaviors such as reducing waste, helping someone in need, and treating all people equally, which in turn increased happiness.

Coffee served in a white mug tasted more intense than if served in a clear mug. Coffee served in a clear or blue mug tasted sweeter than if served in a white mug.

People who receive more matches and messages on dating apps (like Tinder) feel more desirable, which is associated with more intentions of cheating in future relationships.

Persuasion

Experiences that elicit feelings of awe, such as viewing nature or art, may encourage a sense of belonging to something larger than oneself.

In a social conformity study, adults conformed to agree with incorrect humans but not incorrect robots, whereas children aged 7-9 conformed with robots who gave incorrect answers.

Persuasion

Talking to empathic partners about their conflicts with others can confirm their negative feelings. This can lead to more negative actions and make the conflicts worse.