Jacqueline Rifkin

You might make a quick and exaggerated judgment about what kind of neighborhood you’re in based on the people or flags you see. David Levingstone/DigitalVision via Getty Images

People overestimate groups they find threatening – when ‘sizing up’ others, bias sneaks in

Social psychology researchers found that people commonly exaggerate the presence of certain groups – including ethnic and sexual minorities – because they perceive them as ideologically threatening.
The longer you hold off on using an everyday purchase, the more likely you are to preserve it untouched. kupicoo/E+ via Getty Images

Psychological ‘specialness spirals’ can make ordinary items feel like treasures – and may explain how clutter accumulates

Have you ever bought an item and then just not gotten around to using it because the time never felt right? New studies suggest an explanation for what researchers call nonconsumption.

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