1. Let’s say you have an exam coming up tomorrow. You are stressed already and want to relax tonight. Which television programme would be a better choice? A) A wildlife documentary B) A horror movie C) A news channel
According to a recent American study B) A horror movie. Oddly enough, deliberately scaring ourselves seems to produce a calmer brain when it’s over – a recalibration. In the study, those who were the most stressed or tired showed the biggest benefits when the movie ended.
2. What is an ambivert?
Someone in the middle of the range between an extravert and an introvert. Ambiverts do like to be with people, but they’re also happy being by themselves.
3. Your colleague is stressed as he struggles with a major project. Which would be more likely to reduce his stress? A) A supportive conversation without mentioning the project B) A conversation combined with advice C) Advice
A) A supportive conversation without mentioning the project. A recent review of 142 studies found that support such as counselling, or even new equipment, is helpful, but advice is not. The leader of the review says ‘That finding might be because not all support is good support’. Advice might not be taken the way we intend. It could be seen as patronising, or suggesting that the person receiving it is incompetent.
4. Who is more likely to choke when the stress gets too much in a major sporting event – a man or a woman?
A man. Choking in sport has been well studied. One researcher found that male tennis players were twice as likely as women players to be overwhelmed by pressure and perform well below their normal skill level.
5. Which personality trait would be most useful for election candidates? A) Openness to new ideas B) Friendliness C) Extraversion
C) Extraversion. It’s the big one – the outstanding personality trait across a wide range of studies. There’s some evidence that not being open to new ideas is an advantage – probably because consistent, unqualified messages work best in elections.
6. A job interview is coming up next week and you’re anxious. Your partner suggests you take a sugar pill (a placebo) each day to help you relax. Which would be a more accurate response? A) ‘Yes, that’s worth a try’ B) ‘No, that wouldn’t make any difference’ C) ‘Don’t be ridiculous’
A) ‘Yes, that’s worth a try’ Researchers have known for years that placebos can reduce medical symptoms - even when we know that we’re just taking a sugar pill. New research in Berlin has shown the same result with anxiety, creativity and learning. Why? We’ll have to wait for more research.
7. Do we really judge people by just hearing or reading their names?
Yes. A recent Canadian study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that people judged Katie, Jack and Carter to be extraverted – just on reading their names in a list. It’s the K and T sounds in those names that count. Joanna, Owen and Lauren are more likely to be thought to be friendly. Those names have softer, N and L sounds. Are people with those names really more extraverted or agreeable than the rest of the population? That’s very unlikely, but the finding is still useful. Let’s be aware that when we are hiring or even at a party, we might wrongly assume that Katie is extraverted and that Lauren is not.