Vsauce founder Michael Stevens looks at the various characteristics that define games, and asks why humans play them. Could games play a role in brain development? Do they prepare us for survival? What are the psychological rewards for playing games? Is life itself a game? All these and other fascinating questions are addressed in the video above.
Teaching middle school students is no easy feat. These kids at an age where they want their independence but they’re still too immature to be left alone entirely. They need a lot of guidance in order to succeed. Plus, since they’re dealing with the pressures of growing up and the hormones that come with it, they tend to get emotional and their moods are hard to manage. Therefore, it’s extremely important for teachers to learn the tricks that work for motivating these socially and biologically flustered young minds. Continue reading
Businesses crave customer loyalty as it brings consumers back to use their products or services again and again. Customer retention is a big deal across all industries with groups as divergent as J.D. Power & Associates, the U.S. Commerce Department and the Business Network International seeking to analyze it. Understanding the psychology of loyal customers can mean greater profits too, as less funds will be spent on advertising while more money can be diverted to the bottom line. Here are a few suggestions to incite this essential trait in your business clients. Continue reading
Cooperation isn’t just a “nice-to-do,” it is a survival mechanism for organizations. It also appears that it is the same for the human species. Our evolution has depended on our willingness and ability to cooperate. Continue reading
In a brilliant talk, Daniel Pink highlights the huge disparity between “what science knows and what business does.” He makes the case that bigger financial incentives can narrow focus, reduce creativity and are successful only when the goal of a particular task is straightforward and does not require cognitive skill. He contrasts this with the incredible results that intrinsic motivators can produce, and argues for a new business approach that focuses on autonomy, mastery and purpose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EjJsPylEOY
What’s so fascinating about eating a marshmallow? Quite a lot as it turns out. In 1972, Stanford University’s Walter Mischel conducted one of psychology’s classic behavioral experiments on deferred gratification. Deferred gratification refers to an individual’s ability to wait in order to achieve a desired object or outcome. Continue reading
