Why ghosting is so scary
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BRAIN WAVES
Booooo. There’s a name for relationships that end with no explanation or formal goodbye: ghosting. And in a new study, researchers found that some people might take ghosting harder, depending on specific personality characteristics. Volunteers were asked to recall a past relationship, either a time when they were rejected directly or ghosted. They also answered questions about their senses of belonging, self-esteem, meaningful existence, and control. The results? People with a high need for closure might be more sensitive to ghosting within a relationship. But ironically, the study also found that those people were also more likely to ghost another person. "Even though things may be ambiguous on the recipient side, the person who is ghosting sees it as a distinct end to the relationship," said researcher Chistina Leckfor. Overall, nearly two-thirds of people in the study had been ghosted. Scary stuff.
Was Gordon Gekko right? Are greedy people better off than everyone else? In a study, researchers used something called the Dispositional Greed Scale to measure greedy behavior. Then they looked at income level and other life outcomes to see whether greedy people were richer or happier. “We found that greedy individuals had higher economic outcomes, mixed evolutionary outcomes, and lower psychological outcomes,” the researchers wrote.. It could be that dissatisfaction is an intrinsic property of greed. “Never having enough and the endless pursuit of more…may by necessity imply lower life satisfaction,” the study explains. But the link might be more indirect than that, too. Greedy people could be less satisfied with life because there may be different outcomes associated with greed – worse relationships, for example. Overall, the study concluded that strong social relationships are crucial to well-being, “even more so than having a good income.”
The perks of persuasion. You don’t have to be an influencer to be persuasive. Whether it’s recommending a book to a friend or convincing a coworker to help you with a project, there are ways to boost your skills when it comes to persuasion. Listen to learn more.
ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Feb 13: In day-to-day life, most of us have an instinctive desire to avoid pain. This makes sense. However, constantly seeking to avoid discomfort can cause us to lead constricted lives, and keep us from reflecting our deepest values.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Feb 14: When Deb was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, her partner Scott Stevens was at her side through every part of her treatment. It made all the difference in her recovery.
Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.
MIND GAMES
Stephen was looking at a photo when someone asked, "Whose picture are you looking at?" He replied, "I don't have any brother or sister, but this man's father is my father's son." Whose picture was Stephen looking at?
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
There is only one time in your life when you’re twice as old as your child. When is that?
The answer: When your child reaches the age you were when they were born, you'll stay “twice as old” until your next birthday. [source]
FROM THE TWITTERATI…
A MOMENT OF JOY
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