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By Brad Bell Some lectures may be hard to pay attention to.  Some subjects suchas research methods and statistics may seem very dry.  What can theinstructor do to make these topics more interesting?   One possibilityis to use humorous examples in the lectures. In Garner’s (2006) experiment, all the participants viewed threevideo-recorded lectures on statistics and… Continue reading Can Funny Lectures Foster Learning?

By Brad Bell You have been listening to soothing music while reading a book.  You go to answer the phone.  It is a volunteer who is asking you to donate to a nonprofit.  You are feeling happy and relaxed.  You agree to donate 10 dollars to the organization.  Did listening to the soothing music influence… Continue reading Psychology of Music: Can Soothing Music Increase Helping?

By Brad Bell People have different aspirations.  Some people may wish to befamous and wealthy.  Others may be more concerned with developing good social relationships and making a contribution totheir community.  Could exposure to nature affect our aspirations? In their first three studies, Weinstein, Przybylski, and Ryan (2009)had participants view either slides involving natural scenes… Continue reading Can Exposure to Nature Influence Our Aspirations?

By Brad Bell You are having writer’s block.  You are staring at your computer screen and you cannot think of what to write next.  You have been working on a novel for more than two years, and now it is quite frustrating that you cannot complete the last several pages of the novel.  You decide… Continue reading Psychology of Creativity: Can Watching a Comedy Film Make You More Creative?

By Brad Bell Imagine that you are juror in a criminal trial in which the defendant isaccused of stealing a duffle bag from a gym.  One eyewitness is positive that the defendant took the bag, and the other eyewitness is positive that someone else took the bag.  The eyewitness for the prosecution was much more… Continue reading Are People Influenced by Trivial Details?

By Brad Bell Love is an important concept in psychology.   Love is a word that could be defined in many different ways.   What do people believe love is?    What are the most important attributes of love? What types of love are the best examples of love?    These important questions may help us gain a better… Continue reading The Nature of Love

By Brad Bell Having difficulty or trouble remembering names may be a common problem.   Imagine that you are at a party and you have just been introduced to nine people.  How many names will you remember? Having to remember the names of people who you have just met can be challenging.  If you do not… Continue reading Remembering Names: The Celebrity Name Technique