A Good Cry?
Most people believe that crying will make them feel better, but in many instances, it doesn't, a team of psychologists in the United States and the Netherlands have found. The researchers asked 97 women to keep diaries about their crying and mood for about two months. The majority of the women--60 percent--reported feeling the same after they cried as before, and 9 percent felt worse. Not surprisingly, those who were prone to negative moods shed tears the most, and those with frequently shifting moods felt like crying more than others. In these cases, weepy episodes generally led to wa worse mood and seemed to produce no benefit, the psychologists say. Interestingly, the 30 percent of women who did have a cathartic cy tended to weep more intensely--big sobs that did not necessarily last long--and they were more likely to be with one other person while they cried. "Don't expect crying by itself to bring relief," says study coauthor Jonathan Rottenberg, associate professor of psychology at the University of South Florida in Tampa. "Crying can be helpful if it spurs you to get help from a supportive person."
The Biggest Losers
People who are in the process of losing weight may find it satisfying to focus on what they've accomplished so far, but that won't necessarily help them shed remaining pounds, a study suggests. More effective is to keep a weight-loss goal fixed in their mind, according to Kyle E. Conlon, a doctoral student tin psychology at Florida State University in Tallahassee. He and his colleagues studied 109 overweight people who volunteered for a 12-week weight-loss program. One group received instruction to focus on their objectives, another group concentrated on what they had achieved so far, and a third group wasn't urged in either direction. Those who kept their goal in mind were most successful--losing 4.6% of their body weight, on average, compared with 2.66% for the accomplishment-oriented group and 2.21% for the unguided participants. Attention on achievement alone can decrease motivation, the researchers conclude.
Clearer Thinking
When a complex decision is required, distraction can help. In research led by Loran F. Nordgren, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, people were instructed to make a complicated choice. Some had to do so immediately, others got to deliberate, and another group pondered the task and then solved anagrams before reaching a decision. Among this last group, 57% came to the smartest decision, versus 29% of the dedicated thinkers and 15% of the fast responders. A temporary shift in focus after considering all the possibilities improved people's ability to take into account large amounts of information, the researchers say.
Happiness Strategy
People who flourish in life--they feel good, contribute, and excel--are distinguished by a key trait: They get a bigger boost than other people from ordinary pleasurable events. Barbara L. Fredrickson, a psychologist at the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill, and a collaborator, Lahnna I. Catalino, tested 208 men and women who fit into three descending categories of well-being; flourisher, nonflourisher, and depressed. They found that flourishers tended to report the highest positive responses to activities known to promote good feelings (such as helping, interacting, playing, and learning). Flourishers experienced a 160% higher lift in mood while helping people, for example. Moreover, that reaction was associated with greater awareness of positive internal and external sensations, "like the feeling of water hitting your body in the shower or the sound of a bird chirping outside," Catalino says--as well as the ability to avoid getting overwhelmed by distressing experiences. And this seems to enhance well-being, the researchers explain. Practicing meditation could promote this kind of heightened awareness and nonreactivity, Catalino says.
Open Minded
Can something as simple as twisting on a faucet or spinning the wheel on an iPod have a psychological impact New research suggests so. In a study led by Sascha Topolinski of the University of Wuerzberg in Germany, people rotated an object the same direction with both hands, then answered questions about their interest in novel experiences. The participants who had been assigned to a clockwise direction scored higher in openness--which is linked with creativity--than did those assigned to counterclockwise. Similarly, people who were shown jelly beans on a lazy Susan that circled to the right preferred unusual flavors (such as popcorn or gum) 44% percent more than people whose tray turned leftward. The results are strange, but significant--and they suggest that making clockwise motions when stirring or doodling might promote being adventurous or inventive, Topolinski says.
Envy Drain
Envy hurts--in more ways than one. Sarah E. Hill, a psychologist at Texas Christian University in Forth Worth, and her colleagues showed volunteers written interviews and photographs of two people of their own gender. Later, when the participants were asked to recall these people's names, 71% of those who had viewed people who were very attractive and wealthy were accurate, versus 54% of those who had seen average types. Yet when everyone was given an impossible word challenge to solve, those who'd remembered the gorgeous and rich people's names gave up much sooner. In theory, focusing on enviable people might be useful for achieving similar success, the researchers say--but this investment of mental resources may diminish the capacity for willpower or persistence in other areas.
Perfect Present
There's a simple solution to the angst of giving gifts, research suggests. Studies involving hundreds of participants, conducted by psychologists at the business schools of Harvard and Stanford, reveal that people prefer gifts that they have explicitly asked for, no matter the occasion. In one survey, researchers Francesca Gino and Francis J. Flynn found that married people most appreciated the wedding presents they had requested. In general, people reported that getting a present they asked for felt more personal and considerate than receiving something else. There was one exception to the findings, though. When the gift given was money, even though it hadn't been solicited, recipients liked that better than anything on their list.
Meditation Payoff
A brief amount of meditation experience can produce brain changes linked with improved mood--the same effect previously associated with 70 or more hours of intensive practice. In a study headed by Christopher A. Moyer, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin, researchers took EEG readings of the brain waves of 21 men and women before half the volunteers began a meditation training program. The program consisted of a five minute meditation with the following instructions: Relax with your eyes closed and focus on the flow of your breath at the tip of your nose; if a random thoughts rise, acknowledge it and then gently bring your attention back to your breath. This practice led to positive brain changes when done an average of 5 to 16 minutes a day. They then progressed from 5 to 20 minutes of focused attention The participants were encouraged to attend two session a week as well as to practice on their own. After five weeks, repeat EEGs revealed a substantial difference in brain waves between new meditators and the control group. Specifically, the electrical activity in the left frontal region of the brain was much greater, a pattern associated with positive moods. Some people may be disinclined to meditate because they think it would involve a daunting amount of time and effort before they see any benefit, but his research suggests otherwise, Moyer notes. During the program, brain patterns shifted among new meditators within seven hours of practice time on average, he and his colleagues found.
Lucky in Love
Couples who support each other's self-improvement goals not only have better relationships, but also become more successful individually. At the University of Auckland in New Zealand, psychologist Nickola Overall and her coworkers studied 47 couples. Over the yearlong study, having a partner who offered emotional encouragement or action-oriented help regarding personal aspirations (such as increasing physical fitness or improving finances) boosted one's success as well as satisfaction in the relationship. But being with someone who was critical, controlling, or dismissive of a goal's importance led to higher rates of failure and unhappiness--even if the partner also demonstrated the more positive hypes of support, the study found.
Younger Hair
For some women, the hair salon is an anti-aging salon. Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University, and her colleagues studied women, ages 27 to 83, as they got a cut, color, or both, and found that 45% of them believed they looked younger afterward. Among this group, blood pressure dropped. And judges who saw before-and-after images of all the women consistently rated this group as more youthful in their "after shots, in contrast to the others--even though the pictures were cropped so the hair didn't show. Feeling younger can contribute to physical changes and improved health, the researchers say.
Happiness Envy
There is cheering news for those who feel alone in their suffering: People routinely overestimate others' happiness. In studies by psychology researchers at Stanford University, survey respondents underestimated the darker feelings of other participants, including close friends, and they overestimated the likelihood that others had recently had positive experiences such as attending a fun party. The more they failed to perceive others' miseries, the less satisfaction they reported. People tend to act cheerful when socializing in person and online, which can play a role in these misperceptions, the researchers say. Those in the study reported having hid unhappy emotions in 40% of their recent interactions.
Looking Powerful
Using body language that communicates power makes people feel and act more in command, according to research led by Dana R. Carney, assistant professor of management at Columbia University. For two minutes, one group made "low power" gestures: crossing their arms and legs or holding their arms to their sides. Another group made expansive "high power" motions: standing with their arms braced wide on a table or sitting with their feet on a desk and their hands clasped behind their heads. In the dominant-posture group, testosterone production increased and the stress hormone cortisol dropped, while the opposite occurred in the group with weaker stances. Those who posed powerfully were also more likely to say they felt in charge and to take an opportunity to double their money a gambling task. Evolutionarily, such gestures prepare animals and humans to face a challenge, the study authors note.
Strokes of Luck
People who have recently achieved enviable good fortune are more likely than others to act magnanimously. In a study headed by Niels van de Ven, a social psychologist at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, some people receive money after completing a task while seeing that a partner did not; another group all got shares equal to their partners'. When the participants went to claim the reward, their partner (actually a researcher) tipped over a pile of erasers. Only 10% of those who believed they'd received equivalent money helped them pick them up, versus nearly four times as many of those who thought they'd been singularly rewarded. This suggests that winners act more considerate because they want to appease those who envy them, van de Ven concludes.
Emotional Outlet
For those seeking to feel better about a difficult experience, an envelope will help. That's what Xiuping Li assistant professor of marketing at the business school of the National University of Singapore, demonstrated with colleagues at City University of Hong Kong and the University of Toronto. In one experiment, 40 women wrote for ten minutes about a strong desire that had not been satisfied. Half of them placed the document in an envelope before giving it to a researcher, while the others simply handed in their paper. Afterward, the participants in the envelope group reported feeling less anxious, sad, and dissatisfied than the others. Similarly, people who sealed a news article about an upsetting even in an envelope recalled fewer details about the incident and felt less distressed. "Seeing emotionally laden items enveloped may provide a sense of taking control," the researchers comment.
Office Gossipers
Women who gossip at work are shaping their own reputations along with those of the people they're discussing. Despite their tendency to be at the center of social networks, gossiping women are seen as less warm than others, according to a poll of 129 men and women conducted by Sally Farley, a psychologist at the University of Baltimore, and her colleagues. The participants also believed that female coworkers who regularly contribute negative information about people have a greater need for control than infrequent gossipers. Other research has shown that gossipers wield influence by dispensing or withholding information, "selectively revealing tidbits about others in status-enhancing ways," Farley notes. The increase in power that women get from gossiping may jeopardize their likability, Farley surmises.
Knowing Looks
The personalities of beautiful people are easier to read than those of individuals with less physical appeal, according to psychology researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Volunteers talked briefly in small groups, then completed surveys about the others' looks and traits (including extroversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, and conscientiousness), as well as about their own character. The first impressions made of people tended to agree with their self-assessments much more when they were considered good-looking. Even those whose appearance wasn't widely admired still gained this advantage with people who liked their looks. The researchers posit that people are more motivated to get to know those whom they find attractive.
Stress Production
When life deals upsetting blows, a simple strategy may protect your emotionally, says Allison S. Try, a psychology researcher at the University of Denver. She and her colleagues showed sad film clips to 78 women who were experiencing ongoing stress. During one of them, the researchers asked each woman to come up with a positive perspective about the emotional events shown (such as lessons the characters could learn or good outcomes that might result), a technique called cognitive reappraisal. Among the women with the most stress who were best at reappraising, this practice was linked with lower levels of depression. Fortunately, cognitive reappraisal can likely be learned or strengthened with practice, Troy says.
Breast Choices
When a woman with breast cancer needs to decide on her treatment, a form of support and involvement in the process can positively affect her body image and mood months later. A study at the University of Munich, headed by psychologist Andrea Vodermaier, included 111 breast-cancer patients. Half the women were assigned to what was called a "decision aid" group: Before determining their treatment with a doctor, they met for 20 minutes with a researcher who explained their options, indicated how each related to their situation, and encouraged them to participate in decisions with their physician. Finally, the researcher made sure the patients understood all that had been discussed and gave them a brochure that summarized the information. A year later, the women who'd had this session before receiving chemotherapy felt better about their bodies than the women who had received no intervention. The assisted group also felt less conflicted about the course of treatment they had chosen and engaged in less brooding, and this seemed to improve their adjustment to physical changes from cancer, the study authors say. Some similar support is available online, such as the Breast Cancer Treatment Decision Tool at cancer.org.
Stronger Willpower
Clenching muscles is an effective way to strengthen willpower, according to researchers at the business schools of the University of Chicago and the National University of Singapore. When volunteers held one hand in painfully cold ice water, those who tightly clasped a pen in their fee hand endured the ordeal for 127 seconds on average, compared with an average of 73 seconds for a control group. Researchers Aparna Labroo and Iris Hung found that tightening muscles--it doesn't matter which ones--must occur at the same time as the challenging effort, rather than right before, and that having internal motivation to achieve the goal is also key to success.
Thin Inspiration
Prolonged exposure to images of glamourous, thin women in the media can change female viewer's body image--for the better. This finding, which contradicts many short-term studies that produced opposite results, emerged from research led by Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, associate professor of communication at the Ohio State University in Columbus. After 140 women looked at 80 pages from magazines that featured models or celebrities, some participants were told to compare their bodies to those shown. Everyone read the pages over five days; three days later, those who had been exposed only to thin, beautiful women rated their own body image higher than they did at the start of the study. The researchers found that the participants--especially heavier ones who compared themselves to the thin women--had begun to diet and exercise. Seeing "magazine pages with thin body ideals appears to induce behavior changes and, as a result, increases body satisfaction," they say. Other studies that assessed immediate reactions to images may not reflect the way women respond to motivational articles and pictures over time, they add.
Attractive Outlooks
A woman's attitude about her life influences how attractive she seems, according to research headed by Tyler Stillman, a psychologist at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. He and his colleagues surveyed men and women about their sense of meaning in life, videotaped pairs of them, and showed brief footage to a group of judges. The stronger the participants' clear purpose in life (whatever that meant to each of them), the more likeable they were considered to be. This held true regardless of their scores in measures of self-esteem, happiness, openness, or spirituality. Everybody wanted to get to know the most good-looking people, but "for participants who were of average of below average attractiveness, having a strong sense of meaning made them significantly more appealing," the researchers report.
Exercise Enjoyment
Many people claim they don't enjoy exercising. But before a workout, people underestimate the pleasure they'll derive from it, research at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, has shown. Before starting an hour-long workout session, exercisers at gym predicted on a scale of one to ten how much they expected to enjoy themselves. They would up having significantly more fun than they had expected, regardless of exercise intensity, and this was consistent for cardio, yoga, and Pilates classes. People focus disproportionately on the unpleasantness of getting a workout under way, psychology researcher Matthew Ruby and his colleagues found. When the study participants predicted their enjoyment of the warm-up, main activity, and cool down separately, thereby diverting their attention from the initial effort, they reported greater expectations of satisfaction, as well as stronger intentions to exercise regularly.
Cold Risk
People who are depressed may have an increased chance of catching colds. Hwa-Cheol Kim, a researcher at Inha University in South Korea, led a team that surveyed 1,350 people. Although roughly half of them said they'd had cold symptoms in the past four months, the incidence was much higher among those who six months earlier had reported signs of depression, such as sadness, guilt, sleep and eating changes, trouble concentrating, and loss of energy. The researchers say that depression may cause changes in the immune system that can increase susceptibility to colds.
Smart Mistakes
People's ability to fix their mistakes has as much to do with their beliefs about learning and intelligence as their intellect. When study participants spotted errors they'd made on a test, those who believed that intelligence can be improved with effort--rather than fixed early in life--had greater brain activity associated with the desire to the correct problem, and they performed better, according to Jason S. Moser, an assistant professor of psychology at Michigan State University, and his colleagues. Other research on people with this outlook (described in the book Mindset by Carol Dweck) suggests that they tend to see mistakes as learning opportunities instead of personal failures, Moser says.
