Creating false memories: exposure to misinformation induces memory distortion
From Scientific American September 1997, vol 277 #3, pages 70-75.
“The Author: Elizabeth F. Loftus is professor of psychology and adjunct professor of law at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University in 1970. Her research has focused on human memory, eyewitness testimony and courtroom procedure.”
Twins dispute memory ownership: A new false memory phenomenon
“In three experiments, we examined a new memory phenomenon: disputed memories, in which people dispute ownership of a memory. For example, in one disputed memory each of two twins recollected being sent home from school for wearing too short a skirt, although only one of them was actually sent home.”
Research paper on inferring personality from young people’s e-mail addresses (University of Leipzig)
“Using 599 e-mail addresses of young adults, their self-reported personality scores and the personality judgments [...], it was shown that personality impressions based solely on e-mail addresses were consensually shared by observers. Moreover, these impressions contained some degree of validity. This was true for neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and narcissism but not for extraversion.”
[via:Slashdot]
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/06/the-power-of-be.html
Behavioral scientist Ellen Langer and her colleagues decided to put the persuasive power of this word to the test. In one study, Langer arranged for a stranger to approach someone waiting in line to use a photocopier and simply ask, “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” Faced with the direct request to cut ahead in this line, 60 percent of the people were willing to agree to allow the stranger to go ahead of them. However, when the stranger made the request with a reason (”May I use the Xerox machine, because I’m in a rush?”), almost everyone (94 percent) complied…
Here’s where the study gets really interesting…This time, the stranger also used the word because but followed it with a completely meaningless reason. Specifically, the stranger said “May I use the Xerox machine, because I have to make copies?”
The rate of compliance was 93 percent.
A short, easy to understand talk in seven parts introducing the “uncanny valley” in animation, robotics and morphing experiments.
Parts 1-7:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geF1XO5IPc8&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeMBAMx2ook&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7351thVgDHU&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eRcs0T4arw&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkqC2VrcEu8&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uKon8Trse4&fmt=18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMe9RfEgKeE&fmt=18