For centuries philosophers have debated solipsism, the idea that people cannot prove that anything exists outside of their own minds. However, there have been few investigations of psychological solipsism, which is doubt, experienced by people in their everyday lives, that others exist outside of their own minds. We suggest that psychological solipsism is a problem experienced by a nontrivial number of people with negative personal and interpersonal consequences. To test this hypothesis, we developed a new self-report measure of psychological solipsism (MSol). In seven studies (five pre-registered, N = 2633) we found that the MSol had acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, and predictive validity. Psychological solipsism was associated with loneliness and a lack of social connection, as well as problematic video game playing. The results were also consistent with the hypothesis that psychological solipsism predicts aggressive tendencies. We point to several avenues of further research, such as pursuing the relationships between psychological solipsism, problematic video game playing, and aggression.

Random procedures, such as coin flips, are used to settle disputes and allocate resources in a fair manner. Even though the outcome is random, we hypothesized that people would be sensitive to features of the process that make it seem unfair, that is, who gets to call heads or tails and flip the coin. In 11 studies (N = 5,925) participants competed against another participant for a positive or negative outcome, determined by a physical or virtual coin flip. The independent variable was who called heads or tails and flipped the coin: the participant or their opponent. When participants lost the flip, we found an illusion of unfairness: They reported that the process was less fair, were less pleased with their outcome, and found the other person less likable when their opponent flipped the coin. When participants won the flip, they thought it was less fair, and they felt guiltier when they had flipped the coin. We present evidence that these fairness judgments were based on both illusory procedural control (the person who flips the coin appears to have an unfair advantage by virtue of executing the flip before the outcome is known) and illusory outcome control (the belief that the flipper can influence the outcome of the flip). Further, the illusion of unfairness appears to be a quick, intuitive process that is not easily corrected. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on procedural justice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

We hypothesized that people would exhibit a reticence bias, the incorrect belief that they will be more likable if they speak less than half the time in a conversation with a stranger, as well as halo ignorance, the belief that their speaking time should depend on their goal (e.g., to be liked vs. to be found interesting), when in fact, perceivers form global impressions of each other. In Studies 1 and 2, participants forecasted they should speak less than half the time when trying to be liked, but significantly more when trying to be interesting. In Study 3, we tested the accuracy of these forecasts by randomly assigning participants to speak for 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 70% of the time in a dyadic conversation. Contrary to people's forecasts, they were more likable the more they spoke, and their partners formed global rather than differentiated impressions.

We investigated intentional thinking for pleasure, defined as the deliberate attempt to have pleasant thoughts while disengaged from the external world. We propose a Trade-Off model that explains when and why thinking for pleasure is enjoyable: People focus on personally meaningful thoughts when thinking for pleasure (especially when prompted to do so), which increases their enjoyment, but they find it difficult to concentrate on their thoughts, which decreases their enjoyment. Thus, the net enjoyment of thinking for pleasure is a trade-off between its benefits (personal meaningfulness) and costs (difficulty concentrating). To test the model, we compared intentional thinking for pleasure to four alternate activities in three studies. Thinking for pleasure was more enjoyable than undirected thinking (Study 1) and planning (Study 3), because it was more meaningful than these activities while requiring a similar level of concentration. Thinking for pleasure was just as enjoyable as playing a video game (Study 2) or unprompted idle time activities (Study 3), but for different reasons: It was more meaningful than these activities, but required more concentration. We discuss the implications of these findings for what people might choose to do during idle times.

Standard definitions of social psychology, such as "the study of the way in which people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people" (Aronson et al., 2019, p. 3), fail to capture much of what social psychologists actually do and do not capture the basic theoretical foundations of the field. I suggest the field is founded on the construal principle, which holds that to understand and predict human behavior, one must focus on people's proximate (current) construals of themselves and their environment. The construal principle empowers social psychology in three key ways: It (a) accounts for the power of the situation, by acknowledging that construals are highly attuned to social norms; (b) is amenable to study with the experimental method; and (c) provides a unique theoretical framework for how to change human behavior. I discuss the origins and implications of the construal principle and how it distinguishes social psychology from related subdisciplines, including evolutionary social psychology, personality psychology, and social neuroscience. Whereas each subdiscipline is good at accomplishing the tasks it has set for itself, social psychology has unique advantages. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract Background Patients and public members are increasingly involved across the different stages of the research process. Their involvement is particularly important in the conception and design of applied health research where it enables people with lived experience to influence the aims, content, focus and methods. Objective To evaluate the process of coproducing a mental health–related research proposal suitable for funding through a national health research funding body. Methods Reflections from members of the public (n = 3) and academic researchers (n = 3) were collected through semi‐structured interviews. Data were thematically analysed. Results Thematic analysis identified five overarching themes: valuing the lived experience perspective; matching ambitions to the funded research process; ‘Us and them’: power, relationships and trust; challenges; and benefits of coproduction. Conclusions Our findings suggest that for successful coproduction of a research funding application, an open and trusting atmosphere, where equal relationships are established and a shared common goal agreed is essential. Although relationships with research professionals were framed by trust and mutual respect for some public advisors, others felt a sense of ‘us and them’. With various tensions played out through interpersonal conflict, difficult conversations and disagreements, coproduction was not a positive experience for all stakeholders involved. Among the learning was that when collaboration of this kind is constrained by time or funding, genuine, impactful coproduction can be more challenging than is generally acknowledged.

When left to their own devices, people could choose to enjoy their own thoughts. But recent work suggests they don’t. When given the freedom, people do not spontaneously choose to think for pleasure, and when directed to do so, struggle to concentrate successfully. And, people find it somewhat boring and much less enjoyable than other solitary activities. One reason for this is that people may not know how to think for pleasure. Specifically, they may not know what to think about to make this both a meaningful and pleasant experience. We tested this prediction in two preregistered studies, by providing specific examples of meaningful topics (Study 1) or instructing participants to think “meaningful” thoughts (Study 2). Although providing specific examples of meaningful topics boosted how meaningful and enjoyable people found thinking for pleasure (Study 1), asking people to think “meaningful” thoughts (as compared to pleasurable ones) did not, because some of the meaningful topics people thought about were negative (Study 2). In order for thinking for pleasure to be pleasurable, people need to focus on topics that are both meaningful and positive.

Do conversations end when people want them to? Surprisingly, behavioral science provides no answer to this fundamental question about the most ubiquitous of all human social activities. In two studies of 932 conversations, we asked conversants to report when they had wanted a conversation to end and to estimate when their partner (who was an intimate in Study 1 and a stranger in Study 2) had wanted it to end. Results showed that conversations almost never ended when both conversants wanted them to and rarely ended when even one conversant wanted them to and that the average discrepancy between desired and actual durations was roughly half the duration of the conversation. Conversants had little idea when their partners wanted to end and underestimated how discrepant their partners' desires were from their own. These studies suggest that ending conversations is a classic "coordination problem" that humans are unable to solve because doing so requires information that they normally keep from each other. As a result, most conversations appear to end when no one wants them to.

Reduction in faculty positions in higher education and increased graduate matriculation rates represent a higher education conundrum. Planned happenstance theory (PHT) is a career development model focusing on positive outcomes resulting from unpredictable precareer events. This mixed methods study explores how PHT applies to the career paths of a clinical anatomy (CA) postgraduate cohort. It provides insight into educational practices designed to equip students for labor markets inside and outside academia. Alumni of CA (n = 12; 2014‐2018) were interviewed about career‐related events transpiring from graduate studies to present, allowing exploration on how PHT contextualizes their shared experiences. Planned happenstance career inventory (PHCI) enumerated planned happenstance skill (PHS) scores. Total PHS was referenced 527 times across 12 interviews. Of the PHS references, curiosity established highest incidence (154 references, 29%), optimism (132 references, 25%), flexibility (101 references, 19%), risk‐taking (85 references, 16%), and persistence (55 references, 10%) and 43 distinct happenstance events were documented. In addition, social networking (52 references) arose as an emergent code and was divided into internal networking (28 references, 54%) and external networking (24 references, 46%). Application of the five‐point PHCI scale revealed: curiosity (4.4 ± 0.3; mean ± SD), flexibility (3.6 ± 0.7), persistence (4.4 ± 0.3), optimism (4.3 ± 0.4), and risk‐taking (4.1 ± 0.5). Curiosity had the strongest association with happenstance event incidence. Social networking was a key substituent of PHT not yet described in the literature. Educational practices incorporating PHT concepts, with emphasis on curiosity, may provide graduates novel metacognitive skills needed to develop novel career paths.

Anatomical Sciences EducationVolume 13, Issue 3 p. 279-283 Editorial Going Virtual to Support Anatomy Education: A STOPGAP in the Midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic Darrell J.R. Evans, Darrell J.R. Evans orcid.org/0000-0001-9425-6303 School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorBoon Huat Bay, Boon Huat Bay Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeSearch for more papers by this authorTimothy D. Wilson, Timothy D. Wilson orcid.org/0000-0001-7102-2491 Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, CanadaSearch for more papers by this authorClaire F. Smith, Claire F. Smith orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-8591 Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomSearch for more papers by this authorNirusha Lachman, Nirusha Lachman orcid.org/0000-0002-9995-6154 Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MinnesotaSearch for more papers by this authorWojciech Pawlina, Corresponding Author Wojciech Pawlina [email protected] Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Correspondence to: Dr. Wojciech Pawlina, Department of Anatomy, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. USA. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Darrell J.R. Evans, Darrell J.R. Evans orcid.org/0000-0001-9425-6303 School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorBoon Huat Bay, Boon Huat Bay Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeSearch for more papers by this authorTimothy D. Wilson, Timothy D. Wilson orcid.org/0000-0001-7102-2491 Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, CanadaSearch for more papers by this authorClaire F. Smith, Claire F. Smith orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-8591 Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomSearch for more papers by this authorNirusha Lachman, Nirusha Lachman orcid.org/0000-0002-9995-6154 Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MinnesotaSearch for more papers by this authorWojciech Pawlina, Corresponding Author Wojciech Pawlina [email protected] Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Correspondence to: Dr. Wojciech Pawlina, Department of Anatomy, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. USA. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 10 April 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.1963Citations: 214Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat LITERATURE CITED Al-Tawfiq JA, Hinedi K, Ghandour J, Khairalla H, Musleh S, Ujayli A, Memish ZA. 2014. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus: A case-control study of hospitalized patients. Clin Infect Dis 59: 160–165. 10.1093/cid/ciu226 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Ayittey FK, Ayittey MK, Chiwero NB, Kamasah JS, Dzuvor C. 2020. Economic impacts of Wuhan 2019-nCoV on China and the world. J Med Virol 92: 473–475. 10.1002/jmv.25706 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Barry DS, Marzouk F, Chulak-Oglu K, Bennett D, Tierney P, O'Keeffe GW. 2016. Anatomy education for the YouTube generation. Anat Sci Educ 9: 90–96. 10.1002/ase.1550 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Chen NS, Ko HC, Kinshuk, Lin T. 2005. A model for synchronous learning using the Internet. Innovat Educ Teach Int 42: 181–194. 10.1080/14703290500062599 Web of Science®Google Scholar Craig S, Tait N, Boers D, McAndrew D. 2010. Review of anatomy education in Australian and New Zealand medical schools. ANZ J Surg 80: 212–216. 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2010.05241.x CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar CSSE. 2020. Center for Systems Science and Engineering. Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Whiting School of Engineering. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. URL: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 [accessed 20 April 2020]. Google Scholar de Wit E, van Doremalen N, Falzarano D, Munster VJ. 2016. SARS and MERS: Recent insights into emerging coronaviruses. Nat Rev Microbiol 14: 523–534. 10.1038/nrmicro.2016.81 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Dormido H, Leung A. 2020. Charting the global economic impact of the coronavirus. Bloomberg L.P., New York, NY. URL: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-global-economic-impact-of-wuhan-novel-coronavirus/ [accessed 20 April 2020]. Google Scholar Dreon O, Shibley IA Jr, Wilson TD. 2019. The Power of Blended Learning in the Sciences. 1st Ed. Ann Arbour, MI: The Part-Time Press. 164 p. Google Scholar Durosaro O, Lachman N, Pawlina W. 2008. Use of knowledge-sharing web-based portal in gross and microscopic anatomy. Ann Acad Med Singapore 37: 998–1001. PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Estai M, Bunt S. 2016. Best teaching practices in anatomy education: A critical review. Ann Anat 208: 151–157. 10.1016/j.aanat.2016.02.010 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Evans DJ, Pawlina W, Lachman N. 2018. Human skills for human[istic] anatomy: An emphasis on nontraditional discipline-independent skills. Anat Sci Educ 11: 221–224. 10.1002/ase.1799 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Fincher RM, Wallach PM, Richardson WS. 2009. Basic science right, not basic science lite: Medical education at a crossroad. J Gen Int Med 24: 1255–1258. 10.1007/s11606-009-1109-3 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Finnerty EP, Chauvin S, Bonaminio G, Andrews M, Carroll RG, Pangaro LN. 2010. Flexner revisited: The role and value of the basic sciences in medical education. Acad Med 85: 349–355. 10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181c88b09 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Gbolahan BalogunW. 2019. Using electronic tools and resources to meet the challenges of anatomy education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Anat Sci Educ 12: 97–104. 10.1002/ase.1831 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Gillett-Swan J. 2017. The challenges of online learning: Supporting and engaging the isolated learner. J Learn Design 10: 20–30. 10.5204/jld.v9i3.293 Web of Science®Google Scholar Guy R, Byrne B, Dobos M. 2018. Optional anatomy and physiology e-learning resources: Student access, learning approaches, and academic outcomes. Adv Physiol Educ 42: 43–49. 10.1152/advan.00007.2017 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Harden RM. 2006. Trends and the future of postgraduate medical education. Emerg Med J 23: 798–802. 10.1136/emj.2005.033738 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Heylings DJ. 2002. Anatomy 1999-2000: The curriculum, who teaches it and how? Med Educ 36: 702–710. 10.1046/j.1365-2923.2002.01272.x CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Huang C, Wang Y, Li X, Ren L, Zhao J, Hu Y, Zhang L, Fan G, Xu J, Gu X, Cheng Z, Yu T, Xia J, Wei Y, Wu W, Xie X, Yin W, Li H, Liu M, Xiao Y, Gao H, Guo L, Xie J, Wang G, Jiang R, Gao Z, Jin Q, Wang J, Cao B. 2020. Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Lancet 395: 497–506. 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Jones DS. 2020. History in a crisis—Lessons for Covid-19. N Engl J Med 382: 1681–1683. 10.1056/NEJMp2004361 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Kumar Ghosh S, Kumar A. 2019. Building professionalism in human dissection room as a component of hidden curriculum delivery: A systematic review of good practice. Anat Sci Educ 12: 210–221. 10.1002/ase.1836 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Lai CC, Shih TP, Ko WC, Tang HJ, Hsueh PR. 2020. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19): The epidemic and the challenges. Int J Antimicrob Agents 55: 105924. 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105924 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Lochner L, Wieser H, Waldboth S, Mischo-Kelling M. 2016. Combining traditional anatomy lectures with e-learning activities: How do students perceive their learning experience? Int J Med Educ 7: 69–74. 10.5116/ijme.56b5.0369 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Martin F, Bolliger DU. 2018. Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learn 22: 205–222. 10.24059/olj.v22i1.1092 Web of Science®Google Scholar Mayer RE, Moreno R. 2003. Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedia learning. Educ Psychol 38: 43–52. 10.1207/S15326985EP3801_6 Web of Science®Google Scholar McBride JM, Drake RL. 2018. National survey on anatomical sciences in medical education. Anat Sci Educ 11: 7–14. 10.1002/ase.1760 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Older J. 2004. Anatomy: A must for teaching the next generation. Surgeon 2: 79–90. 10.1016/S1479-666X(04)80050-7 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Ozer MA, Govsa F, Bati AH. 2017. Web-based teaching video packages on anatomical education. Surg Radiol Anat 39: 1253–1261. 10.1007/s00276-017-1889-9 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Palmer MJ. 2020. Learning to deal with dual use. Science 367: 1057. 10.1126/science.abb1466 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Pan SQ, Chan LK, Yan Y, Yang X. 2020. Survey of gross anatomy education in China: The past and the present. Anat Sci Educ 13: 387–397. 10.1002/ase.1952 Web of Science®Google Scholar Pawlina W, Drake RL. 2017. Bridges are waiting to be built: Delivering point-of-care anatomy for everyday practice. Anat Sci Educ 10: 305–306. 10.1002/ase.1714 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Pawlina W, Lachman N. 2017. Basic sciences and curriculum oncomes. In: JA Dent, RM Harden, D Hunt (Editors). A Practical Guide for Medical Teachers. 5th Ed. Elsevier Ltd. p 172–179. Google Scholar Pickering JD, Swinnerton BJ. 2019. Exploring the dimensions of medical student engagement with technology-enhanced learning resources and assessing the impact on assessment outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 12: 117–128. 10.1002/ase.1810 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Racheva V. 2018. Social aspects of synchronous virtual learning environments. AIP Conf Proc 2048: 020032-1–020032-9. Google Scholar Rockarts J, Brewer-Deluce D, Shali A, Mohialdin V, Wainman B. 2020. National survey on Canadian undergraduate medical programs: The decline of the anatomical sciences in Canadian medical education. Anat Sci Educ 13: 378–386. 10.1002/ase.1960 Web of Science®Google Scholar Sbayeh A, Qaedi Choo MA, Quane KA, Finucane P, McGrath D, O'Flynn S, O'Mahony SM, O'Tuathaigh CM. 2016. Relevance of anatomy to medical education and clinical practice: Perspectives of medical students, clinicians, and educators. Perspect Med Educ 5: 338–346. 10.1007/S40037-016-0310-4 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Slagter van Tryon PJ, Bishop MJ. 2009. Theoretical foundations for enhancing social connectedness in online learning environments. Dist Educ 30: 291–315. 10.1080/01587910903236312 Web of Science®Google Scholar Trelease RB. 2016. From chalkboard, slides, and paper to e-learning: How computing technologies have transformed anatomical sciences education. Anat Sci Educ 9: 583–602. 10.1002/ase.1620 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Turner C, Rowan C. 2020. University students campaign for refund as they say remote learning should not cost £9,250-per-year. The Telegraph, 25 March 2020. Telegraph Media Group Limited, London, UK. URL: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/25/university-students-campaign-refund-say-remote-learning-should/ [accessed 30 March 2020]. Google Scholar UNESCO. 2020. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. COVID-19 educational disruption and response. UNESCO, Paris, France. URL: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures [accessed 20 April 2020]. Google Scholar Velavan TP, Meyer CG. 2020. The COVID-19 epidemic. Trop Med Int Health 25: 278–280. 10.1111/tmi.13383 CASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J, Wang B, Xiang H, Cheng Z, Xiong Y, Zhao Y, Li Y, Wang X, Peng Z. 2020. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA (in press; https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.1585). 10.1001/jama.2020.1585 Web of Science®Google Scholar Wilson TD. 2015. Role of image and cognitive load in anatomical multimedia. In: LK Chan, W Pawlina (Editors). 2015. Teaching Anatomy: A Practical Guide. 1st Ed. New York, NY: Springer International Publishing. p 237–246. 10.1007/978-3-319-08930-0_27 Google Scholar Wong JE, Leo YS, Tan CC. 2020. COVID-19 in Singapore—Current experience: Critical global issues that require attention and action. JAMA (in press; https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.2467). 10.1001/jama.2020.2467 Web of Science®Google Scholar Woods NN. 2007. Science is fundamental: The role of biomedical knowledge in clinical reasoning. Med Educ 41: 1173–1177. 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2007.02911.x PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Zureick AH, Burk-Rafel J, Purkiss JA, Hortsch M. 2018. The interrupted learner: How distractions during live and video lectures influence learning outcomes. Anat Sci Educ 11: 366–376. 10.1002/ase.1754 PubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar Citing Literature Volume13, Issue3Special Issue:Covid‐19 and Anatomy EducationMay/June 2020Pages 279-283 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Food production--especially raising animals for meat--has a massive negative impact on the environment and contributes to global warming. To address this, we investigated whether information about food sustainability would increase purchases of sustainable foods by patrons of university cafés. In Study 1, patrons were randomly assigned either to see a menu that had sustainability labels indicating the degree of environmental impact of each item, or to see a menu without labels. Women who saw the labels were significantly more likely to purchase sustainable foods, whereas men were not influenced by the labels. In Study 2 we targeted one sustainable menu item (a veggie burger) and, in a 2 (sustainability) x 2 (taste) design, varied whether patrons learned that the veggie burger was especially sustainable or especially tasty. Women were significantly more likely to purchase the veggie burger if they learned it was sustainable or tasty, but again, the manipulations had no effect on men. We discuss why women are more likely to change their food choices to eat more sustainably than are men.

Disparities between racially minoritized (Black/Hispanic/Native American) and nonminoritized (White/Asian) students in educational outcomes-both in terms of opportunity and achievement-continue to characterize the American educational system. Social belonging interventions, which shift student construal of social adversity experienced in school, have been shown to be effective with college students (Walton & Cohen, 2011) but have not been tested with high school students. We developed and tested such an intervention in a randomized controlled trial with students transitioning from middle school into high school. Participants (N = 162; 18% minoritized, 79% nonminoritized, 57% women) were randomly assigned to receive intervention or control materials during an optional summer orientation program. By the end of their first year, students in the treatment condition had 46% fewer unexcused absences (95% CI [-66%, -15%]), 36% fewer tardiness records (95% CI [-63%, 12%]), and gained more friends (d = 0.59) than did participants in the control condition. The intervention was particularly effective for racially minoritized participants: Those in the treatment condition failed fewer classes (d = -0.86), earned higher grades (d = 0.90), and received 82% fewer disciplinary citations (95% CI [-97%, 26%]) by the end of the academic year than did their minoritized peers in the control condition. These gains represent reductions in racial gaps ranging from 86% to 100%. Our findings indicate that social belonging interventions might partially redress racial equity gaps in secondary education. Discussion centers on the potential psychological and behavioral mechanisms underlying the intervention.

Harris and Busseri (2019) examined the changes in life satisfaction people predicted vs. experienced for 30-years based on the three waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey. They conclude that "Contrary to the EOHI [end of history illusion], most individuals either were accurate or anticipated too much change into the future, rather than too little" (abstract). Examining these same data we arrive at the opposite conclusion, that people systematically underestimate future changes to their life satisfaction. The discrepancy arises because Harris and Busseri find stability in the average life satisfaction across the entire sample, while we find instability in life satisfaction within individuals. Both of these can happen. Although the average altitude of all the elevators in a skyscraper is remarkably stable over time, the altitude of each elevator changes by the second. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

This chapter is concerned with a type of thinking that has received little attention, namely intentional "thinking for pleasure" - the case in which people deliberately focus solely on their thoughts with the goal of generating positive affect. We present a model that describes why it is difficult to enjoy one's thoughts, how it can be done successfully, and when there is value in doing so. We review 36 studies we have conducted on this topic with just over 10,000 participants. We found that thinking for pleasure does not come easily to most people, but can be enjoyable and beneficial under the right conditions. Specifically, we found evidence that thinking for pleasure requires both motivation and the ability to concentrate. For example, several studies show that people enjoy thinking more when it is made easier with the use of "thinking aids." We present evidence for a trade-off model that holds that people are most likely to enjoy their thoughts if they find those thoughts to be personally meaningful, but that such thinking involves concentration, which lowers enjoyment. Lastly, we review evidence for the benefits of thinking for pleasure, including an intervention study in which participants found thinking for pleasure enjoyable and meaningful in their everyday lives.

Buccal and palatal injections are required for administration of anesthetic agents before maxillary tooth extractions, but palatal injections are painful for patients. Studies suggest that the palatal injection can be eliminated when articaine is delivered as a local anesthetic agent via buccal injection, but the anatomical mechanism for this effectiveness remains unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the potential mechanism by which buccal infiltration results in palatal anesthesia. The study approach included examining cadaveric specimens and investigating the pharmacologic properties of articaine. Twenty-eight formalin-fixed cadaveric hemimaxillae were dissected and sectioned into anterior, premolar, and molar regions. The maxillary sections were measured in 3 planes: inferior, middle, and superior. Buccal cortical plate (BCP), palatal cortical plate (PCP), and total buccopalatal (TBP) thickness were independently evaluated by 2 measurers using standard digital calipers. Statistical analysis of regional maxillary thickness measurements was achieved via 2-way analysis of variance. Measurements of BCP and PCP thickness revealed no statistically significant differences along the maxillae (P > 0.05). Both the BCP and PCP mean values were significantly less than the TBP measurement (P < 0.0001). In all 3 regions, the mean TBP thickness in the superior plane was significantly greater than that of the inferior plane (P < 0.05). The mean TBP thickness was significantly greater in the molar and premolar regions than in the anterior region (P < 0.05). The mean BCP measurements were significantly lesser in the maxillary premolar and molar regions than in the corresponding mandibular regions (P < 0.0001). The pharmacologic properties of articaine, which is capable of diffusing greater distances than other local anesthetics, coupled with the uniformly thin, cancellous maxillary bone, provide a plausible explanation for the success of palatal anesthesia achieved through buccal infiltration of articaine, obviating the need for a palatal injection.

Which is more enjoyable: trying to think enjoyable thoughts or doing everyday solitary activities?Wilson et al. (2014) found that American participants much preferred solitary everyday activities, such as reading or watching TV, to thinking for pleasure.To see whether this preference generalized outside of the United States, we replicated the study with 2,557 participants from 12 sites in 11 countries.The results were consistent in every country: Participants randomly assigned to do something reported significantly greater enjoyment than did participants randomly assigned to think for pleasure.Although we found systematic differences by country in how much participants enjoyed thinking for pleasure, we used a series of nested structural equation models to show that these differences were fully accounted for by country-level variation in 5 individual differences, 4 of which were positively correlated with thinking for pleasure (need for cognition, openness to experience, meditation experience, and initial positive affect) and 1 of which was negatively correlated (reported phone usage).

Research suggests that spatial ability may predict success in complex disciplines including anatomy, where mastery requires a firm understanding of the intricate relationships occurring along the course of veins, arteries, and nerves, as they traverse through and around bones, muscles, and organs. Debate exists on the malleability of spatial ability, and some suggest that spatial ability can be enhanced through training. It is hypothesized that spatial ability can be trained in low-performing individuals through visual guidance. To address this, training was completed through a visual guidance protocol. This protocol was based on eye-movement patterns of high-performing individuals, collected via eye-tracking as they completed an Electronic Mental Rotations Test (EMRT). The effects of guidance were evaluated using 33 individuals with low mental rotation ability, in a counterbalanced crossover design. Individuals were placed in one of two treatment groups (late or early guidance) and completed both a guided, and an unguided EMRT. A third group (no guidance/control) completed two unguided EMRTs. All groups demonstrated an increase in EMRT scores on their second test (P < 0.001); however, an interaction was observed between treatment and test iteration (P = 0.024). The effect of guidance on scores was contingent on when the guidance was applied. When guidance was applied early, scores were significantly greater than expected (P = 0.028). These findings suggest that by guiding individuals with low mental rotation ability "where" to look early in training, better search approaches may be adopted, yielding improvements in spatial reasoning scores. It is proposed that visual guidance may be applied in spatial fields, such as STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine), surgery, and anatomy to improve student's interpretation of visual content. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Why do some social problems seem so intractable? In a series of experiments, we show that people often respond to decreases in the prevalence of a stimulus by expanding their concept of it. When blue dots became rare, participants began to see purple dots as blue; when threatening faces became rare, participants began to see neutral faces as threatening; and when unethical requests became rare, participants began to see innocuous requests as unethical. This "prevalence-induced concept change" occurred even when participants were forewarned about it and even when they were instructed and paid to resist it. Social problems may seem intractable in part because reductions in their prevalence lead people to see more of them.

Long-standing social problems such as poor achievement, personal and intergroup conflict, bad health, and unhappiness can seem like permanent features of the social landscape. We describe an approach to such problems rooted in basic theory and research in social psychology. This approach emphasizes subjective meaning-making-working hypotheses people draw about themselves, other people, and social situations; how deleterious meanings can arise from social and cultural contexts; how interventions to change meanings can help people flourish: and how initial change can become embedded to alter the course of people's lives. We further describe how this approach relates to and complements other prominent approaches to social reform, which emphasize not subjective meaning-making but objective change in situations or in the habits and skills of individuals. In so doing, we provide a comprehensive theoretical review and organization of a psychologically informed approach to social problems, one that encompasses a wide-range of interventions and applies to diverse problem areas.