Ep 189: The Psych Files Brief #6 – Facebook Untagging, Money and Happiness, and Memory and Aging

We have some great articles covered in this episode so I hope you find them thought-provoking and leave your comments below! We cover four topics, all of which can be relevant to your everyday life.  Join me and my intern Madison for a fascinating discussion on some new research in psychology. First, a throwback to a previous episode on how to spend your money; experiences only beat out material possessions if they are spent with others. Social settings beat solitary settings every time.

Next, did you know a social networking site you frequent may be your approach to impression management? Yes, I am talking about Facebook. Untagging, deleting, and liking certain pages, the site gives you the ability to boost your first impression and prospective employers are treating your wall like a newer, more honest resume.

As a college student there are two things I love: procrastinating and sleeping. Our third article revolves around memory and sleep. No more all nighters cramming for exams; slow wave sleep is the key to memory recall and academic success, but only in young adults.

Lastly, we found how smiling can lower dominance in serious situations. If you’re going to get in a fight you better do it with a frown. 

Resources for this Episode

• Caprariello, P. A., & Reis, H. T. (2012). To Do, to Have, or to Share? Valuing Experiences Over Material Possessions Depends on the Involvement of Others.Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, doi:10.1037/a0030953.
• Strano, M.M.,& Wattai Queen.J. (2012). Covering Your Face on Facebook: Suppression as Identity Management. Journal of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, and Applications. 24 , 166-180.
  doi: 10.1027/1864-1105/a000076
• Scullin, M. K. (2012). Sleep, Memory, and Aging: The Link Between Slow-Wave
  Sleep and Episodic Memory Changes From Younger to Older Adults. Psychology and Aging. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0028830
• Kraus, M. W., & Chen, T.-W. D. (2013). A Winning Smile? Smile Intensity,Physical Dominance, and Fighter Performance. Emotion, doi:0.1037/a0030745

Useful Links

• Poor sleep in old age prevents the brain from storing memories
• Do experiences or material goods make us happier?
• 37 Percent Of Employers Use Facebook To Pre-Screen Applicants, New Study Says