Matthew Hutson

7 Things We Just Learned About Human Nature

Uri Gneezy and John List are known for their field experiments, testing hypotheses in the real world.

Uri Gneezy and John List are known for their field experiments, testing hypotheses in the real world.

Does Anyone Care About Mistakes in Your Profile?

We wondered how much typos matter, and exactly how they matter, and ran a couple of quick experiments to find out.

We wondered how much typos matter, and exactly how they matter, and ran a couple of quick experiments to find out.

Positive Thinking Leads to Economic Decline

Expressions of positive thinking about the future—in inaugural addresses from 1933 to 2009 and newspaper articles from 2007 to 2009—reliably predicted economic decline.

Expressions of positive thinking about the future—in inaugural addresses from 1933 to 2009 and newspaper articles from 2007 to 2009—reliably predicted economic decline.

Why We Form New Year’s Resolutions

Recent research helps explain why we pick January 1 for personal renovation, and how we can restart the clock if we slip up.

Recent research helps explain why we pick January 1 for personal renovation, and how we can restart the clock if we slip up.

Awe Increases Religious Belief

An analysis of astronauts’ reports reveals that for many, the awesomeness of spaceflight increased their belief in God. New research may explain why.

An analysis of astronauts’ reports reveals that for many, the awesomeness of spaceflight increased their belief in God. New research may explain why.

Watching “Harry Potter” Enhances Creativity

Halloween, with its witches and ghouls and talking foxes, might just be the most creative day of the year.

Halloween, with its witches and ghouls and talking foxes, might just be the most creative day of the year.

Which cognitive biases lead to which supernatural beliefs?

The Rich Are Differently Moral

You’d have to be pretty cold-hearted to shove someone off a bridge into the path of a train. But from another perspective, that is the most beneficial thing you could do.

You’d have to be pretty cold-hearted to shove someone off a bridge into the path of a train. But from another perspective, that is the most beneficial thing you could do.

Even Top Scientists Believe Everything Was Created by Magic

New research suggests even scientists intuitively believe in divine intervention and intelligent design.

New research suggests even scientists intuitively believe in divine intervention and intelligent design.

The Like Trail

A paper published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows just how revealing Facebook Likes can be.

A paper published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows just how revealing Facebook Likes can be.