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Brain Candy

Puzzles, paradoxes, and science to nourish your neurons

Personality
The Positive Side to the Personality of Procrastinators

Garth Sundem on September 2, 2015

Research is showing that procras­tination isn’t a defect in ability or personality but rather a disconnect between the demands of a task and what motivates the procrastinator.

Research is showing that procras­tination isn’t a defect in ability or personality but rather a disconnect between the demands of a task and what motivates the procrastinator.

Law and Crime
This Simple Trick Will Transform How You Solve Problems

Garth Sundem on July 14, 2015

What's in a name? Understanding that by another name a rose would still smell as sweet can help you leap past one of the most common problem-solving roadblocks.

What's in a name? Understanding that by another name a rose would still smell as sweet can help you leap past one of the most common problem-solving roadblocks.

Creativity
Building With LEGO Kit Instructions Makes Kids Less Creative

Garth Sundem on June 16, 2015

The more we complete "well-defined" problems like LEGO kits, the worse we are at solving "ill-defined problems": create something beautiful, discover something meaningful, find someone to love.

The more we complete "well-defined" problems like LEGO kits, the worse we are at solving "ill-defined problems": create something beautiful, discover something meaningful, find someone to love.

Attention
Study: Only Popular Kids Give Most Attention to Popular Kids

Garth Sundem on July 23, 2013

From preschoolers to high-schoolers to monkeys, subjects will pick out their popular peers in videos and watch these popular peers longer than they watch the less popular proletariat. But who cares? Or who cares most? A new study shows it's mostly popular girls looking at popular boys.

From preschoolers to high-schoolers to monkeys, subjects will pick out their popular peers in videos and watch these popular peers longer than they watch the less popular proletariat. But who cares? Or who cares most? A new study shows it's mostly popular girls looking at popular boys.

Executive Function
Study: To Teach Reading and Math, Start With Planning

Garth Sundem on July 18, 2013

Cornell study of 1,364 kids shows that planning skills as measured by the Tower of Hanoi game predicts math and to a lesser extent reading skills. Because the finding was independent of socioeconomic status, teaching these planning skills may be a way to break the poverty cycle.

Cornell study of 1,364 kids shows that planning skills as measured by the Tower of Hanoi game predicts math and to a lesser extent reading skills. Because the finding was independent of socioeconomic status, teaching these planning skills may be a way to break the poverty cycle.

Hormones
Does the Pill Shape Your Mate Choice and Satisfaction?

Garth Sundem on June 26, 2013

A study published in the June issue of the journal Personality and Individual Differences asks a fascinating question: if hormone levels influence mate choice, and hormonal contraception changes these levels, what happens when a woman enters a relationship and then changes her use of hormonal contraception? Does her mate preference change?

A study published in the June issue of the journal Personality and Individual Differences asks a fascinating question: if hormone levels influence mate choice, and hormonal contraception changes these levels, what happens when a woman enters a relationship and then changes her use of hormonal contraception? Does her mate preference change?

Intelligence
Study: Is Complex Problem Solving Distinct From IQ?

Garth Sundem on June 10, 2013

What matters: traditional measures of intelligence or new tests of complex problem solving skills? A study just published in the journal Intelligence uses a downloadable game to pick apart the difference.

What matters: traditional measures of intelligence or new tests of complex problem solving skills? A study just published in the journal Intelligence uses a downloadable game to pick apart the difference.

Bias
Girls and Math: Study Combats Stereotype Threat

Garth Sundem on June 4, 2013

An article published last week in the journal Child Development shows that not only are girls as young as six prone to subconscious biases that can hurt their math ability, but these biases can be wiped clean, leaving attitudes and skills functioning at their fullest.

An article published last week in the journal Child Development shows that not only are girls as young as six prone to subconscious biases that can hurt their math ability, but these biases can be wiped clean, leaving attitudes and skills functioning at their fullest.