Collective Memories — Ida Momennejad & Ajua Duker

How can communication across networks of people be optimized to share information, while at the same time lessening the likelihood of information bubbles and echo chambers? In Episode 54, we’re joined by Ida Momennejad and Ajua Duker from Columbia University and Yale University, respectively, to discuss their open access article “Bridge ties bind collective memories” which was published with Alin Coman on April 5, 2019 in the journal Nature Communications.

Poor little rich kids?

Study of adopted vs. biological children suggests that whether they grow up to be wealthy depends far more on the environment they are raised in than on biological factors.

General beliefs in unsubstantiated claims

People who endorse conspiracy theories found also more likely to be susceptible to belief in pseudoscience and paranormal phenomena.

Prior guest PJ Capelotti

Congrats to our prior guest PJ Capelotti for being featured in Mental Floss ... after checking out his discussion of artifacts from the Jaws movies, give a listen to his 2-part conversation with us:

http://parsing.science/e38
http://parsing.science/e39

The bottom line

Subordinates of supervisors who focus only on economic metrics at exclusion of socio-emotional aspects found to retaliate by withholding performance.

The development of the modern-day zoo

Commentary on the evolution of zoos from scientific institutions to entertainment centers.

‘Tickle’ therapy

Small, painless electrical current delivered to the ear may yield improvements to both physiological and mental wellbeing.

Neural architecture of general knowledge

People with very strong general knowledge may have a particularly efficient fiber network in their brains.