Pacific Standard March-April 2013 Cover

Why Haven’t Obama’s Scandals Hurt His Approval Ratings?

May 20, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
obama-shot

Last week, Obama's presidency, long noted for its dearth of major scandals compared to previous administrations, somehow pulled a hat trick. Benghazi, the IRS, and the Associated Press leak stories suddenly dominated all the available media coverage of the White House, and it was hard for anyone paying even modest attention to national politics to not get the impression that something bad was going on. And yet, at least up until now, these scandals do not seem to be hurting Obama's approval ratings. Indeed, by some indicators, more Americans approve of his performance now than did so a week ... Read More

Female Professionals of 1970s Face Higher Risk of Breast Cancer

May 20, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
breast-cancer-tree

A group of feminist trailblazers—women professionals in the 1970s—may be paying a high price for breaking the mold: An increased risk of breast cancer. “We find that women who were in professional and managerial occupations in 1975, at age 36, had a substantially higher risk of a breast cancer diagnosis up to age 72, compared to housewives and lower-status occupations,” writes a research team led by Penn State sociologist Tetyana Pudrovska. The researchers, writing in the journal Social Science and Medicine, cite a combination of factors for this disturbing finding, the largest ... Read More

Marijuana Buffers Pain of Social Exclusion

May 17, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
marijuana-blunt

Why smoke marijuana? Users would probably reply that numbed-out bliss is its own reward. But if smoothing out the harsh edges of reality is your goal, what bruises are you attempting to avoid? Newly published research suggests that, at least for some, the answer is: The intense discomfort of social exclusion. “Marijuana has been used to treat physical pain,” reports a research team led by University of Kentucky psychologist Timothy Deckman, “and the current findings suggest it may also reduce emotional pain." Given the drug's long-term health effects, “This may reflect a poor ... Read More

Thoughts of Faith and God Decrease Tolerance for Ambiguity

May 16, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
cathedral-post

It’s clear that religious faith confers a variety of benefits. Being part of a community of fellow believers has been shown to boost both mental and physical health. But at what cost? New research suggests one disturbing answer: Thoughts of faith and God apparently spur people to view the world in black-or-white terms. A just-published study finds exposure to Christian concepts or imagery increases one’s intolerance for ambiguity. This dynamic was demonstrated in a variety of experiments conducted in three different countries: Germany, Austria, and the United States. Writing in ... Read More

Jolie’s Mastectomy: Celebrities Serve as Medical Role Models

May 14, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
jolie-rice

Will Angelina Jolie’s decision to undergo a double mastectomy influence the medical decisions of others? Research on a similar high-profile case, also featuring an influential public figure, suggests it very well might—at least in the short term. In October 1987, first lady Nancy Reagan underwent a modified radical mastectomy after a cancerous lesion was discovered on one of her breasts. The operation generated massive news coverage and prompted a debate over whether, by opting for such a radical procedure, she was sending a message to American women: The best way to respond to breast ... Read More

Our Political Parties Have Polarized, But They Have a Lot Further to Go

May 14, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
us-reps

Last week, I wrote up a post describing how the parties in Congress have polarized in part because they represent more ideologically distinct districts and states than they used to. I produced a chart showing how the states themselves are polarizing; to the extent senators are simply representing their states today, that would lead to much more partisan behavior than it would have a few decades ago. Here's the same sort of chart showing the presidential vote by congressional district. It's a similar story. The red columns show the number of congressional districts in the 1968 presidential ... Read More

Unable to Grasp Alternative Viewpoints? Chill Out.

May 13, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
perspective

Having trouble coming to terms with a contrary colleague or disgruntled member of the family? Do you just seem to be talking past one another? Your first impulse might be to sit down and talk things out over a cup of coffee. Bad idea. Newly published research suggests warm temperatures inhibit our ability to get beyond our own egocentric perspective and see things from a different point of view. “We show that perspective-taking is enhanced when participants are exposed to cooler rather than warmer temperature cues,” writes a research team led by Claudia Sassenrath of the ... Read More

The Google Maps of 1917

May 9, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
communal-map

Our relationship with maps has evolved over the past hundred years. We don't have to unfold too-large sheets of paper, search out our destination, and trace back the route with a marker anymore. We can plug in an address or a point of interest, and a computer will tell us how to get there. But that might not be as new as it seems. This "electric directory"  from 1917 (pictured above) contains many of the elements any modern tourist in New York City might desire. Just push a button with the attached pen, and your route is illuminated. Local advertisers even had their own real estate on the ... Read More

Swimsuit Issue Aside, ‘Sports Illustrated’ Cover Is a Female-Free Zone

May 9, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
si-female-cover

That recent Sports Illustrated cover featuring Jason Collins was, in one obvious respect, a landmark. But in another way, it was business as usual for the venerable weekly. The openly gay Collins is, after all, a man—and men are featured on the cover of SI about 95 percent of the time. That’s the conclusion of recently published research, which finds that, from 2000 through 2011, women appeared on just 4.9 percent of Sports Illustrated covers. "SI covers have both reflected and swayed their audiences toward corporate sport, particularly lucrative football, basketball, baseball, and ... Read More

How Positive Emotions Lead to Better Health

May 8, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
happy-fingers

We’ve all experienced downward spirals, in which dark emotions lead to destructive behavior that damages our health, strains our relationships, and leaves us feeling even worse than when we started. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an uplifting equivalent to that destructive chain of events? Newly published research suggests there is. What’s more, this delightful dynamic helps explain the well-documented link between joy, appreciation, and good health. “Positive emotion, positive social connections, and physical health influence one another in a self-sustaining, upward-spiral ... Read More