The omnivore may not technically qualify as an endangered species. But the coveted creature — known for its sensitivity, inquisitiveness and tendency to congregate around galleries and concert halls — is in decline. And that poses a major challenge to America’s arts organizations. Omnivores — defined by sociologists as people who regularly participate in a broad range of cultural activities — represent a small minority of the population, but a large portion of the arts audience. In a new analysis recently released by the National Endowment for the Arts, author Mark J. Stern ... Read More
Sad But True: We’re More Likely to Believe Bad News
April 21, 2009 • By • Leave a Comment
Do you nod your head knowingly while reading the latest bleak economic figures, but respond skeptically to suggestions that the worst may be over? There's a reason for that: Humans, it turns out, are more inclined to accept negative information as accurate. That's the conclusion of a newly published study by psychologist Benjamin Hilbig of the University of Mannheim in Germany. Working from the well-established concept of negativity bias — the phenomenon that negative events, or the fear thereof, have a disproportionate impact on our emotions and behavior — he conducted three ... Read More
