A new study reveals that asymmetric perceptions of opponents' motivations drive historic conflicts, but financial incentives can alleviate these tensions. The research found that providing accurate motivation assessments can lead to increased empathy and optimism for conflict resolution.
Researchers at The New School found that reading literary fiction enhances Theory of Mind (ToM), the skill of understanding others' mental states. Literary fiction was shown to improve ToM capabilities more effectively than popular or nonfiction texts.
Researchers found that motivation, a basic building block of human emotion, is computed mainly in the right hemisphere of the brain for left-handers, contrary to previous studies. This discovery has significant implications for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, which often involve targeting the left hemisphere.