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How to incentivize problem solving in groups

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that rewarding 'reformers' who improve the collective prediction regardless of their own personal accuracy leads to more accurate and diverse outcomes. This approach is more effective than rewarding 'niche experts' or 'experts', which can lead to a loss of diversity and accuracy.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

What birds can teach us about social learning

Researchers discovered a novel connection between the amygdala brain region and social learning in zebra finches. Young birds preferred approaching tutors with longer but less frequent songs, suggesting the amygdala plays a role in socially selective behavior. This finding sheds new light on the neural mechanisms underlying song learning.

Tools to succeed: Learning support for new nurses

A new self-assessment questionnaire has been developed to evaluate the progress of novice nurses during on-the-job training. The Modeling Scale for Novice Nurses assesses four subscales and 21 Likert scale questions to understand the nurses' behavior and growth, enabling senior nurses to provide targeted support.

If you yawn, I yawn too: new mechanisms behind imitative behavior revealed

Researchers have uncovered new insights into how the brain regulates imitative behavior, a phenomenon that facilitates interaction and social cohesion. The study used advanced brain stimulation technique to pinpoint the causal role of different circuits in facilitating or inhibiting automatic imitation.

Elephants have names for each other like people do, new study shows

Researchers confirmed that elephant calls contained a name-like component identifying the intended recipient through machine learning analysis. Elephants responded affirmatively to calls addressed to them and less so to those meant for others, suggesting an ability to learn and use arbitrary vocal labels like humans.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Experiment captures why pottery forms are culturally distinct

Researchers capture cultural differences in pottery forms without selective transmission, attributing them to cognitive biases and community-specific techniques. This finding has implications for interpreting archaeological artifacts, potentially leading to new insights into the dynamics of cultural assimilation and artistic innovation.

Inhibiting imitation of others can increase understanding of others

Inhibiting imitation of others can increase understanding of others by allowing them to recognize facial expressions in others regardless of their situations. Imitation-inhibition training has been shown to enhance the ability to distinguish between oneself and others, as well as increase empathy.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

How do leaders and influencers emerge?

A computer simulation modelled by Associate Professor David Goldbaum suggests a leader emerges through a dynamic self-reinforcing social process, even with identical attributes among group members. The study finds that building up influence and gaining popularity is key to becoming a leader.

Industrial engineering professor Shipra Agrawal wins NSF CAREER Award

Shipra Agrawal, assistant professor of industrial engineering at Columbia University, has developed new learning frameworks and algorithms to account for consumer behavior in product pricing and recommendation. Her research aims to improve matching supply and demand, benefiting both consumers and sellers.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Modeling prosocial behavior increases helping in 16-month-olds

Researchers found that observing others' helping behavior enhances infants' prosocial development, particularly when adults model helpful behaviors. The study suggests that having prosocial role models plays a crucial role in shaping young children's helping habits.

That new baby isn't imitating you

Researchers tested young infants' imitation of facial and hand gestures, finding no evidence of innate ability to copy adults. Babies may learn to imitate through observation of others mimicking them.

Ostracized children use imitation to fit in, study finds

Research suggests children as young as 5 use high-fidelity imitation to re-affiliate with excluded groups, mimicking behaviors such as dress and activities to appear part of the group. Ostracized children exhibit increased anxiety and frustration compared to those included by out-groups.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Rudeness at work is contagious

Research at Lund University finds that 75% of employees experience rudeness, leading to stronger social support and increased risk of bullying; training for staff and managers is key to addressing unpleasant behavior.

Virtual avatars may impact real-world behavior

New research suggests that playing as a heroic or villainous avatar in video games can impact participants' behavior towards anonymous strangers. For example, those who played as Superman poured more chocolate than chili sauce, while those who played as Voldemort poured more chili sauce than chocolate.

Babies rely on words to 'decode' underlying intentions of others

A new Northwestern University study reveals that introducing a novel word for an impending event enhances infants' tendency to imitate unconventional behavior. Infants as young as 14 months old coordinate their insights about human behavior and language to discover which actions are worth imitating.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

CEO incentives should be more strategic

A study by Michigan State University scholars suggests that CEOs who have three times as much prospective wealth as current wealth are more willing to take risks. Companies can influence CEO risk-taking behavior by issuing equity pay strategically, rather than relying on predetermined quantities.

Baby see, baby do?

Researchers from Concordia University found that infants can differentiate between trustworthy and untrustworthy sources. In a series of experiments, infants were shown to imitate actions from reliable adults more frequently than those from unreliable adults. This study contributes to the understanding of infant cognition and social le...

When do products (and money) literally make your mouth water?

A new study found that people salivate in response to material rewards, including money and high-end sports cars. The researchers discovered that this phenomenon occurs when individuals have a strong desire for these items, often driven by a sense of power or goal achievement.

Imitation promotes social bonding in primates

A study found that capuchin monkeys prefer the company of researchers who imitate them, spending more time with their imitators. The monkeys also chose to engage in a task with their imitators over non-imitators, indicating a sense of affiliation.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Monkey see, monkey do?

Researchers found that participants could learn a complex sequence of motions by viewing and remembering it without actually reproducing it. This suggests that imitation learning is crucial for acquiring many skills used in daily life, such as sports and rehabilitation after an accident.

Social imitation in neonatal monkeys

Rhesus monkeys display neonatal imitation, reproducing human tongue protrusion and lip smacking after watching experimenters perform similar gestures. The study suggests that imitation may have evolved earlier in the primate tree than previously thought.