Professor Dan Cable and comedian Akin Omobitan unearth social science’s hidden gems by “funpacking” peer-reviewed articles and sharing their choice findings!
Peculiar things happen when people doubt our capabilities; their doubts can have a strengthening or weakening effect on our performance. Dan and Akin squeeze exciting research about the conditions that turn underdogs into overachievers.
- Research Paper: 'The Underdog Effect: When Low Expectations Increase Performance' by Samir Nurmohamed
Dominant leaders work toward getting what they want, even if it's at the expense of others. This attitude has a ripple effect, creating negative environments in which more people adopt a zero-sum game mindset: in order to gain, someone else must lose. Join Dan and Akin as they squeeze the findings of the brand new research paper.
- Research Paper: 'The Impact of Leader Dominance on Employees' Zero-Sum Mindset and Helping Behaviour' By Niro Sivanathan and Hemant Kakkar
This time-tested leadership method doesn't always produce the desired results. Dan and Akin discuss why, and what to keep in my when adopting this approach.
- Research Paper: 'Leading by Example: The Case of Leader OCB' by Tal Yaffe and Ronit Kark
Diversity, if treated like an independent factor, falls short of effecting innovation when employee involvement is low. Dan and Akin discuss some of the challenges researchers face when attempting to apply science to this social issue.
- Research Paper: 'Diversity and organizational innovation: The role of employee involvement' by Yang Yang and Alison M. Konrad
Reciprocity is the dish of the day as Dan and Akin chew on research out of Stanford which questions why employee loyalty and effort is sometimes not reciprocated by employers - and, as it turns out, colleagues too.
- Research Paper: 'How “Organization” Can Weaken the Norm of Reciprocity: The Effects of Attributions for Favors and a Calculative Mindset' by Peter Belmi and Jeffrey Pfeffer
Does it seem risky to be yourself at a job interview or on a first date? Turns out the riskier approach is trying to be what we think others want us to be. Dan and Akin squeeze research that weighs the benefits of authenticity against catering to the needs of others.
- Research Paper: 'To be or not to be your authentic self? Catering to others’ preferences hinders performance' by Francesca Gino, Ovul Sezer and Laura Huang
Anxiety is a normal response to rising tensions, but there an abnormal responses far more helpful. Dan and Akin squeeze a research paper that investigates the 'paradox mindset' and its benefits.
- Research Paper: 'Microfoundations of Organizational Paradox: The Problem is How We Think about the Problem' by Ella Miron-Spektor, Amy Ingram, Joshua Keller, Wendy K. Smith and Marianne W. Lewis
In life, some things help us along while others hold us back; which should we pay more attention to, and what good can come from changing our minds? Akin and Dan squeeze a research paper that looks into our asymmetric responses to headwinds and tailwinds.
- Research Paper: 'The Headwinds/Tailwinds Asymmetry: An Availability Bias in Assessments of Barriers and Blessings' by Shai Davidai and Thomas Gilovich
Have you considered whether the skills you've picked up at your work place would be valuable anywhere else? Dan and Akin squeeze research into why being too valuable to one organisation might make you less valuable to others.
- Research Paper: 'Micro-Foundations of Firm-Specific Human Capital: When do Employees Perceive Their Skills to Be Firm Specific?' by Joseph Raffiee and Russell Coff
There are reasons why armies, churches, organisations and communities engage in group activities seemingly unrelated to the purpose of the group. Dan and Akin squeeze research that looked into the benefits of getting several individual minds to think, feel and behave as one.
- Research Paper: 'Synchrony and Cooperation' by Scott S. Wiltermuth and Chip Heath
