Squeezing the Orange

Thoughts that Count

Looking to buy someone the perfect gift? Science backs the well-aged saying, "It's the thought that counts." However, the problem is that we it comes to buying gifts, the thought is that the more we spend, the more it counts. Akin and Dan break down a study that finds givers and receivers are just as happy when less money is spent.

 - Research Paper: 'Money Can't Buy Love: Asymmetric Beliefs about Gift Price and Feelings of Appreciation' by Francis Flynn and Gabrielle Adams

Loyal to a Fault

Is it exploitation if you love it? Dan and Akin sit down to discuss research that scientifically exposes the dark side of believing your work is your calling.

 - Research Paper: 'The Call of the Wild: Zookeepers, Callings and the Double-edged Sword of Deeply Meaningful Work' by J. Stuart Bunderson and Jeffery A. Thompson

Dumb and Dumber

The Dunning-Kruger Effect exposes a common yet surprising flaw of the human mind: the less we know about something, the less capable we are of knowing how little we know, which causes us to think we know more than we do. Confused? That's a good thing! Dan and Akin explain.

 - Research Paper: 'Unskilled and Unaware of it: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments' by Justin Kruger and David Dunning