First for Women – August 26, 2019

46 First for women 8/26/19

When you’re feeling jittery—like

before your plane takes off—follow

your instinct to reach for your

husband’s hand. Researchers pub-

lishing in the journal PLOS ONE

proved this simple move delivers

big benefits. Couples tackled a dif-

ficult task either together or apart,

and investigators tracked how

dilated their pupils became (an indi-

cator of stress). While everyone

experienced a spike in tension at

the outset, those who worked side

by side with their partner and held

hands during the stressful task

relaxed significantly faster than

those who faced the stressor

solo. It seems social support

creates a sense of safety that

soothes frayed nerves.

Quick fi x for

runaway stress

Listening to your sister’s recap of her vaca-

tion may be less enjoyable if you recently took

acetaminophen, suggests a study from Ohio

University. Subjects who had taken the drug

experienced less pleasure when reading about

other people’s experiences than those who didn’t

take it. It seems the brain region acetaminophen

targets may not only be associated with pain

management but also with emotional processing.

Unexpected side effect of

OTC pain medications

If overhearing a party at your neighbor’s house

has you feeling left out, mentally send loving

wishes to a friend or even a stranger. Researchers

in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that

when participants directed positive thoughts

toward other people (like, I wish for this person to

be happy), t hey felt more socia l ly connected t han

those who compared themselves to others. The

reason? Sending out kindness shifts your focus

away from feelings of alonenes and reminds you

of your bonds to a wider human network.

Surprising power of

wishing others well

GE

TT

Y^ (

2 ).^

TE

XT:

KA

TIE

HY

NE

S

Simple shortcut to

sharper thinking

As you hunt for deals at the flea market, be sure

to drink water or treat yourself to a lemonade—it

could give you an edge when negotiating prices,

suggests research at the Georgia Institute of

Technology in Atlanta. Investigators analyzed

more than 30 studies on hydration and mental

acuity and confirmed that dehydration blunts

thinking and concentration, leading people to

make more errors on cognitive tasks. The effects

were noticeable once people lost about 2% in

water weight, which the authors say can happen

within a few hours on a hot day.

insight

How much more produce

people buy when they eat a

healthy snack pre-shopping

SOURCE: Psychology & Marketing

25

%

quick bits

The psychology news

that matters to you

To ensure you have fun at
a friend’s birthday party,
don’t worry about snap-
ping photos. Researchers
at the University of Denver
and elsewhere found that
being behind a camera takes
people out of the experience.
When they had participants
view a 10-minute wildlife
video, those who simply
sat back and watched the
clip enjoyed the experience
about 14% more than those
who took pictures of the
creatures they saw. That’s
because documenting the
events distracted them from
moment-to-moment plea-
sures, so the authors advise
setting aside a period during
an event to take photos and
then just be present.

Surefi re way

to savor the

moment