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Two Words That Rarely Travel Down the Hierarchy: Thank You!

Two young women elbow bump in office setting

Why do those with the most express gratitude the least?

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The Powerful Are More Grateful. What!?

Middle-aged man with eyes closed hand on heart

Powerful individuals feel more grateful than less powerful people. Differences in self-esteem may explain this.

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Stereotypes in Space: How Vertical Location Can Transmit Gender Stereotypes

The arrangement of pictures on a magazine page can affect people’s stereotypes about women and men.

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Why Do Sexist Men Aggress toward their Female Partners?

Sexism is related to aggression toward women, but why?

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How Your Power May Affect My Impression of You

Business people discussing in meeting room

When do stupid behaviors mean that someone is stupid? New research suggests that, when people do stupid things, we are more likely to cut them a break if they are powerful than if they are powerless.

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Psychology News Roundup: ICYMI April 26, 2019

From Biden to climate change, see what you may have missed in the world of personality and social psychology. Recently in the news, written a post, or have selections you'd like us to consider? Email us, use the hashtag #SPSPblog, or tweet us directly @spspnews.

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Why Does Joe Biden Touch People So Much and Why Do We Care?

A man touches a woman's shoulder as she looks to side, like, dude?

Former Vice President Joe Biden has always been a physically affectionate man, but recently that touching has become controversial. We turn to experts in social and personality psychology to help us understand what is going on.

Our experts suggested that at least seven different psychological processes may be at play:

1. Touch signals caring and support: The role of the need to belong

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Does Power Corrupt? How Powerful People React in Moral Dilemmas

A character connects via white lines to other smaller characters in a field of teal and circles

Being in a position of power can influence moral decisions, but not in the way you think.

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The Caveman and The Bomb: Does Trump Grasp the Horror of His Threat to “Totally Destroy” North Korea?

Image of missiles lined up aimed towards the sky

“I am deeply moved if I see one man suffering and would risk my life for him. Then I talk impersonally about the possible pulverization of our big cities, with a hundred million dead. I am unable to multiply one man’s suffering by a hundred million.” —Albert Szent-Györgyi

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Are Men Seen as ‘More American’ Than Women?

Image of men and women standing in front of an American flag

Women make up 50.8 percent of the U.S. population and have equal voting rights, yet are politically underrepresented. The country has never had a female president or vice president. Only 3.5 percent of Supreme Court justices have been women, and women make up only 20 percent of Congress.

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