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In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. I hope you enjoy them!
Is Burnout Real? (The New York Times)
The World Health Organization says so. But it’s in danger of medicalizing everyday stress.
You can’t teach schoolchildren ‘resilience’ when they’re micromanaged every day (The Guardian) The culture of “helicopter parenting” has helped spawn a generation of mentally unwell children who are unable to deal with the harsh realities of life for themselves.
Apple Backs Off Crackdown of Parental-Control Apps (The New York Times) Parental-control apps could now use two technologies that Apple had recently cited as grounds for their removal from iPhones.
The Collapsing Crime Rates of the 90’s Might Have Been Driven by Cellphones (The Atlantic) A new theory suggests that cellphones made gangs holding territory less important, which reduced inter-gang conflict and lowered profits from drug sales.
Community Can Offer a Cure to Our Technology Addictions (Pacific Standard) The solution is not to turn off our phones; it’s to develop social, economic, and political structures that address deeper issues of social disconnection and overwork.
Are Video Games the Best New Social Network? (The New York Times)
They are no longer lonely pursuits for recluses. A wave of new games are designed to be a way to hang out with friends.
Happy reading!
-Nir
