This week’s must-reads: The Placebo Effect is very real and is all in your mind

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!

How to (Finally) Put an End to Pointless Arguments (NirandFar)
My interview with Buster Benson about his new book, Why Are We Yelling? The Art of Productive Disagreement.

12 Ways Airports Are Secretly Manipulating You (Mental Floss)
Over the years, airports have evolved from bare-bones transportation hubs for select travelers to bustling retail centers for millions. They’re being designed to both complement and influence human behavior.

The weird power of the placebo effect, explained (Vox)
Over the last several years, doctors noticed a mystifying trend: Fewer and fewer new pain drugs were getting through double-blind placebo control trials, the gold standard for testing a drug’s effectiveness.

Relax, Turn Off Your Phone, and Go to Sleep (Harvard Business Review)
People who are anxious about staying connected are more likely to use their technology right up until bedtime.

How to Design Better Social Media (Medium) At its core, social media is an opinion-serving machine. It encourages us to observe conflicts and pick sides on topics about which we would otherwise have few opinions.

Social Media Isn’t the Problem (The Rewired Soul) One of the biggest myths out there is that social media is making you depressed.

Happy reading!

- Nir