"Boomerasking", asking someone a question only to answer it yourself, makes people seem less sincere and less likable than simply sharing. In a first-date study, willingness to accept a second date fell from 70.9 to 55.9 out of 100.

In three experiments with about 170 usable participants, people who mirrored a smiling face more strongly rated that person as more trustworthy and sent them more points in a trust game, and forcing smile-like muscle activity raised trust ratings.

Across seven studies, low-saturation products made luxury brands seem older and more prestigious. In a boutique bidding test, shoppers offered about 3,160 yuan for a muted handbag versus about 2,540 yuan for a vivid one.

Tracking 325 veteran MLB hitters from 2016 to 2024, researchers found that more years left on a contract meant weaker hitting and slower running, while players in a contract year ran faster to first base. Luck measures showed no link to job security.

Across 11 studies, people overestimated success after failure: they guessed 58% of lawyers pass the bar on retest (true rate 35%) and 51% of overdose survivors enter treatment (true rate 16.6%). Learning the real rates raised support for rehabilitation.

Concealed Facebook friendships between mutual fund managers and company officers were linked to abnormal returns of 135 basis points a month, over 16% a year, concentrated around earnings and merger news.

Across eight studies, people exercised and studied harder with tools given human-like traits, because the tools felt like companions that made the task seem more enjoyable and the goal more attainable.