Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks: An Unlikely Friendship

Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks:  An Unlikely Friendship

How did a science journalist from Illinois and a poor woman from Baltimore become friends? How did Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks meet? What was the relationship between the two women like? Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks met while Skloot was researching Deborah’s mother, Henrietta Lacks. The two women became friends, despite an age gap of more than 20 years. Read about their relationship, including some paranoia that made things tense at times.

The Milgram Shock Experiment: Sense of Duty Gone Too Far?

The Milgram Shock Experiment: Sense of Duty Gone Too Far?

Have you ever done anything out of obedience to authority or a sense of duty? Did it ever make you uncomfortable? Would you question the instructions of someone in a position of authority? The Milgram Shock Experiment shows how far you might go. The Milgram Shock Experiment is a study that demonstrated how willing people are to give deference to authority. Their obedience to authority allowed them to inflict pain on others even when they felt uncomfortable. See how a sense of duty played out in the Milgram Shock Experiment.

Authority Principle: Your Boss Is Right Even When He’s Wrong

Authority Principle: Your Boss Is Right Even When He’s Wrong

Do you do as you’re told? Are you more likely to follow instructions from your doctor, manager, teacher, or a police officer? The authority principle of persuasion explains our instinctive deference to people with power or expertise. The Authority Principle is the theory that people are hard-wired to comply with requests that come from an acknowledged and accepted source of authority. While authority was important for the development of civilization, it can also be manipulated. Learn about where the need for authority came from and how authority influences you.

Psychological Reactance: Why You Want That Forbidden Fruit

Psychological Reactance: Why You Want That Forbidden Fruit

How do you react when you’re told you can’t have something? Do you accept it or do you want it more? What if someone tries to take away something you have? When your choices are limited you may experience psychological reactance. Psychological reactance is the negative response you have when your choices are limited outside of your control. It comes from wanting to avoid loss. See how your fear of losing options influences your decisions with examples including the Romeo and Juliet effect.

Who Is Eddie’s Father in The Five People You Meet in Heaven?

Who Is Eddie’s Father in The Five People You Meet in Heaven?

Who is Eddie’s father in The Five People You Meet in Heaven? What does he have to do with Eddie’s life and death? Eddie’s father in The Five People You Meet in Heaven is present throughout the story. Though Eddie doesn’t meet his father as one of the five people, Eddie’s father in The Five People You Meet in Heaven is one of the people he has the most connection with.