Useful Science

http://www.usefulscience.org/podcast/1 This week, all of our topics come from the persuasion section of our site. We learn about why people suck at giving gifts, all about vocal fry, and how to create love in an hour… in a lab at least. Show Notes: Gift givers tended to prioritize desirability in a gift, although a more practical version of the same gift was more likely to please the recipient. People speaking with vocal fry (a 'creaky' speech pattern increasingly common in American women) were judged as less competent, less trustworthy, and less employable. Ryan Kane Asking a series of progressively more personal questions brought pairs of strangers emotionally closer than other ice-breaking exercises.