Interesting Articles: Q1 2009

Psychology & Culture:
* The Witnesses That Didn't (WNYC's On The Media via NPR). A story I heard a few times in psychology classes (about many people witnessing a murder and no one calling the police) that didn't happen the way it was told. Posted here so I can always find the reference to the truth.

Psychology & Economics:
* When people cheat on Wall Street (American Public Media's Marketplace). Though the results of the experiment aren't surprising, I'm simply impressed that someone designed such an interesting experiment. I liked the original research question, and the twist was icing on the cake.

Economics & Academia:
* What's in a Surname? The Effects of Surname Initials on Academic Success (pdf) (Journal of Economic Perspectives). An interesting analysis of the discrimination created in academic disciplines that order authors' names alphabetically, not by contribution. I wonder why the observed effect of higher tenure rates for earlier surnames occurs only at elite institutions (top 10).

Politics & Economics:
* In this On The Media piece (WNYC via NPR) about Treasury Secretary Geithner's inability to connect empathically, one person had a comment likening him and other political figures to Star Trek characters that I found so humorous, I'm posting it here.

Biology:
* Sound Output Levels of the iPod and Other MP3 Players: Is There Potential Risk to Hearing? (Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Children Meeting) (internet archive version in case the link is broken). Finally, a definitive study providing guidelines on how loud iPods can and should be played.

Fun:
* Bowl Mitzvah (Stanford Magazine). What a cute, giving idea.