Welcome to our November newsletter.

We examine the psychology of looking into other people’s eyes, and why we wave on Zoom calls.

At how we reduce the guilt of products we consider unethical, and how to talk to narcissistic business owners.

And what your pet ownership might reveal about your deeper personality traits.

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The Revealing Psychology of Cat Owners vs Dog Owners

This study found that people care more about their dogs than their cats. And we have found that your pet ownership - along with other apparently unrelated data - can reveal your deeper psychological traits.

They have higher attachment scores for their dogs, insured their dogs more often, generally expected more treatment options to be available for dogs, and would pay more for those treatments.

Specifically, in Denmark, 88% of dog owners reported being very attached to their pets, compared to 69% of cat owners. In Austria, the numbers were 82% for dog owners and 64% for cat owners. In the UK, the numbers were 77% for dog owners and 61% for cat owners.

Dog owners were also more likely to insure their pets than cat owners. In Denmark, 72% of dog owners had pet insurance, compared to 37% of cat owners. In Austria, the numbers were 58% for dog owners and 24% for cat owners. In the UK, the numbers were 51% for dog owners and 26% for cat owners.

Dog owners also generally expected more treatment options to be available for their pets than cat owners. In Denmark, 83% of dog owners agreed that there were enough treatment options available for dogs, compared to 62% of cat owners. In Austria, the numbers were 79% for dog owners and 54% for cat owners. In the UK, the numbers were 75% for dog owners and 50% for cat owners.

Finally, dog owners were willing to pay more for veterinary care than cat owners. In Denmark, dog owners were willing to pay an average of $1,000 per year for veterinary care, compared to $600 for cat owners. In Austria, the numbers were $800 for dog owners and $500 for cat owners. In the UK, the numbers were $700 for dog owners and $400 for cat owners.

In our work, we have found that dog and cat ownership (as well as other apparently unrelated traits - such as whether your shoes are scuffed and the type of music you like) can reveal your deeper psychological traits.

Photo by Lucas Pezeta

How to Talk to Narcissistic Business Owners

This study found that narcissism can have a positive effect on entrepreneurial success through two pathways: Darwinian social identity and overwork. However, the authors also caution that narcissism can have negative effects on entrepreneurial success if it is not managed effectively.

Specifically, the authors find that narcissism is positively related to entrepreneurial performance through its association with Darwinian social identity. Darwinian social identity is the belief that success is determined by competition and that individuals must be ruthless in order to succeed. This belief can motivate narcissists to work harder and take more risks, which can lead to entrepreneurial success.

The authors also find that narcissism is positively related to entrepreneurial performance through its association with overwork. Overwork is the tendency to work excessively long hours. Narcissists are more likely to overwork because they are driven to succeed and they believe that they are better than others. Overwork can lead to entrepreneurial success because it can allow narcissists to accomplish more than their competitors.

However, the authors also caution that narcissism can have negative effects on entrepreneurial success if it is not managed effectively. For example, narcissists can be arrogant and dismissive of others, which can damage relationships with employees, customers, and investors.

Additionally, narcissists can be impulsive and make poor decisions, which can lead to financial problems.

Therefore, organisations communicating with business owners should be aware of the potential benefits and drawbacks of narcissism, and tailor their communication accordingly. For example, organizations may want to use more direct and assertive language with narcissistic business owners, and they may want to be more patient and understanding when dealing with narcissistic business owners' impulsive decisions.

Photo by Lucas Pezeta

How much do we look into each others’ eyes?

Eye-to-eye contact is a rare but important social behavior, according to a new study. 

The study, which was published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour found that participants spent 12% of conversation time in interactive looking, meaning that they gazed at each other's faces simultaneously for just 12% of the interaction duration. 

Even more surprisingly, within those interactions, participants engaged in mutual eye-to-eye contact only 3.5% of the time.

However, the time that people do spend looking each other in the eye is predictive of their subsequent social behavior. For example, people who looked each other in the eye were more likely to follow their partner's gaze afterward. These findings suggest that eye-to-eye contact plays an important role in social interactions, even if it is relatively rare.

Something to look at if your business involves selling face to face?

Photo by Christina Morillo Han

How do we reduce the guilt of unethical products?

Consumers often face the choice of renting or buying a product. In addition to economic factors like price, consumers' choices are also influenced by ethical product attributes - as these studies suggest.

Across six studies, researchers have found that consumers are more likely to choose renting over buying when a product has an unethical attribute.

This suggests that consumers anticipate feeling less guilt about renting an unethical product than they would about buying one. For consumers who are more prone to guilt and have a stronger connection to their personal brands, this effect is even stronger.

They may use renting as a coping strategy to reduce the negative emotions they associate with using unethical products.

Photo by Manna Shvets

Why do we wave on Zoom?

Susan Wagner Cook, associate professor in University of Iowa’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences has studied the phenomenon of the "zoom wave",and reveals the psychology behind why we are still doing it.

The Zoom wave is a behavior that has emerged during the pandemic, where people wave goodbye at the end of Zoom calls. This behavior is thought to be driven by a number of psychological processes, including:

• The need for closure: Waving goodbye is a way of signaling the end of an interaction and providing a sense of closure. This can be especially important in virtual settings, where it can be more difficult to gauge social cues and know when a conversation is over.

• The desire to create connection: Waving can also be a way of creating a sense of connection with others, even when we are not physically present with them. This is because gestures can be a powerful way of conveying emotion and nonverbal communication.

• The need for politeness: In some cultures, waving goodbye is considered a polite way to end an interaction. This is because it shows that you are acknowledging the other person and that you appreciate their time.

While the Zoom wave may seem like a trivial behavior, it is actually rooted in a number of important psychological processes. These processes help us to navigate social interactions, create connection with others, and maintain politeness and include:

• The role of mirror neurons: Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that fires when we observe others performing actions. It is thought that mirror neurons play a role in our ability to understand and empathize with others. In the context of the Zoom wave, mirror neurons may help us to feel connected to the people we are with, even when we are not physically present with them.

• The importance of nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication is a form of communication that does not rely on words. It includes things like facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Nonverbal communication can be just as important as verbal communication, and it can play a role in conveying emotion, establishing rapport, and building trust.

• The power of ritual: Rituals are a type of behavior that is performed in a specific way and that has a symbolic meaning. Rituals can be important for providing a sense of structure and predictability, and they can also help to create a sense of community. The Zoom wave may be seen as a form of ritual, as it is a behavior that is performed in a specific way and that has a symbolic meaning of ending an interaction.

Bye for now 👋
 

Photo by Alena Darmel

As ever, if there's anything we can help with, do get in touch.

James, Patrick and Dan

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We practically apply the science of the human mind for hard, commercial results 

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