All posts tagged: underestimate

People tend to underestimate how much they’ll enjoy small talk, new study finds

People tend to underestimate how much they’ll enjoy small talk, new study finds

Published by Sam Flores

If you’re avoiding small talk or casual chats because you think they’ll be boring, you may be missing out on meaningful connections, new research finds. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. People consistently underestimate how interesting and enjoyable these conversations will be, said Elizabeth Trinh, the study’s lead author and a doctoral student in management and organization at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “Even boring topics can lead to surprisingly meaningful interactions,” Trinh said. Americans are stuck in an epidemic of loneliness and ordinary conversations can help us cope, Trinh said. “If people avoid talking to a co-worker at the coffee machine or a stranger at an event or a neighbor in the elevator because we assume it will be boring and unenjoyable, we may be depriving ourselves of small moments of connection that could improve our mood, our sense of belonging and decrease loneliness,” she said. For the study, published Monday in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Trinh and colleagues …

Don’t Underestimate Victoria Pedretti or Her Forbidden Fruits Character

Don’t Underestimate Victoria Pedretti or Her Forbidden Fruits Character

Published by Daniella Wilson

[This story contains spoilers from Forbidden Fruits.] When Victoria Pedretti is on your screen, just know she’s there for a reason. “This bitch doesn’t want to do anything she has to do,” the 31-year-old actress quips to The Hollywood Reporter, as she’s solely focused on projects that have an impact on people. Over the last decade, Pedretti has cemented her status as a modern-day “scream queen” with her intense performances in Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting horror anthology series and later the hit Netflix series You, starring opposite Penn Badgley. Now she’s delivering for audiences again in the comedy horror film Forbidden Fruits, directed by Meredith Alloway. The movie follows Apple (Lili Reinhart), who leads a secret witch cult with coworkers Cherry (Pedretti) and Fig (Alexandra Shipp) at a mall store. But when new hire Pumpkin (Lola Tung) questions their sisterhood, they’re forced to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends. “I’m really interested in the conversations that it can cultivate,” she says of the pic. “It’s a fun film, but it’s a Trojan horse for a lot of …

Did the U.S. underestimate Iran’s drone threat? : NPR

Did the U.S. underestimate Iran’s drone threat? : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

AFP via Getty Images and U.S. Air Force/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR Wladimir van Wilgenburg stands in a residential neighborhood in Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and points out incoming drones high in the sky. “The U.S. defense systems, as you can see, are taking down the drones,” he says in a video recorded during the first days of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and sent to NPR. First one, then another, is obliterated in a puff of smoke, sending explosions reverberating through the apartment block several seconds later. Van Wilgenburg, a journalist based in Erbil, says drones — sent by Iran to attack U.S. facilities in the region — have become a daily occurrence over the city in recent weeks. So, too, have the interceptions. “Most of these drones … don’t reach their destination,” he says. With Operation Epic Fury well into its third week, there are two increasingly urgent questions: how long U.S. defense systems can continue to hold off such attacks — not just in Iraq, but throughout the Middle East …

New psychology study reveals we consistently underestimate our power in close relationships

New psychology study reveals we consistently underestimate our power in close relationships

Published by José Betancourt

A new study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that people consistently underestimate how much influence they have over their romantic partners and friends. This misperception tends to be stronger in individuals who are highly focused on protecting themselves or maintaining control, which provides evidence that personal insecurities shape how we view our close relationships. By recognizing this hidden influence, individuals might find healthier ways to communicate and resolve conflicts with their loved ones. In psychological research, power is defined as the perceived ability to steer mutual decisions and get personal needs met, rather than simply dominating another person. Previous research indicates that people who feel powerless often hide their true needs, experience lower overall well-being, and sometimes act aggressively to regain a sense of control. It was previously unclear if these negative outcomes happen because people actually lack influence or because they mistakenly believe they are powerless. The researchers wanted to test the idea that individuals might systematically underestimate their power to avoid making costly social mistakes. This concept is based …

Conservatives underestimate the environmental impact of sustainable behaviors compared to liberals

Conservatives underestimate the environmental impact of sustainable behaviors compared to liberals

Published by José Betancourt

A new study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology suggests that a person’s political leaning shapes how they view the environmental benefits of their own sustainable choices. The research provides evidence that conservatives tend to view actions like recycling or eating a plant based diet as having less of a positive impact than liberals do, which predicts lower engagement in these behaviors. These differences appear to stem from how common these behaviors are perceived to be within an individual’s own social circle. The authors behind the new study wanted to understand why conservatives generally engage in fewer eco-friendly behaviors compared to liberals. Past explanations often pointed to differences in personal values or an outright skepticism about climate change. The scientists proposed that people also rely heavily on external social cues to figure out if their actions actually make a difference. Estimating the exact carbon reduction of a specific action is difficult for the average person. Because consumers often lack the exact knowledge needed to calculate environmental impact, they look around to see what others …

Truly Clever People Who Underestimate Their Intelligence Often Share These 11 Traits

Truly Clever People Who Underestimate Their Intelligence Often Share These 11 Traits

Published by Jenni Sidey

There are a wide variety of ways to measure intelligence, just as there are many forms that intelligence takes. In fact, psychologist Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences holds that there are eight distinct types: logical and mathematical, linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, spatial, musical, and naturalist. People who are not only smart but also truly clever are particularly quick and resourceful. But clever people may also have a tendency to underestimate their own intelligence at times, especially when they share some particular traits. Truly clever people who underestimate their intelligence often share these 11 traits 1. They are highly curious Golubovy | Shutterstock Truly clever people seek answers to life’s most difficult questions, and they don’t stop their quest for knowledge just because they’ve completed the traditional educational path. Their desire to understand how the world works leads them to read voraciously and engage in intellectual conversations with people around them. Your curiosity can cover a wide range of topics, and you’re always looking for connections and larger implications among seemingly disparate subjects. RELATED: 10 Signs You’re …

Timing of Palace’s latest Andrew statement is extraordinary – don’t underestimate the significance

Timing of Palace’s latest Andrew statement is extraordinary – don’t underestimate the significance

Published by Sam Flores

“New facts meant the need for a new response” – that is how one palace source described this latest statement and why it was issued now. The timing was still extraordinary. Do not underestimate how significant it is that it was released just a matter of hours after Prince William had landed in Saudi Arabia. Usually there’s an unwritten rule that nothing should ever overshadow an important diplomatic visit like this. But there was a sense in the palace that something had shifted over the weekend in terms of the allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – and no response wasn’t an option. No one is trying to diminish the sexual claims that have emerged, which Andrew has denied. The Royal Family has repeatedly said we must think of Epstein’s victims. However, the claims that he may have been sharing information with Epstein – information he gained in his official capacity as a UK trade envoy – go to the very heart of the role of the Royal Family; travelling the globe on behalf of UK plc, …

Timing of Palace’s latest Andrew statement is extraordinary – don’t underestimate the significance | UK News

Timing of Palace’s latest Andrew statement is extraordinary – don’t underestimate the significance | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

“New facts meant the need for a new response” – that is how one palace source described this latest statement and why it was issued now. The timing was still extraordinary. Do not underestimate how significant it is that it was released just a matter of hours after Prince William had landed in Saudi Arabia. Usually there’s an unwritten rule that nothing should ever overshadow an important diplomatic visit like this. Image: Prince William with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. Pic: Reuters But there was a sense in the palace that something had shifted over the weekend in terms of the allegations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – and no response wasn’t an option. No one is trying to diminish the sexual claims that have emerged, which Andrew has denied. The Royal Family has repeatedly said we must think of Epstein’s victims. Image: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor rides a horse in Windsor Great Park. Pic: Reuters However, the claims that he may have been sharing information with Epstein – information he gained in his official capacity …

One Powerful Habit That Couples Should Never Underestimate

One Powerful Habit That Couples Should Never Underestimate

Published by Jenni Sidey

Physical touch is widely believed to be one of the primary, most important means of intimacy and bonding in a romantic relationship. Without frequent hugs, kisses, or sex, couples need to get creative in order to communicate their affection for one another. Most popular relationship advice also reinforces this idea; it’s widely assumed that more physical closeness naturally equates to a stronger, healthier relationship. But not everyone experiences touch in the same way, nor does everyone want it to the same degree. Some people love frequent physical affection, while others might prefer it in smaller doses or only in specific contexts. So, where does that leave couples who aren’t perfectly aligned? Does physical touch matter equally for every relationship? Thankfully, a November 2025 study published in Personal Relationships has given us an answer. And, surprisingly, it’s not nearly as black-or-white as most would assume it to be. Physical Touch and Relationship Well-Being Instead of simply asking whether physical affection predicts relationship satisfaction, the authors of the 2025 study examined how comfort with affection and perceived …

The House | Justice Minister Jake Richards: “It’s Very Dangerous To Underestimate Keir Starmer”

The House | Justice Minister Jake Richards: “It’s Very Dangerous To Underestimate Keir Starmer”

Published by Sam Flores

Labour MP and justice minister Jake Richards (Photography by Louise Haywood-Schiefer) 12 min read5 hr Fast-tracked into government after just over a year in Parliament, justice minister Jake Richards tells Sienna Rodgers about his plans to overhaul youth justice, reform the ECHR and face down Labour rebels The decision to prioritise new intake MPs for promotion at the September reshuffle fuelled resentment in parts of the Parliamentary Labour Party, which lingers still. Among the beneficiaries was Jake Richards, the Labour MP for Rother Valley first elected in 2024, who vaulted from the backbenches into a ministerial post. Sitting in his Ministry of Justice office, Richards speaks with a zeal that suggests he is determined to prove himself to disgruntled colleagues. He reveals to The House his plans to deliver “the biggest transformation in youth justice for a generation”. Youth justice, he argues, has defied Britain’s post-2008 decline – but lower numbers in custody mean those settings are now dominated by exceptionally complex cases, marked by profound trauma and serious offences. “My …