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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Companion Pieces"
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YOU'RE NEVER ALONE--AS LONG AS YOU HAVE YOUR IMAGINARY FRIENDS... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. REMEMBER TOM HANKS IN "CAST AWAY"--WHERE HE'S STRANDED ON AN ISLAND, AND HE MAKES THE VOLLEYBALL, "WILSON", HIS FRIEND? APPARENTLY, THERE IS A SOUND SCIENTIFIC REASON FOR THIS--AT LEAST, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. IT'S ABOUT THE ABILITY OF HUMANS TO CURB LONELINESS USING INANIMATE OBJECTS AS FRIENDS OR CONFIDANTES. THE STUDY'S RESULTS INDICATE THAT THESE SOCIAL SUBSTITUTES--THESE "COMPANION PIECES", IF YOU WILL--REALLY WORK. IT SEEMS THAT THE BRAIN PROCESSES THE COMPANY OF A VOLLEYBALL IN MUCH THE SAME WAY AS THAT OF A FRIEND. IN ONE PART OF THE STUDY, THE TEAM FOUND A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF LONELINESS THAT ONE FEELS, AND THEIR TENDENCY TO PERSONIFY OBJECTS. IN ANOTHER, PARTICIPANTS SAID THAT, DURING LONELY TIMES, THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO BELIEVE IN SUPERNATURAL OR SPIRITUAL ENTITIES. THE PROJECT ALSO LOOKED AT THE FLIP SIDE--DEHUMANIZATION: WHEN SOMEONE SEEMS DIFFERENT FROM YOU, YOU MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO VIEW THEM AS AN OBJECT--THE WAY THAT SOLDIERS MAY THINK OF THEIR ENEMY. WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ALONE, NON-HUMAN CONNECTIONS CAN BE BENEFICIAL--AND THERAPEUTIC. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
