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Competitors or Teammates: How Proper Names Influence Each Other

Current research by Lisa Abrams and Danielle K. Davis of the University of Florida published in the Current Directions in Psychological Science documents how proper names are more difficult to learn and remember than other types of words. Various causes of this difficulty have been proposed to better understand how proper names are represented in memory and the degree to which names compete with each other. In the retrieval of names, some studies show competition, whereas other studies find facilitation. During comprehension, names demonstrate competition by causing a Moses illusion: People erroneously answer invalid questions such as “How many animals did Moses take on the ark?”, failing to detect that Noah is the correct name for the question. Errors in both name retrieval and comprehension are more likely when the correct name and distractor name sound similar, share biographical characteristics, or have some visual resemblance. However, shared visual information has played a competitive role more consistently in name comprehension than retrieval, an asymmetry that remains to be investigated. To view the full research article go to: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0963721416677804 Source:

Trade, security and America First – Does Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy make sense?

On Monday, President Donald Trump released his National Security Strategy. In a bold delivery that was almost more of a campaign speech than a policy announcement, President Trump was focused on terrorism, dictatorships, cyberterrorism and even referenced immigration as a potential threat to national security. Trump referred to China and Russia as "rival powers" who "seek to challenge American influence, values and wealth” but seemed more diplomatic than worried. "We will attempt to build a great partnership with those and other countries, but in a manner that always protects our national interest," Trump said But what will this mean for the Trump Administration and America moving forward? Will America’s polices become more assertive? Will the pursuit to eradicate ISIS and terrorist threats expand? Trump also referenced trade, never leaving out the opportunity to maintain his agenda of keep America’s economy and his efforts to strengthen it on the public’s radar. But what does this have to do with national security? There are a lot of questions still to be answered. That’s where the experts from Augusta University can help. Dr. Craig Albert is an expert on American politics and political philosophy. He was recently appointed director of Augusta University’s new Masters of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies. Dr. Albert has experience with all forms of national and local news organizations and is available to speak to media regarding this latest development in Washington. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Another planet discovered by NASA – 2,545 light-years from Earth

Today, the scientific world was watching as NASA made a big announcement. Its Kepler Space Telescope, which has been conducting an intensive planet-hunting mission since 2009, had new results to share with the public. A media release from NASA states: “Our solar system now is tied for most number of planets around a single star, with the recent discovery of an eighth planet circling Kepler-90, a Sun-like star 2,545 light years from Earth. The planet was discovered in data from NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. The newly-discovered Kepler-90i – a sizzling hot, rocky planet that orbits its star once every 14.4 days – was found using machine learning from Google. Machine learning is an approach to artificial intelligence in which computers “learn.” In this case, computers learned to identify planets by finding in Kepler data instances where the telescope recorded signals from planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets." There are some very technical and scientific data and information here. As well, a lot of questions to be asked and answered. That’s where experts like Dr. Michael Reed from Missouri State University can help. Dr. Reed is a professor of astronomy at Missouri State. He researches extrasolar planets and pulsating stars. Dr. Reed is available to speak to the media and can explain what this all means for science, the study of space and if there might actually be life out there. Click on his icon to connect with him. Source:

Baylor Experts Share New "Phone Snubbing" Research. This time it's "Boss Phubbing!"

Baylor University marketing professors and smartphone use experts James A. Roberts, Ph.D., and Meredith David, Ph.D., published their latest study – “Put Down Your Phone and Listen to Me: How Boss Phubbing Undermines the Psychological Conditions Necessary for Employee Engagement” – in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. Roberts and David are known nationally and internationally for researching the affects of smartphone use on relationships. “Phubbing (phone snubbing) is a harmful behavior,” Roberts said. “It undermines any corporate culture based on respect for others. Thus, it is crucial that corporations create a culture embodied by care for one another.” Their newest study examines “boss phubbing” (boss phone snubbing), which the researchers define as “an employee’s perception that his or her supervisor is distracted by his or her smartphone when they are talking or in close proximity to each other” and how that activity affects the supervisor-employee relationship. “Our research reveals how a behavior as simple as using a cellphone in the workplace can ultimately undermine an employee’s success,” the researchers wrote. “We present evidence that boss phubbing lowers employees’ trust in their supervisors and ultimately leads to lower employee engagement.” The study found: * 76 percent of those surveyed showed a lack of trust in a supervisor who phubbed them * 75 percent showed decreases in psychological meaningfulness, psychological availability and psychological safety * The lack of trust and decreases in those key areas led to a 5 percent decrease in employee engagement Roberts and David suggest several steps that managers could take to change the culture and mitigate the negative effects of smartphone use. * Create a culture in which supervisors do not feel pressure to immediately respond to emails and messages from their superiors while meeting with their employees. * Structure performance criteria in a manner which motivates bosses to build healthy superior-subordinate relationships. This might include annual ratings by their subordinates. * Train supervisors and employees on the importance of face-to-face interactions and sensitize them to the potentially negative consequences of phubbing on employee attitudes and engagement. * Set formal smartphone policies by setting clear rules for smartphone use, access and security – and detail specific consequences for violating those rules. Source:

Will a Roy Moore win be a blessing or a curse for the GOP?

Tomorrow is Election Day in Alabama - and all eyes are on a special senatorial election that should have flown under the radar for this traditionally Republican-friendly state. That was until Judge Roy Moore won the primary and his past suddenly became public. To date, eight women have come forward with accusations ranging from sexual impropriety to molesting of a 14 year old girl when Moore was in his 30s. When the accusations surfaced, at first the Republican establishment started to abandon Moore - recently that mood has changed. With a Moore victory on Tuesday the GOP stands to bolster its hold on power in the Senate. A loss would reduce the Trump administration’s grip on control. However, Republican victory could also be a double-edged sword. What does it say to Americans if a person with so many allegations is elected to office? Will Moore have any credibility once he arrives in Washington? And will his election signal a revolt to the Democratic side come the mid-term elections in 2018? With polling showing a virtual tie between the Republicans and Democrats in Alabama - what will Tuesday’s result mean for America and the ongoing scandals emerging in Washington, Hollywood and across the country. There are a lot of scenarios that could play out and even more questions to be asked - that’s where the experts from Cedarville can help. Dr. Mark Caleb Smith is Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. He is an expert in the areas of American politics and particularly presidential politics. Dr. Smith is a media-regular and was interviewed often during the last presidential election. He is available to speak to this latest development in politics. To book an interview – simply click on Dr. Smith’s icon to arrange a time. Source:

Black Gospel Music Expert Discusses Timelessness of Christmas Spirituals, Which Differ From Christmas Carols

Robert F. Darden, professor of journalism and founder of Baylor’s Black Gospel Music Restoration Project, treasures the rich sounds of Christmas spirituals, which differ from Christmas carols. “So many of the spirituals are written in what has been performed as and what scholars call the ‘eternal now,’” Darden said. “If you read the lyrics as they were transcribed, many of them are in the present tense.” To illustrate his point, Darden referenced the spiritual “Were You There?” in which the lyrics read, “It causes me to tremble.” Darden said that since slaves in America were not book-educated and struggled with the concept of time, the Bible was a contemporary account of what was going on for them. In their minds, they conflated Abraham in the Bible with Father Abraham Lincoln who was going to free them, and associated Harriett Tubman with Moses and the Ohio River with the Jordan River. Darden said the powerful resonance in these spirituals is unmatched because of the passion of the people who sang them. “When you hear the Christmas spirituals, you’re hearing people who (believe) this is a real live event,” Darden said. “Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born, not was born. That gives them more of an immediacy and a power than songs that are in the past tense.” Darden also said that slaves had a more intimate understanding of the nativity story because they identified with the conditions into which Christ was born. They understood what it was like to come from a foreign land to a place where they were despised and enslaved in the same way that Christ was born as a refugee child with people seeking to kill him. “The spirituals reflect a people who believe they’re in the middle of the Bible story. I think that gives them a power that’s hard for others to match and why the Gospel artists, who would later record these songs, tried to capture that and keep that immediacy and intimacy that I think a lot of Christmas carols don’t have,” Darden said. Darden said the modern world still needs Christmas spirituals. While commercialism gets people excited and inspired for the holidays, people in 2017 need something that will help them reflect on what truly matters about the season. They need something that will not only remind them of history but will also evoke the sensation of gratitude for a needed savior. “By noticing and listening to the words of the spirituals, you see how they focused on what really matters," he said. Source:

Done in by digital? What will the sale of Time mean for the industry?

On Monday, a once mighty media juggernaut was sold off for $2.8 billion dollars. Time Inc. – the publisher of Time, Fortune, Sports Illustrated and People was now property of the Meredith Corporation. The Des Moines, Iowa-based company better known for its Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Parents and Family Fun magazines. It’s a bitter and sad end for Time. The company was once the industry leader in magazines and world-respected periodicals. The magazines were’ must-reads’ for the informed. But times have changed, and Time never did catch on or catch up with the digital wave that has transformed journalism as we know it. So, what will all of this mean? Can the world of print media survive and adapt to changing times and tastes? As well, with shrinking circles of media ownership – will regulators let this sale proceed? And what will this mean for the many journalists? More job cuts and shrinking news rooms? Will they move from NYC to Iowa? Has the lustre and allure of being a New York based journalist lost its shine? There are a lot of questions that still need to be addressed and answered. That’s where the experts from Cedarville University can help. Dr. Marc Clauson is a professor of history and law at Cedarville. Marc is an expert in the fields of anti-trust regulation and the economic impact of mergers and takeovers like this. Dr. Clauson is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Sabres are rattling. What’s next for North Korea?

On Wednesday, North Korea launched another missile. This is the 15th launch this year, but this one appears different. North Korea claims this is new type of intercontinental ballistic missile with a "super-large heavy warhead" — which is capable of striking the US mainland. America is on alert. New sanctions are being implemented and every effort seems to be in play to avoid conflict. But can conflict be avoided? Has North Korea over-played its hand with a Trump administration that has already vowed ‘the situation will be handled.’ What is left to do and what can be done? That’s where the experts from Cedarville University can help. Dr. Glen Duerr is an associate professor of International Studies at Cedarville University. His research and expertise includes nationalism and secession, comparative politics, and international relations theory. Dr. Frank Jenista is a political science professor at Cedarville University. Before returning to the academic world, Frank spent 25 years of service as a U.S. diplomat working as a Senior Foreign Service Officer at U.S. embassy in Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand, South America, and the Philippines. Dr. Jenista is an expert on foreign relations, international issues and diplomacy. Both experts are available to speak with media regarding this issue. Simply click on either icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Baldwin 2020? It could be happening

On Monday, Alec Baldwin took to the stage not in New York – but Des Moines, Iowa as the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party's fall fundraiser. Known for his visceral Donald Trump imitations that have been one-part in the resurgence of Saturday Night Live, the Golden Globe and Emmy award winning actor took a serious tone in front of an audience of 3,000 party loyalists. On Monday he was calling for unity and pledging that he’s ready to fight to help the Democrats win. It’s also a known fact that the Iowa Democratic Party fall fundraiser has also been the starting point for campaigns. Is Alec Baldwin considering a run for the Oval Office in 2020? Does he have what it takes to win the Democratic primary? Could he beat Trump? And, is a battle of big screen celebrities what America needs in a leader? These are all interesting questions – and that’s where the experts from Cedarville University can help. Dr. Mark Caleb Smith is Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. He is an expert in the areas of American politics and particularly presidential politics. Dr. Smith is a media-regular and was interviewed often during the last presidential election. He is available to speak to this latest development in politics. To book an interview – simply click on Dr. Smith’s icon to arrange a time. Source: