At AIBRT we conduct leading-edge behavioral research that has the potential to improve the well-being and functioning of people worldwide . Here are just a few examples of recent research findings:
- Search Suggestion Effect (SSE). In multiple experiments begun in 2016, we have shown that (a) search suggestions are influencing people's opinions from the very first character they type into a search bar and (b) search suggestions can be used to turn a 50/50 split among undecided voters into a 90/10 split without people's knowledge and without leaving a paper trail. More detailed findings on SSE can be viewed here.
- Search Engine Manipulation Effect (SEME). In multiple experiments in the U.S., India, and elsewhere, we have shown that search rankings can have a dramatic effect on both opinions and election outcomes. Because people have come to place enormous trust in high-ranking search results, results that are biased to favor one candidate can easily shift 20 percent or more of the votes of undecided voters toward that candidate - up to 80 percent of the votes in some demographic groups.
- Answer Bot Effect (ABE). More and more people are now getting "the answer" to their questions, not from search results, but from personal assistants like Apple's Siri, Google's Home devices, Amazon's Alexa, and the answer boxes Google shows above search results. Our initial findings demonstrate that when answer boxes are shown, (a) people spend less time searching, (b) people click on fewer search results, and (c) opinions shift between 10 and 30 percent more than they do when search results alone are displayed.
- Sexual orientation. In extensive survey research with more than 600,000 participants in 219 countriesand territories, we have confirmed Kinsey's finding that most people are attracted to people of both genders at some point in their lives. We have also introduced the concept of Sexual Orientation Range (SOR), which is a measure of how much choice people have in expressing their sexual orientation. Our sexual orientation test is now available in 12 languages; the English version can be accessed at http://MySexualOrientation.com.
- Building love. In ongoing research on how love arises in arranged marriages in ten different cultures, we have identified the main factors that appear to contribute to the growth of love of over time: commitment and sacrifice. In connection with this research, we are developing games and exercises that help Western couples take control over their love lives. People can participate in this ongoing project at http://ArrangedMarriageSurvey.com.
- Relationship skills. We have identified seven trainable skills that are important for the success of long term love relationships, and we have shown that such skills are associated with improved relationship satisfaction and increased levels of happiness. A test that measures these skills is accessible at http://MyLoveSkills.com.
- Boosting creativity. We have identified four trainable skills that are important for creative expression and have shown which skills have the biggest impact. The most important skill? Capturing new ideas as they occur. A test that measures these skills is accessible at http://MyCreativitySkills.com. We have also looked which which management skills are most effective in spurring creativity in employees.
- Good parenting. We have identified ten skills that are important for raising happy, healthy, productive children - The Parents Ten. The skill that predicts the best outcome with children is: expressing love and affection. A study with 2,000 parents comparing these skills appeared recently in Scientific American Mind and is accessible here. A follow-up study with more than 12,000 parents in 39 countries will be published in the near future. A test that measures The Parents Ten can be accessed at http://MyParentingSkills.com.
- Ending teen turmoil. We have accumulated evidence suggesting that the problems of American teens are caused by two elements of our culture: Teens are isolated from responsible adults and trapped with peers in the media-controlled world of teen culture, and teens are infantilized - that is, treated like children long after they have entered young adulthood. Our data show that teens are remarkably competent but that the general public views them as inherently incompetent. In one recent study with more than 55,000 participants over a wide age range, we found that 30 percent of our teens are at least as competent as half the adult population across a wide range of adult abilities. A test that measures adult competence can be accessed at http://HowAdultAreYou.com. An award-winning book on this topic, written by an AIBRT researcher and cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010, can be viewed here.
- Stress and happiness. We have studied four trainable skills that are important for managing stress, and in a recent study with more than 10,000 participants in 42 countries, we found that good stress management accounts for about 20 percent of the happiness people experience in life. A scientifically-validated test that measures stress-management skills is accessible at http://MyStressManagementSkills.com.
Adolescence Fact-Sheet
Artificial Intelligence Fact-Sheet
Creativity Fact-Sheet
Love and Relationships Fact-Sheet
Mental Health Fact-Sheet
Morality Fact-Sheet
Motivation Fact-Sheet
Parenting Fact-Sheet
Sexual Orientation Fact-Sheet
Stress Management Fact-Sheet