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	<title>The Behaviour Effect &#187; Human Nature</title>
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	<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com</link>
	<description>The remarkable and unremarkable about humans and the effect of their behaviour</description>
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		<title>Freely available? No thanks!</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/04/05/freely-available-no-thanks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/04/05/freely-available-no-thanks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Apr 2010 20:46:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[actions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[available]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[desirable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[freedom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scarcity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=299</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The scarcity principle boils down to this: we want what we’re afraid we can’t have. Fear of losing out on something can be an extremely powerful motivator. Someone or something that's not available all the time is desirable.

Availability might be threatened by limited quantity, a time deadline, or by competition. Whatever the reason, the item in question becomes more attractive to us if we think we can’t have it. Whether it’s a potential mate, a used car, or an item on sale, once its availability is threatened we WANT it!

Even more interesting is the second way in which scarcity affects our thinking and ultimately our behaviour.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What colour is that swan?</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/03/08/what-colour-is-that-swan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/03/08/what-colour-is-that-swan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:24:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=292</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What colour are swans? White? Black?  Did you know that before the discovery of Australia everyone believed that all swans were white.  How much of your knowledge is based on generalisations?

Learning from experience and observation is useful but not conclusive...drawing conclusions based on this can have severe limitations.  One single observation can invalidate a general statement based on decades of research and trillions of observations.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/03/08/what-colour-is-that-swan/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>I am thinking, therefore I exist.</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/02/14/i-think-therefore-i-am/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/02/14/i-think-therefore-i-am/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philosophical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[actions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Descarte]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thinking]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=243</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When trying to think of everything that was false Descarte it struck him that the fact that he was thinking proved that he was 'something'.  A truth.  Those who know a little about philosophy will understand that importance of the 'truth' debate.  This thought produced the most famous andinfluential philosophical quotes in the history of Western Philosophy.  The well known Latin form "Cognito ergo sum" or the traditional English translation "I think, therefore I am".

Now, why am I talking about this?  What on earth has this to do with anything that matters in our practical real life?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/02/14/i-think-therefore-i-am/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>And breathe out&#8230;.</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/27/and-breathe-out/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/27/and-breathe-out/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:25:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crash & burn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relaxation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[well-being]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=209</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Relaxation is not something that many of us find easy.  When was the last time you were truly at ease with relaxed muscles and general feeling of calm, both physically and mentally?

You'll all be well aware of the flight or fight mechanism that kicks in when we are under threat or stress.  We automatically (in anevolutionary effort of self-preservation) become more alert and more ready and efficient at responding to whatever we are faced with.  Many of those who perform on stage say that without those pre-show butterflies they would not be able to put on an engaging performance.  I've even heard some say that if those feelings stopped they'd stop performing.

But what happens when that feeling lasts for a prolonged period of time?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/27/and-breathe-out/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Still creating hysteria &#8211; Happy 75th!</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/14/still-creating-hysteria-happy-75th/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/14/still-creating-hysteria-happy-75th/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:36:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[groups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hysteria]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=201</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever been in an environment which has influenced your behaviour?  Gotten carried away with the crowd?  Elvis who would have celebrated his 75th birthday last Friday, 8th January certainly witnessed those that were influenced and most certainly did get carried away!

In the 1950's frenzied and fevered were words frequently used to describe the groups of people (mainly women) who went to watch Elvis sing.... and of course gyrate his hips.  Scenes of hysteria and complete abandon were common place.  When Elvis walked on stage, women screamed, fainted, cried, shrieked and wet their pants.  The result was often so hysterical that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the National Guard, State Police and the City Police couldn't contain those involved.  On a number of occasions Elvis had to stop the show!

What creates this hysteria?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2010/01/14/still-creating-hysteria-happy-75th/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Laughing &#8211; the new social wizz kid</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/12/07/laughing-the-new-social-wizz-kid/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/12/07/laughing-the-new-social-wizz-kid/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bonding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[laughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=193</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day. The first laughter appears at about 3.5 to 4 months of age, long before we’re able to speak.  Laughter, like crying, is a way for an infant to interact with the caregivers.

Like smiling we don’t have to learn how to laugh, we just do. We’re born with the capacity to laugh.  But we cannot just decide to laugh, its very hard to laugh on command or to fake it.  A bit like a fake smile, a fake laugh can be detected quite easily by another person....and for anyone that has tried to stop laughing or hide an 'inappropriate' laugh in a meeting...you'll know how difficult that can be!

Are you known for your laugh?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/12/07/laughing-the-new-social-wizz-kid/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Behaviour maketh the person?</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/30/behaviour-maketh-the-person/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/30/behaviour-maketh-the-person/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:13:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assumptions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[behaviour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[perception]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[understanding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=184</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What is your opinion of Daniel O-Donnell?  Like his music?  Find him an appealing songster?

Take a minute to come up with a few adjectives to describe him. 

What came to mind?  I speculate that the adjectives were not entirely positive.  Perhaps you used words such as 'boring', 'banal'...perhaps you said he's only liked by the 'blue rinse brigade' and sings 'old stuff'.  Yet, is this completely fair to him as a person?  To be judged on only a few elements of hispersona?  ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/30/behaviour-maketh-the-person/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>As soon as possible!</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/29/as-soon-as-possible/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/29/as-soon-as-possible/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:06:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[assumptions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[perception]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[understanding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[words]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=181</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ever ask someone something and been answered 'Probably'.  Not 'yes' or 'no' but 'probably'.  What were your expectations?  What assumptions did you make?  How likely is it that you will get what you asked?  During training sessions I have often asked the group to write down what percentage likelyhood is attached to the word 'probably'.  I have gotten anything from probably means something is 20% likely to happen (I fear this person has been disappointed often in life!) to 99%.

What is your understanding of the word 'probably'?  Think it's the same as your colleagues?  Ever checked?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/29/as-soon-as-possible/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Your personality, your culture&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/24/your-personality-your-culture/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/24/your-personality-your-culture/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:38:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[actions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[understanding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=167</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What type of person are you?  What type of humour do you have? What are the stories you tell others about yourself? Do you have a certain way of doing things?  These are the things that make up your personality, various elements which combined are greater than the sum of the parts.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/24/your-personality-your-culture/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>I&#8217;m sorry.</title>
		<link>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/21/im-sorry/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/21/im-sorry/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:50:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ruth Thompson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cause & Effect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Nature]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[actions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mistakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sorry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[understanding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/?p=163</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you always right? When did you last make a mistake?  Did you apologise?

We are all human and as a result we are all prone to mistakes.  Being a Partner in a large corporate firm or a business owner orsomeone's manager does not automatically remove the capability of being in the wrong or handling situations incorrectly. But do we ever admit it?  Are we conscious of not seeming to have made a bad choice?

Do those we work with appreciate more the person who owns up when they are wrong or the person who refuses to admit that there may have been a better and more effective way of doing something?  Naturally, we are hesitate to admit we have made a mistake, we do not want other to form an impression of our incompetence.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thebehavioureffect.com/2009/11/21/im-sorry/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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