Insights on Love and Marriage From Social Scientists and Aziz Ansari

Insights on Love and Marriage From Social Scientists and Aziz Ansari The big news at 2015s annual meeting of the American Sociological Association was that actor and comedian, and now author, Aziz Ansari would be in attendance to participate in a panel discussion about his new book  Modern Romance, co-authored with sociologist Eric Klinenberg. On Saturday August 22, a huge crowd of sociologists awaited the insights on dating, mating, and marriage that would be shared not just by Ansari and Klinenberg, but also by Christian Rudder, the founder of OK Cupid; biological anthropologist Helen Fisher; and psychologist Eli Finkel. What followed was a fascinating hour and a half of presentations and discussion among the panelists and audience, including these thought-provoking and helpful insights and tips on modern romance. Romantic Love is a Drive Following analysis of brain scans of people in love, Fisher and her research team found that the part of the brain activated by romance is the same one that controls basic needs like thirst and hunger. Fisher concludes from this that romantic love is not only a basic human need, but also a drive that shapes how we act in the world. She explained that it is associated with wanting, craving, focus, energy, and addiction, and that it is separate from but adjacent to both where our sex drive resides in the brain, and the part of our brain that is activated by attachment, which is something that grows out of romantic love over a period of time. Love at First Sight is Totally Possible Fisher explained, after an audience member asked a question about the possibility for success of arranged marriages, that love at first sight is something that our brains are hard wired for. Brain circuitry for love is like a sleeping cat, she said, and can be awakened in a second. You can fall in love with someone instantly. According to Fisher, this is why a lot of arranged marriages work. People Dating Today Suffer a Paradox of Choice Ansari and Klinenberg found through talking to people in interviews and focus groups that dating in todays world, enabled and organized by social media and dating sites, presents people with a paradox of choicewe are so overwhelmed by the amount of potential romantic partners available to us that we find it very difficult to select one to pursue. Ansari pointed out how digital technology has enabled this, citing the example of a guy he spoke with who admitted to checking Tinder on the way to a date arranged by Tinder, and then checking Tinder in the bathroom after having given the current date just a few minutes of his time. Ansari and Klinenberg observed in their study that many young singles are simply not giving each other enough of a chance, and suggest that we need to employ the Flo Rida Theory of Acquired Likability Through Repetition (LOL but really). Ansari explained, Social science shows that the more time you spend with people, thats when you learn these deeper things and develop positive illusions, and the Flo Rida theory basically just states that ultimately, were all like a Flo Rida song. When you first hear it, youre like, All right, Flo Rida, Ive heard this shit before. This is very similar to what you put out last summer. But then you keep hearing it over and over and youre like, All right, Flo Rida, youve done it again. Lets dance! Our Dates Are Too Boring Related to the previous point, Ansari and Klinenberg learned through their research that people are quick to move on from a potential romantic interest after just one date because most of us arrange terribly boring dates. We go out for a meal or a drink and essentially exchange resumes and life histories, and very few of us have an especially good time. Instead, they suggest, we should organize dates around fun and exciting events that give us an opportunity to see what each person is like in a social setting, and to bond over a shared experience. Ansari referenced sociologist Robb Willers Monster Truck Rally Theory, which is based on the experience of Willer and his friends, who started taking dates to monster truck rallies, at which both parties had a great time, and many pairs blossomed into couples with great relationships. We Put Far More Pressure on Marriage Today than We Did in the Past By looking at the way what a marriage is and what we expect of one has evolved over time, psychologist Eli Finkel found that today people expect marriage to provide not only love and companionship, but also to facilitate personal growth and self-expression. According to Finkel, these expectations are far greater than those people have had for marriage in the past, and the problem is, married people today are spending less time together than in decades prior, so they are not putting enough time into their relationships for those expectations to be fully met. He suggests that this is related to a long-term decrease in marital happiness. So, Finkel offers that if people really want marriage to meet these needs, then they need to devote more time to their partners. However, he also observed that those who are doing it are doing it really well, as evidenced by how the proportion of people who are blissed out in their marriages has increased simultaneously while overall marital happiness h as declined. Heres hoping you can deploy these insights and tips as you date, mate, and marry.

History and Timeline of the Battery

History and Timeline of the Battery A battery, which is actually an electric cell, is a device that produces electricity from a chemical reaction. In a one cell battery, you would find a negative electrode; an electrolyte, which conducts ions; a separator, also an ion conductor; and a positive electrode. Timeline of Battery History 1748- Benjamin Franklin first coined the term battery to describe an array of charged glass plates.1780 to 1786- Luigi Galvani demonstrated what we now understand to be the electrical basis of nerve impulses and provided the cornerstone of research for later inventors like Volta to create batteries.1800 Voltaic Pile- Alessandro Volta invented the Voltaic Pile and discovered the first practical method of generating electricity. Constructed of alternating discs of zinc and copper with pieces of cardboard soaked in brine between the metals, the Voltaic Pile produced electrical current. The metallic conducting arc was used to carry the electricity over a greater distance. Alessandro Voltas voltaic pile was the first wet cell battery that produced a reliable, steady current of electricity.1836 Daniell Cell- The Voltaic Pile could not deliver an electrical current for a long period of time. Englishman, John F. Daniell invented the Daniell Cell that used two electrolytes: copper sulfate and zinc sulfate. The Daniel Cell lasted longer than the Volta cell or pile. This battery, which produced about 1.1 volts, was used to power objects such as telegraphs, telephones, and doorbells, remained popular in homes for over 100 years. 1839 Fuel Cell- William Robert Grove developed the first fuel cell, which produced electrical by combining hydrogen and oxygen.1839 to 1842- Inventors created improvements to batteries that used liquid electrodes to produce electricity. Bunsen (1842) and Grove (1839) invented the most successful.1859 Rechargeable- French inventor, Gaston Plante developed the first practical storage lead-acid battery that could be recharged (secondary battery). This type of battery is primarily used in cars today.1866 Leclanche Carbon-Zinc Cell- French engineer, Georges Leclanche patented the carbon-zinc wet cell battery called the Leclanche cell. According to The History of Batteries: George Leclanches original cell was assembled in a porous pot. The positive electrode consisted of crushed manganese dioxide with a little carbon mixed in. The negative pole was a zinc rod. The cathode was packed into the pot, and a carbon rod was inserted to act as a current collector. The anode or zinc rod and the pot were then immersed in an ammonium chloride solution. The liquid acted as the electrolyte, readily seeping through the porous cup and making contact with the cathode material. The liquid acted as the electrolyte, readily seeping through the porous cup and making contact with the cathode material. Georges Leclanche then further improved his design by substituting the ammonium chloride paste for liquid electrolyte and invented a method of sealing the battery, inventing the first dry cell, an improved design that was now transportable. 1881- J.A. Thiebaut patented the first battery with both the negative electrode and porous pot placed in a zinc cup.1881- Carl Gassner invented the first commercially successful dry cell battery (zinc-carbon cell).1899- Waldmar Jungner invented the first nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery.1901 Alkaline Storage- Thomas Alva Edison invented the alkaline storage battery. Thomas Edisons alkaline cell had iron as the anode material (-) and nickelic oxide as the cathode material ().1949 Alkaline-Manganese Battery- Lew Urry developed the small alkaline battery in 1949. The inventor was working for the Eveready Battery Co. at their research laboratory in Parma, Ohio. Alkaline batteries last five to eight times as long as zinc-carbon cells, their predecessors.1954 Solar Cells- Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller, and Daryl Chapin invented the first solar battery. A solar battery converts the suns energy into electricity. In 1954, Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller, and Daryl Chapin invented the first s olar battery. The inventors created an array of several strips of silicon (each about the size of a razor blade), placed them in sunlight, captured the free electrons and turned them into ​​electrical current. Bell Laboratories in New York announced the prototype manufacture of a new solar battery. Bell had funded the research. The first public service trial of the Bell Solar Battery began with a telephone carrier system (Americus, Georgia) on October 4, 1955. 1964- Duracell was incorporated.