Author Archives: Melanie Tannenbaum

About Melanie Tannenbaum

Melanie Tannenbaum received a B.A. in psychology with honors from Duke University in 2009. She is currently a second-year graduate student in social psychology at the University of Illinois, where she works with Dolores Albarracin. Her main research interests are power/status/social class, persuasion, and attitude formation; specifically, she is interested in how these topics can be applied to both consumer and political psychology. Her personal website is here.

Ingroups, Identities, and In-Memoriams: Why We Must Remember Never To Forget

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

People around the world are still figuring out the right way to react to the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death last night – May 1, 2011. This is not the only significant historical event to happen on May 1. … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Psychology | 1 Comment

I Liked The Royal Wedding (And It’s OK If You Did Too)

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

  It’s official. As of Friday morning, England has a new future queen – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Formerly known as Kate Middleton.   In the weeks leading up to the Royal Wedding, there seemed to be a lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Psychology | 7 Comments

We won. They lost.

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

Let’s start off this post with an exercise in imagination. Imagine that we happen to be big fans of the same team. First, imagine that our favorite team is the underdog in a major sports competition – say, the NCAA … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Psychology | 2 Comments

Basketball: It’s A Pretty ‘Touchy’ Subject.

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

Some basketball players really like touching their teammates. Of course, when I say ‘touch,’ I mean gestures like high fives and half hugs. No matter how macho they may seem, basketball players touch their teammates in all sorts of ways … Continue reading →

Posted in Sensation & Perception, Social Psychology | 2 Comments

March Madness: Priceless For Some, Overpriced For Others.

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

When I was in college, I slept outside in a tent almost every night during the 2 coldest months of the year. OK, before you call me crazy, there’s more to the story. I actually did this for four years … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer Psychology, Social Psychology | 6 Comments

Love, Hate… What’s the Difference?

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to take a quick look at one of the most fundamental human emotions — hate. Wait, that doesn’t seem right. Hate? On Valentine’s Day? Isn’t V-Day supposed to be about love, Hallmark, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cognitive Neuroscience, Social Psychology | 6 Comments

Labels and Logos? Looks like you’re powerless.

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

Imagine a woman who wanders into your local coffee shop with this bag thrown over her shoulder. What would you think of her? Well, you might think a lot of things — but more specifically, what would you think about … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer Psychology, Social Psychology | 3 Comments

Want to read faster, think more creatively, and be a better person? Buy more brand-name stuff.

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Melanie Tannenbaum

What are some consequences of eating too much fast food? Weight gain? Check. Higher cholesterol? Check. Increased reading speed? Wait. Back up. Yes – as it turns out, fast food can have consequences that reach far beyond the bigger-bellied symptoms … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer Psychology, Social Psychology | 8 Comments