Everybody Ran and I Ran, Too
In lockdowns, why do some people stay home, while others violate the quarantine rules and go out for picnics in the park? Behavioural economics may provide the answer to this question. Oksana Zinchenko, a Research Fellow of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, explains how we can predict people’s behaviour with game theory.
Stockholm COVIDians: The Origins and Results of the Swedish Model for Combating the Coronavirus
Sweden is the only country of the European Union that has not taken strict measures against the coronavirus pandemic. The country’s COVID-19 death rate is growing, unemployment is close to record high levels and GDP could fall by 10%. But does this prove that Sweden’s strategy is ineffective? The HSE School of World Economy invited experts to assess its implications for Swedish society.
Painted Eggs of Joy: The Meaning and Purpose of Easter Eggs in Folk Practices
Why are Easter eggs painted red? What can be done with consecrated eggshells? How did eggs become part of traditional rituals? Folklorist Andrei Moroz told IQ.HSE about some popular beliefs associated with Easter.
Mathematics for Politics: How to Model the Division of the Arctic Territories
Egor Borsuk from the HSE International Centre of Decision Choice and Analysis has developed a software that can resolve international territory disputes. He has tested the programme on the disputed Arctic region. The researcher spoke about his innovation at the 21st April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development and in an interview for IQ.HSE.
Emotional Must-haves: Which Feelings People Consider Most Important Today
People should radiate happiness but also be able to feel compunction; control themselves, but know when to give free rein to their feelings; love without suffering for it; and experience feelings of excitement and nostalgia without succumbing to emotional distress. Society adheres to a rather contradictory code for the expression of feelings or emotional imperatives. Feelings can lead to either a break in social ties or greater solidarity with others. In this article, IQ.HSE looks at emotional imperatives based on a report that HSE sociologist Olga Simonova presented at the XXI April Conference.
Burning Out in Silence: Why Muting Dissent at Work is Dangerous
Russian companies still pursue authoritarian leadership styles, and employees often avoid articulating their concerns and complaints to management. Together with chronic stress and work-family imbalance, this can often result in emotional burnout. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers from North Dakota State University (USA) and HSE University.
History of a Single Illusion: How Interest in 3D Films Led to the Double Discovery of Autostereograms
At the end of 1960s, Pete Stephens serendipitously discovered a way to create an autostereogram — an image that creates an illusion of volume without the use of special equipment. However, in fact, this illusion had been described by Lev Mogilev from Irkutsk State University, even earlier in the 1960s. This ‘double discovery’ may have been the result of popular interest in 3D cinema at the time. IQ.HSE cites a paper by researcher Tadamasa Sawada to discuss this double rediscovery of autostereograms.
Car Sharing Minus the Driver: How Self-Driving Vehicles Will Change Moscow
In 15 years, the share of self-driving passenger vehicles on Moscow’s roads will exceed 60%. However, this change will not have a significant impact if personal vehicle travel is not reduced and car sharing services are not expanded. For the first time, HSE researchers have assessed the effects of self-driving cars on the city. In their study, Alexei Zomarev and Maria Rozhenko lay out predictions for 2030 and 2035.
The Joy of Work: Which Russians Are Made Happier by Their Jobs
For Russians, job satisfaction plays a significant role in overall life satisfaction. This is especially true for those with higher education and of higher income levels, as well as those who are driven by professional and career achievements. One factor that does not have any effect, however, is gender. It is equally important for men and women that they love their work. These are the findings of a study conducted by the HSE Laboratory of Comparative Social Research (LCSR), which was presented at the XXI April International Academic Conference.
Meeting Happiness: How Social Activity Affects the Well-being of Europeans over 50 Years Old
The Covid-19 pandemic has severely restricted social contacts for people everywhere, and especially for the elderly. Yet, HSE researchers found that meeting with friends and relatives was one of the key conditions for happiness among Europeans aged 50 and older. In fact, such social contacts were just as important for them as their health, material well-being, or professional fulfilment. The report on the results of the study was prepared for the XXI April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development.