University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: Stav Atir

Fleeting Generalization: How Unstable Belief Updating Keeps People Overly Pessimistic About Talking to Strangers

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Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2026) Authors: Stav Atir and Nicholas Epley Abstract: Conversations with strangers and weak ties tend to be positive experiences, and yet research suggests a reliable tendency to hold overly pessimistic expectations about such conversations. We examine how people update their beliefs after talking with strangers to understand how people’s miscalibrated …

Stav Atir on How Gender Influences the Way We Refer to Kamala Harris and Women Professionals

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In the days since Vice President Kamala Harris has become the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee, part of the discussion around her candidacy has focused on what she will be called. Her campaign has embraced the informality of going by her first name, Kamala, and even switched their X (formerly Twitter) account to “Kamala HQ.” IDS …