Conventional wisdom holds that if you do someone a favor, that person is bound to like you more. However, research has revealed something entirely different: If you do someone a favor, it is you who will like that person more as a result.  But how can this be? The reason is that we justify our actions to ourselves by assuming that we did the person the favor because, well, we really like them. This phenomenon is called the Ben Franklin effect . Franklin once quipped, "He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another than he whom you yourself have obliged." Legend has it that Franklin, a Founding Father and renowned scientist, leveraged this discovery to win the favor of a rival Pennsylvania legislator by asking the legislator to lend him a rare book and then showering him with gratitude. It worked like a charm. According to Franklin,"When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with great civ...

We've talked at length about things that women might find attractive in men and vice-versa, from intelligence and self-confidence to a great sense of humor. A new study, though, finds that 1/3 of women registered on Match.com consider a man who owns a dog to be attractive. It also reveals that 1/4 of men find women who appear with a dog in their profile picture to be more attractive. This study has significant implications for men and women trying to dream up ways to meet someone. If you have a dog, you could try taking it for a walk at the park. You're bound to bump into someone who loves dogs and/or owns one at some point. And if the conversation goes smoothly, perhaps a future dinner date is in the cards. I realize, however, that the research is of little value to many people. Not everyone owns a dog, whether because they're allergic, don't want the responsibility, or don't like animals of any kind. It's these individuals who try to find other things ...