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From heirlooms to collectables to clothes, our self-image tends to extend well beyond our skin and into our things. While just how attached to possessions people are varies by culture, decades of research has shown that connecting with objects is a hard-wired part of being human. Scripted by Christian Jarrett, deputy editor of Aeon’s sister publication, Psyche, this playful TED-Ed animation takes a brief dive into what’s known as the ‘endowment effect’ – or the tendency of humans to place a disproportionately high value on the things they view as their own. Drawing from some of the most fascinating and telling studies conducted on the topic, the short video touches on the many (sometimes surprising) ways in which we imbue our things with meaning.
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Family life
The stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that emerge while cooking a meal
5 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
Can providing humanitarian aid be illegal? A troubling case from the US-Mexico border
17 minutes
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Family life
The precious family keepsakes that hold meaning for generations
10 minutes
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Neuroscience
This intricate map of a fruit fly brain could signal a revolution in neuroscience
2 minutes
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Information and communication
Coverage of the ‘balloon boy’ hoax forms a withering indictment of for-profit news
17 minutes
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Childhood and adolescence
Marmar is living through a devastating war – but she’d rather tell you about her new dress
8 minutes
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Meaning and the good life
Wander through the English countryside with two teens trying to make sense of the world
10 minutes
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Art
A puppeteer makes sense of an overwhelming world by shrinking it down to size
5 minutes
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Personality
A ‘dumpster archeologist’ reconstructs strangers’ stories via what they’ve discarded
14 minutes