Could Cyber Monday be bigger than Black Friday?

Edition: US - Today's top story: Cyber Monday gives a big boost to mobile commerce [Click here to view this message in your web-browser]. Edition: US 22 November 2016 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair] Editor's note When it was created just over a decade ago, Cyber Monday was a retailers’ ploy to make a little extra money from office workers stuck in front of their computers after a long weekend off. Today, it’s a driving force in online retail, and a bellwether of a transformation in e-commerce. Americans’ online spending habits are increasingly going mobile. As our lives have become dependent on smartphones and tablets, [we’ve embraced shopping on the go], writes information systems scholar Ant Ozok of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. How long until Cyber Monday spending outpaces Black Friday? And, for those of us who are puzzled about how people we love end up voting for people we do not, a recent study by Kate Johnson and Joe Hoover of the University of Southern California provides insight. As it turns out, people choose to be around – and to sometimes vote for – [those with a similar sense of “moral purity.”] This is particularly true for those who lean conservative, the authors write. Jeff Inglis Editor, Science + Technology Top story Shopping by smartphone is taking off. Credit card and mobile phone via shutterstock.com [Cyber Monday gives a big boost to mobile commerce] A. Ant Ozok, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Americans' reliance on their smartphones and tablets will drive online shopping revenue to new heights – and could introduce new buying experiences as well. Health + Medicine - [Do conservatives value 'moral purity' more than liberals?] Kate Johnson, University of Southern California; Joe Hoover, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences While research has long suggested that we like others who are like us, a new study offers insight into how we choose to support those who share our views of 'moral purity.' It may explain how we voted. Arts + Culture - [The two men who almost derailed New England's first colonies] Peter C. Mancall, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences The Pilgrims were thankful for finally being able to vanquish Thomas Morton and Ferdinando Gorges, who spent years trying to undermine the legal basis for settlements in Massachusetts and beyond. Education - [How Thanksgiving tells a story of America's pluralism] Matthew Dennis, University of Oregon At a time when America feels divided and families face rifts, the history of Thanksgiving offers lessons in unity, generosity and faith. Politics + Society - [Remembering the US soldiers who refused orders to murder Native Americans at Sand Creek] Billy J. Stratton, University of Denver A scholar of American Indian studies shares the lesser-known, true story of two men who stood up and spoke out against the murder of American Indians, and how they are celebrated as heroes today. - [How to bridge the political divide at the holiday dinner table] Andrew J. Hoffman, University of Michigan Many are dreading meeting relatives for Thanksgiving after Donald Trump's surprise victory. A student of the cultural divide around climate change offers tips for opening dialogues on politics. Election 2016 - [It wasn't just 'fake news' presenting a fake Hillary Clinton] Leigh Gilmore, Wellesley College A sinister Hillary Clinton dominated conservative media, but also appeared in mainstream journalism. Why? Environment + Energy - [Trump may reverse US climate policy but will have trouble dismantling EPA] Sarah Anderson, University of California, Santa Barbara President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to decimate the Environmental Protection Agency. But a political scientist predicts that while EPA will face budget cuts, the agency isn't going anywhere. Science + Technology - [Confirmation bias: A psychological phenomenon that helps explain why pundits got it wrong] Ray Nickerson, Tufts University It's human nature to notice or search out information that supports what you already believe and discount or avoid data to the contrary. The problem comes in when you don't recognize this bias is in play. [The Conversation on Twitter] [The Conversation on Facebook] 3.7 million unique visitors a month You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly]. We’ll miss you. 745 Atlantic Ave. 8th Floor Boston, MA 02111