Virtual knives, custom-painted machine guns, and gloves are common collectible items in videogames. A new study by scientists from HSE University suggests that digital skins from the popular video game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) rank among the most profitable types of alternative investments, with average annual returns exceeding 40%. The study has been published in the The Quarterly Journal of Finance.

A study from Aalto University in Finland has found that online shopping is more strongly linked to stress than reading the news, checking your inbox or watching adult entertainment. The internet can be both a source and a reliever of stress though, according to research. 

A Lindner-led team spearheaded by University of Cincinnati PhD candidate Sharmeen Merchant published “Gender Differences on Dual-Earners’ Money as Achievement Congruence and Needs-Supplies Fit" in the Journal of Business and Psychology. This research took an in-depth look at the psychological role money plays in households with two sources of income, and showed how a couple's alignment on financial needs impacts job fulfillment. 

Someone in the office makes a racially insensitive comment, and a white co-worker asks a Black colleague to help correct the offender. In three studies, a Cornell University researcher found that this kind of maneuver can backfire. In such scenarios, the marginalized person then views the person who asked for their help less favorably – and is less likely to want to associate with them in the future.

As millions of us embark on New Year pledges to eat better, exercise more and learn something new, research published today suggests hobbies could do more than improve your personal life, they could make you better at work. 

 

The study by researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Erasmus University Rotterdam explored how ‘leisure crafting’ - intentionally shaping your free time through goal setting, learning and connection - does not just boost well-being outside the office but can spill over into creativity, engagement, and meaning at work, especially for older employees.