As founder and executive director of the Social Psychology Networkopens in new window, Scott Plous, PhD, has surfed the Web more than many. gradPSYCH asked Plous, a psychology professor at Wesleyan University, to share a few of his favorite online spots:
Quirkyopens in new window—Social Product Development:
"If you've ever said, 'There should be a product that does X, Y or Z,' this is the Web site for you," says Plous. At Quirky, aspiring innovators can submit ideas for creative gadgets and other products to solve everyday problems. The site's online community votes for the best ideas and helps design and name the product. Quirky then manufactures and markets the winning ideas. The site gives a percentage of the profits to the original innovator and anyone else who makes valuable suggestions along the way. Even if you're not an inventor, it's an interesting example of social psychology in action, Plous says.
TEDopens in new window—Ideas Worth Spreading:
The Web site of the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference features a searchable video database of more than 400 speeches by some of the world's foremost thinkers, inventors and artists, including Al Gore, primatologist Jane Goodall, novelist Isabelle Allende, psychologist Daniel Goleman and director J.J. Abrams. Speakers at this annual meeting are challenged to give "the talk of their lives" in 18 minutes.
"The videos are rated by viewers, so you can even browse the collection by categories such as 'jaw-dropping,' 'funny,' 'fascinating,' 'inspiring' and 'ingenious,'" says Plous.
Kivaopens in new window—Loans That Change Lives:
Visitors to Kiva.org can make microloans of $25 or more to needy small business owners and entrepreneurs in developing countries. "Often, the recipients are single mothers," says Plous, who has lent money to people in Uganda, Vietnam, Togo and the Philippines. Kiva typically pays lenders back within a year. "So far, my repayment rate has been 100 percent," says Plous. "It's hard to imagine a better use of the Web than this."
—J. Chamberlin
Quirkyopens in new window—Social Product Development:
"If you've ever said, 'There should be a product that does X, Y or Z,' this is the Web site for you," says Plous. At Quirky, aspiring innovators can submit ideas for creative gadgets and other products to solve everyday problems. The site's online community votes for the best ideas and helps design and name the product. Quirky then manufactures and markets the winning ideas. The site gives a percentage of the profits to the original innovator and anyone else who makes valuable suggestions along the way. Even if you're not an inventor, it's an interesting example of social psychology in action, Plous says.
TEDopens in new window—Ideas Worth Spreading:
The Web site of the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference features a searchable video database of more than 400 speeches by some of the world's foremost thinkers, inventors and artists, including Al Gore, primatologist Jane Goodall, novelist Isabelle Allende, psychologist Daniel Goleman and director J.J. Abrams. Speakers at this annual meeting are challenged to give "the talk of their lives" in 18 minutes.
"The videos are rated by viewers, so you can even browse the collection by categories such as 'jaw-dropping,' 'funny,' 'fascinating,' 'inspiring' and 'ingenious,'" says Plous.
Kivaopens in new window—Loans That Change Lives:
Visitors to Kiva.org can make microloans of $25 or more to needy small business owners and entrepreneurs in developing countries. "Often, the recipients are single mothers," says Plous, who has lent money to people in Uganda, Vietnam, Togo and the Philippines. Kiva typically pays lenders back within a year. "So far, my repayment rate has been 100 percent," says Plous. "It's hard to imagine a better use of the Web than this."
—J. Chamberlin