Readers of Contexts will know that one of Chris and my favorite political pundits and cultural commentators is David Brooks of the New York Times. It’s not because we agree with all of his politics and opinions, but  because he is one of the few national media members who regularly reads and consistently draws upon social scientific research. On this point, take a look at his March 17 column “Social Science Palooza II.” I found at least two things interesting about the seven different pieces he profiles. The first is that four of the studies come from psychology. The other is that two of the pieces are based upon work in the domain of sports–one about how fans impact officials (which helps account for the “home field advantage”), the other about the social dynamics that propel swimmers in the last legs of relay races to swim beyond their usual personal limits. Good stuff–and a handy reminder that I want to give Brooks’s new book The Social Animal a read.