When consumers talk to each other about products, they generally respond more favorably to abstract language than concrete descriptions, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Abstract thinking helps you find patterns in data and explain meaning through stories and ideas. It also supports humor, creativity, and problem-solving beyond what you can observe. Concrete thinking ...

Picture this: a noisy middle-school classroom in which a teacher has just given the instruction, “Everybody hop up and change seats with your neighbor.” Most of the students stand, move to another ...