Throughout the state, Missourians are taking part in March Madness basketball pools. It’s common talk around the water cooler this time of year: How do your brackets look? How many of your picks got into the Final Four? Ken Sheldon, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, says that while some office workers get annoyed because of the constant talk of basketball, March Madness is great because it brings workers together – even those who have nothing else in common. Sheldon says the argument that office pools can turn fans into fanatics who get too wrapped up in the sport doesn’t hold water. Sheldon concedes there is some work time wasted this time of year as employees chat about college hoops, but he has no doubt the good feelings and the camaraderie that come out of March Madness outweigh any negatives.
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