Psychology Archives

The Psychology of Weight Loss: Take Control of Your Weight

Do you want to learn about the psychology of weight loss? What are the key psychological factors that determine weight loss success? Weight loss advice tends to focus on the mechanics of weight loss (e.g., counting calories and exercising). However, weight loss is ultimately all about changing your behavior to achieve a desired goal, and behavior change is in the realm of psychology. In this article, we’ll talk about the psychological side of weight loss. Specifically, we’ll discuss why motivation isn’t that important when it comes to losing weight, how to form weight loss habits you can stick to, and

Social Alienation in the Soviet Union: A Tool for Repression

What is social alienation? How has it been used as an authoritarian tactic to gain power? One of the ways the Soviet Union controlled its citizens was via social alienation—conditioning them not to care about or connect with each other. This worked to repress dissident movements. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn discusses this tactic in The Gulag Archipelago. Continue reading to learn how the Soviet government exploited social alienation in the general population as well as in the gulags.

Tony Robbins: Priming Yourself for Success

What exactly is “priming”? How can moving your body help you induce a desired emotional state? According to Tony Robbins, priming is creating your desired state of mind by stimulating your body. For instance, if you want to improve your focus, you could lean forward; if you want to feel happier, you could force a smile. Here’s how you can control your mind by controlling your body, according to Tony Robbins.

What Is Positive Stress? Psychologist Explains

What is positive stress? In what ways can stress be good for you? Stress isn’t necessarily bad for you. Stress can actually be a good thing if it kicks in when you feel determined to achieve something or feel called upon to perform, but you don’t perceive your life to be at risk. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal refers to it as a “challenge stress response.” Keep reading to learn about the benefits of the challenge stress response, according to McGonigal.

Feedback Loops & Systems Thinking: Think in Loops, Not Lines

What is “systems thinking”? In what way is systems thinking superior to the conventional cause-and-effect pattern of thinking? Systems thinking is a non-linear pattern of thinking that relies on feedback loops. Systems thinking enables you to see the big picture of any situation or event and predict how it will unfold in the future with better accuracy. Here’s why you should think in loops instead of lines.

What Is the Tend-and-Befriend Response?

What is the tend-and-befriend response? What is the evolutionary benefit of the tend-and-befriend response to danger? The tend-and-befriend response is an instinctual stress response triggered by a perception of threat to one’s loved ones. Evolutionary psychology suggests that the tend-and-friend response is a typical female response, mediated by the release of hormones that promote vigilance and attachment. Here’s how the tend-and-friend response works on the hormonal level.

Soviet Gulags: How Soviet Society Was Kept in the Dark

How much did the public know about the Soviet gulags when they were in operation? How much did people fear them? Though the conditions in Soviet gulags were obviously inhumane, they were rarely discussed in public—let alone protested—prior to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s first novel about the camps in 1962. This silence, and the extent and brutality of the gulags, were made possible by the near-total control the government had over its citizens. Read more to learn how Soviet society was kept in the dark about the gulag system for so long.

The Fifth Discipline: Systems Thinking Explained

What exactly is “systems thinking” in Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline? How does systems thinking relate to the other four disciplines? Systems thinking is the fifth discipline in Peter Senge’s framework for creating a learning organization. Systems thinking ties the other four disciplines together to create a cohesive management system where all the different parts work well together to produce the best possible results. Here’s how you can implement the systems thinking discipline at your organization.

The Fight-or-Flight Response: What It Is & How It Aids Survival

What is the fight-or-flight response? How can the fight-or-flight response work against you? The fight-or-flight response is a physiological reaction to a perception of threat. It mobilizes your physiological resources to prepare you to face danger. However, this response has negative effects, too: when you perceive danger where there isn’t any, you experience unwarranted fear and anxiety. Keep reading to learn about the psychology of the fight-or-flight response and how it aids survival.

What Are Your Biases? How to Use Questions to Identify Them

What are your biases? Do you assume that something is true just because it’s what you’ve been told? In The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking, award-winning educators Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird emphasize that your view on a subject will, undoubtedly, have bias. They recommend using questions to look for bias in your perspective (not just your argument) and to guard against authority bias. Keep reading to learn how to use questions to identify and eliminate your biases.