Psychology Archives

How to Read Someone’s Personality & Play to Their Key Traits

How can you show support to a person who’s neurotic? How can you effectively work alongside someone who isn’t very open? Vanessa Van Edwards aims to help you connect more comfortably with others and build deeper relationships. In this context, she examines how to identify and cater to people’s personality traits so you can communicate with them as effectively as possible. Continue reading to learn how to read someone’s personality and use that knowledge to navigate your relationship.

Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, Explained

What is gender-affirming hormone therapy? How does it work, and what are the side effects? Gender-affirming care is the various treatments and procedures that allow a transgender person to physically “transition,” or to alter their bodies to ease discomfort and align with their gender identity. And one major step in the transitioning process is gender-affirming hormone therapy. Keep reading for everything you need to know about this treatment.

What Is Paternalism? The Superiority Complex, Explained

What is paternalism? Why do some people treat the poor like children? Paternalism is a superiority complex where people treat others like children. Manifesting this complex delivers the message that some people are incapable of taking care of themselves, and often brings more harm than good. Keep reading to learn more about how paternalism hurts others.

How to Read Faces to Build Deeper Connections

Is it possible to accurately read someone’s facial expressions? What can be learned? When should you try to do this? In Captivate, Vanessa Van Edwards discusses Paul Ekman’s concept of universal facial expressions in the context of building deeper relationships. We’ll see how she recommends using the technique and what Ekman has to say about its abuse. We’ll also discuss a study that challenges the theory. Keep reading for a discussion on how to read faces and what you can learn from doing so.

Why the Wim Hof Mindset & Method Are Inseparable

What is the Wim Hof mindset? Why is practicing this mindset crucial to the success of the Wim Hof Method? As the third and final component of the Wim Hof Method, developing the Wim Hof mindset is critical to reaping the full benefits of the method. Wim Hof describes the mindset component as the “power of the mind,” which involves your mental approach to the Wim Hof Method. Read on for a full description of the Wim Hof mindset, including how to practice it yourself.

The Effects of Repressed Childhood Trauma in Adults

Does everyone have trauma from childhood? What are the lasting effects of childhood trauma in adults? Unless we’ve suffered abuse or extreme neglect in our early lives, we may think that we don’t have any psychological trauma. However, nearly all of us have suffered some form of trauma in our childhoods, and the effects reverberate throughout our entire lives. Keep reading to learn about the effects of childhood trauma in adults and how you can begin the healing process with compassion for yourself and others.

Superiority Complex Examples: Sometimes Helping Can Hurt

What are examples of a superiority complex? How do superiority complexes hurt mission trips? The key to cultivating the right mindset for effective poverty alleviation is to see the poor as equals. They are humans who you want to work with for mutual good, not inferior beings who you need to save from themselves. Below, we’ll look at superiority complex examples that Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert explain in their book When Helping Hurts.

Understanding Poverty on a Psychological Level

How can we better understand poverty? What is the mindset you should adopt to reduce poverty? Many people misunderstand the nature of poverty, thinking it’s just a lack of resources when it’s actually a psychological issue. In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert observe that this misunderstanding is compounded by a belief that we’re better than the people we’re trying to help. Check out Corbett and Fikkert’s general advice on developing the right mindset to understand poverty.

What Is Material Poverty & Why Is It Hard to Escape?

Why Socioeconomic Status and Depression Are Linked

What is material poverty? Why is material poverty so hard to overcome? In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert assert that people get trapped in material poverty because they develop a negative worldview that leads to bad decisions. Broken systems also don’t help them escape this cycle. Keep reading to learn why this type of poverty attracts the most vulnerable people.

Human Progress: Steven Pinker Explains What It Means

What is human progress? Can it be defined objectively? What’s “better”? Psychologist Steven Pinker believes that humanity is on the path of progress. But, exactly what that means can be hard to pin down. He tackles the definition in his book Enlightenment Now. Keep reading to learn what human progress is, according to Pinker.