Psychology Archives

How to Stop Being Pessimistic: Try Flexible Optimism

Want to know how to stop being pessimistic? How do pessimists and optimists think differently? How can you change your thought patterns? To learn how to stop being pessimistic, Martin Seligman suggests embracing flexible optimism. Becoming a flexible optimist means you can learn to be an optimist while balancing it with your natural pessimism, according to Seligman. Read on to learn Seligman’s practical advice for how to stop being pessimistic.

How to Overcome the Status Quo Bias in Decision-Making

Why are people inclined to make decisions that perpetuate their status quo? What are some ways to mitigate the status quo bias in decision-making? When it’s time to finally make a choice, our bias toward the status quo kicks in and weakens our judgment. According to Chip and Dan Heath, tough decisions elicit intense emotions. These emotions cause us to seek relief in what’s familiar. Thus, we make decisions that resist change, even if change is what we need. Here’s how to push against the status quo bias in decision-making.

Procrastination and Anxiety: What’s the Link?

Is procrastination the result of laziness or anxiety? How does anxiety drive procrastination? Procrastination isn’t caused by laziness and can’t be fixed by trying harder. Instead, procrastination is a symptom of the fear and anxiety we sometimes feel about our work—and to solve it, you have to address those underlying emotional struggles. Here are some tips on how to deal with procrastination and anxiety.

The Now Habit by Neil Fiore: Book Overview

What is Neil Fiore’s The Now Habit about? What is the key message to take away from the book? According to psychologist and productivity coach Neil Fiore, the problem isn’t that we’re lazy—it’s that procrastination is a symptom of the fear and anxiety we sometimes feel about our work. In his 1988 book The Now Habit, Fiore explains what procrastination is, why we do it, and most importantly, how to avoid it. Below is a brief overview of The Now Habit by Neil Fiore.

Overcome Learned Helplessness: The 2 Techniques

What is learned helplessness? How does negative self-talk fuel the problem? How can you overcome learned helplessness? Psychologist Martin Seligman says you can unlearn helplessness and train your mind to be more naturally optimistic. In his book, Learned Optimism, Seligman explains two techniques for battling harmful self-talk to create a healthy mindset. Read on to learn Seligman’s two techniques for overcoming learned helplessness.

Heat of Passion Crimes: Psychology Says They Aren’t Credible

What are heat of passion crimes? Why aren’t heat of passion crimes a credible defense, according to psychology? Psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett created a new theory of emotions in psychology to determine how human emotions are really made. According to Barrett’s new theory of constructed emotion, heat of passion crimes create inequity in the legal system. Read on to find out why Barrett says heat of passion crimes aren’t credible, according to psychology.

Your Body Budget: Lisa Feldman’s New Kind of Self-Care

What is Lisa Feldman Barrett’s body budget? How do you know if your body budget is imbalanced? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, author Lisa Feldman Barrett introduces the body budgeting concept as the way you regulate energy and emotions. According to Barrett, maintaining a balanced body budget is important for your overall sense of wellbeing. Keep reading to learn more about your body budget, according to Lisa Feldman Barrett.

Opposing Views: The Antidote to Confirmation Bias

How does confirmation bias skew your judgment? Why is it important to seek the opposing viewpoint when making important decisions? In decision-making, confirmation bias leads us to overlook crucial information about our options. One way to resist your confirmation bias is to hunt for information that contradicts your existing beliefs. Here’s how seeking out opposing views can help you override confirmation bias and make better decisions.

Rupi Kaur on Sexual Abuse: “This Home Is Empty Now”

How did Rupi Kaur’s experience of sexual abuse shape her poetry? What do Kaur’s poems express about trauma? In one of her bestselling books of poetry, The Sun and Her Flowers, Rupi Kaur gives readers a raw, painful glimpse into her experience with sexual abuse. Her writing reveals three different perspectives on this traumatic experience. Read on for an explanation of the three perspectives on Rupi Kaur’s sexual abuse.

Why Science Says You’re Responsible for Your Own Feelings

Are you responsible for your own feelings? What is the scientific explanation of biology and emotions? Neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett created the new “theory of constructed emotions” after an in-depth examination of past psychological experiments. Barrett’s findings reveal that you are responsible for your own feelings because emotions are not innate—they’re constructed by you. Read on to learn why you are responsible for your own feelings, according to Barrett’s theory of emotions.