Psychology Archives

Supernatural Beliefs & Pseudoscience (Carl Sagan)

What’s pseudoscience? Why do some people believe in astrology and angels? What harm can it cause? Carl Sagan claims that unscientific beliefs are becoming more and more common in the modern age. In The Demon-Haunted World, he discusses pseudosciences and supernatural beliefs. He explains how they spread and why they’re dangerous, arguing that this type of belief impairs our ability to make decisions of all kinds. Keep reading for Sagan’s take on pseudoscience and the supernatural.

Dating Someone With Childhood Trauma: How to Help

Are you dating someone with childhood trauma? How can you help them? Being in a relationship with someone who has childhood trauma isn’t easy. Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest practicing “Parent-Child Dialogue” to help them overcome their trauma. Keep reading to learn how to use Parent-Child Dialogue to help your partner.

What Causes Evil? The 2 Contributing Factors

What causes evil? Why do people carry out evil acts against their own kind? Throughout history, humans have enslaved each other, fought brutal wars, and committed genocide. At the same time, humans committed many great deeds of kindness and compassion. This begs the question: Are humans good or evil by nature? According to historian Rutger Bregman, human nature is peaceful, and we commit evil actions for two main reasons: 1) to protect our in-group, and 2) to contribute to the “greater good.” Let’s consider each argument in more detail.

How to Visualize What You Want (& Achieve It)

How can you use visualization to achieve your goals? How can you tap into your imagination if you’re new to visualization? The social messages that you must accept—and be nothing but grateful for—have diminished your ability to imagine a new reality. According to author Glennon Doyle, embracing your imagination will help you create a better, more vibrant life and teach you how to visualize what you want. Keep reading to learn Doyle’s advice on how to visualize what you want and her steps for achieving your goals.

How to Change Your Behavior: 3 Steps to a New Life

Are you stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors? Are you ready to break out of that cycle? In his book Outwitting the Devil, Napoleon Hill explains that we get set in certain behavior patterns. You can break out of a negative pattern and establish a new, positive one. He recommends three steps: set a life goal, choose faith over fear, and never accept less than you deserve. The overarching principle of these steps is to be confident and committed in everything you do. Read more for Hill’s discussion of how to change your behavior.

How to Understand Human Behavior Through Systems

Would you like to know how to understand human behavior better? Do you want to change your own behavior? A lot of the ideas in The Great Mental Models Volume 3 are concerned with understanding behavior. In fact, when the authors talk about systems, they are most interested in how systems explain behavior. In particular, they discuss what feedback loops and algorithms tell us. Let’s look at how systems shape our behaviors and explore some factors to keep in mind if the goal is behavior change.

The Difference Between Internal and External Motivation

What’s the primary source of your motivation? Is your reference point yourself or others? The book The Gap and The Gain lays out the difference between Gap- and Gain- thinking, which are two ways to measure your progress and success in life. One feature that distinguishes these two mindsets is the source of your motivation. Gap-thinking is associated with external motivation (relying on standards set by others), while Gain-thinking involves internal motivation (relying on standards set by you). Continue reading to understand the difference between internal and external motivation and what impact they each have on your happiness.

Why Changes in Relationships Are Completely Healthy

Have you hit a rough patch in your relationship? How can making changes mend your relationship? In Getting the Love You Want, Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt suggest that you and your partner need to make changes to fulfill your needs. These changes are important for personal growth. Here’s how to effectively make changes in relationships so you and your partner can be happier.

In-Group Favoritism: We Look Out for Our Own Group

What is in-group favoritism? Is in-group favoritism necessarily a bad thing? In-group favoritism is a tendency to favor members of one’s in-group (e.g. in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, etc.) over members of out-groups. On the one hand, in-group favoritism is a good thing because it fosters bonding and cooperation. On the other hand, it causes unfair prejudice and irrational animosity towards members of out-groups. Keep reading to learn about the phenomenon of in-group favoritism, its biological underpinnings, and how to overcome it.

What Are Diminishing Returns? Why You Lose Traction

What are diminishing returns? If you want to learn a new subject, should you read every book on it? Why do horror movies seem to become trite after a while? In The Great Mental Models Volume 3, Rhiannon Beaubien and Rosie Leizrowice include diminishing returns as one of the thinking models that can boost your understanding and decision-making ability. While the law is often used in an economic context, the authors extend the principle to everyday applications. Read more to learn about diminishing returns and how understanding them can help you understand so much more.