Psychology Archives

Body Language: Fidgeting and Guarded Movements

What does it mean when someone fidgets a lot during an interaction? How does fidgeting influence people’s impressions of you? When it comes to body language, fidgeting is one of the things you should avoid. Your fidgeting may have nothing to do with your intentions, but people interpret it as insincerity. To make a positive impression, remove physical barriers and maintain an open stance when you are talking to someone. Here’s why you should avoid fidgeting in your body language.

List of Cognitive Biases (With Descriptions + Examples)

Why do we feel compelled to eat the entire serving of lasagna? Why do we like the paint brand that has our favorite baseball player in its commercials? Why do we remember our first kiss better than what happened last week? We’re all prone to cognitive biases—quirks of the mind that distort reality in one way or another. These biases don’t adhere to logic or rational thinking. Our faulty perception gets in the way. We don’t see things as they truly are, and we often act on these misperceptions. We all can benefit from recognizing and understanding these biases. Here’s

Understanding the Psychology of Social Roles

What exactly do psychologists mean by “social roles”? How does adhering to social roles alter behavior? In psychology, social roles refer to behavioral expectations of people of a given social status, relationship, or occupation. One of the most noteworthy findings is that social roles can make people behave very out of character and even override personality dispositions. Keep reading to learn how people’s behavior and relationships are impacted by social roles.

How to Connect With People on a Deeper Level

Do you find it easy to connect with new people? How do you move beyond superficial conversations and get a person to talk with you on a deeper level? The key to connecting with anyone on a deep level is to show the person that you are like them. People interpret their similarities as a form of agreement that convinces them that their approach to life is correct—this increases their self-confidence and makes it easier for them to relax in your presence. Here’s how to connect with people on a deeper level, according to communications expert Leil Lowndes.

Eckhart Tolle: How the Pain-Body Sucks Your Life Force

What exactly is the “pain-body”? How does identifying with your emotional pain-body prevent you from being present? According to Eckhart Tolle, the pain-body is basically an accumulation of the painful experiences you’ve had throughout your life. When you identify with the pain-body by letting it consume your mind, you’re perpetuating its negativity even further, which traps you in the endless cycle of rumination and prevents you from being present. Keep reading to learn about the concept of the pain-body, how and why it forms, and how it affects your perception and behavior.

How to Make More Friends: Fake It Till You Make It

Do you find it difficult to make friends? What’s the key to making lots of friends? According to communications expert Leil Lowndes, the key to making friends with anyone is to pretend that you’re already close friends. Pretending to like others feels so good that it eventually turns into genuine affection. Here’s how to make more friends, according to Lowndes.

How to Control Your Ego, According to Eckhart Tolle

The 25 Cognitive Biases: The Kruger Effect

What is the nature of the ego? What happens when we identify with the ego? How can we prevent the ego from keeping us trapped in mindlessness? The ego is preoccupied with superiority and self-image, always wanting more and better—such is its nature. When we overidentify with the ego, we are consumed with wanting, which traps us in a dysfunctional state of mindlessness. According to spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, the only way to escape this state is to evolve our consciousness to a higher level—one where we are present in each moment rather than constantly wanting. He calls this state

How to Control Emotions and Feelings—Yours & Others

Do you want to know how to control your emotions and feelings? Did you also know you can also intimidate your competition by doing this as well? If strong enough, emotions and feelings can negatively impact your self-esteem and motivation. However, if you use your emotions for good, you can hype yourself up while taking out the competition. Here’s Tim Grover’s advice on how to control your emotions and feelings, along with your competition’s, from his book Relentless.

How to Have Interesting Conversations Every Time

Do you find it difficult to keep a conversation going? Do you often run out out of interesting things to say? If you often find yourself in a situation where you’ve run out of things to say, you’re not alone. Interesting conversations don’t always flow organically. Sometimes, you’ve got to put some effort into it and research interesting things to say in advance. Here’s how to have interesting conversations every time.

Simon Sinek on Empathy in the Workplace

How to Master the Art of Building Trust as a Leader

Why is empathy important in the workplace? What can you, as a leader, do to foster empathy in your organization? According to Simon Sinek, empathy is the foundation of collaboration and innovation. When you lead with empathy, you make your subordinates feel safe. Sinek says that this is because empathy releases oxytocin—the neurochemical that controls feelings of trust, belonging, and happiness. When employees feel safe, they will behave empathetically towards colleagues, which facilitates collaboration and inspires innovation. Here’s how empathy drives collaboration and innovation, according to Sinek.