Psychology Archives

The Dangers of the Sample Selection Bias

What is self-selection bias? How does self-selection bias influence research findings? Sample selection bias is a common issue in psychological studies that involve statistical analysis. Specifically, people only join studies they’re comfortable responding to, which alters your data. Those who might provide embarrassing or somehow “undesirable” responses simply won’t take part, narrowing your study’s scope and skewing the results. Here’s how sample selection bias skews research results and how to work around it.

How the Need to Belong Causes Logical Fallacies

Liking Bias: Why We Ignore Faults in People We Love

Why is group membership so important? Where does the human need to belong stem from? One of the evolutionary traits that most influences you is the desire to be in a group. For early humans, group membership was necessary for survival. Those who left the group died, while those who stuck to the status quo survived and reproduced. Thus, your brain is genetically wired to fit in. Although the human need to belong has evolutionary value, it causes some fallacies in the way we interpret other people’s behavior. Let’s explore some fallacies resulting from our need to belong.

The Art of Thinking Clearly: Review & Critical Reception

What is Rolf Dobelli’s The Art of Thinking Clearly about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli breaks down the most common logical fallacies that plague humanity. Logical fallacies affect everyone, are extremely difficult to avoid, and can hinder our decision-making ability. Dobelli encourages readers to improve their decisions by learning how to recognize these fallacies and how to work around them. Here’s our review of The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli.

Signs of Emotional Manipulation & How to Stop It

How do you tell if someone is trying to emotionally manipulate you? What are the signs of emotional manipulation you should watch out for? In his book Games People Play, psychiatrist Eric Berne explains how to identify when a mind game is being played on you. He provides three steps for spotting mind games and discusses how you can break that game. Here’s how to identify emotional manipulation, according to Berne.

Contrast Effect: The Psychology of Mental Shortcuts

What is the contrast effect? Why do people fall for the contrast effect? The contrast effect is a cognitive heuristic: It helps you make judgments faster while expending less energy. Your brain lessens energy usage whenever possible, and the contrast effect helps it conserve cognitive resources. Learn about the psychology of the contrast effect.

Exponential Growth: Meaning + Examples

What is exponential growth? What are some real-world examples of exponential growth? Exponential growth is a complex math concept that many people don’t instinctively understand. Yet, the idea is pretty simple: Exponential growth simply means that a number doubles at regular intervals. Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of exponential growth and a few examples.

Rolf Dobelli: What Is Social Proof?

What is social proof? Is it always a good idea to follow the crowd? Social proof is a psychosocial phenomenon whereby people copy others’ behavior before participating in that behavior themselves. This tendency had survival value in the past: If everyone ran away, you ran too because there was probably a predator nearby. However, in modern times, most of our decisions are not life-or-death decisions, and following the crowd can often lead you astray. Here’s why, in modern times, social proof can often do more harm than good.

Rolf Dobelli: The Art of Thinking Clearly—Overview

What is Rolf Dobelli’s The Art of Thinking Clearly about? What logical fallacies does Dobelli explore in the book? The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli is an introduction to the most common logical biases and thinking errors. Logical fallacies affect everyone and are extremely difficult to avoid. Rolf Dobelli encourages readers to improve their decisions by learning how to recognize the fallacies and how to work around them. Below is a brief overview of the key themes.

Crash Course: What Is Transactional Analysis?

What is Transactional Analysis? Why do humans crave recognition? What are the three ego states? Transactional Analysis is a psychoanalytic theory and a method of analyzing social interactions. At its heart is the concept of the three ego states: the adult, the child, and the parent. Keep reading to learn about the Transactional Analysis theory and how to use it to analyze interactions.

Morgan Housel: Why Money Is Happiness

Why do they say “money can’t buy you happiness”? Did you know that statement is fundamentally wrong? In his book The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel explains that money buys you control over time, which is the key driver of happiness. When you have control over how you spend your time, you can spend it on things that bring your happiness. Here’s why money is happiness if used responsibly.