Psychology Archives

Best Books for Depression: Read Your Way Out

How can reading help you fight your way out of depression? What are some of the best books for depression that can help you get out of a slump? When you’re depressed, reading books may be the last thing on your mind. But reading can have a substantial impact on your emotional health by exposing you to new ways of thinking and healing opportunities available to you. Below is our roundup of the best books for depression to help you heal and cultivate a positive outlook.

Martin Seligman: Learned Helplessness Leads to Depression

What was Martin Seligman’s major contribution to psychology? What is the psychology of helplessness? How can you know if you’ve learned helplessness? Psychologist Martin Seligman’s learned helplessness theory has changed how we understand pessimism and optimism. Perhaps most importantly, Seligman’s theory helps to explain a leading cause of depression and how to treat it by unlearning helplessness. Read on to learn about Martin Seligman’s learned helplessness theory and why it can lead to depression.

Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Theory: Emotions Are Learned

What is Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of emotions? How is her theory different from everything psychologists have said in the past? After years of research, psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett claims she’s discovered the secret to understanding human emotions. Barrett’s book, How Emotions Are Made, explains how you actually learn emotions—they’re not innate as many previously believed. Read on for Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of emotions and find out why she says “emotions don’t happen to you.”

How to Lead Through Change: 4 Challenges to Pivoting

Can your company break with its established ways of doing things? Can you get everyone on the same page as you pivot your business? Andrew Grove’s book Only the Paranoid Survive shows you how to build a business that’s ready to roll with the punches. Even though you can prepare for market disruptions, you’ll still face major obstacles. Grove walks you through four major challenges to enacting your coordinated crisis response and offers recommendations to address each one. Let’s take a look at these four challenges and Grove’s advice on how to lead through change.

Emotional Neuroscience (A New Theory of “Feeling”)

What is emotional neuroscience? What does a modern theory of emotion tell us about neuroscience and emotions? According to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, emotional neuroscience gives us a modern explanation of emotions, and many beliefs about how humans “feel” are outdated. Barrett’s new theory of constructed emotion reveals the neuroscience behind feelings and emotions. Read on to learn how Barrett explains emotional neuroscience with her theory of constructed emotions.

How to Make Better Decisions: Consider More Options

Is it a good idea to expand your options when making important decisions? What’s the ideal number of options for a decision? We can significantly improve our decisions by coming up with more options. Doing so guarantees that you have at least two backup options. However, having too many options overwhelms you. It’s best to aim for three to four strong, distinct options. With this in mind, here’s how to make better decisions by widening your pool of options.

What Martin Seligman’s Dog Experiment Means for Humans

What was the significance of Martin Seligman’s dog experiments? What do the results mean for humans, according to psychology? Martin Seligman conducted a series of experiments using dogs to explain his theory of learned helplessness. According to Seligman’s findings, learned helplessness exists in humans and can lead to a number of mental health problems, if left untreated. Read on to find out what Martin Seligman’s dog experiment means for the mental health of humans.

Universal Emotions: Psychology Says They Don’t Exist

What are universal emotions in psychology? Do universal emotions even exist? Which emotions are universal? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett examined past psychological experiments to create a new theory of emotions in psychology. According to Barrett’s findings, universal emotions don’t exist as many psychologists previously believed. Keep reading to find out why Barrett says universal emotions are a myth, according to psychology.

The Dangers of Overconfidence in Decision-Making

How does overconfidence affect decision-making? What are some ways to mitigate hubris in your decision-making? Our hubris—or overconfidence in decision-making—makes us feel certain in our predictions about a decision’s outcome. If the outcome is different than we predicted, we’re left surprised and unprepared to deal with it. We can overcome our hubris by: 1) accepting that we can’t predict the future, and 2) preparing for a range of possible outcomes. Here are some strategies for overcoming decision-making hubris.

Defining Learned Optimism: Self-Taught Positivity

How does Martin Seligman define learned optimism? What is an optimistic mindset? How can you learn to be more optimistic? Psychologist Martin Seligman coined the term “learned optimism” as a way of demonstrating that the traits of an optimistic person can be learned by anyone, even natural pessimists. In his book, Learned Optimism, Seligman explains the concept of learned optimism, including techniques for breaking out of a pessimistic mindset. Read on to learn Seligman’s definition of learned optimism, plus how you can teach yourself optimism.