Learning How to Learn: Barbara Oakley’s Bestseller

learning

What is Learning How to Learn about? Can it help you learn anything effectively? In Learning How to Learn, Barbara Oakley asserts that anyone can master any subject by applying good study techniques. You don’t have to be gifted or have natural abilities in a particular subject to excel at it. And Oakley should know: She failed math in high school, but later overcame her fear of numbers and eventually earned a doctorate degree in engineering. Keep reading to learn more about this best-selling book.

How Personal Finance Stories May Be Influencing You

How Personal Finance Stories May Be Influencing You

Do you allow personal finance stories to change how you use your money? Do finance stories scare you away from making certain decisions or inspire you to invest in certain things? According to Morgan Housel, the author of The Psychology of Money, falling for financial success stories can cause you to make poor financial decisions. Listening to the personal finance stories of others can influence you to risk your financial health based on hope, or even make you think that you have more control than you actually do. Here’s why you should be careful what stories you believe about money.

Spending More Than You Earn = A Lifetime of Poverty

Spending More Than You Earn = A Lifetime of Poverty

Do you ever make purchases even though you know they will put you in debt? Do you know how spending more than you earn can affect you for years to come? In his book The Millionaire Fastlane, MJ DeMarco discusses insatiable consumption, or the never-ending desire to spend money. While spending money isn’t fundamentally a bad thing, if you spend more than you earn, you are dooming yourself to a lifetime of poverty. Here’s why you should think twice before buying things you don’t need.

News Censorship in America: The 5 Suppression Tactics

News Censorship in America: The 5 Suppression Tactics

Is there news censorship in America? What indirect censorship tactics do the elite use to influence big media outlets? Despite the supposed “freedom of the press,” the government and big corporations control what the general public sees in the news. They’re able to skirt censorship laws by using suppression and intimidation techniques. Here are the five most common tactics used to censor the media in America.

The Neglect of Probability Bias in Decision-Making

The Neglect of Probability Bias in Decision-Making

What is the neglect of probability bias? Do you consider the probabilities of possible outcomes when making decisions? Neglect of probability bias is the tendency to disregard probability or risk when making decisions in the face of uncertainty. The most optimal choice is the one that has the highest probability of turning out well, but people tend to opt for the option that will have the biggest positive impact if it occurs, regardless of how likely it is. Here’s why we tend to neglect probability when making decisions.

Hyperbolic Discounting Bias: What It Is & How to Avoid It

Hyperbolic Discounting Bias: What It Is & How to Avoid It

What is hyperbolic discounting bias? Why is the brain so prone to seeking immediate gratification? Hyperbolic discounting bias is the tendency to crave immediate gratification and the willingness to sacrifice an unreasonable amount of money, time, or effort for that immediacy. According to Rolf Dobelli, the author of The Art of Thinking Clearly, humans are hardwired to opt for immediate reward (in the past, it helped us survive), but more often than not, it inspires bad decisions, like paying a high amount to get something quicker. Keep reading to learn about hyperbolic discounting bias, why it happens, and how to

The Affect Heuristic in Risk-Benefit Judgment

The Affect Heuristic in Risk-Benefit Judgment

What is the affect heuristic? How does the affect heuristic influence decision-making? The affect heuristic is a mental shortcut in which your brain makes rapid subconscious judgments of like or dislike. These “affects” influence your risk-benefit analyses: If your immediate judgment is good, you’ll focus on the benefits of a situation, if the affect is bad, you’ll focus on the risks. Keep reading to learn about the affect heuristic and its implications for decision-making.

The Salience Effect: The Psychology of Attention

The Salience Effect: The Psychology of Attention

What is the salience effect? Why does the brain tend to focus on the most flashy, salient stimuli to the exclusion of everything else? As the name suggests, the salience effect is the tendency to focus on the most salient stimuli in the environment. The salience effect relies on your past experiences. You might notice certain unusual details due to, for instance, your career or past experiences, while someone else would notice different details. Keep reading to learn about the salience effect, why it occurs, and how to overcome it.

Déformation Professionnelle: The Curse of Knowledge

Déformation Professionnelle: The Curse of Knowledge

What is déformation professionnelle? How can having too much experience in your area of expertise limit your perception of the world? Déformation professionnelle is a cognitive bias resulting from having too much experience in a certain field. It is defined as a tendency to see the world through the lens of one’s profession or area of expertise. Keep reading to learn about déformation professionnelle bias, why it’s problematic, and how to overcome it.