Darya Sinusoid

Darya’s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain/mind/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.

The Difference Between Correlation & Causation

What’s the difference between correlation and causation? What are the consequences of mistaking correlation for causation? Just because two variables are correlated doesn’t mean one is causing the other. Correlation quantifies a relationship between two variables, but it doesn’t explain that relationship. This is a crucial distinction to keep in mind, as equating correlation and causation can lead to misinformed decisions. Here’s why correlation does not imply causation.

Survivorship Bias in Statistics Skews Results

What is survivorship bias in statistics? How does survivorship bias skew our interpretation of the research findings? Any time a portion of a study sample is able to “leave” the study, we should be wary of survivorship bias. Survivorship bias occurs when we draw conclusions based on the “survivors” of a certain treatment or intervention. Keep reading to learn about survivorship bias and how it affects research findings.

Brain Diet: What to Eat for a Healthy Brain

What’s the best diet for the brain? What foods should you eat to keep your brain healthy and your mind sharp? What foods should you avoid? A healthy diet is a vital part of brain health. While there’s no general consensus on the best brain diet, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that you should eat certain foods regularly and avoid other foods as much as possible. Learn which foods are good for your brain and which ones can be potentially harmful.

The Mistreatment of Black People in Healthcare

How are Black people mistreated in the healthcare industry? How does racism manifest in healthcare? The American healthcare industry fails to provide adequate care and treatment to Blacks. Nikole Hannah-Jones, the author of The 1619 Project, links mistreatment of Black people in healthcare to medical practitioners’ racist beliefs that cause them to underestimate Black illness and not provide necessary treatments. Here’s how the effects of slavery echo across the American healthcare industry.

How Meal Timing Affects Your Insulin Levels

How does meal timing affect your insulin? What happens in your body when you eat too frequently? When you eat every few hours (including snacking), your insulin remains elevated. When insulin levels are both high and constant, your body’s cells become insulin resistant. That kicks off the self-perpetuating loop of chronically high insulin that promotes weight gain. Here’s how meal timing affects your insulin.

The R^2 Statistic in Linear Regression

What is the R2 statistic? What does the value of R2 tell us about the change in the dependent variable? The R2 statistic represents the proportion of the variance in the dependent variable that stems from the change in the independent variable. When using the R2 statistic to quantify the association between independent and dependent variables, it’s important to keep in mind that the R2 in linear regression only applies to linear relationships. It’s possible for two variables to be related, just not in a linear way. Here’s a look at the R2 statistic in linear regression.

What Is Selection Bias in Research?—Explained

What is selection bias in research methodology? How does selection bias affect research findings? Selection bias occurs when individuals chosen to partake in a study are not representative of the population of interest. Selection bias can be subtle—if researchers aren’t cognizant of selection bias when developing data collection methods, the fact that a sample is not truly random might go unnoticed. Here’s why it’s important to watch out for selection bias when collecting data for the purposes of research.

How to Keep Your Brain Healthy and Active as You Age

Is cognitive decline inevitable? Is there a way to slow down the rate of age-related cognitive impairment? Just like any other organ, your brain’s health will inevitably decline with age. However, it’s not totally out of your control: You can slow down the rate of cognitive decline by stimulating your brain through learning and doing novel activities. Here’s how to keep your brain healthy and active as you age.

Why Don’t Rich People Pay Taxes?

How Economic Outpatient Care Leads to UAW Children

Why don’t rich people pay taxes? Is the American taxation regressive or progressive? In the U.S., most of the tax burden is borne by low- and middle-income earners. The reason for this is that American taxation is regressive, pulling the bulk of public funds from taxes that come from regular families while a large portion of American wealth remains in the pockets of the ultra-wealthy. Here’s why the ultra-rich pay less in taxes.

Foods That Spike Insulin and Contribute to Weight Gain

Which foods spike insulin the most? How does insulin promote overeating? Everything you eat causes insulin release, but some foods spike insulin significantly more than others. Processed carbohydrates—specifically wheat and added sugars—cause insulin to spike dramatically, promoting overeating despite lacking nutritional value. Below, we’ll break down the foods that spike insulin.