Psychology Archives

Formal and Informal Fallacies: Steven Pinker on Critical Thinking

How well do you know the basic rules of logic? How often do you break them? Can you tell when others use flawed thinking? Steven Pinker argues that people often act irrationally even when they think they’re not. He examines how you can be more rational and make better decisions by improving your critical thinking skills and by understanding—and thus avoiding—the logical fallacies that people often fall victim to. Continue reading for Pinker’s explanation of formal and informal fallacies.

How to Spot Physical and Emotional Hunger Cues in Adults

Why is listening to your body important for your health? How can you recognize hunger cues in adults? To free yourself from the pressure to diet, you should practice listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch says that this practice helps you notice and fulfill your hunger, as well as prevents you from overeating. Find out how to recognize physical and emotional hunger cues in adults.

How to Use Bayesian Reasoning to Make Better Predictions

What if you could make better decisions because you’re able to make better predictions? How can an eighteenth-century statistician help you? People often miscalculate the probability of an event occurring and then make poor decisions based on that miscalculation. Steven Pinker explains how you can use Bayesian reasoning to make more accurate assessments of evidence and, in turn, make more accurate predictions about the future. Read more to learn how to use Bayesian reasoning to make decisions that are based on a better understanding of what’s going on.

Existential Kink Quotes: Insights From Carolyn Elliott

How does Carolyn Elliott define fear? What does she think comprises an effective ethical compass? In Existential Kink, Carolyn Elliott explains what existential kink is and how it emerged from Jungian psychology. She also provides activities to help you incorporate existential kink into your life. Below are three Existential Kink quotes that illustrate Elliott’s main ideas in the book.

How to Manage Your Emotions: 4 Steps for Better Control

Why is emotional intelligence important for leaders? How can you manage your emotions? The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership argues that to be an effective leader, you must understand and healthily manage your emotions. Failing to do so might lead you to repress and intensify your feelings, which can harm your well-being. Let’s look at how to manage your emotions so you can be the best leader for your employees.

Understand Probability and Randomness to Make Better Decisions

Are you superstitious at all? Can you tell when data is meaningful and when it’s just random? According to Steven Pinker, an important aspect of rationality is getting a good handle on probability and randomness in order to make more accurate assessments and, in turn, better decisions. He looks at two ways that people misunderstand probability and shares a handy tool to counter these flaws in thinking. Keep reading to get a better grasp on how probability works and how randomness comes into play.

How to Control Your Fears and Get Out of Your Own Way

Are your fears getting in the way of you living up to your fullest potential? How can you take control of your fears? According to Existential Kink by Carolyn Elliott, fear and desire cannot exist without each other. But, in order to accept and manifest desires, you must confront what you’re afraid of. Keep reading to learn how to control your fears.

Against Empathy by Paul Bloom: Book Overview & Takeaways

Are you for or against empathy? Why would anyone ever be against it? Is there such a thing as too much empathy? In Against Empathy, Paul Bloom argues that we rely too heavily on our emotions—especially empathy—to guide our judgments, decisions, and behavior. He suggests that our empathic responses to other people can lead us away from the morally good and right course of action. Continue reading for an overview of this contrarian book.

Cognitive Empathy vs. Emotional Empathy (Paul Bloom)

What’s the difference between understanding someone’s emotions and actually feeling their emotions? Why is it important to make this distinction? In his contrarian book Against Empathy, psychologist Paul Bloom differentiates between two types of empathy that equip us with distinct ways of caring about other people: cognitive empathy and emotional empathy. This distinction is critical for his argument against empathy. Read more to learn about cognitive empathy vs. emotional empathy.

How to Manifest Your Desires: 4 Existential Kink Practices

Do negative patterns and habits have control of your life? How should you manifest your desires? Some desires are difficult to accept, especially if there’s a stigma around them. But, Carolyn Elliott’s book Existential Kink says that you should consciously enjoy them to regain agency in your life. Continue reading to learn how to manifest your desires.