Ad Lib
Most ads pollute the psychological space. Others entertain, delight, and sell because they respect simple psychology. read more
View ArticleAccuracy of Self-Knowledge
The lack of perfect self-knowledge is a puzzle. Should we not be the experts on ourselves? A new review of the literature confirms that accuracy is neither nil nor close to perfect. read more
View ArticleBias in Self-knowledge
When people hold false beliefs about themselves, it is usually their judgment that is blamed. Now there is a proposal to blame – and change – reality itself. Where will that lead us? read more
View ArticleIn Defense of the Eyeball Test
Some findings are perfect without being too good to be true. In such a case, statistics are beside the point. read more
View ArticleGrudge (Holding One)
Forgiveness at all cost is not a good idea. Sometimes a grudge is worth holding, though it is difficult to know when the time has come. read more
View ArticleLove in the Time of Chivalry
Response to temptation is supposed to reveal one's character. Yet, it may not be wise to seek temptation or set it up. Cervantes tells a cautionary tell in Don Quijote. read more
View ArticleSelf-Help Unbound
A trip to the local bookstore (we still have one) ended in the self-help section and an aggravated state of agony. read more
View ArticleFalse Consciousness of Happiness
So you think you know how to be happy? Think again and feel again. read more
View ArticleLarger than Leif
An ancient Viking comes to larger than life on the History Channel. Love him or hate him, he’s a complete man, in a Nietzschean sort of way. read more
View ArticleThe Happiness Offensive
The race is on to increase human happiness across the board. Is this a realistic endeavor, or will it lead to a topia (u or dys)?read more
View ArticleSaxon Science
Social psychology suffers from a surplus of data, although most believe that there are not enough data. How about a bit more theory? read more
View ArticlePathetic Ingroup Bias
Ethnocentrism (aka ingroup-favoritism in academic speak) is considered a bane of humanity but it feels terrific during the World Cup. Its power is so great that people look for pathetic extensions when...
View ArticleMcDonald's and Culture
Food and drink are culturally variable, and so is the design of the places that offer them. A general nod to “cultural differences” does not explain much, especially when the purveying corporation is...
View ArticleWill in Chains
Being a determinist and having no pretensions to possess a free will has not bothered me one bit. You should not worry either. These chains don’t hurt. read more
View ArticleHappiness Between Philosophy and Psychology
You know what it feels like to be happy. Why are philosophers and psychologists still debating? read more
View ArticleCreation Myth
Creativity is important and fun. Now let’s look at the dark side. Can it drive a wedge between us? read more
View ArticleSituation Room
Are situations like people? Can they be described and sorted? A recent study says yes. read more
View ArticleIn the Beginning Was the Story
Religion and science tell stories to explain the world. That’s where the commonality ends, but at least we have that. read more
View ArticleEarned Helplessness
How a bachelor gets a date, a dog food, and a blogger a post. read more
View ArticleNaygotiation
Rejecting a low offer in a bargaining context may be scary for fear that all might be lost. Reviewing one’s own and the other party’s preferences may allay this fear and lead to a better outcome. read...
View ArticlePeak Experience and Happiness
Attention happiness seekers. A new study shows you will suffer social exclusion if you bliss out alone first. How good are the data, though? read more
View ArticleRenegotiation
Have you ever been ditched by a lover for someone better, with your now ex-lover promising to come back to you when done with the new flame? If so, did you leave the door open? I did not think so. read...
View ArticleSocial Mindfulness
Giving up a choice so that someone else might have it shows social mindfulness. How is this different from just being nice? It is surprisingly hard to tell. read more
View ArticleLazy Professor
What do professors do before they walk into the classroom and after they leave? It’s a mystery all right. Well, no longer. Here’s a partial list of activities. read more
View ArticleNot a Prayer
Brown University commencement exercises include a non-sectarian prayer. I think it is time to let it go. read more
View ArticleInterstellar Parochial
Emotionally unidimensional McConaughey’s Cooper unifies quantum and relativity theory, saves humanity, and finds love. Meanwhile, Michael Caine and Matt Damon explore life on the other side of the...
View ArticleAll That Jazz
Jazz is a hotbed for creative expression. The collaboration among the members of the band and the improvisations by the soloist are the two sides of jazz’s creative dialectic. read more
View ArticleNaturalizing God
God is dead, but Neo-Darwinian psychologists believe that she must live in your imagination so that you may live in a prosocial and thus prosperous society. Really?read more
View ArticleReal Happiness
Is there such a thing as bogus happiness or bovine contentment among humans? Yes, there is: at least in thought experiments. Unabashedly hypothetical, thought experiments can show you what you would...
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