Category Archives: Psychology

Description of aspects of psychology that affect our everyday lives

Classics Don’t Qualify as Comps

Posted on November 2, 2025 by knlistman

Before attending my first writer’s conference in Oklahoma, I poured over the biography of all the speakers. Each one was asked to disclose a classic novel in their want to read list. Despite the different books listed I was shocked … Continue reading →

Posted in Drama and movies, Literary devices, Psychology, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Power of Laughter

Posted on October 5, 2025 by knlistman

Evidently girls between the ages of 11 and 18 all over the world laugh more than any other group. They even laugh when nothing is particularly amusing. However, the very sound of an initial giggle seems to generate the impulse … Continue reading →

Posted in Laughter and humor, Manipulation, Persuasion | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scoring Your Sense of Humor

Posted on September 21, 2025 by knlistman

My patience is often short with motivational speakers. They may tell interesting stories but often their techniques only work for themselves. I listen to one who was humorous enough to get a chuckle out of his audience. However, afterward in … Continue reading →

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Why Do We Read Emotions?

Posted on September 7, 2025 by knlistman

In the last blog I described the difference between real and faked laughter. Both are quite useful and will be heard in the feasts that mark the cooler seasons in the United States. We indulge in food and conversation at … Continue reading →

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Distinguishing types of laughter

Posted on August 26, 2025 by knlistman

The muffled giggle, the high pitch twitter, the polished chuckle, the wheezing chortle, and the deep belly laugh can all be taken differently depending on who is uttering the sound. Real involuntary laughter is often contagious in groups, one person … Continue reading →

Posted in Group psychology, Ideas for writing, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Price of Staying Connected

Posted on June 6, 2025 by knlistman

Before I entered grade school, I knew something about computers. That may be ordinary today but unusual for someone born in the 1950’s. However, my father worked for General Electric in Louisville, Kentucky which housed one of the first non-government … Continue reading →

Posted in Mental health, Social media, The information age | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Are You What You Read?

Posted on March 28, 2025 by knlistman

We don’t seem to be recovering from the drop in literacy within the United States among school age children in 2019 and following years. The standard response is blame the problem on children not receiving an adequate education during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Emotional intelligence, Literature, Trends in books | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Happiness Requirement

Posted on September 9, 2024 by knlistman

“And they lived happily ever after” is not just a matter of fairy tales. A Happily Ever After (HEA) ending remains a favorite of many readers and has likely been one ever since stories were first told. In this age … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Ideas for writing, Literary devices, Literature, Mental health, Novels, Psychology, romance, Teaching writing skills, Trends in books | Tagged | Leave a comment

Writing with a Divided Mind

Posted on November 2, 2023 by knlistman

In the 1930’s, an Oberlin College English major named Roger W. Sperry worked at a campus cafe and provided transportation for a physically disabled psychology professor. Sitting in on luncheons and meetings among eminent psychologists introduced him to a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Psychology, Style and voice, Teaching writing skills | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Which Side of the Brain Do Writer’s Favor?

Posted on October 12, 2023 by knlistman

The idea that individuals favor using either the right brain to produce creative results or left brain for logical thinking is a recent one. It originated with the work of physicians in the mid-1800s, so at least it’s recent compared … Continue reading →

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