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Category Archives: Psychology
Tinkering with the mind of man
The idea of the left brain being logical while the right is creative has been disproved in studies which show that during creative activity people are more likely use both half of their brains. According to Dr. Jeff Anderson, director … Continue reading
Posted in Education trends, Manipulation, Mental health, Optimism and Pessimism
Tagged Brain based learning
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Does pessimism shorten or lengthen your life?
Frequently I have read anecdotal accounts of people who were sure that they were going to beat a life threatening disease (usually cancer) against the odds and managed to do so. Often they would give credit to their optimistic attitude that … Continue reading
How well do you know yourself?
High self awareness may not be a pleasant characteristic to have. There are other names given to this trait, such as private self-consciousness. Stephen Franzoi of the University of California at Davis has studied the effects of private self-consciousness and found … Continue reading
Posted in Mental health, Optimism and Pessimism
Tagged intrapersonal intelligence, persistence, Self-esteem
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The problem with positive pep talks
After centuries of philosophers, and in more recent times psychologists, coming up their own set of personality factors a symposium in the 1980s settled on what are called the “big five” which are commonly found in most summaries of personality traits. Four of the … Continue reading
Posted in Mental health, Optimism and Pessimism, Psychology
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The origins of optimism
Optimism and pessimism are not two distinct styles but rather ends of a continuum. At the optimistic end people expect only good events to happen to them. They concentrate on stimuli that indicates a rosy outlook and ignore warning signs … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Mental health, Optimism and Pessimism
Tagged parenting, social economic status
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Destined for optimism?
There has been an academic debate going on between psychologists since Shelly Taylor published Positive Illusions asserting that the normal mentally healthy person holds on to optimistic illusions. Are most humans not realistic in their view of themselves and the their … Continue reading
You can dream it, but you will probably never do it.
How many times have you heard “if you can dream it, you can do it?” Well evidently if you can dream it you consider yourself happier, even if you never get around to doing it. And you are also similar … Continue reading
Faking funny
Everybody loves the sound of laughter don’t they? 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 … Continue reading
Posted in Group psychology, Laughter and humor, Persuasion
Tagged animals laughing, fake laughter, Greg bryant
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No one wants to laugh alone
Just beyond the door of my office a photographer was setting up a lights. He was also chatting with everyone who passed by. Finally he got down to the business of spreading out the tripods that held the lights. Then, … Continue reading
Posted in Group psychology, Laughter and humor
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