a psychologist's blog – research and ideas to digest
I assume that most people think about their futures to some degree, but the difference between thinking and overthinking may be the difference between feeling uncertain and feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty. This post addresses the consequences of thinking too much and how to handle it.
A new study by psychologist Pia Callesen, published in the reputable journal Scientific Reports in Nature (2020), shows that Metacognitive Therapy is way more effective in treating depression than usual treatment.
“Without self-knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free, he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave.” – G. I. Gurdjieff
The literature of self-esteem tells us that we need to gain self-esteem to be succesful. But this might be all wrong and a widespread misconception, according to a longitudinal study of nearly 2500 students. I’ll introduce you to self-compassion as an alternative to self-esteem, and
Continue readingWhy You Need Self-Compassion More Than Self-Esteem in Difficult Times, Study Shows
Positive thinking can feel like a job to do, while negative thinking seems to happen more automatically. In fact, this is true at a very fundamental level of the brain, studies show. It is called the negativity bias.
A large-scale study by Hudson and Fraley (2016), published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, finds that almost all people between the ages of 18 to 70 want to change aspects of their personality.
What should you look for when buying a gift? This article tries to answer that question. A new paper, based on a survey of existing research, suggests that some gifts are great to give but not to receive. Scroll down and learn more from the infographic.
Human beings are social beings. The tendency to behave, talk and walk like others is what we call conformity, which has been documented in various studies.
The human brain is sophisticated. In fact, it separates us from all other animals. It allows us to have abstract ideas and to solve complex problems. We are rational social beings, or are we?
Four independent sets of studies show that there is a link between analytical thinking and religious disbelief. The results of the studies are described briefly in this post.