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Brain Tour. Psychology. The Top 10 Psychology Studies of 2010. The end of 2010 fast approaches, and I'm thrilled to have been asked by the editors of Psychology Today to write about the Top 10 psychology studies of the year. I've focused on studies that I personally feel stand out, not only as examples of great science, but even more importantly, as examples of how the science of psychology can improve our lives. Each study has a clear "take home" message, offering the reader an insight or a simple strategy they can use to reach their goals , strengthen their relationships, make better decisions, or become happier.

If you extract the wisdom from these ten studies and apply them in your own life, 2011 just might be a very good year. 1) How to Break Bad Habits If you are trying to stop smoking , swearing, or chewing your nails, you have probably tried the strategy of distracting yourself - taking your mind off whatever it is you are trying not to do - to break the habit. J. 2) How to Make Everything Seem Easier. 10 Brilliant Social Psychology Studies. Ten of the most influential social psychology experiments.

10 Brilliant Social Psychology Studies

“I have been primarily interested in how and why ordinary people do unusual things, things that seem alien to their natures.Why do good people sometimes act evil? Why do smart people sometimes do dumb or irrational things?” The Ten Most Revealing Psych Experiments. Psychology is the study of the human mind and mental processes in relation to human behaviors - human nature.

The Ten Most Revealing Psych Experiments

Psychology studies relevant to everyday life - PsyBlog. Six. Color Psychology. By David Johnson Like death and taxes, there is no escaping color.

Color Psychology

It is ubiquitous. Yet what does it all mean? Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms? Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. Black Black is the color of authority and power. White Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. Red The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Blue The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors.

Green Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. Yellow Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. Purple The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. Brown Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Colors of the Flag In the U.S. flag, white stands for purity and innocence. Food for Thought. 10 More Common Faults in Human Thought. Humans This list is a follow up to Top 10 Common Faults in Human Thought.

10 More Common Faults in Human Thought

Thanks for everyone’s comments and feedback; you have inspired this second list! Top 10 Thinking Traps Exposed. Our minds set up many traps for us. Unless we’re aware of them, these traps can seriously hinder our ability to think rationally, leading us to bad reasoning and making stupid decisions. 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself. Dunning–Kruger effect. Cognitive bias about one's own skill The Dunning–Kruger effect is a hypothetical cognitive bias stating that people with low ability at a task overestimate their own ability, and that people with high ability at a task underestimate their own ability.

Dunning–Kruger effect

As described by social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger, the bias results from an internal illusion in people of low ability and from an external misperception in people of high ability; that is, "the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others".[1] It is related to the cognitive bias of illusory superiority and comes from people's inability to recognize their lack of ability. Without the self-awareness of metacognition, people cannot objectively evaluate their level of competence.

Original study[edit] Later studies[edit] What makes people feel pleasure? Paul Bloom: The origins of pleasure Paul Bloom: Some pleasures seem easy to explain as a result of biologyHe says others depend on our thoughts about the value of what we're experiencingWine experts will rate a wine with a fancy label more highly than an ordinary oneThere is always more to pleasure than its physical aspect, Bloom says Editor's note: Paul Bloom is professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University, where he directs the Mind and Development Lab.

What makes people feel pleasure?

Follow him at twitter.com/paulbloomatyale. Bloom spoke at the TED Global conference last month in Edinburgh, UK. This article is adapted from his book, "How Pleasure Works" (Norton, 2010). (CNN) -- Some questions about pleasure have easy answers. Emotional Skills Toolkit: Bring Your Life Into Balance. We often hear from people who feel overwhelmed by stress, family, work and relationship problems, health challenges, and painful emotions.

Emotional Skills Toolkit: Bring Your Life Into Balance

They’ve tried many approaches to help themselves feel better, but they just can’t seem to follow through, or what they’ve done hasn't helped them enough. If this sounds familiar, you know that it’s all too easy to become discouraged when you’re stuck. The problem is not willpower—all the willpower in the world won’t matter if you can’t manage stress or keep your emotions in balance. The good news: you can learn these important emotional skills, no matter your age or the obstacles you face. That’s what this free online program teaches. Skill building, like any learning, takes time and effort.