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 J. 3) How To Manage Your Time Better M. J.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Depressive realism
Evidence for[edit] Evidence against[edit] When asked to rate both their performance and the performance of another, non-depressed individuals demonstrated positive bias when rating themselves but no bias when rating others. Criticism of the evidence[edit] Some have argued that the evidence is not more conclusive because there is no standard for "reality," the diagnoses are dubious, and the results may not apply to the real world.[33] Because many studies rely on self-report of depressive symptoms, the diagnosis of depression in these studies may not be valid as self-reports are known to often be biased, necessitating the use of other objective measures. See also[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ Alloy,L.B., Abramson,L.Y. (1988). Further reading[edit] Rachel Adelson (April 2005).
Dysfunctional family
Perceptions[edit] A common misperception of dysfunctional families is the mistaken belief that the parents are on the verge of separation and divorce. While this is true in a few cases, often the marriage bond is very strong as the parents' faults actually complement each other. In short, they have nowhere else to go. Dysfunctional families have no social, financial or intellectual bounds. Examples[edit] Dysfunctional family members have common features and behavior patterns as a result of their experiences within the family structure. Common features[edit] Near universal[edit] Some features are common to most dysfunctional families: Non universal[edit] Though not universal among dysfunctional families, and by no means exclusive to them, the following features are typical of dysfunctional families: Specific examples[edit] In many cases, the following would cause a family to be dysfunctional: Parenting[edit] Unhealthy parenting signs[edit] Dysfunctional parenting styles[edit] "Kids as pawns"[edit]
The Meaning of Anxiety
Meaning of Anxiety is a book by Rollo May. It was published first in 1950 and then again in a revised 1977 edition. The book is notable for questioning fundamental assumptions about mental health and asserts that anxiety in fact aids in the development of an ultimately healthy personality.[1][2][3] The revised edition discusses the in-between two and half decades of research on anxiety, especially that of Charles Spielberger. Other researchers and their work mentioned include Richard Lazarus, James Averill, and Seymour Epstein's work among others. May says his views are close to those of H.D. See also[edit] References[edit] ^ E. External links[edit] The Meaning of Anxiety
How to Live With an Unknowable Mind
We know surprisingly little about our own personalities, attitudes and even self-esteem. How do we live with that? How do you imagine your own mind? I sometimes picture mine as a difficult and contrary child; the kind that throws a stone at you for no reason and can’t explain itself. Or while at the beach it sits silent, looking miserable. But, at a wedding is determined to scream at the top of its lungs through all the quiet bits. One reason minds can be frustrating is that we only have access to part of them, by definition the conscious part. Except we don’t know it’s doing things we haven’t asked it to, because we can’t interrogate it. This is quite a different view of the mind than Freud had. The idea that large parts of our minds can’t be accessed is fine for basic processes like movement, seeing or hearing. Other parts would be extremely interesting to know about. Here are three examples of areas in which our self-knowledge is relatively low: 1. Don’t be so sure. 2. 3.
APA Research Style Crib Sheet
APA Research Style Crib Sheetby Russ DeweyGeorgia Southern University Psychology Department [Emeritus] [This page is a summary of rules for using APA style, updated for the 6th edition. I have made every effort to keep this document accurate, but readers have occasionally pointed out errors and inconsistencies which required correction. I am grateful to them and invite additional feedback to me at psywww@gmail.com. This document may be reproduced freely if this paragraph is included. --Russ Dewey, host of Psych Web [psywww.com]] APA Crib Sheet ContentsContents | Back to top APA style is the style of writing used by journals published by the American Psychological Association (APA). Some of the more commonly used rules and reference formats from the manual are listed here. The most notable additions and changes to sixth edition of the APA Manual (2001) include: Contents | Back to top Following is a summary of rules and reference examples in the APA style manual. Contents | Back to top Commas
Clairvius Narcisse
Clairvius Narcisse (born c. 1922) is a Haitian man said to have been turned into a living zombie by a combination of drugs. After investigating reports of "zombies" (including Narcisse and a handful of others), researchers believed that Narcisse received a dose of chemical mixture containing tetrodotoxin (pufferfish venom) and bufotoxin (toad venom) to induce a coma which mimicked the appearance of death. He was then allowed to return to his home where he collapsed, "died", and was buried. The Canadian ethnobotanist Wade Davis, who did the research on tetrodotoxin [1] explains how this would have been done. The bokor (sorcerer) would have given Narcisse a powder containing the tetrodotoxin through abraded skin. According to the American Scientist interview, Narcisse came home to his village after 18 years of being assumed dead.[3] He was able to convince a few villagers and his sister that he was who he said he was. Jump up ^ Davis, Wade.