Description: Discussion and debate about the factors that lead up to the violent actions taken by supporters of Donald Trump in Washington on January 6, 2021 are often wrapped in political stances and loyalties. As the Senate trial of Donald Trump on the single article of impeachment of encouraging insurrection approaches it is useful to… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Aggression
Black Friday: The Psychology of Retail Rage?
Description: Even if you are not in the United States you have certainly heard about the Black Friday sales. We have them up in Canada as well though they are not quite as big a deal as are our Boxing Day sales. Things are a bit different this year, to say the least, but predicting… Read more »
The Urge to Punish: It Is Not All About Revenge
Description: What comes to mind when you think of punishment? Violent criminals? Disobedient children? Now how about revenge? Is revenge essentially defined as punishment for another’s act that harmed you or someone you care about? Or are there situations that may not involve blatant or intentional wrongdoing that may still warrant or lead to a… Read more »
Understanding Black Friday and Boxing Day Sales: Psychological Ownership Helps
Description: Do you take parit in Black Friday or Boxing Day sales? These are retail events where items, often in very limited quantities, are available at deep discounts and shoppers who take part in person can sometimes be quite aggressive in their efforts to obtain a super but limited bargain. You have likely not analyzed… Read more »
Fascinated With The Dark Side? Consider the Light Side!
Description: At least intellectually, we tend to be drawn towards the dark side. Why this may be is perhaps due to a belief that understanding the darker personality profiles that people around us may be operating under better equips us to notice and to protect ourselves from being taken advantage of. Within personality theory and… Read more »
Anger and Self-Regulation: Learn From the Inuit
Description: A huge part of growing up (well of developing and being “raised”) is learning how to self-regulate. Think of what small children do from time to time – they may have a tantrum when they do not get their way, they may eat all the cookies on the counter, they may be distracted by… Read more »
Is Evil Born or Made or What?
Description: I have posted about the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy) before which suggests how some poor or bad behavior in others might be accounted for, but what about large-scale evil? An ongoing question has been to wonder what array of circumstances, conditions, and characteristics come together to produce truly evil people such a… Read more »
APA, Gillette, #MeToo, and Toxic Masculinity
Description: Have you seen the ad recently produced by the Gillette company? Their company tag line is “The Best a Man can Get” and in their ad they argue against toxic masculinity and that recent social change movements such as #MeToo have initiated changes in our thinking about masculinity. Gillette’s ad states that things have… Read more »
Psychology Research and Current Events: The Kavanaugh Hearings
Description: As a Psychologist I have to say that events south of our border over the past two years have a source of fascination, confusion and perplexity not to mention anxiety, fear and anger and that is just from considering the actions of the current president. This past week the confirmation hearings focusing on Brett… Read more »
Revenge and Anger: How are they mapped in the brain?
Description: Revenge is a dish best served cold. This old saying suggests a number of things but first among them is that it is not a good idea tactically, or we could say, socially, to immediately fly into action to avenge a wrongdoing as it can lead to escalation and have long term social consequences… Read more »
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