Description: As we isolate and socially distance (more or less) out way into the holiday season it is a good time to think about others. Yes, that might involve giving something to your local food bank (good idea!), but what about the sort of “thinking of others” that is behind the pleas from health officials… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Altruism Prosocial Behaviour
The Psychological Science of Gift Giving
Description: Ok so, no pressure, but as we struggle into winter with coronavirus spikes and flares popping up and the prospect of more restrictions, closures, and lockdowns looming, we are also approaching the holiday, gifting season. Yes, I know, we do NOT need any more stress, do we? But, think of it this way, we… Read more »
Psychology of Covid-19: Cultural Variation in Reactions to Social Restrictions
Description: We know a LOT about social distancing at this point in time (Fall 2020) don’t we? Well, we might think we do but as we need to consider increasingly comprehensive restrictions on social engagement as the pandemic surges into the winter months it is helpful to see that quite a bit of Psychological research… Read more »
The Psychology of Covid-19: Your Behavioral-Immune System
Description: You are wearing a mask when you need to right? Its has become clear that mask wearing is perhaps the most important thing we can do to limit exposure to Covid-19 until a vaccine become readily available. What is also clear is that there are many factors involved in determining when people feel more… Read more »
Psychology and Covid-19: Impacts of Isolation
Description: The requests and demands for social distancing in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic are new and novel for almost everyone. In addition, the novelty of this experience and the serious uncertainty about how long it will last and what it will involve is adding to our anxiety and potentially eroding our wellbeing. While… Read more »
Psychology of COVID-19 Part 1: Some Psychological Facts
Description: As of today (March 15, 2020) the COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and there is a LOT going on at the international, national, community and individual level. The university where I am currently teaching a couple of courses has decided to finish this term with all our courses… Read more »
Of Marshmallows and Development: Social Implications
Description: You know about the Marshmallow Test, don’t you? A preschool child is seated in a small room at a table on which is a plate and single marshmallow. The child is told that the adult researchers is going to leave the room for a time (usually 10 to 15 minutes) and that the child… 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 »
Wild Thing …. You Kama Muta Me
Description: There are a broad array of human emotions. Think of how many basic emotions you can name. Now, a harder question: Are there feelings or emotions that are hard to name or that, while we know them when we feel them or when we see them being experienced by others, we cannot come up… Read more »
Ancient Shamanistic Practices and ‘Modern’ Problem Solving: Being Human
Description: While not trying to be overly dramatic it is possible to say that the 2018 American midterm elections which are occurring in 2 days are the centerpiece in a social climate fraught with uncertainty. There are legions of reporters, supporters, pundits and even a few politicians telling us how we should think about this… Read more »
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