Description: Do inanimate objects have a gender? Well while your quick answer to this question might be no, of course not, it is worth thinking about the question a bit more deeply. Since ancient times, for example, ships have been referred to as female (as ‘shes’). Why? Well, the word ship comes from the Latin… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Intergroup Relations
Self-Narratives and Mental Illness
Description: Are you the same person today that you were 5 years ago? How about 10 years ago? A quick answer is, “of course, yes!” but as time, personal and developmental mount up the question becomes more challenging. Typically starting in the adolescent and emerging adult years it can become harder, and perhaps even impossible… Read more »
Can Criticism be Positive?
Description: If you cannot say something nice say nothing at all! Did you ever get that advice? It is possibly good advice for young children who are learning how to “play nice” together but what about in adulthood and especially what about in work settings where you might be training or managing others or working… Read more »
Predicting Personality from Twitter Posts? Hmmm…
Description: How accurately do you think you could predict peoples’ Big Fiver personality profiles by reviewing their twitter posts? Really, pick a percentage! Are peoples’ Twitter personalities different than those they show in face-to-face interactions? Now, with your number picked (assuming it was not a zero), think about what you would look for in your… Read more »
Leader Personality and War: Any Help?
Description: A few years back there was a bit of speculation in the press and around and about regarding the mental state and personality of the then president of the United States, Donald Trump. At the time there was discussion of what is referred to as the Goldwater rule which is part of section 7… Read more »
Ways of Knowing the Brain and Mind: Indigenous Perspectives
Description: Think about this question: Is neuroscience (brain science) universal or does it, or should it, vary across diverse cultural communities? On the one hand, brains are brains, right? On the other hand, a HUGE part of what goes into mental health, wellness and dealing with mental illness IS culturally linked isn’t it? Which of… Read more »
Why Being Able to Tell How Nikola is Feeling by Looking Might Be Important
Description: We humans are remarkably good at expressing our emotions through our facial expressions (think about how hard it is to hide them, say, for example when you are playing poker or otherwise trying to noy show others what you are feeling). We are rather good at reading other people’s facial expressions too. Darwin wrote… Read more »
The Psychology of Blame
Description: I do not know if you have been tracking it but my friends and family in and around Ottawa have drawn my attention to the protest/occupation on central Ottawa by the Truckers’ Convoy. The group is comprised of people opposed to the recent vaccination requirements for cross border passage by truckers and demanding an… Read more »
New Life Stages or Just Changed Life Stages?
Description: Ok, quick, think of a typical 22-year-old. What are they like? Yes, they are all different but step back for a minute and generalize. Now do the same with a typical 66-year-old. Now, with each of those generalizations in mind don’t compare them to one another but, instead, compare them to what each generalization… Read more »
Are Other People Hell or the Key to Happiness?
Description: Perhaps without realizing who it belonged to, you have likely hear Jen Paul Sartre’s line from the play he wrote in 1944 that goes “Hell is other people”. Without diving into his existential philosophy, you can see some applicability of this line to the world we are currently living in today (particularly in terms… Read more »
Books for Success!
