The Differences Between Happiness and Meaning in Life
“Humans may resemble many other creatures in their striving for happiness, but the quest for meaning is a key part of what makes us human, and uniquely so.” — Roy Baumeister et al. (2013) The pursuit of happiness and meaning are two of our most central motivations in life. A wealth of research in positive […]
Flow: Instead of Losing Yourself, You are Being Yourself
This has been a major conundrum for me: Why is the flow state of consciousness so often described as “losing yourself” to an activity, when the default mode brain network is highly active while people are in the flow state? The default mode network plays an important role in self-related cognition and personal goal processing. The […]
STUDY ALERT: Distinguishing intellectual humility and general humility
Distinguishing intellectual humility and general humility Don E. Davis, Kenneth Rice, Stacey McElroy, Cirleen DeBlaere, Elise Choe, Daryl R. Van Tongeren & Joshua N. Hook Two studies provide evidence for distinguishing intellectual humility (IH) from general humility (GH). Humility involves (a) an Accurate View of Self and (b) the ability to regulate egotism and cultivate […]
Do Changes in Emotional Functioning Impact Cognitive Functioning?
It’s well known that people differ from one another in their cognitive functioning. Some people consistently have a better memory, learn faster, reason more accurately, and can understand things more quickly than others. Our understanding of fluctuations in cognitive functioning within a person, over time, are much less well understood. In a new paper, rising superstar Sophie […]
Beyond Born versus Made: A New Look at Expertise
Beyond Born versus Made: A New Look at Expertise David Z. Hambrick,, Brooke N. Macnamarax, Guillermo Campitelli, Fredrik Ullén and Miriam A. Mosing Why are some people so much more successful than other people in music, sports, games, business, and other complex domains? This question is the subject of one of psychology’s oldest debates. Over 20 […]
STUDY ALERT: How Alluring Are Dark Personalities? The Dark Triad and Attractiveness in Speed Dating
How Alluring Are Dark Personalities? The Dark Triad and Attractiveness in Speed Dating EMANUEL JAUK1 ALJOSCHA C. NEUBAUER, THOMAS MAIRUNTEREGGER, STEPHANIE PEMP, KATHARINA P. SIEBER and JOHN F. RAUTHMANN Abstract: Dark Triad traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) are linked to the pursuit of short-term mating strategies, but they may have differential effects on actual mating […]
STUDY ALERT: On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit
On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit Gordon Pennycook, James Allan Cheyne, Nathaniel Barr, Derek J. Koehler, & Jonathan A. Fugelsang Although bullshit is common in everyday life and has attracted attention from philosophers, its reception (critical or ingenuous) has not, to our knowledge, been subject to empirical investigation. Here we focus on pseudo-profound […]
The New “Need for Drama” Scale
We all know people who seem to always be creating unnecessary drama. But can this dimension of personality be measured? Scott Frankowski and his colleagues at the University of Texas at El Paso think so. In a new paper, they attempt to measure the “Need for Drama” personality. What is the Need For Drama personality? According […]
Are You Blirtatious?
Do you speak your mind as soon as a thought enters your head? Do people always say you’re a “straight shooter”? If so, you may qualify for membership in the blirtaeousness club. In the parlance of psychological science, B.L.I.R.T. is an acronym for “Brief Loquacious and Interpersonal Responsiveness Test”. High blirters express themselves easily in social situations, have […]
