My notes on everything psychology related.
Heuristics are simple, efficient rules that humans use to make decisions in uncertain situations. We often think of heuristics as mental shortcuts that lead to quick, but sometimes inaccurate judgments. While this is true to some extent, heuristics can also be incredibly useful in helping us make robust decisions with limited information. In this blog … Read more
According to the Mayo Clinic, “An estimated 75 percent of Americans have foot pain at some point in their lives. Your feet are complex, containing 26 bones and more than 30 joints in each foot. All these bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments work together to enable you to walk, run and jump.” When any of … Read more
Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in our skin that keeps it moisturized and supple. As we age, our skin produces less hyaluronic acid, which can lead to wrinkles and dryness. Hyaluronic acid supplements are designed to replenish the loss of this important substance, but are they safe? Let’s take a closer look Are … Read more
David Sinclair is a biologist at Harvard Medical School who believes that ageing can be reversed. He has argued that the causes of ageing are known and that it should be possible to treat them. Sinclair’s critics argue that his ideas are not supported by evidence and that they are not practical. However, his work … Read more
In Thinking: Fast and Slow, Kahneman explains the representativeness heuristic, by giving us the example of Tom W, a fictional graduate student. Assume that you know nothing about Tom W, and you were asked to guess which major he is most likely in. I will simplify the example and include only three of these majors. … Read more
Cognitive Science: An Introduction to the Science of the Mind – José Luis Bermúdez – 2010 A text that introduces Cognitive Science, with examples, illustrations, applications, cutting-edge research, and new developments. Explores the achievements cognitive scientists have made and the challenges in the future. Acts of Meaning – Jerome Bruner – 1990 A critique of … Read more
Narcissus spent hours staring at his reflection until he turned into a flower, or so the Greek myth goes. Today, we think of Narcissus as the person who is too interested in how they look, are entitled, admire themselves too much, lack empathy, and have an excessive need for attention from others. This leads to … Read more
Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are – Joseph E. LeDoux – 2002 How does the memory function? What is the synaptic basis of mental illness and drug addiction? What is the mechanism of self-awareness? Consciousness and the Brain: Deciphering How the Brain Codes Our Thoughts – Stanislas Dehaene– 2014 How does our … Read more
To know yourself and to know others is useful because you will be better able to conduct yourself in the world. Without error, you don’t learn. But to learn, you have to undergo the painful experience of destroying previous conceptualizations of the world. Error is unpleasant but necessary. If you don’t err, and you get … Read more
Lesson 1: Deadwood Lesson 2: Order and Chaos Lesson 3: Don’t be Naive Lesson 4: Intelligence is not Necessarily Wisdom Lesson 5: You Don’t Lose Fear, You Become more Courageous Lesson 6: You Must be Willing to be a Fool to be a Master Lesson 7: Learn How to Negotiate with Yourself