For many of us, the word “solitude” may conjure up feelings of anxiety and fear. In fact, being alone tends to only work well in a Goldilocks sense: not too much or too little is good for us. Yet, in general, apart from the occasional novelist or scientific genius, for many people, being alone is […]
Mindfulness is a technique that has developed out of eastern philosophic traditions such as Zen Buddhism. The idea has been around for a long time, but, in recent years, mindfulness has taken on a life of its own, becoming a way to manage stress and anxiety. And with the holiday season quickly approaching, turning to […]
Earlier this week, autumn Daylight Savings Time begun, and although most of us gained an extra hour to sleep in this past weekend, the reduced exposure to natural light has been known to contribute to a mental disorder known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or, as it is commonly referred to, “SAD.” Many of us who live in the […]
We live in a culture where success is highly prized and failing isn’t. From our childhood years well into adulthood, we are often taught that failing—in the realm of sports, academics, career, family life, and so on—remains something that one ought to avoid. Furthermore, the idea of always winning at any cost is so ingrained […]
With Halloween right around the corner, spirits, ghost, and other spirits of the dead may be on the mind. As a child, Halloween was always my favorite holiday, and it continues to remain so in my adult years. Autumn, in general, is a whimsical time of year, and when the colors of the leaves and […]
The Just World Belief (JWB) is a psychological concept that asserts that people basically “get what they deserve and deserve what they get.” Years of research into this cognitive construct have revealed some interesting insights. For instance, individuals who endorse the JWB, according to numerous studies, are likely to be: • Less prone to depression […]
Spirituality can be a difficult concept to define. It’s similar to the concept of time, we know what it means until we are asked to define it. In general, spirituality often involves a dimension of searching, of seeking—whether it is for meaning, existential answers, or a connection with something greater than ourselves. But how should spirituality […]
Prior to the invention of brain scanning technology such as the MRI machine, studying the brain was left to the speculations of philosophers. It wasn’t until recent decades when disciplines within psychology and cognitive scientists began to understand the various regions of the brain and what they do. Now, a wealth of information and understand […]
As the school year kicks off, it may be worth taking a moment to ask yourself a simple question: Do believe intelligence is flexible or fixed? The way you answer that question could actually influence your learning success, according to a study published by a group of researchers. The study, titled, “Why Do Beliefs about […]
For many years, professional psychologists and lay people have used the term “passive-aggressive” to describe people, such as bosses, co-workers, and perhaps friends who demonstrate behaviors of tacit aggression. The concept has repeatedly showed up in the academic literature and in pop psychology magazines for decades. That said, however, how does someone identify truly passive-aggressive […]