The Chameleon Effect
Self-help books, persuasion manuals and glossy magazine articles often advise that mimicking body language can increase how much others like us. But is it really true that mimicry causes others to like us, or is mimicry just a by-product of successful social interactions?
Self-Study Positive Psychology Courses
How can you live a happier life? How can you discover your strengths and build on them? What is the case for hope and optimism? Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, a happiness researcher and life coach, addresses these important questions in a workbook aimed at helping you understand and apply the lessons from the latest research in positive psychology.
The Psychological Immune System
One of the most incredible things about the human mind is its resilience. Let's face it, life can be pretty depressing at times, and yet people generally push on much the same as they always have, sometimes even with a spring in their step and a smile on their face.
Why Do People Bother Voting?
It might seem like an undemocratic question but it's one that's always plagued me: why do I bother voting? Most people know their own tick in the box is hardly worth it when weighed against the effort involved in getting registered and actually going to vote, let alone when weighed against all the other people voting.
The Truth About Self-Deception
In theory the one person we should never, ever, lie to is ourselves. Surely lying to ourselves is counter-productive? Like calmly and deliberately shooting yourself in the foot or taking a hot toasting fork and plunging it into your eye?
How Rewards Can Backfire and Reduce Motivation
Surely one of the best ways to generate motivation in ourselves and others is by dangling rewards?
Yet psychologists have long known that rewards are overrated. The carrot, of carrot-and-stick fame, is not as effective as we've been led to believe. Rewards work under some circumstances but sometimes they backfire. Spectacularly.
How to Make People Believe in Telepathy
People love to believe in supernatural powers like telepathy. At least one-third of Americans report a belief in extra-sensory perception (ESP), with a further 40% refusing to rule out the possibility. Surveys in Europe reveal similar figures with one study finding that almost two-thirds of people believe in some form of ESP (further figures on the NSF website).
Are You a Liar?
It's a statistic often quoted to show how callous and heartless people are. It's the kind of number the misanthrope TV doc Gregory House (played by Brit Hugh Laurie) should have tattooed across his forehead.
