One Among Many

The self in social context

Joachim Krueger is a social psychologist at Brown University who believes that rational thinking and socially responsible behavior are attainable goals. See full bio

September 13, 2009

Harnessing spirituality

Vaillant (2008) makes the case for positive emotions as a the basis of spirituality. He may be onto something.

August 14, 2009

A little science on positive energy

The term ‘positive energy' is much used and abused in folk psychology. Yet, there are some scientific ways of putting flesh on this bone. As an illustration, I describe a subtle strategy you can use to get others to like you; that is, to appreciate your ‘positive energy.' Read More

July 30, 2009

Self-affirmation and the limits of common-sense psychology

Sociologist Augustine Brannigan (2004) called for a moratorium on experimental social psychology. He argued that some of the classic experiments were flawed and that the findings were useless. Findings that were surprising were false; if they were not surprising, they merely confirmed common sense. I dispute Brannigan's claims by using a recent study on the effect of self-affirmation as an illustration. Read More

July 22, 2009

Henry Louis Gates and the limits of post-hoc psychology

What to make of Henry Louis Gates's arrest in his own home? I submit that psychology has little to contribute here, although the temptation must be great to render an "expert opinion." The strength of psychology is to predict behavior when the circumstances under which it occurs are known. Interpreting individual behavior (Gates's and the police officers') retrospectively is very difficult. Perceptions are liable to be tainted by prior belief. Read More

June 30, 2009

Conspiracy theory: Nachschlag

Amending an earlier post, I draw a distinction between grand and mundane conspiracy theories. Belief in the former can be derived from belief in the latter. Belief in mundane conspiracy has some survival value. The theory of evolution, which itself has no conspiratorial features, can help us understand why some people think too big. Read More

June 27, 2009

Conspiracy theories: Epistemology and entertainment

Conspiracy theories cater to basic needs for certainty, after-the-fact explanation, and personal superiority. The success of psychological science to explain the appeal of these theories is proportional to its failure to dismantle them.

May 9, 2009

Russell on happiness

Long after Aristotle, but decades before "positive psychology," Bertrand Russell, the rational hedonist, wrote a little book on happiness. Russell found that happiness is possible even though human nature does not make its attainment easy and even though many of society's mechanisms are designed to suppress it. Read More

April 25, 2009

The Germans and their water

Germans drink a lot of mineral water fortified with carbon dioxide. As a nation, they collective are a huge CO2 sink. They also willingly overpay for carbonized water at restaurants. When you ask for free tap water, as I did, interesting interpersonal dilemmas arise. Find out if I managed to beat the Germans at their own game. Read More

March 9, 2009

Beyond freedom (but not responsibility)

Some are worried that if we let go of the notion of free will, we will also have to let go of idea of personal responsibility. Then, we also must stop rewarding and punishing one another. I am not worried. Here is why. Read More

February 16, 2009

Free will! Can I have one?

Psychology continues to be torn between the idea that behavior is lawfully determined and the idea that humans are in charge of their own behavior (at least some of the time). Roy Baumeister has recently begun to argue that the science of empirical psychology can accommodate freely willed behavior. I review some of his arguments and explain why I am not convinced. Read More