Tinted Lenses

How bias distorts perception and shapes social interaction.

Steve Livingston is a social psychologist based in Toronto. See full bio

November 26, 2009

Is Anybody In There?

Rom Houben was involved in a car crash in 1983, then diagnosed and treated as comatose for over 20 years. He is now reported to be communicating intelligently with his family and hospital staff, claiming that he has been able to "hear, see, feel and think" the whole time, but not able to express himself. This case is being widely touted as a veritable miracle.

However, at least one of the evidental pillars in Houben's case is highly suspect. In this post, I discuss why you should be skeptical of the responses from him that are yielded via facilitated communication. Read More

November 13, 2009

Sunken War Chests

In democratic societies, wars require the support of the public. In this post, I discuss some of the media manipulations and judgment biases that foster such support even in the face of continued and demonstrable failure. Read More

November 6, 2009

How Do We Prevent Another Fort Hood?

It is hard to know what to say about a tragic incident like the shootings which occurred at Fort Hood, Texas on Thursday. Indeed, it seems best to say very little until more facts are known, other than to unequivocally condemn the actions of the gunman and try to console the grieving comrades and families of the casualties. So what do we need to learn before we can prevent a similar tragedy? In this post, I consider the dangers of making rash conclusions and policy decisions. Read More

November 4, 2009

Blending Out

Why are we so resistant to the idea of "interracial" mating? Is it something deep within us, an elder prejudice from the days when we roamed the savannah? How valid is this aversion from a biological standpoint? In this post, I reflect on these issues within an evolutionary social psychological framework. Read More

October 28, 2009

The Flu Bugaboo

With another flu season comes another predictable conversation over the merits of public vaccination programs. Vaccination is one of those thorny issues, like evolutionary theory, where the controversy in public opinion is far greater than is warranted by the controversy in expert opinion. In this post, I discuss some psychological biases that may evoke reluctance to be vaccinated. Read More

October 10, 2009

Sell Endowed

I recently stopped by a favourite clothing store to check out its fall collection. At the entrance, I was greeted by a sign that read: "Try on Any Jacket or Coat and Receive $20 Off Any Purchase of $85 or more."

What a deal! All I had to do was try something on, parade around in front of a mirror for a few seconds, take it back off, and then I could save up to nearly 25% on a purchase of something else. You would have to be stupid not to do that, right?!

Well, perhaps, but I knew enough to think twice before donning something off the nearest coat rack. What's the risk? Read on to find out! Read More

October 1, 2009

This Post is So Mayo

After you've studied the science of influence for a few years, it becomes very difficult to view commericals with an unjaundiced eye. The latest to catch my attention is the new youth-oriented campaign for Kraft's Miracle Whip. In this post, I voice my disdain for it and for past campaigns that have similarly traded upon anti-conformist slogans. Read More

April 28, 2009

Lay Perceptions

Michael Castleman made a general claim that there is little evidence of pornography-induced social harm. He backed up this assertion with some general statistics from the United States: "...as porn viewing has soared, rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, teen sex, teen births, divorce, and rape have all substantially declined. If Internet porn affects society, oddly enough, it looks beneficial." In this reply post, I make a brief case for not yet putting the issue to bed, and suggest that Castleman's analysis focuses on the wrong level of explanation. Read More

March 23, 2009

Controversy? What controversy?

Evolutionary theory has long withstood attacks from without and within, and intelligent design (ID) proponents mostly present repackaged versions of these old attacks. But the common scientific impulse in this case (i.e., "let's have a friendly inclusive debate!") misunderstands the purpose of the ID movement and the tactics of their leadership: by giving them an inch, you create a milestone.

March 18, 2009

Parents as Propagandists (Part Three)

In my last posting, I made a short case for considering ideological indoctrination as a psychological risk factor in child development -- and not just for the indoctrinated child, but for non-indoctrinated peers as well. However, I stopped short of suggesting legal intervention in these cases. Here's why... Read More

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