Psychology Today Blogs

Healing the Discouraging Interactions of Nagging/Complainers and Their Passive/Aggressive Partners

Randi Gunther, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:46:47 +0000

There are few repetitive and discouraging relationship interactions that are as damaging as those between a partner who keeps pushing for unmet needs and the other who feels inadequate to fulfill them.

Should You Consume Sugar To Improve Your Self-Control?

Robert Kurzban, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:24:41 +0000

A new study further puts to the test the idea that sugar is "willpower fuel." And finds that it's not.

Some Ideas to Make Valentine's Day Extra Special

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:42:24 +0000

Valentine's Day was a humble day of remembrance until it was made a holiday. It wasn't by some mystical event or act of Congress—the holiday part of 2/14 was created by a greeting card company. But for those who bask in this day of love, it doesn't matter. What counts is that romance comes their way.

A Fight for More Scrutiny: The First GMO Animal Built for Human Consumption

Woodson Merrell, M.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:38:32 +0000

Blink and you'll miss a critically important moment in the effort to keep genetically engineered animals out of the food supply. But if you want clean food....pay attention!

Is World Happy Day on the Money?

Jessica Pryce-Jones — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:15:11 +0000

Does money make you happy? The overwhelming answer is...

A Wicked Case of Synesthesia

Maureen Seaberg — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:03:53 +0000

Broadway's Stephen Schwartz, a synesthete, can paint with all the colors of the wind.

Madmen, the Carousel, and the Pang of Nostalgia in the Walking Dead

Steven Schlozman, M.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:57:46 +0000

Madmen and The Walking Dead share the pang of nostalgic reckoning.

Why Are Politicians So Uncivil and Impolite With Each Other?

Michael Michalko — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:45:42 +0000

Compare the cynical behavior of today's politicians with the behavior of George Washington. Washington had 110 rules for civility and decent behavior that he followed. He led by example. Imagine our political environment if our politicians were mandated to be civil, respectful, and to behave decently toward each other?

How Beautiful Is the Feat of Getting It Right!

Christopher Badcock, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:25:38 +0000

An unusual form of synesthesia seems to invite belief in the unconscious, but the neuro-anatomy of foot-fetishism suggests a much more plausible explanation.

Writer's Block and Suicide in Film

Stuart Fischoff, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:18:33 +0000

I quickly realized I was waist-deep in a quagmire of misdirected science. A psychology book on film suicides with an anal personality.

Party Invitations are Arriving with Goodies

Dr. Barbara Greenberg, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:04:49 +0000

What to do when goodies in school lead to feeling excluded.

Why Can’t We Get Rid of Our Boss From Hell?

Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:18:52 +0000

Do you have a boss who is a nightmare? Is your boss incompetent? A tyrant, who makes your workplace a stress factory? Do you wonder why they don't fire your boss-from-hell? Here is why (and what you can do about the situation).

Parenting Your Way Past a Picky-Eating Problem

Dina Rose, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:11:45 +0000

Most parents I know would feed their children a healthier diet filled with fruits and vegetables if they thought their children would eat them.

Is It Best to Be Greedy in Tough Economic Times?

Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:08 +0000

There's a certain logic to the idea that greed is good when resources are scarce: when there's not a lot to go around, what could be better than hogging the goods for oneself to ensure one's survival? Researchers at Berkeley have an answer.

Ego Fatigue and the Pull of the Present

Marc Lewis, Ph.D. — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:55:23 +0000

In the field of addiction research, there has been increasing recognition that ego fatigue is a serious problem for recovering addicts. But I'd say that those of us who have been addicts are the real experts.

Not To Be Antisocial, But...Why Don’t You Leave Me Alone? Part III

David Hirshleifer — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:19:30 +0000

The friendship paradox is the finding that on average your friends have more friends than you have. I argued that this meant that they are highly gregarious people who issue lots of invitations—more than most of us would like to see. I now consider an objection, and a response: signaling.

School Bullying and Suicide

Maureen Healy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:09:25 +0000

Over the last few weeks, I have had a flurry of calls from "stressed out" parents because their kids said to them: "I am going to commit suicide if you make me go back to that school. I want to end it all. My 'friends' at school laughed at me when I was being teased and it was horrible.

I’ll Be Happy When...

Mel Schwartz, L.C.S.W. Mphil — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:10:17 +0000

What is the source of happiness? We tend to assume that happiness will come from a future event. It typically depends upon something else happening.

If Inability to Delay Gratification Causes Addiction—Uh, Oh!

Stanton Peele — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:06:41 +0000

A slew of books and articles (okay, a couple) seem to think that the American style of child-rearing creates kids unable to delay gratification. Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous? Ask Nora Volkow, Science (the journal), and Time Healthland—impulsiveness is a result of kids' brain structures. Once we fix those, none of us will become addicted!

Social Bookmarking for Your Small Business Blog

Karen Leland — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:04:01 +0000

"If you write it, they will come." Well at least that's what all those small businesses that start a blog in the hope of driving hoards of potential customers to their site anticipate will happen.

Help! I Don't Know What Kind of Parent I Am

Susan Weissman, M.Ed. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:02:57 +0000

In the years since my son Eden was born and diagnosed with life threatening food allergies there has been a counter trend towards laid back parenting, often called "slow" or "free range" parenting.

Is the Male Sex Drive the Cause of Wars?

Mark van Vugt, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:35:38 +0000

Why are humans so tribal and why do tribal wars almost always involve men as both perpetrators and victims? Our latest research suggests that men maybe biologically programmed to be warriors.

Hot Tips for Relationship Success, Part 2

Ravi Chandra, M.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:24:05 +0000

Who's talking now, the Owl or the Crocodile? Your limbic system can sabotage your relationship. Learn how, and learn how to use some incredibly helpful tools to get your love life back on track—just in time for Valentine's Day!

What Kind of Ancestral Leader Are You Most Like?

Gregg Murray, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:22:57 +0000

What kind of ancestral leader are you most like? Evolutionary Leadership Theory identifies six leadership functions carried out in ancestral groups that serve as leadership prototypes today.

Is Sexual Stereotyping Affecting Your Relationship?

Lisa Firestone, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:39:15 +0000

Many of our actions are still influenced by misconceptions about men and women that have been passed down through generations. In spite of their stated values, a surprising number of couples relate to each other based on stereotypical views of the sexes.

Jealous? It's Time to Take Action

Matthew B. James, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:54:26 +0000

Did you see this headline the other day about how people who are madly in love are more likely to put down and even act aggressively toward appealing members of their own sex they see as rivals? It turns out we are all susceptible to jealousy, a scary thought with Valentine's Day just around the corner and people getting ready to celebrate passionate love!

Love Is ...

Martha Peaslee Levine, M.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:53:19 +0000

Love is more than roses ... it is respect.

Who Needs a Pill for Sadness?

Kathy Seifert, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:49:00 +0000

There’s a huge market for easy cures that make people feel better right away. But when is sadness a normal feeling that we should experience and when does it become an illness that may require additional treatment?

Are You Postmonolingual?

Michael Erard, Ph.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:48:19 +0000

Even if you speak one language, you may be postmonolingual.

New York Times Article on Mindful Eating

Dr. Susan Albers, Psy.D. — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:36:26 +0000

Did you check out the New York Times Article, Mindful Eating as Food for Thought? If so, it is likely that it left you "hungry" for more information on this new healing approach to healthier eating. Learn more here!