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Untangling Life's Complexities

Using science to help untangle life's complex problems

Imposter Syndrome

The Impostor Syndrome

Len Fisher Ph.D. on March 10, 2014

The impostor syndrome is the feeling that you are a fraud. That you’ve slipped through the system, but will soon be found out. That on the surface you may look deep, but deep down you know that you are shallow. It’s a feeling that I get when I sit down to write a blog for Psychology Today. Especially this one, on the syndrome itself and my experience of it…

The impostor syndrome is the feeling that you are a fraud. That you’ve slipped through the system, but will soon be found out. That on the surface you may look deep, but deep down you know that you are shallow. It’s a feeling that I get when I sit down to write a blog for Psychology Today. Especially this one, on the syndrome itself and my experience of it…

Procrastination

The Power of Procrastination

Len Fisher Ph.D. on November 26, 2011

Stanford philosopher John Perry has just been awarded a spoof IgNobel Prize for his 1996 theory of "structured procrastination." Perry suggests that we draw up a list of jobs in priority order, with the job at the top being one that seems terribly urgent, but actually isn't. But are there other types of job that we could use?

Stanford philosopher John Perry has just been awarded a spoof IgNobel Prize for his 1996 theory of "structured procrastination." Perry suggests that we draw up a list of jobs in priority order, with the job at the top being one that seems terribly urgent, but actually isn't. But are there other types of job that we could use?

Freudian Psychology

Jung's Explosive Visit to Freud

Len Fisher Ph.D. on September 20, 2011

A little-known incident in the life of the great Carl Jung concerns the time when he became convinced that he had made a bookcase in Sigmund Freud's study explode by mental force alone. But what really happened? And what does it tell us about the development of our own beliefs? ...

A little-known incident in the life of the great Carl Jung concerns the time when he became convinced that he had made a bookcase in Sigmund Freud's study explode by mental force alone. But what really happened? And what does it tell us about the development of our own beliefs? ...

Creativity

So You Want to Be a Writer?

Len Fisher Ph.D. on March 16, 2010

A story is told of a famous writer who was invited to address a group of aspiring authors. He arrived at the venue, walked onto the stage, and looked down at the upturned faces of his admiring audience. "Ya wanna be a writer?" he said "then **** off home and write."With that, he pocketed his check, and left.

A story is told of a famous writer who was invited to address a group of aspiring authors. He arrived at the venue, walked onto the stage, and looked down at the upturned faces of his admiring audience. "Ya wanna be a writer?" he said "then **** off home and write."With that, he pocketed his check, and left.

Altruism

Game Theory, Shmame Theory: Let’s Find a New Name That Doesn’t Put People Off

Len Fisher Ph.D. on January 27, 2010

Game theory is about the strategies that we use every day in our interactions with other people. It analyzes the consequences of those strategies, exposes the traps that we can get ourselves into, and suggests ways that we can escape from those traps. It is a terribly important adjunct to psychology, yet few people realize its power and usefulness. 

Game theory is about the strategies that we use every day in our interactions with other people. It analyzes the consequences of those strategies, exposes the traps that we can get ourselves into, and suggests ways that we can escape from those traps. It is a terribly important adjunct to psychology, yet few people realize its power and usefulness. 

Social Life

John Nash's Beautiful Mind and You

Len Fisher Ph.D. on January 1, 2010

Today marks the 60th anniversary of John Nash's discovery of a major stumbling block in human relationships. It is something that we should all know about - a Catch-22 logical trap that can damage relationships, foul up society and even block our efforts to resolve important problems like global warming. The discovery won him a Nobel Prize, and fame as the subject of the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind. Yet few people know what Nash's discovery actually was, and fewer still realize just how often we encounter it in our daily lives.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of John Nash's discovery of a major stumbling block in human relationships. It is something that we should all know about - a Catch-22 logical trap that can damage relationships, foul up society and even block our efforts to resolve important problems like global warming. The discovery won him a Nobel Prize, and fame as the subject of the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind. Yet few people know what Nash's discovery actually was, and fewer still realize just how often we encounter it in our daily lives.

Marriage

Strategies for Bargain Hunting: Lessons from the Octopus

Len Fisher Ph.D. on December 16, 2009

The coconut-carrying octopus bears an uncanny resemplance to a shopper triumphantly carrying an armload of bargains. But the comparison doeasn't end there ...

The coconut-carrying octopus bears an uncanny resemplance to a shopper triumphantly carrying an armload of bargains. But the comparison doeasn't end there ...

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