Cui Bono

Human behavior unpacked

John A. Johnson Ph.D.

Thoughts: The Neglected Aspect of Personality

Personality includes consistent thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Why is there scarce research on personality thoughts?

Decoding Behavior With Thoughts and Feelings

The meaning of a behavioral personality pattern might seem obvious. But behavioral patterns cannot be fully understood without knowing underlying thoughts and emotions.

Irreconcilable Differences and Inherent Conflicting Interests

We tend to believe in moral truths. If moral truths exist, then there is always a correct resolution to conflict that advances goodness for all. Without truths, we must compromise.

Consciousness as Controlled and Controlling Hallucination

We are not aware of external or internal reality-as-it-really-is. Rather, we hallucinate these realities in a way that allows us to function in the world.

Cultivating Compassion, Attention, and Gratitude

Learning unnatural attitudes such as compassion for mean people is not only possible but a key skill for improving your wellbeing.

Moral-Political Polarity and Its Origin

There is a polarity in human thought and feeling that includes, but is much larger than, the political left-right divide. It may depend on our perceptions of safety and bounty.

When Men Behave Badly: A Summary of Problem Behaviors

David Buss shows how evolutionary psychology does not justify men's bad behavior but explains how that behavior can be changed. Part 2 of a 3-part book review.

When Men Behave Badly: How Evolutionary Psychology Can Help

Part 3 of 3: David Buss shows how evolutionary psychology does not justify men's bad behavior but explains how that behavior can be changed.

A Review of When Men Behave Badly by David Buss: The Background

David Buss shows how evolutionary psychology explains behavior and how that behavior can be changed. Part 1 of a three-part book review.

Schwartz model of relations among values

Are Your Values a Part of Your Personality?

Your values are what you care about the most, what really matters to you. But personality psychologists rarely include values as a part of personality. This is why.

How a Test Labels You as Introvert, Extravert, or In-Between

How can a psychologist tell from your answers to a personality quiz whether you are really an Introvert, Extravert, or In-Between?

Corona Virus COVID-19

Zombies and COVID-19

All of those end-of-the-world movies you've watched in your life were not just mindless entertainment. They may have helped you prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmentalism as Religion

Even nonreligious environmental activists evince a religious apocalyptic vision that undermines their credibility.

What Is Autonomy and Why Is It So Difficult to Achieve?

If we are the product of our parents' and peers' expectations, can we ever be truly autonomous?

What Creates Experiences of Magical Specialness?

What does it mean when things or people seems so special that they are not of this world?

When Right Is Not Right

Nearly all of us believe in moral truths, that certain things are objectively right or wrong. I explain why we accept moral truths, even though there are none.

Are All Personality Descriptions Social Constructions?

How do we know that our perceptions of personality are not just figments of our collective imagination?

Appeals to the Common Good as Immoral Manipulation

Although it seems obvious that we should all sacrifice for the "common good," who defines the common good? And shouldn't you get to choose who benefits from your self-sacrifice?

Psychological Research and Personal Agendas

John Lennon said, "We all want to change the world." Some think this can be done by creating feel-good stories about reality. We have a better chance by taking reality seriously.

Uganda Kob fighting

Is Property a Form of Theft?

Can the cooperative, mutually beneficial relationships that characterized small human groups for most of history be revived in a modern economy?

Fundamental Attribution Error: Neither Fundamental Nor Error

Science should never publish fake news. And yet social psychology has published fake news about the "Fundamental Attribution Error" for decades. Why?

Who Benefits From Your Political Behavior? You Do!

The political right is convinced that they are saving civilization while the left is destroying it. The left believes the opposite. Both are acting in their own self-interest.

Hormones and Intelligent Choices

Biology is destiny. But you are your biology, so you are your own destiny, or at least an important part of it. Trying to deny biology will not make you more free.

The Psychology of Expectations

"What's wrong with expecting people to do what is right? Don't I have a right to feel resentful when they don't?" Find out what is wrong with that kind of thinking.

Measurement Validity Explained in Simple Language

How do we know that a test that allegedly measures shyness actually measures shyness?

Measurement Reliability Explained in Simple Language

Many "quizzes" on the Web have no demonstrated reliability or validity. What you need to know as an informed consumer about the reliability and validity of psychological tests.

Hypotheses About Gender Imbalance in Expressing Opinions

Why are more opinion letters published in the NYT written by male authors? I explore both hypotheses about the answer to this question and how theories determine our hypotheses.

What Mythology Reveals About the Mind

Can myths reveal truths about the mind? And did you know that the stories you tell about yourself can be useful myth-making?

How Do Psychologists Determine Personality Trait Levels?

Where, exactly, is the dividing line between introversion and extraversion? Or, for any trait, how do psychologists determine if you are low, average, or high degree on that trait?

War as a Game

It may seem absurd that we have rules of fair play that regulate the way we conduct wars. The ethological concept of ritualized aggression may help to explain the Law of War.

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