Happiness is a person’s greatest aim in life. Tranquility and rationality are the cornerstones of happiness. – Epicurus There are a lot of “invisible,” psychological factors that influence our evaluations and behavior. For example, maybe you’re certain that this is the consumer product you want. Or you just know this is the right romantic partner…
This week, I’m excited to bring you something unique for Everyday Psych: a personal interview with one of psychology’s most esteemed and influential psychologists, Dr. Richard Nisbett. Dr. Nisbett discovered some of the most interesting findings in social psychology, conducting research on people’s ability to introspect, on what ‘intelligence’ actually is, and how people from…
Do what you can, where you are, with what you have. — Teddy Roosevelt Throughout my years in graduate school, I have been obsessed with trying to understand one specific human behavior: When and why people try to persuade others of their opinions (i.e., engage in “word of mouth”) In fact, I was recently featured…
Deflating inflated egos is so important to God that He offers to help. — Max Lucado Now, don’t be offended by this, but it’s a well-established fact that you likely evaluate yourself more positively than you should. And that includes me evaluating myself, too. Whether that’s our driving skills, our ability to communicate, or even…
When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. — Viktor Frankl Last week, we talked about what it means (scientifically) to lead a meaningful life. And this week, I promised to discuss how (scientifically) to lead a meaningful life. And because one of the ways I find meaning…
Every time I find the meaning of life, they change it. — Unknown Lately, I’ve been asking myself the “big” questions: Where will I live next year? Will I be employed? Will Rick and Morty ever air a 4th season? However, what I’m really asking is whether or not I am—or will be—living a meaningful life….