When Risk Pays Off

Some are wired to chase highs. The rest of us can build strength by pushing beyond our comfort zone.

Are You a Risk Taker?

It's not just a behavior. It's a personality.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/are-you-risk-taker

What Your Handshake Says about Thrill-Seeking

A strong grip means more than assertiveness.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/what-your-handshake-says-about-thrill-seeking

The Calculated Gamble

Is there a DSK inside of you?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/the-calculated-gamble

Swallow Your Fear

Navigating risky situations teaches you a great deal about yourself.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/swallow-your-fear

Risky Business: A Youthful Pursuit

Why taking risks is an important part of adolescent development.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/risky-business-youthful-pursuit

What's Stress Got To Do with It?

Why stress decreases risk-taking in older adults.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/whats-stress-got-do-it

Superhero Stance

Stand like a superhero, feel like a superhero, act like superhero.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/when-risk-pays/superhero-stance

Do You Dare to Be Bad?
You can get unstuck creatively by saying "Hi" to your shadow.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/when-risk-pays/do-you-dare-be-bad

Risky business? Why women earn less than men
What keeps women from getting what they want in the workplace
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/when-risk-pays/risky-business-why-women-earn-less-men

Telling the Truth to Create Intimacy
How honesty and care can coexist in our relationships.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/when-risk-pays/telling-the-truth-create-intimacy

The Risk of Living Deeply
Living deeply is a risk we are all invited to take.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/when-risk-pays/the-risk-living-deeply

Smoking and the Thrill-Seeking Gene
Are smokers wired to light up?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/smoking-and-the-thrill-seeking-gene

What's Your Risk Profile?
Don't ask me to bungie jump, but I will start up a conversation.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/why-we-take-risks/whats-your-risk-profile

For Love or Money

Whether you and your partner hail from different economic backgrounds or just hold opposing attitudes toward money, there's probably at least one financial question that creates friction in your relationship. Among the most common: Is your salary just yours, orours? Should you take turns being breadwinner? And, one of the most difficult: Is the debt you've racked up before you met now a joint problem to tackle?

When Money Talks

Getting honest about your financial fears and fantasies.

Till Debt Do Us Part

Why keeping your debt a secret is more harmful than cheating.

Love on a Shoestring

10 tips for when the money gets tight.

Should You Sign a Prenup?

Making a deal can sow the seeds of divorce or provide a crash course in conflict resolution.

Budgeting—As Important as Sex

How debt can undermine a marriage.

Men, Women, and Money

Face it or not, money is always a partner in relationships.

If You Play Hard To Get, Are You a Winner?
Are refusal and denial really potent aphrodisiacs?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/if-you-play-hard-get-are-you-winner

Cooperation for Love or Money: Sailors Versus Baboons
Won't you scratch my back, dear? Or don't you trust me?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/cooperation-love-or-money-sailors-versus-baboons

What Your Therapist Will Never Tell You About Money
Money remains a taboo subject for patients and therapists alike
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/what-your-therapist-will-never-tell-you-about-money

Grow to be a child
What does it take to become childlike again?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/grow-be-child

For GOP Candidates, Only the Few, the Married,

the Monogamous Are Real Americans
GOP candidates only want married Americans to have rights.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/gop-candidates-only-the-few-the-married-the-monogamous-are-real-ame

Money Problems Have Nothing to Do with Marital Problems,

and Other Bad Advice from the Past
Guess who was most skeptical of bad advice about marriage
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/money-problems-have-nothing-do-marital-problems-and-other-bad-advic

Teach your Kids Money Lessons--Don't give them Money Messages
Money messages invoke shame--money lessons are empowering
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-or-money/teach-your-kids-money-lessons-dont-give-them-money-messages

The Well-To-Do Woman
Wealthy women are in no hurry to marry.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/love-and-money-how-handle-finances-in-relationship/love-or-money

Living on Autopilot

Research shows that half the time, your mind is out in space.

Out To Lunch

Why you're checked-out half the day.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/are-you-auto-pilot/out-lunch

Shopping Without Thinking

Why you should take a list to the supermarket.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/are-you-autopilot/shopping-without-thinking

How GPS Eats Your Brain

Learning when to turn off the navigator.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/are-you-auto-pilot/is-gps-eating-your-brain

Is It Okay to Be Set in Your Ways?

Routines are good—as long as there's some spontaneity, too.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/life-automatic-pilot/is-it-bad-be-set-in-your-ways

Mindlessness and Memory Slips

If you don't encode, you can't retrieve.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/life-automatic-pilot/mindlessness-and-memory-slips-how-find-what-youve-lost

Stuck in Routines

Why it's hard to learn new tricks.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/are-you-auto-pilot/dont-drink-the-water

Dissociating is like watching your life from 50 feet off the ground

"I wasn't sure I wanted to stop dissociating."
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/dissociating-is-watching-your-life-50-feet-the-ground

To Lose the Weight, You Gotta Change How You Relate (to Food)
Why behavioral skills are the key to long-term weight loss
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/lose-the-weight-you-gotta-change-how-you-relate-food

How to See the World Anew
Learn from Buddhists to see (and photograph) mindfully.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/how-see-the-world-anew

Using your mind (and brain) to make healthier choices
Put on your thinking cap when you make food choices
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/using-your-mind-and-brain-make-healthier-choices

Don’t Condemn Your Instincts
7 Reasons to Honor Your Autopilot
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/don-t-condemn-your-instincts

The Wisdom of Wei Wu Wei: Letting Good Things Happen
Why too much effort can be self-defeating
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/the-wisdom-wei-wu-wei-letting-good-things-happen

Think you can't be persuaded by ads you ignore? Think again.
When mindless persuasion trumps thoughtful deliberation
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/living-autopilot/think-you-cant-be-persuaded-ads-you-ignore-think-again

Time Flies When You're Older
Why life passes more quickly as we age.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/life-automatic-pilot/why-time-goes-faster-you-get-older

Be Here Now
How creativity jolts you back into the moment.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/life-automatic-pilot/be-here-now-mindfulness-and-the-creative-spirit

May I Have Your Attention?
On thinking and not thinking.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/are-you-auto-pilot/may-i-have-your-attention

The Complaint Choir
When it comes to our complaints, we're stuck on auto.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201107/life-automatic-pilot/what-complaints-choirs-tell-us-about-our-complaining-psychol

Asch Conformity Experiment

Perfect example of 'herd' mentality



The Asch conformity experiments were a series of studies published in the 1950s that demonstrated the power of conformity in groups. These are also known as the "Asch Paradigm".






Asch conformity experiments
The Asch conformity experiments were a series of studies published in the 1950s that demonstrated the power of conformity in groups. These are also known as the "Asch Paradigm".

Introduction
Experiments led by Solomon Asch asked groups of students to participate in a "vision test." In reality, all but one of the participants were confederates of the experimenter, and the study was really about how the remaining students would react to the confederates' behavior.

Method
In the basic Asch paradigm, the participants — the real subjects and the confederates — were all seated in a classroom. They were asked a variety of questions about the lines such as how long is A, compare the length of A to an everyday object, which line was longer than the other, which lines were the same length, etc. The group was told to announce their answers to each question out loud. The confederates always provided their answers before the study participant, and always gave the same answer as each other. They answered a few questions correctly but eventually began providing incorrect responses.
In a control group, with no pressure to conform to an erroneous view, only one subject out of 35 ever gave an incorrect answer. Solomon Asch hypothesized that the majority of people would not conform to something obviously wrong; however, when surrounded by individuals all voicing an incorrect answer, participants provided incorrect responses on a high proportion of the questions (32%). Seventy-five percent of the participants gave an incorrect answer to at least one question.

Results
Variations of the basic paradigm tested how many confederates were necessary to induce conformity, examining the influence of just 1 confederate and as many as 15 confederates. Results indicate that 1 confederate has virtually no influence and 2 confederates have only a small influence. When 3 or more confederates are present, the tendency to conform is relatively stable.
The unanimity of the confederates has also been varied. When the confederates are not unanimous in their judgment, even if only 1 confederate voices a different opinion, participants are much more likely to resist the urge to conform than when the confederates all agree. This finding illuminates the power that even a small dissenting minority can have. Interestingly, this finding holds whether or not the dissenting confederate gives the correct answer. As long as the dissenting confederate gives an answer that is different from the majority, participants are more likely to give the correct answer.
One difference between the Asch conformity experiments and the Milgram experiment as carried out by Stanley Milgram (also famous in social psychology) is that the subjects of these studies attributed their performance to their own misjudgment and "poor eyesight", while those in the Milgram experiment blamed the experimenter in explaining their behavior. Conformity may be much less salient than authority pressure.
The Asch experiments may provide some vivid empirical evidence relevant to some of the ideas raised in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four (see 2 + 2 = 5). This also helps illustrate the concept of "point at a deer and call it a horse" (simplified Chinese: 指鹿为马; traditional Chinese: 指鹿為馬) that was made infamous by Zhao Gao.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asch_conformity_experiments

Power, systems and happier choices

Whose happiness matters more? Mine or yours? How do we work that out?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-work/201101/power-systems-and-happier-choices

Whom Can You Trust?

How to sort the liars among us from reliable folk—and build others' confidence in you.

Are You Trustworthy?

How self-control makes others have faith in you.

Protect Yourself from Liars and Deceivers

Expose those who try to deceive you.

When (Not) to Believe Politicians

The effect of broken promises.

Do Relationships Need Lies to Survive?

Save a relationship with a lie? Not a serious one.

In Parents We Trust

Can we revive trustful parenting?

Merchants of Doubt

Manufactured controversy and dissent in science.

An Encounter With "The Salesman Smile"

If you can't read facial expressions, how can you judge sincerity?

Trust Feels Good. Betrayal Feels Bad. How We Decide.
Lizards trust none. Sheep trust all. Primates analyze patterns.

Sex, Lies, and More Lies: The Strauss-Kahn Case
What will the long-term effects be of the DSK case on rape victims?

Is Your Teen Trustworthy? Can You Tell?
Can you really tell when your teen is lying?

Looks Can Kill – Your Better Judgment
An angelic look can fool government agents

Masks of Sanity (Part Four): What is a Psychopath?
The term "psychopath" is being overused by expert commentators.

Truth, Lies and Self-Deception
None of us are beyond deceiving ourselves.

Trust Your Feelings? . . . Maybe Not
Why trusting our feelings can be dangerous.

Does Your Boss Trust You?
You can bridge the trust gap

When it comes to personality tests, a dose of healthy skepticism is a good thing
Can you trust in horoscopes, or even personality tests?

Best Face Forward
First impressions of trustworthiness are key.

Do You Trust Yourself?
Here's how to get better at it.

Why We Lie, Cheat, and Make Excuses
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201106/trust/why-we-lie-cheat-and-make-excuses

Trust Your Gut
Do you really need to ask people for advice?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201106/trust/important-thing-no-one-will-tell-you

Have You Been Misdiagnosed?

Autism. Bipolar Disorder. Psychopathy. ADHD. It's important to seek help for problems. But in an age of insta-diagnosis, fixing something you don't really have can be as dangerous as letting it go.

Normal in an Abnormal World

ADHD diagnoses derive from schools' intolerance of normal human diversity.

The Bipolar Child, Really?

Why the kids are all right.

Why Introverts Aren't Nuts

Is there something wrong with you if you're an introvert?

Is Obesity a Mental Illness?

Why we're too quick to label it.

The Future of the American Mind

Is Nurse Ratched winning?

My Ex Is a Narcissist
What's the difference between a sociopath and a frustrating ex?

The Illusions of American Psychiatry
Why our confidence is misplaced.

Six Problems wih Psychiatric Diagnosis for Children
Differences do not a disease make.

Psychopathy in Unexpected Places
Hint: They may be at a desk near you.

Is Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder a fad?
Pay attention to those struggling with inattention.

Porn-Induced Sexual Dysfunction Is A Growing Problem
Internet porn appears to be "sex-negative" for many users.

Normalcy, Neurosis and Psychosis: What is a Mental Disorder?
Who determines what is "normal" and "abnormal"?

How Psychologists Can Help Correct DSM-V: A Response
Psychology must assert more influence regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Medicalization of the mind: The changing Alzheimer's guidelines
Diagnosis and misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

“How I Recovered from Porn-related Erectile Dysfunction”
A 28-year old heals his chronic copulatory impotence.

How to treat ADD
There's no wrong diagnosis in Hollywood's mental health. A Funny Friday cartoon.

Do Nice Guys Finish Happiest?
Why increasing your kindness/altruism can increase happiness

Diagnosis Normal: Bright, Conflicted, and Out of Sync
When inner conflict is a sign of mental health

A Rose by Any Other Diagnostic Name...
The dilemma of diagnosis within FASDs

Is Food Addictive?
The fight over the meaning of addiction is now a food fight

Subthreshold Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar spectrum, a problematic concept

Depression Is Depression
Pssst, post-natal depression is just depression

Psychosis: Who Is at Risk?
Normalcy, neurosis, and psychosis, and what is predictable.

Personality Disorders: The DSM Roadmap
The DSM-V offers new criteria for personality disorders

DSM-5 Attempts to Sweep Porn Addiction Under the Rug
Time to acknowledge the link between sex and brain science
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201105/problems-psychiatric-diagnosis/dsm-5-attempts-sweep-porn-addiction-under-the-rug

Shadow Syndromes and the Crazy Scale: A Cautionary Tale
Everyone's a little crazy...
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201105/problems-psychiatric-diagnosis/shadow-syndromes-and-the-crazy-scale-cautionary-ta

Is Bipolar the Disorder Du Jour?
Does bipolar really occur at twice the frequency in the USA?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201105/problems-psychiatric-diagnosis/is-bipolar-the-disorder-du-jour

Why You're More Normal than You Think
How psychiatrists pathologize sexuality and illness
http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201105/problems-psychiatric-diagnosis/psychiatric-diagnosis-czars-pathologize-sexuality-

Art and Mental Illness: Stop the Insanity!
Let's lay to rest the stereotypes about art and mental illness.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201105/problems-psychiatric-diagnosis/art-and-mental-illness-stop-the-insanity

Are you past oriented or future oriented?

The Secret Powers of Time
Professor Philip Zimbardo conveys how our individual perspectives of time affect our work, health and well-being. Time influences who we are as a person, how we view relationships and how we act in the world.