Emily Kitazawa, Author at Shortform Books

What Creates a False Sense of Entitlement?

How does a person create a false sense of entitlement? Why is it harmful to themselves and others? According to psychologist Martin Seligman, unearned self-esteem leads to a false sense of entitlement by making people believe it’s not necessary to work hard for success. Seligman says this is in part due to societal pressure to always maintain high self-esteem. Read on to learn the causes and dangers of a false sense of entitlement, according to Seligman.

Understanding Other People’s Feelings: The Myths & Truths

How can you better understand other people’s feelings? What are the benefits of empathizing with others? If you want to understand other people’s feelings, you need to first understand your own emotions, according to Lisa Feldman Barrett. Barrett is a neuroscientist and psychologist who has devoted herself to deconstructing old theories of emotions to create a new, more accurate theory. Read on to learn the myths and truths Barrett has identified about understanding other people’s feelings.

Emotion and Facial Expression: Can You “Read” People?

Is there a relationship between emotions and facial expressions? How can you “read” someone’s emotions, according to psychology? According to Lisa Feldman Barrett’s research, the idea that facial expression reveals emotion is an outdated concept. Barrett claims that emotions are constructed rather than innate to humans, so a facial expression could have different meanings from one person to the next. Keep reading to learn why facial expression and emotion actually aren’t related, according to Barrett.

2 Lessons From Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers Poems

What are Rupi Kaur’s poems in The Sun and Her Flowers about? What are the key lessons and takeaways from the poems? Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers is a book of poems describing her life experiences and what she learned from making it through tough times. Some of the most important lessons Kaur learned were how to appreciate the positives and criticize the negatives in her life. Keep reading for an overview of the life lessons from Rupi Kaur’s poems in The Sun and Her Flowers.

Why Letting Go of Your Anger Protects You From Illness

What are the benefits of letting go of your anger? How can letting go of anger protect your body from illness? In her book, How Emotions Are Made, neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett studied how humans create and experience emotions. Based on Barrett’s findings, letting go of your anger might be the healthiest thing you can do—physically and mentally. Read on to learn why Barrett says letting go of your anger protects you from illness.

Using Buddhism and Mindfulness to Manage Emotions

What is mindfulness, according to Buddhism? How can using Buddhism and the concept of mindfulness help to manage your emotions? The Buddhist concept of mindfulness has gained popularity recently thanks to its healing effects on your body and mind. In her book, How Emotions Are Made, psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett explains why learning to use mindfulness in your daily life helps to relieve stress and balance your mood. Keep reading to learn about Buddhism and mindfulness, according to Barrett’s findings.

Martin Seligman: Learned Helplessness Leads to Depression

What was Martin Seligman’s major contribution to psychology? What is the psychology of helplessness? How can you know if you’ve learned helplessness? Psychologist Martin Seligman’s learned helplessness theory has changed how we understand pessimism and optimism. Perhaps most importantly, Seligman’s theory helps to explain a leading cause of depression and how to treat it by unlearning helplessness. Read on to learn about Martin Seligman’s learned helplessness theory and why it can lead to depression.

Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Theory: Emotions Are Learned

What is Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of emotions? How is her theory different from everything psychologists have said in the past? After years of research, psychologist and neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett claims she’s discovered the secret to understanding human emotions. Barrett’s book, How Emotions Are Made, explains how you actually learn emotions—they’re not innate as many previously believed. Read on for Lisa Feldman Barrett’s theory of emotions and find out why she says “emotions don’t happen to you.”

The Meaning Behind The Sun and Her Flowers (Rupi Kaur)

What is the true meaning of The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur? How can you find a deeper understanding of Kaur’s book of poems? There is a deep meaning behind each poem in Rupi Kaur’s book, The Sun and Her Flowers. Collectively, Kaur’s poems explain how she dealt with the complex emotions of love, trauma, and insecurities. Keep reading to learn what the poems in The Sun and Her Flowers mean, according to Kaur.

Emotional Neuroscience (A New Theory of “Feeling”)

What is emotional neuroscience? What does a modern theory of emotion tell us about neuroscience and emotions? According to neuroscientist and psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, emotional neuroscience gives us a modern explanation of emotions, and many beliefs about how humans “feel” are outdated. Barrett’s new theory of constructed emotion reveals the neuroscience behind feelings and emotions. Read on to learn how Barrett explains emotional neuroscience with her theory of constructed emotions.