Group Consensus & the Social Pressure to Believe (Even Wrongly)

a cartoon of a group of people all sharing only one thought bubble over their heads illustrates group consensus

How does social pressure influence our beliefs and decision-making? Can large groups of people all be wrong together? In her book Being Wrong, Kathryn Schulz explores the concept of group consensus and its impact on our thinking. She discusses the challenges of independent thought and the power that social influence wields over what we believe. Read on to discover how group dynamics shape our beliefs and why thinking for ourselves might be harder than we imagined.

Procrastination & Emotional Regulation: The Unexpected Link

A stressed person ignoring work and experiencing the connection between procrastination and emotional regulation.

How do your emotions cause you to procrastinate? What happens when you avoid negative emotions, rather than confront them? Timothy A. Pychyl says that procrastination results from a failure of the cognitive capacity psychologists call emotion regulation. This is the ability to manage your emotions, attention, and behavior so you can work toward your goals or act according to your values. Continue reading to learn why procrastination and emotional regulation are more commonly related than you might think.

How to Develop Mental Flexibility While You Sleep

A bearded man sleeping in a bed, improving his mental flexibility through lucid dreaming

How can practicing lucid dreaming help you develop mental flexibility? Why is mental flexibility valuable? Believe it or not, learning how to lucid dream can improve your life and your future prospects. If you dedicate time to practicing lucid dreaming, then you can literally improve your life in your sleep. Here’s how to develop mental flexibility through lucid dreaming.

Identity and Leadership: Discovering Your Core Beliefs at Work

A woman in business attire conflicted about identity and leadership, looking at a wall that reads "Who am I?"

Do people look up to you at work? What type of identity do you have as a leader? To be a role model to others, you need to have a firm grasp of what your own beliefs and values are. Clay Scroggins says that understanding this connection between identity and leadership can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Continue reading to discover what your leadership identity is.

Autism and Communication: Why Social Interaction Is Difficult

A group of friends communicating on a couch in a living room

Why can social interactions be difficult for those with autism? Why do autistic children gravitate toward adults? What is echolalia? For people with autism, communication and social interaction may be a struggle. This is because autistic people often struggle with eye contact, making connections, picking up on sarcasm, and more. Keep reading to understand more about why social interaction and communication are difficult for those with ASD.

The Psychology of Procrastination: Why You Can’t Stay Focused

A cartoon of a brain next to a clock, showing the psychology of procrastination

What’s the psychology of procrastination? Why are humans ill-equipped to deal with distractions? One reason we find ourselves procrastinating is that we don’t prepare for even the most obvious things that might go wrong, according to Timothy A. Pychyl. You know yourself and know how you typically behave, but you likely don’t use that information to your advantage. Check out how that leads to two causes of procrastination.

The Self in Western Thought: A Spiritual Neuroscientist Explains

the reflection of a young man in a mirror illustrates contemplation of the self in Western thought

Is there more to you than your thoughts and actions? What if the self you’ve always known isn’t as real as you think? In No Self, No Problem, Chris Niebauer challenges the understanding of the self in Western thought. He explores how our beliefs about identity, consciousness, and free will might be based on illusions. This book offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be human. Keep reading to discover why your sense of self might be more fluid than you ever imagined.

What Is Pre-Suasion? The Moment Before Making a Decision

a drawing of a man holding a question mark in each hand depicts what pre-suasion is in the moment before making a decision

Have you ever wondered why certain moments seem to have a bigger impact on our decisions? What is pre-suasion, and how can impact the choice someone else makes? In his book Pre-Suasion, Robert Cialdini explores the critical moment people experience just before making a decision. He reveals how this instant can significantly shape our choices and explains why it’s so influential. Cialdini’s insights offer valuable strategies for persuasion and decision-making. Read more to discover Cialdini’s fascinating findings and learn how to captivate the attention of others in that moment before they make a decision.