Monthly Archives: November 2010
Being an expert isn’t all that great.
For a long time, psychologists have known about the heuristics people use to make sense of their worlds. One of the better known is the idea of chunking information into to smaller, more manageable pieces of information. Try memorizing this … Continue reading
You’re not doing it right.
The New York Times has been doing a nice job of covering one of my favorite topics: mindfulness. Their latest article highlights one of my other interests: technology and its use in psychological research. The NYT reports: Whatever people were … Continue reading
On avatars and anxiety
I’ve long been fascinated with the idea of using computers to deliver treatments. I’ve always been described as a gearhound and if you were to see my office, you’d understand why. While it may seem counter-intuitive that a psychologist would … Continue reading
Where has all the psychotherapy gone?
In “Where has all the psychotherapy gone?”, the APA Monitor asks: “Don’t you love ‘If your antidepressant isn’t working … try Abilify!’? How about: ‘If your antidepressant isn’t working, try psychotherapy!’” The author highlights disturbing trends in spending by drug … Continue reading
It’s not just for kids, anymore.
Psychologists have long known that one’s age isn’t a protective factor against eating disorders, but conventional wisdom, and perhaps treatment and research, have biased us against considering how an eating disorder affects middle-aged women. The NY Times reports: ‘At a certain … Continue reading
Prevention tips: exercise during leisure time
The BBC reports: People who were not active in their leisure time were almost twice as likely to have symptoms of depression compared to the most active individuals, the study found. This finding is hardly surprising, but the researchers point out … Continue reading