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“Are You There, god? It’s Me, Margaret”: Let’s talk about puberty!
In third grade, my mom handed me a frail copy of Are You There god? It’s Me, Margaret (AYTGIMM), by Judy Blume. The pages were discolored, the binding hanging on by a thread (literally). The state of the book mirrored my feelings after having “the puberty talk” at school, split by males and females, cramped in…
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Take It Easy: Reap the Benefits of Resting on Purpose
How do we “rest on purpose”? Let’s start with redefining the relationship between rest and work.
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What Neural Networks Put Second: Categorization Models as a Window into the Nature of Memory
What do older cognitive models of categorization tell us about memory that state-of-the-art neural networks do not? The difference between past and present is not just one of performance, but also of psychological insight.
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Obedience, Power, and Violence
Is an ordinary person capable of committing heinous acts? After the Holocaust (1941-45), many questioned how Nazi soldiers were capable of such senseless murder. Did it take a certain type of person, or did there exist situational factors that enabled their behavior? This historical moment inspired a series of influential psychological studies. Milgram’s Electric Shock…
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Let’s fight (the bad guys): Do superheroes teach kids good or evil?
Everyone loves a good superhero story. Superheroes have been a fixture in American pop culture for decades, but in the past 10-15 years we’ve witnessed a resurgence of superhero mania. Between movies, TV shows, toys, and even national conventions, the superhero fever is real. Given that superhero stories are characterized by themes of fighting against…
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Polyvagal Theory Part 1: The Wandering Nerve
The polyvagal theory is a neurobiological theory relating social engagement, physiology, and developmental outcomes. When I was first learning the theory, I struggled to understand some of the theory’s basic terms and could not find a resource that simplified it. Therefore, this three–part series of articles is intended to serve as an introduction to the…
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Can I become more inspired?
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” —Eleanor Roosevelt Happy new year! (It still counts as the new year, right?) How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like a lot of people, you might be beginning to lose sight of them. Research has found that a little over a third…
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May the Force be with you–while you wait
It has been a long year since the teaser trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII was first released and the opening showing of the film prior to the film’s wide release has finally arrived. But the wait does not end there! Here is a picture of a group of moviegoers queuing to enter the theatre.…
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On Essena O’Neill, #fitspo, and the “real-ness” of social media.
Essena O’Neill, the former teen Instagram model made the decision to quit Instagram after growing disillusioned and unhappy with the staged nature of her social media presence. Before deleting her Instagram account, Essena recaptioned all of her photographs to reflect her true experiences when they were taken and posted.
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Parenting in the Digital Age: Q&A with Yalda Uhls
About this Q&A Interview We are proud to secure an exclusive interview with Yalda T. Uhls, MBA, PhD — a child psychologist researcher and leading expert in how media affects children. She is a former Psychology in Action president and our most prolific blogger. Yalda continues to research with UCLA while serving as as director of Creative Community Partnerships at Common Sense Media, a national non-profit.…