Blog | The Psych Files

Episode 110: Narcissism Among Celebrities, on Facebook and in Shakespeare

Michael
November 22, 2009
5 Comments

Are celebrities really more narcissistic than you are? Is your Facebook page telling the world that you are a narcissist? And finally: who is Shakespeareâ€™s most narcissistic character? Iâ€™ll give you a hint: the character can be found in Twelfth Night. So if youâ€™re looking for more information about the Narcissistic Personality Disorder, or just everyday narcissism, as well as examples of famous narcissists, youâ€™ll find it in this in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 109: Correlation and Causation

Michael
November 10, 2009
11 Comments

Delving into Correlation and Causation Ever wondered about the relationship between correlation and causation? You’re not alone. This widely quoted saying “correlation doesn’t mean causation” has left many scratching their heads. But fret not, we’re here to simplify this complex concept. Understanding Through Humor In an amusing approach, The Psych Files presented a “Breaking News” […]

Episode 108: Kubler-Ross’ Five Stages of Grief – More Harm Than Good?

Michael
October 26, 2009
10 Comments

Almost everyone has heard of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, her book On Death and Dying, and her five stages of grief. But are these stages accurate? Could the five stages of grief actually be doing more harm than good?

Episode 107: Freud, Projective Tests and …. Poetry

Michael
October 18, 2009
10 Comments

How do the Rorschach, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the House, Tree, Person tests work? Do you reveal something about yourself when you tell stories about pictures or tell what you see in an inkblot or even when you do something as seemingly innocent as drawing a a picture of a house? Find out in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 106: Your Sexual Orientation – How Did It Develop?

Michael
October 11, 2009
18 Comments

How did you get to be heterosexual? Homosexual? Bisexual? Was it nature or nurture (or both?). Were you born with a sexual orientation or did it develop as you grew? What role did your parents play? In this episode I present the most recent scientific research on the topic of how we develop our sexual preference. Youâ€™ll find out whether heterosexual men have more testosterone than homosexual men, how most people know their sexual orientation when they are as young as 10 years old (blame your adrenal gland), how your third intersitial nucleus might be playing a role and finally, could it have something to do with the length of your fingers? Find out in this episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 105: Smart Birds are More Successful with the Ladies

Michael
September 25, 2009
2 Comments

A popular piece of animal research indicates that intelligent male Browerbirds appear to have greater mating success (researcher lingo for sex). The more sensitive birds may also be more preferred by the opposite sex as well. So much for the jocks. Find out about this fascinating research on animals in this video episode of The Psych Files.

Episode 104: Can Positive Affirmations Improve Your Self Esteem?

Michael
September 10, 2009
12 Comments

Can positive affirmations help raise your self esteem? People use daily affirmations and money affirmations to help them feel more confident, build their self esteem and bring positive events into their lives. But do they really work? If not, then what will?

Episode 103: Raising Children – Interview with Author Jamie Raser

Michael
August 30, 2009
6 Comments

Having trouble raising your children? Join the crowd. There are lots of parenting books, but hereâ€™s one you should know about: “Raising Children You Can Live With” by Jamie Raser. He has an approach to parenting that is not about “picking your battles”, but about staying out of battles altogether and talking with your child in a way that doesnâ€™t lead to shouting, screaming and anger. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Episode 102: How to Create an Online Experiment

Michael
August 24, 2009
16 Comments

Want to create an online experiment? Hereâ€™s how to do it. Iâ€™ll show you can create an experiment using two tools: Wix.com and Google Forms. Using these two tools, youâ€™ll be able to get creative and put together an experiment online that others can take.

Episode 101: The Psychology of Music: The Role of Expectations and Minor Chords

Michael
August 1, 2009
10 Comments

How does music affect us emotionally? Why do minor chords so sad? In this episode of The Psych Files I explore ideas from Daniel Leviton‘s fascinating book, Your Brain on Music, especially those ideas concerned with what composers do to draw you into their music by first conforming to your musical expectations and then carefully confounding them in order to surprise and delight.