If you’re like me you love discovering new words in books, in everyday conversation. Expanding your vocabulary just feels… nice. Like you’ve done something good for your brain. And having new words in your linguistic armory is a useful tool whenever you want to explain concepts that are hard to do in more mundane, common …
Read moreHow to pronounce aesthetic (and other tricky words)
Thumbsucking is a common, perfectly normal behaviour in babies and infants which most of us grow out of. But what does it mean when thumbsucking continues into adulthood? We take a dive into the psychology of adult thumbsucking and the causes, consequences and side effects. First off, let’s take a trip back to the womb…. …
This is my highly subjective, opinionated list of the most highly overrated things in 2023. Society and politics 1) A formal education Do you really need a college degree to get on in life these days? Well, if you want to become a surgeon, YouTube videos aren’t going to win over 8 years at med …
Is reading subtitles good for your brain? Short answer, yes. Reading subtitles while you’re watching TV or a movie has multiple cognitive benefits; strengthening reading skills, boosting comprehension and attention to detail, and improving memory. Subtitles are back in fashion Subtitles are experiencing a renaissance. According to a recent survey 80% of 18-25 year olds …
From gaslighting partners to abusive mothers, here are some of the best portrayals of narcissists in the movies: Movie classics about narcissists 1) Citizen Kane (1941) A landmark of movie history, Oscar Welles wrote, directed and stars in the lead role of narcissistic newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane. Kane embodies every symptom of what modern …
What’s the most important aspect of learning a foreign language? Some say learning grammar is the foundation. Others stress the importance of reading, writing or listening to unfamiliar words and phrases. And of course, speaking the language is fundamental if you want to be fluent in conversation. But arguably, under-pinning all of these elements, focussing …
Read more12 unusual ways to learn foreign vocabulary words fast and effectively
Dr. Philip Zimbardo is one of the most notorious names in psychology. He is best known for his 2-week experiment in 1971 on prison life: an experiment that had to be cut short when normal, everyday college students acting as guards meted out inhuman treatment to other college students acting as prisoners. Although Dr. Zimbardo spent most of his …
Read morePhilip Zimbardo: Beyond the Stanford Prison Experiment
Retailers love our impulsive shopping habits, but these types of purchases are often a result of our psychological weakness. Impulse shopping, we all do it. For some, our weakness strikes at the end of a crazy day. For others it’s the strategically placed treats straddling the checkout counters. Impulse buying happens when we want to pamper ourselves, or discover a great deal, discount or buying …
The Impostor Syndrome convinces us that we’re not worthy of our own successes. Find out how to defeat your inner impostor. Do you worry that people will find out that you aren’t nearly as competent as they think you are? Do you attribute your success to luck and timing; but your failure to your inherent inability / incompetence? …
Read moreThe Imposter Syndrome: Do you feel your life is a fraud?
Understanding why we fall prey to FOMO can help turn you fear and anxiety into a positive force for good Why it’s so hard to put the phone down Think of the last time you were having dinner with friends or family. It’s likely that sometime during the evening, one or more people at the table picked up their phones and …
Read moreFeel like you’re missing out? Here’s how to make FOMO your friend
Avoiding errors in reasoning, aka logical fallacies is crucial to forming better arguments and avoiding being manipulated by others 2000 years ago, Aristotle proposed that although we share much in common with the animal kingdom, what sets humans apart is our capacity for reason and rationality. Unfortunately however, we all make errors in reasoning – either …
Read more11 errors in reasoning: avoid these if you want to look smarter
Chatting to complete strangers might seem like a social taboo, but it can bring a surprising range of positive benefits More people live in urban settings than ever before. 54% of the world’s population now live in cities, surburbs and towns, and that number is expected to continue rising. The global population shift from the rural …
