Mark Twain famously popularized the saying “Lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Statistics can be very persuasive, for good or evil purposes, but graphs representing statistics can be even more so. I’m not implying that people deliberately produce terrible graphs, although some do seem to be pushing an agenda or two. Read more…
I’m not a fan of masks–they’re uncomfortable, dirty, a hassle, and I’m not at all convinced that they do what they’re supposed to do, COVID-wise. That being said, if we have to do this, we might as well make a psychology lesson out of it. One of the interesting challenges Read more…
We have lived in our house for 35 years. During that time, our front and back gardens have undergone a number of iterations, making room for children’s play, adjusting for droughts and the inevitable skyrocketing water rates that accompany them, and backfilling when plants didn’t make it. Our front yard Read more…
I was delighted to receive my author copies of the fourth edition of Discovering Psychology: The Science of Mind yesterday. As some of you know, we lost my dear friend and co-author John Cacioppo three years ago. I asked Steph Cacioppo to step in and help me with the fourth Read more…
Anyone who has spent time around animals suspects that personality, or consistent ways of behaving and thinking, is not unique to humans. Pavlov certainly thought his dogs had personalities, and he is not alone. Our two Australian shepherds certainly have plenty in common–smarts, loyalty, a “velcro dog” need to be Read more…