http://www.thepsychfiles.com What Psychology is Really All About Thu, 16 May 2013 01:41:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 ThePsychFiles is a podcast for anyone interested in the topic of psychology and how theories in this field apply to everyday life. Dr. Michael Britt brings you an upbeat, fun podcast of interest to everyone from psychology majors to those just interested in why people do what they do. Michael Britt no Michael Britt michael@thepsychfiles.com michael@thepsychfiles.com (Michael Britt) 2007-2008 What Psychology is Really All About psychology, human behavior, psych major, psych http://www.thepsychfiles.com/images/TPFnewLogo144x144.jpg http://www.thepsychfiles.com http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3606/the-bystander-approach http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3606/the-bystander-approach#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 12:12:50 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3606 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3606/the-bystander-approach/feed 0 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3543/ep-195-how-to-memorize-piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3543/ep-195-how-to-memorize-piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:41:13 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3543 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3543/ep-195-how-to-memorize-piagets-stages-of-cognitive-development/feed 0 Mnemonics,Piaget Do you need to memorize Piaget's stages for a test? You've found what you're looking for. I'll use some familiar mnemonics ("1 is a bun", etc.) and some wacky images to get those stages - and what happens during them - into your mind. Do you need to memorize Piaget's stages for a test? You've found what you're looking for. I'll use some familiar mnemonics ("1 is a bun", etc.) and some wacky images to get those stages - and what happens during them - into your mind. You'll be able to remember when object permanence occurs, when children are capable of assimilation and accommodation, abstract and logical thinking, conservation of energy - it's all here. Take the time to watch this video, learn about mnemonics and memorize Piaget's stages of cognitive development once and for all! Mnemonic for Piaget's Stages Stage 1 - "1 is a bun" and SensoriMotor: use the "motor" part of sensorimotor and picture 4 cinnamon buns in place of the wheels on the motorcycle. To remember that object permanence occurs in this stage, use "two ants" for "permanence" and picture two ants riding two motorcycles Stage 2 - "2 is a shoe" and Preoperational: use "preacher" and imagine him wearing outrageously ugly or funny shoes. For magical thinking, which is typical of this stage, picture a rabbit coming out of the preacher's hat. To remember that the conservation tasks are a challenge during this stage, picture Smokey the Bear also wearing ridiculous shoes. To remember that assimilation also occurs in this stage, picture an ass (donkey) with those same shoes. Stage 3 - "3 is a tree" and Concrete Operations: picture a tree with concrete leaves and the tree is growing out of a concrete pot. Next to the tree is a pile of logs (for logical thinking) and also next to the tree is a wooden commode (for accommodation). Stage 3 - "4 is a door" and Formal Operations: picture a very wide door and behind that door are "four males" with excellent abs (for abstract thinking, which is possible at this stage). Click on this image which will open a new window. Download it and even use the images as flashcards: Michael Britt no 22:54 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3524/ep-194-what-do-i0-psychologists-really-do-testing-and-evaluation http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3524/ep-194-what-do-i0-psychologists-really-do-testing-and-evaluation#comments Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:13:35 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3524 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3524/ep-194-what-do-i0-psychologists-really-do-testing-and-evaluation/feed 0 industrial organizational psychology What do I/0 psychologists do anyway? Are you interested in this subfield of psychology? Well, here are a few things they DON'T do: they don't do "therapy in the workplace" and they don't do "motivational speaking". It's not what you think. What do I/0 psychologists do anyway? Are you interested in this subfield of psychology? Well, here are a few things they DON'T do: they don't do "therapy in the workplace" and they don't do "motivational speaking". It's not what you think. Industrial/Organizational psychology is practiced by professionals who's goal is to make sure that employees are productive and - and here's what I'll focus on in this episode - that job applicants are chosen based upon the skills and personality characteristics that are relevant to the jobs they are applying for. Find out more in this episode of The Psych Files. Resources on Industrial/Organizational Psychology It's essential to understand the concept of test reliability Another foundational concept that I/O psychologists - indeed all psychologists - must learn is test validity Of course, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of correlations is vital to the I/O psychologists and in this example I use tricky topic of what creates job satisfaction. Michael Britt no 31:43 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3482/ep-193-mindfulness-benefits-on-tests-and-at-work http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3482/ep-193-mindfulness-benefits-on-tests-and-at-work#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:55:18 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3482 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3482/ep-193-mindfulness-benefits-on-tests-and-at-work/feed 2 There is a lot of talk about mindfulness among psychologists today. Find out what mindfulness is and how it differs from meditation in this episode of The Psych Files. What might you use mindfulness for? Well, There is a lot of talk about mindfulness among psychologists today. Find out what mindfulness is and how it differs from meditation in this episode of The Psych Files. What might you use mindfulness for? Well, in addition to what you might expect - reducing stress - mindfulness training is also being used to improve job satisfaction and productivity. Interested in increasing your score on the GRE? Being more mindful might also help out there as well. The present study demonstrates that a 2-week mindfulness training program can elicit increased WMC (working memory capacity) and superior reading comprehension on the GRE. The practice of mindfulness…entailed promoting a persistent effort to maintain focus on a single aspect of experience, particularly sensations of breathing, despite the frequent interruptions of unrelated perceptions or personal concerns - Mrazek, et. al Resources on Mindfulness Mrazek, M D, Franklin, M S, Phillips, D T, Baird, B, and Schooler, J W. ‘Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering’, Psychological Science, March 28, 2013 Just Breathe: Confirming Meditation’s Benefits Mindfulness Training Boosts Test Scores The Power of Concentration An Example of How Psychoanalysts Really Interpret Dreams Zombies – 6 Reasons Why We Are So Fascinated By Them Michael Britt no 27:45 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3455/ep-192-an-example-of-how-psychoanalysts-really-interpret-dreams http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3455/ep-192-an-example-of-how-psychoanalysts-really-interpret-dreams#comments Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:08:49 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3455 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3455/ep-192-an-example-of-how-psychoanalysts-really-interpret-dreams/feed 7 Dreams,Freud What do psychologists really think about your dreams - do they have meaning? In this episode I talk about what psychologists think today about dreams. You probably know that Freud thought that dreams had a manifest content (the people and things that... What do psychologists really think about your dreams - do they have meaning? In this episode I talk about what psychologists think today about dreams. You probably know that Freud thought that dreams had a manifest content (the people and things that happened in the dream that you remember) and a latent content (the unconscious meaning of the dream). Do we still think this? Also: can you look up in a book or online to find out what your dreams meant? If you dream about a cat for example - what does this mean? In this episode I explore these questions with author and psychoanalyst Kerry Malawista. She and her colleagues discuss this topic in their book, Wearing My Tutu To Analysis. I'll talk to her and include my own thoughts about whether or not dreams have meaning and whether you should be taking the time to analyze them. In earlier episodes of The Psych Files I asked you not to dismiss Freud's ideas. Too often we only hear about his (100 year old) ideas on sex. There is A LOT more to Freud and this episode will convince you of that. Resources on Psychoanalysis The Dynamics of Therapy: Transference and Counter Transference: An Interview with Kerry Malawista Kerry Malwista's blog on the Psychology Today site, Wearing My Tutu to Analysis The Necessity of the Frame in Psychotherapy In Defense of Defense Mechanisms Modern Dream Interpretations What Do Dreams Mean? Whatever Your Bias Says Michael Britt no 21:47 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3423/ep-191-what-was-b-f-skinner-really-like http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3423/ep-191-what-was-b-f-skinner-really-like#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:39:33 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3423 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3423/ep-191-what-was-b-f-skinner-really-like/feed 5 Behaviorism,skinner Would you be surprised to learn that B.F. Skinner was a very likable guy and that you may actually be very much in agreement with his ideas? Many people who study psychology have a negative impression of Skinner. Well, Would you be surprised to learn that B.F. Skinner was a very likable guy and that you may actually be very much in agreement with his ideas? Many people who study psychology have a negative impression of Skinner. Well, I'm about to challenge those impressions by presenting a side of Skinner you probably haven't been exposed to. In these sound bytes you'll hear his ideas about learning to play music, about discovery, having fun and becoming the most that you can be. B.F. Skinner Listen to B.F. Skinner here on a show called The Limits of Human Freedom (1974). Skinner, B.F. with Charles Frankel and Eugene Kennedy.1974-07-14. Here's an excellent Pearltree with more info on Skinner. Here's my episode in which I discuss the famous article, On The Folly of Rewarding A While Hoping For B. The B.F. Skinner Foundation. If you're a teacher or student you might want to use Voicethread to get others to comment on these quotes by Skinner. Check out my Voicethread below: Watch this YouTube video to see the real human side of B.F. Skinner: Michael Britt no 33:52 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3383/ep-190-why-do-you-get-so-absorbed-in-that-book-or-movie http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3383/ep-190-why-do-you-get-so-absorbed-in-that-book-or-movie#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:57:04 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3383 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3383/ep-190-why-do-you-get-so-absorbed-in-that-book-or-movie/feed 0 bullying,persuasion Have you ever become so immersed in a book or movie that you actually felt like the character? Or you felt the character's pain or joy? Why does this happen? When does this happen? What is it about the book or the movie and its characters that draw... Have you ever become so immersed in a book or movie that you actually felt like the character? Or you felt the character's pain or joy? Why does this happen? When does this happen? What is it about the book or the movie and its characters that draws us in like this? It's amazing isn't it? To be so moved like this. Psychologists have studied this experience and we have some ideas regarding what factors have to be present in order for this to happen. And would you believe that this understand might help us to combat racism and bullying? Pretty amazing stuff. Join me as I explore what psychologists call "experience taking". Experience Taking Kaufman, G. F., & Libby, L. K. (2012, March 26). Changing Beliefs and Behavior Through Experience-Taking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0027525 Kill These Characters at Your Own Risk Michael Britt no 37:35 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3301/ep-189-the-psych-files-brief-6-facebook-untagging-money-and-happiness-and-memory-and-aging http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3301/ep-189-the-psych-files-brief-6-facebook-untagging-money-and-happiness-and-memory-and-aging#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:23:30 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3301 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3301/ep-189-the-psych-files-brief-6-facebook-untagging-money-and-happiness-and-memory-and-aging/feed 0 We have some great articles covered in this episode so I hope you find them thought-provoking and leave your comments below! We cover four topics, all of which can be relevant to your everyday life.  Join me and my intern Madison for a fascinating dis... We have some great articles covered in this episode so I hope you find them thought-provoking and leave your comments below! We cover four topics, all of which can be relevant to your everyday life.  Join me and my intern Madison for a fascinating discussion on some new research in psychology. First, a throwback to a previous episode on how to spend your money; experiences only beat out material possessions if they are spent with others. Social settings beat solitary settings every time. Next, did you know a social networking site you frequent may be your approach to impression management? Yes, I am talking about Facebook. Untagging, deleting, and liking certain pages, the site gives you the ability to boost your first impression and prospective employers are treating your wall like a newer, more honest resume. As a college student there are two things I love: procrastinating and sleeping. Our third article revolves around memory and sleep. No more all nighters cramming for exams; slow wave sleep is the key to memory recall and academic success, but only in young adults. Lastly, we found how smiling can lower dominance in serious situations. If you’re going to get in a fight you better do it with a frown.  Resources for this Episode Caprariello, P. A., & Reis, H. T. (2012). To Do, to Have, or to Share? Valuing Experiences Over Material Possessions Depends on the Involvement of Others.Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, doi:10.1037/a0030953. Strano, M.M.,& Wattai Queen.J. (2012). Covering Your Face on Facebook: Suppression as Identity Management. Journal of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, and Applications. 24 , 166-180. doi: 10.1027/1864-1105/a000076 Scullin, M. K. (2012). Sleep, Memory, and Aging: The Link Between Slow-Wave Sleep and Episodic Memory Changes From Younger to Older Adults. Psychology and Aging. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0028830 Kraus, M. W., & Chen, T.-W. D. (2013). A Winning Smile? Smile Intensity,Physical Dominance, and Fighter Performance. Emotion, doi:0.1037/a0030745 Useful Links Poor sleep in old age prevents the brain from storing memories Do experiences or material goods make us happier? 37 Percent Of Employers Use Facebook To Pre-Screen Applicants, New Study Says Michael Britt no http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3226/ep-188-psychologists-are-keeping-you-from-getting-the-flu http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3226/ep-188-psychologists-are-keeping-you-from-getting-the-flu#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:18:26 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3226 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3226/ep-188-psychologists-are-keeping-you-from-getting-the-flu/feed 2 Didn't get the flu this past winter? Thank a psychologist. What? Well, it could be that a psychologist was involved in helping health care professionals to do what they know they need to do (but sometimes don't): wash their hands. Didn't get the flu this past winter? Thank a psychologist. What? Well, it could be that a psychologist was involved in helping health care professionals to do what they know they need to do (but sometimes don't): wash their hands. The issue here is persuasion and motivation: how to we get people to do something - and keep doing it? Health care workers like doctors and nurses can fall prey to the availability heuristic: they can easily remember times when they didn't wash their hands and they didn't get sick so they might develop an "illusion of invulnerability". How do psychologists get involved to solve this problem? Listen to this episode and find out. Resources for this Episode Grant, A. M., & Hofmann, D. A. 2011. It's not all about me: Motivating hospital hand hygiene by focusing on patients. Psychological Science, 22: 1494-1499. You can download this article on Adam Grant's website. Campaign Aimed at Patient Health Ups Doc Hand Washing article from Scientific American Patients’ Health Motivates Workers To Wash Their Hands from Psychological Science. …messages aimed at health care professionals should be most effective when they emphasize how hand-hygiene practices can protect patients' health rather than personal health - Grant and Hofman Michael Britt no 18:01 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3216/most-popular-episodes-from-2012 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3216/most-popular-episodes-from-2012#comments Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:45:09 +0000 Michael http://www.thepsychfiles.com/?p=3216 http://www.thepsychfiles.com/3216/most-popular-episodes-from-2012/feed 0