10 myths of popular psychology and their exposure
A Life / / December 19, 2019
1. A smile can make people happy
Adherents of positive psychology is said that a smile will make you happy, even if the date is not specified. Sounds nice, but in practice such tactics are not very effective. You can smile to the pain in the cheeks, but the problems due to which you have a bad mood, it will not eliminate. Moreover, some studiesThe Claim: A Fake Smile Can be Bad for Your Health deny that fake joy can make you happy.
However, like any myth, this statement has some truth. If you do not be sad, not angry, but simply keep the emotional neutrality, a smile can actually improve your mood. But it must be sincere joy. The body can not be fooled: when you move a real smile not only lips, it activates the muscles around the eyes. And the brain receives a signal that there was something pleasant.
But the attempt to hide negative emotions under the mask of joy only make you feel worse. researchNot always the best medicine: Why frequent smiling can reduce wellbeing It shows that the suppression of feelings increases the level of stress.
2. Pose force helps release hormones confidence
In a speech at the TED Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy told that some force posture can reduce the level of hormones stress and increase the secretion of the hormone testosterone power that makes you look more confident.
Her speech was a virus, and the idea of power is widely dispersed positions. However, studies have not confirmed this theory. In 2015, a group of scientists conducted an experimentAssessing the Robustness of Power Posing: No Effect on Hormones and Risk Tolerance in a Large Sample of Men and Women, Selecting for him five times more participants than were used in the experiments Cuddy. And they were not able to fix the changes in hormonal levels. It is expected that the psychologist and her colleagues in their experience made a mistake or deliberately manipulated figures.
However, many people after watching the performance at the TED Cuddy said that posture forces them really helped. However, this result is due to suggestibility and more confidence in the opinion of a well-educated speaker than a biological influence, which says the psychologist.
3. Opposites attract and form strong pairs
This myth is based on the belief that two people with different interests, outlook on life, temperaments more interested in each other. researchIn Romance, Opposites Attract also show the opposite: the most attractive people who are similar to us.
The similarity promotes long-term relationships as partners easier to agree and have generally the same outlook on life.
4. Brainstorming effectively conduct group
It is believed that one head - well, while two - better. Therefore, leaders are driven relentlessly subordinated to meetings, flying detachment, breynstormy. Ostensibly Group people to think creatively by immediately obtaining feedback and the development of each other's ideas.
But, according toWhy you can not brainstorm creative ideas American Institute of Graphic Arts, and other research institutions, group brainstorms have three characteristics that limit creativity:
- Fixation on the first version of the good causes that the participants storming just stop thinking about the better option and reject the other worthy proposals.
- Pressure from other members of the group prevents hear unique ideas and articulate their own.
- The need for real-time to give creative ideas in a competitive environment can drive a person into a stupor, and he can not think of anything.
Instead of team brainstorming better to give people an opportunity to come up with as many creative ideas, and then share them with the team for feedback.
5. Active display of emotion to help cope with anger
Many people mistakenly believe that the fastest way to deal with anger - loud screaming, throwing objects, and make every attempt to throw out strong emotions.
researchWhy Venting About Work Frustrations Actually Makes You Angrier show that the result can be the opposite. You do not calm down, and only the more furious and spend on negative emotions a lot longer.
Better cope with anger more productively: to cease to participate in a conflict situation, try to understand what you are so angry, or send fury on exercise.
6. Ability to relate to the dominant hemisphere of the brain
The idea that the dominant half of the brain determines how much a person is artistic or rational, is quite popular. Ostensibly the right hemisphere is responsible for the creative and the left - for the analyst.
Only science this theory is not supported. researchLeft Brain vs. Right: It's a Myth, Research Finds indicate that the person uses both hemispheres of the brain the same way as most of the activities carried out at the expense of relations between different parts of the contents of the skull. Depending on the person's lifestyle, some parts of the brain can become stronger because of the adaptation mechanisms. But we are not talking about the entire hemisphere.
7. Men and women communicate differently
The myth that men and women speak different languages and to understand each other, they need a special translator, feeds the authors of books with titles like "How to understand a woman" and "What a man thinks." But if not read them, and researchMen and Women: No Big Difference You can find out what the difference is not due to gender and gender roles.
In a society where a person does not hang tags based on the shape of the genitals, men and women communicate about the same.
8. Midlife crisis is inevitable
It seems that just absolutely have to realize in 40 years, youth gone, and you're whole life lived wrong, do something silly, to buy motorcycle, to change the image. In fact, it is estimatedForget The Red Sports Car. The Midlife Crisis Is A Myth researchers, only 10% of the population suffers from middle age crisis. The others do not lose their rationality and at age 40, and 50. It is possible that you will encounter some manifestations of the crisis stereotypical things, but they can survive with minimal losses.
9. You cease to develop as a person, when growing up
It is widely believed that 25 years of human personality matures and then change it can only be a very significant event such traumatic experiences. And many believe that this age need to know exactly where they are going in life, and to strive for stability.
But personality continues to change after 25 years, as evidenced by the large-scale studyPersonality changes for the better with age with 132.5 thousand people. There are similarities that people acquire with age. With aging they are arranged to cooperate with the other, but become less open.
10. A man uses only 10% of the brain capacity
This myth arose in the second half of the XIX century, when scientists compared the ability to learn, and Prodigy ordinary person. Theory strengthened in the XX century, when researchers noticed that many parts of the brain remain inactive people. This led them to think that people are using only about 10% of the power cord.
Modern research shows that throughout the day we use 100%Do People Only Use 10 Percent of Their Brains? the brain, but not all of its parts at once. Each site has different functions. Therefore, the departments that control, for example, breathing, active without interruption. Other parts are connected, if necessary.
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