Have you ever been so focused on a problem that it took stepping away for you to figure it out? You can’t find the solution when you’re looking at all of the moving parts, but once you get distracted with something else - “A-ha!” you have it. Humans aren’t the only species that have these “A-ha” moments. Work with other species helped psychologists understand the definition and stages of Insight Learning....

Do humans also have animal instincts? Many say yes - but how this fits into psychology is rather controversial. In this article, I’m going to describe the Instinct Theory of Motivation and how it fits into the current study of psychology and behavior. What Is the Instinct Theory of Motivation?Example of Instinct Theory in AnimalsCritiques of Instinct Theory of MotivationInstincts Today What Is the Instinct Theory of Motivation? Example of Instinct Theory in Animals...

Find an Online Psychology Program for You Featured Online Psychology & Counseling Programs Much of this tension has become focused on a simple slogan: “Defund the police.” Like most slogans, this three-word sentence has been spread a little thinly across the top of a lot of different ideas and intentions for police reform – from literally doing away with law enforcement, to a more tempered package of targeted reforms that seek to re-allocate money that would otherwise be spent on military style equipment to fund de-escalation training....

In this article, I want to explain a concept in psychology that helps to explain how we take in new information and organize it within the information that we already know. This process is called assimilation. You may have heard the term “assimilation” in classes when talking about immigration or migration. This page isnotabout cultural assimilation. Instead, you will be learning about assimilation in psychology. What Is Assimilation?Assimilation (Psychology) ExamplesAssimilation vs....

Log In 0%complete I’m not a psychiatrist, nor am I a medical professional. But I have a tool for you to begin assessing your mental health and whether you may be experiencing depression. This tool, the Beck Depression Inventory, is one of the top tools used to assess a person’s mental health and determine whether they are experiencing depression. If this sounds like you and you are worried about your mental health, know that you’re not alone....

The ways that we deal with stress may help us in the moment, but harm us later. These are generally regarded as unhealthy coping skills. Coping skills can also be healthy, so let’s learn how you can replace unhealthy coping skills with healthy ones. What Are Coping Skills?Examples of Coping SkillsWhat Are Healthy Coping Skills Anxiety?What Are Healthy Coping Skills for Stress?Practical Coping Skills to Address Emotions What Are Coping Skills?...

Interested in the psychology of affirmations, but do not know where to start? Here, you will learn all about creating and using affirmations.What Are Affirmations?Why Do Affirmations Work?How to Form an AffirmationDo What Works for YouWhat Are Affirmations?Before I explain how to build affirmations, let’s talk about what they are. Affirmations are not magic tricks or voodoo witchcraft. But they can work wonders, which is why they are a central part of Positive Psychology....

There was one good thing about everyone being cooped up in their houses for months during the pandemic. No one was feeling any FOMO! What Is FOMO?Examples of FOMOHistory of FOMO as SlangHow FOMO Affects Mental HealthFOMO and Social MediaHow to Reduce FOMO What Is FOMO? Examples of FOMO History of FOMO as Slang How FOMO Affects Mental Health FOMO and Social Media How to Reduce FOMO FOMO is a slang term that stands for “fear of missing out....

These two terms, “psychopath” and “sociopath,” are often used interchangeably. They’re used to describe a person who is, for lack of a better word, “crazy.” It’s not exactly nice to call someone a psychopath or a sociopath, even if they did something that hurt your feelings. And it might not be accurate, either. Before we start explaining the differences between a psychopath and a sociopath, let’s get into the meat of why you’re here....

The impact of many treatments can only be confirmed after their effect has been verified in a double-blind study. What Is a Double-Blind Study?How to Conduct a Double-Blind StudyOther Types of Blind StudiesLimitations of Double-Blind Studies What Is a Double-Blind Study? How to Conduct a Double-Blind Study Other Types of Blind Studies Limitations of Double-Blind Studies A double-blind study is an experiment where both researchers and participants are “blind to” the crucial aspects of the study, such as the hypotheses, expectations, or the allocation of subjects to groups....

What Is Universal Grammar?History of Universal GrammarDoes Universal Grammar Exist?Revised Versions of Universal Grammar What Is Universal Grammar? History of Universal Grammar Does Universal Grammar Exist? Revised Versions of Universal Grammar Universal grammar argues that some skills come from innate abilities, passed down through generations. Specifically, Chomsky proposed that every child is born with the ability and structural knowledge that allow them to adopt any language. These rules include the ability to string together a sentence that makes grammatical sense....

Relationships are all about giving and taking. We often have to make sacrifices for the people we love. Parents may take a second job (or quit their job) to provide for their children. A partner may move across the country to be with another partner. You can probably think of sacrifices, big or small, that you’ve made for your partner or loved ones recently.But what happens when your entire relationship is built on your sacrifices for another person?...

“The Misanthrope” debuted over 300 years ago, but you may know someone who is a bit of an Alceste themselves. Misanthropy is not new, although you may feel that there are more reasons now to be upset with humankind than ever before. But is misanthropy a sign of a personality disorder? If you hate humankind, is there something “wrong” with you? In this video, we’re going to explore misanthropy, what psychologists think about it, and how it can be used in a positive way....