Useable News from the World of Psychology

Keywords:  neurotic, emotions, gestures, dominant, powerful, guilt, testosterone, immune defense, security, risk, money, happiness, statins, dementia, aerobic, brain, cognitive decline, learning.

 I came across the following interesting facts during my research and thought, even though they aren’t about sociopaths, they are fascinating – and useful.

1.      NEUROTICISM isn’t the same as Crazy. It is simply the tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anxiety or guilt. Therefore, most people misuse the word neurotic, believing it to have negative connotations. Ironically, NOT being neurotic is a key indicator of a psychopath because psychopaths never feel remorse, guilt, anxiety or fear.

2.      DOMINANT ANIMALS show their status by using EXPANSIVE POSTURES. Studies show that, in humans, striking a DOMINANT POSE, one that takes up more space, will not only make you appear more powerful, but it will actually lower your cortisol levels and spike your testosterone levels so that you are more powerful.  (Carney, Columbia Business School)

Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-
Angsulee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3.      HIGH TESTOSTERONE LEVELS can lead to elevated aggression, but it can also make you more cooperative with others – if that’s what it takes to achieve the desired goal.  Apparently testosterone is more interested in achieving the goal than in how it is done.  (Eisenegger, Univ. of Zurich)

4.      Want to boost your IMMUNE SYSTEM?  Researchers have found that simply looking at pictures of sick people will elevate the immune response by about 24%.  (Schaller, et.al., Univ. of British Columbia)

5.      The more secure of an ATTACHMENT we have with our MOM, the more willing we are take RISKS. In fact, when faced with a decision where the choices have varying degrees of risk, the touch of any woman will elevate feelings of security, making it easier to take those risks.  (Levav, Columbia University)  Unless you are a psychopath because they can’t  form attachments and they enjoy taking risks anyway.

Image courtesy of Micheal Elliott
/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6.      Having MONEY might be able to buy HAPPINESS, but thinking about money significantly lowers our ability to savor even simple pleasures, like eating a piece of chocolate. (Quoidbach, Univ. of Liège in Belgium)

7.      The most widely prescribed drugs in the world, CHOLESTEROL LOWERING STATINS like Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor, can cause COGNITIVE SIDE-EFFECTS like fuzzy thinking, forgetfulness and learning problems – symptoms that are often misdiagnosed as dementia.  Simply switching medications will often correct the problems.  (Golomb, Univ. of Calif. @ Irvine)

8.      REGULAR AEROBIC exercise has been shown to improve INTELLECTUAL FUNCTION regardless of age. It also helps decrease cognitive decline and delays the onset of dementia later in life.  (Kramer, Univ. of Illinois)

image courtesy of j.o.h.n. Walker
/ CreativeCommons.com

9.      GESTURING while you talk frees up brain power for other simultaneous tasks, such as gauging the interest of your listeners or recalling important details in the correct chronological order for a  long story. GESTURING while learning also helps your brain to remember things more accurately and for longer than if you didn’t move your hands at all.  (Goldwin-Meadow, Univ. of Chicago)

10.  Hand gesturing helps KIDS LEARN FASTER AND BETTER too.  When kids are learning a new concept  and are trying to explain it back to you, if their hand gestures do not match what they are saying, (no, they are not lying) it means they are on the verge of understanding a new concept.  This is the perfect time to give them the information they need to solidify that concept because they’ll RETAIN THAT NEW KNOWLEDGE better and longer than at any other time.  For example, say they are learning how to solve a math problem that involves addition.  As they are talking it out, they  SAY “minus” but their  first two fingers twist together as if to say ‘combine’. THAT’S your moment to really cement that concept into their fertile minds.  (Goldwin-Meadow, Univ. of Chicago)

Most of these items were found in the September/October 2010 issue of Scientific American Mind. Where appropriate,  I’ve listed the lead researcher and where the study took place after each item.

 Keywords: neuroticism, neurotic, news, dominant, posture, powerful, testosterone, aggression, cooperation, goal, immunity, immune system, risk, mom, choices, money, happiness, chocolate, cholesterol, statins, Crestor, Zocor, dementia, aerobic, intelligence, age, gesture, gesturing, learning,