Category Archives: Psychology

Principles and Moral Guidelines, Update

Posted on Saturday 7 November 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

I polished my Principles page today, tightening a bit, and adding a section at the end listing my favorite alternatives to the Biblical Ten Commandments.

Posted in Humanism, Morality, Philosophy, Psychology | Comments Off on Principles and Moral Guidelines, Update

Link and Comments: Cory Doctorow on Story

Posted on Thursday 15 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Slate: Cory Doctorow: The Dangers of Cynical Sci-Fi Disaster Stories, subtitled, I’m changing how I write fiction—for the benefit of the real world. The essay is on occasion of the publication of Doctorow’s latest novel, Attack Surface, a follow-up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Narrative, Psychology | Comments Off on Link and Comments: Cory Doctorow on Story

Links and Comments: Make-Believe worlds and Donald Trump and his supporters

Posted on Wednesday 14 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

As evidence for my thoughts, in this post Notes for the Book: Magical Thinking, Cognitive Dissonance, Group-Thinking, about how many people live in a kind of make-believe world, for reasons of group solidarity, and despite the inevitable cognitive dissonance with … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Make-Believe worlds and Donald Trump and his supporters

Links and Comments: Cognitive Dissonance and Fox News

Posted on Tuesday 6 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

As if on cue, following my past few posts, here’s a NY Times columnist today on Why Fox News Is Still in a Coronavirus Bubble. Subtitle: “Humans will do figure eights to make facts suit their fictions. Laura Ingraham and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Cognitive Dissonance and Fox News

Links and Comments: Republican denial of coronavirus; Trump’s narcissism; Cults and cognitive dissonance

Posted on Monday 5 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Washington Post: The GOP’s coronavirus denialism finally catches up with its leaders, by traditionally conservative writer Max Boot. He responds to a tweet, by a Republican. “Does anyone else find it odd,” she wrote Friday, “that no prominent Democrats have … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Republican denial of coronavirus; Trump’s narcissism; Cults and cognitive dissonance

Links and Comments: The Debate; Trump and Christians; No Back to Normal

Posted on Sunday 4 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

So much to keep up with! The debate last Tuesday. NYT Editorial: A Debate That Can’t Be Ignored. Subtitle: “Americans need to face the man who is their president.” The debate was excruciating to watch for anyone who loves this … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on Links and Comments: The Debate; Trump and Christians; No Back to Normal

Group-Think and Conformity: Solomon Asch

Posted on Friday 2 October 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

As a follow-up to the previous post, I came across a reference to a famous psychological experiment (from 1951) that demonstrates the power of conformity over independent thinking. I read about this case once before…. turns out it was in … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology | Comments Off on Group-Think and Conformity: Solomon Asch

Notes for the Book: Magical Thinking, Cognitive Dissonance, Group-Thinking

Posted on Wednesday 30 September 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Extending thoughts from previous posts about the future of enlightenment and similar matters. About group-thinking and how people get along in their lives just fine without understanding how the world actually works (as well-established by physics, chemistry, biology including evolution, … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution, Psychology, Religion, The Book | Comments Off on Notes for the Book: Magical Thinking, Cognitive Dissonance, Group-Thinking

Links and Comments: America’s Reputation; Facebook; Cognitive Dissonance

Posted on Wednesday 30 September 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

NY Times, 25 Sept.: I Feel Sorry for Americans’: A Baffled World Watches the U.S.. Subtitle: “From Myanmar to Canada, people are asking: How did a superpower allow itself to be felled by a virus? And why won’t the president … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Technology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: America’s Reputation; Facebook; Cognitive Dissonance

Links and Comments: Speaking Fox; Ideology and Lies; Fear and Paranoia

Posted on Thursday 17 September 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s difficult to get away from the current crisis, and threat. The Atlantic, Megan Garber: Do You Speak Fox?. Subtitle: How Donald Trump’s favorite news source became a language Political theorists, over the years, have looked for metaphors to describe … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Speaking Fox; Ideology and Lies; Fear and Paranoia