The hottest Psychology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Culture Topics

Building the science factory with LLMs

The Counterfactual • 39 implied HN points • 13 Dec 23
🔬 Science Psychology Research Methods Cognitive Science Automation Peer Review
  1. Large Language Models (LLMs) could make scientific research faster and more efficient. They might help researchers come up with better hypotheses and analyze data more easily.
  2. Breaking down the research process into smaller parts might allow automation in areas like designing experiments and preparing stimuli. This could save time and improve the quality of research.
  3. While automating parts of scientific research can be helpful, it's important to ensure that human involvement remains, as fully automating the process could lead to lower-quality science.

Chaos and Order

Polymathic Being • 59 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Psychology Archetypes Gender Dynamics Balance Mythology
  1. Ancient archetypes depict the feminine as chaos and the masculine as order, challenging our bias towards masculine order.
  2. In psychology, the feminine is linked to creativity and intuition, representing chaos, while the masculine is associated with logic and structure, representing order.
  3. Balancing the feminine chaos and masculine order is crucial for creating antifragile systems and achieving a dynamic and flexible equilibrium.

Everyone’s watching me 😳 — Spotlight effect

10x your mind • 139 implied HN points • 14 Jul 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Psychology Personal Growth Self-care
  1. The spotlight effect makes us believe others are paying more attention to us than they actually are. People are generally focused on themselves rather than scrutinizing every detail about us.
  2. We have an egocentric bias that leads us to think others care more about our actions than they actually do. Most people are too focused on their own insecurities to notice ours.
  3. Free yourself from the spotlight effect by being aware that people don't judge us as much as we think. Embrace being unapologetically yourself and pursue your goals without worrying about others' opinions.

Careers: Aligning Stated and Revealed Preferences

Moral Mayhem Podcast • 19 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
💼 Business Careers Decision-making Success Psychology Risk management
  1. Many people think their career paths are more straightforward than they actually are. It's okay to change jobs if you're not happy, as often the risks are lower than you think.
  2. People sometimes stay in jobs longer than they should because they're worried about making a change. Remember, doors don't completely close and new opportunities often arise.
  3. Anxiety about career choices can feel overwhelming because of how much we tie our value to work. However, this fear usually doesn't match the reality of risk when trying something new.
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The Philosophy of Murder Ballads

Going Awol • 10 HN points • 12 May 24
🎭️ Culture Music Philosophy Ethics Psychology History
  1. Murder ballads create emotional and cognitive dissonance in listeners by pairing violent lyrics with upbeat music, prompting listeners to primarily focus on the music over the lyrics.
  2. Listeners can resolve the tension caused by murder ballads by either ignoring the lyrics and focusing on the music, vice versa, or by finding a way to make sense of the emotional clash between the two.
  3. Enjoying murder ballads in a detached manner - appreciating the music and storytelling without endorsing the violent acts portrayed - can be a way to engage with the genre ethically.

GRANTED: The case for closing open offices and opening our minds

Granted • 99 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
💼 Business Productivity Psychology Podcasts Leadership
  1. It's important to balance caring about others' opinions and being true to your values, without conforming.
  2. Open offices have negative impacts like increased sick days and lower cognitive performance; access to private spaces is crucial for health and productivity.
  3. Consider the future of intelligence and survival; exploring deep-held beliefs and opening minds can lead to growth and progress.

You can't escape construct validity

The Counterfactual • 59 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🚌 Education Research Methods Psychology Measurement
  1. Measuring abstract concepts like happiness is really tough. Researchers need to find good ways to define and measure these big ideas accurately.
  2. Construct validity is important for any type of research claim. It checks if what you're measuring actually reflects the concept you're interested in.
  3. Making decisions, like hiring or choosing a restaurant, involves relying on imperfect measures. It's essential to understand the limitations of these measures to make better choices.

The Anti-American Psychological Association

Unsafe Science • 134 implied HN points • 14 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Psychology Critical Theory Social justice Civil Rights
  1. The APA has shifted towards Critical Social Justice, moving away from traditional social justice principles.
  2. Critical Theory aims to dismantle western society through attacking societal components like education, media, and religion.
  3. Psychological practice should focus on individual dignity and value, rejecting radical political ideologies that deny universal humanity.

More info, more problems

inexactscience • 39 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🔬 Science Research Economics Experiments Statistics Psychology
  1. When people get more information, they often underreact instead of overreact. This means they might ignore new data instead of properly adjusting their predictions.
  2. Experiments showed that when faced with two variables, people made less accurate forecasts. Adding complexity actually made their predictions worse.
  3. Having clear instructions and understanding of the information really helps improve decision-making. If people are confused, they tend to ignore important details.

Uglycel

Default Wisdom • 48 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Beauty Gender Psychology
  1. The conversation explores the concept of ugliness as more of a vibe than a physical state of being.
  2. The idea is discussed that one can will oneself into ugliness without physical changes.
  3. The post includes updates on the author's advice column, a book club meeting, and asks for subscriptions and feedback.

Culture is Feeling Part of Something

Make Work Better • 125 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🎭️ Culture Workplace culture Sports Psychology Mental health Social connection
  1. Feeling part of something is essential for workplace culture and mental health.
  2. Physical touch can enhance performance and well-being by creating a sense of connection.
  3. Bosses are concerned about declining worker productivity and are pushing for a return to the office, despite the changing landscape of office space demands.

The psychology of Disneyland

SatPost by Trung Phan • 106 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture History Psychology Entertainment Travel Business
  1. Walt Disney created Disneyland to be a place of ordered and harmonious experiences, focusing on storytelling and immersive worlds.
  2. Disney's Imagineering process involves attention to detail and strategic design choices to enhance the guest experience and create a cohesive environment.
  3. Disneyland's success as a profitable venture showcases the importance of theme parks in driving revenue for the Disney empire, despite challenges like high admission prices and up-selling strategies.

When Stability Feels Like Suffocation

antoniomelonio • 48 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Psychology Society Nature Conflict Revolution
  1. Many people have a desire for grand disruptions and monumental changes, seeking to break away from the boring and predictable routine of everyday life.
  2. There is a bone-deep yearning for struggle and conflict in humanity, with a primal desire for chaos and upheaval to feel alive.
  3. Despite the dread, there is a strange hope associated with collapse, as some believe it may lead to a less exploitative and more meaningful future.

GRANTED: Why "quiet quitting" is trending and repeating yourself is a good habit

Granted • 99 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
🚌 Education Psychology Communication Self-Improvement
  1. Personality is not fixed - who you become is about what you choose to do with your traits.
  2. Quiet quitting is a response to poor work environments; meaningful work, respect, and fair pay can inspire people to excel.
  3. Repeating yourself is crucial for good communication; leaders are more likely criticized for undercommunicating than overcommunicating.

Universal Early Childhood Daycare Has Been Proven to Damage the Children Who Have Been Through It

Year Zero • 93 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Childcare Mental health Parenting Development Psychology
  1. Child mental health has significantly worsened over the past few decades, with a rise in serious mental illnesses among young children.
  2. The introduction of universal early childhood daycare in the mid-1980s may have contributed to the ongoing child mental health crisis.
  3. Research suggests that full-time center-based daycare for infants under 1 year old may lead to long-lasting negative impacts on children's cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

The Pleasure of Pattern

Software Design: Tidy First? • 45 HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Patterns Music Programming Psychology
  1. Finding patterns in tasks like programming, music, and poker can be intensely satisfying and enjoyable.
  2. Music is full of patterns that can be discovered and enjoyed, especially through improvisation and communication.
  3. Seeing patterns in different activities like programming, music, and poker can lead to moments of satisfaction, indicating a brain wired to crave order and appreciate pattern recognition.

Should Disney be in charge of large infrastructure projects?

Klement on Investing • 3 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
💼 Business Infrastructure Financial planning Investment Psychology Customer Experience
  1. Disney approaches projects with a focus on creating fun experiences, which could lead to better user engagement. This idea suggests that people enjoy experiences more when they are entertaining, even if it means spending more time in transit.
  2. A fun financial planning approach could keep clients more engaged and lead to better outcomes. Instead of just focusing on returns and risks, financial advisors could link investment choices to a client's happiness and lifestyle.
  3. The concept of a 'happiness advisor' in finance may change how people perceive their investments. By considering both financial planning and emotional well-being, this approach might help people stick to their plans and enhance their overall satisfaction.

Psychological principles in product design — a closer look at Duolingo

UX Psychology • 198 implied HN points • 05 Oct 21
🕹 Technology UX Psychology Gamification Design User engagement
  1. Small improvements near the end of an experience can significantly impact how people remember the entire event.
  2. Highlighting a unique option among similar choices can make it more memorable and likely to be chosen.
  3. As people make progress towards a goal, they tend to speed up their actions to reach it faster, indicating motivation by the remaining distance to the target.

When Does Science Self-Correct? Lessons from a Replication Crisis in Early 20th Century Chemistry

The Good Science Project • 63 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🔬 Science Chemistry Psychology Replication Applications
  1. Science can struggle to correct errors from the scientific record, even with healthy reforms in place.
  2. Non-replicable findings can still hold influence and get cited as much as replicable ones.
  3. Natural sciences can swiftly correct mistakes with practical consequences, while social sciences face challenges in self-correction due to less tangible applications and high acceptance of contradictory findings.

Why No One Speaks Up Even When We All Disagree With What Is Happening

⭐️Bob’s Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Psychology Social Dynamics Perception
  1. Pluralistic ignorance is when people privately disagree but assume others support a norm. This silence can perpetuate dysfunctional systems.
  2. To overcome pluralistic ignorance, question assumptions and speak up respectfully. Leaders can encourage dissent to create change.
  3. Recognizing pluralistic ignorance reveals manufactured consent and the need for realignment. Question the illusion, inquire into others' perspectives, and speak up to challenge the status quo.

Transhumanists vs. Mysterians on The Posthuman Condition

Extropic Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🔬 Science Technology Biology Philosophy Psychology Neuroscience
  1. The piece discusses the contrast between Transhumanists and Mysterians in their views on the Posthuman Condition.
  2. It highlights the error in labeling Extropians as 'posthumans' when they actually describe themselves as transhumanists.
  3. The essay stresses the importance of considering cultural and psychological consequences of changing human nature when discussing transhumanist ideas.

#061 ✰ The clutter skill

Objet • 39 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Consumerism Creativity Psychology Shopping Lifestyle
  1. Our mission is to help people thrive and be at peace with their surroundings by bringing back joy and pride.
  2. The clutter skill can vary from person to person, with some thriving in clutter and finding creativity and flexibility in messiness.
  3. Finding your own balance between tidiness and messiness is important for mental well-being and productivity.

Links for April

Bullfish Hole • 39 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture History Society Health Psychology Education
  1. There have been historical balloon riots that turned violent when spectators attacked the balloons or balloonists.
  2. Criminals are now using AI technology to mimic voices and scam people for money, posing new challenges for security.
  3. In some regions, like Ghana, witch camps still exist where accused witches seek refuge from being lynched.

Short Thoughts on Affirmations

Autoscriptorium • 39 implied HN points • 24 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care Mental health Well-being Psychology
  1. An affirmation is a positive statement to boost self-regard and integrity, relying on repetition and reassuring oneself.
  2. Affirmations are like spiritual jumper cables, making one strong by using words to shape reality, unlike prayer which asks for things.
  3. Making personalized affirmations is crucial for guiding oneself through uncertain futures, rather than relying on generic statements from others.

Dissecting Imposter Syndrome

The Leadership Lab • 39 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology Self-Improvement Self-doubt Growth Fear
  1. Imposter Syndrome is a common experience of uncertainty and self-doubt, often viewed negatively, but can actually indicate growth and being outside your comfort zone.
  2. Everyone, including experts, experiences uncertainty and struggles with knowing what they're doing in different domains. Embrace the discomfort of not knowing as part of the journey.
  3. Imposter Syndrome can stem from fear and comparison, but reframing it as a signal for growth and seeking support can help overcome it. Focus on purpose, face fears, and help others facing similar challenges.

Time Perception in the Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 39 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Technology History Society Anthropology Psychology
  1. Time perception evolves as we age, seeming to speed up; impacted by living environment and technology.
  2. Shifts in how we perceive and value time in the Digital Age lead to changing societal norms and relationships.
  3. Digital technologies, like social media and e-commerce, significantly influence our relationship with time, affecting how we interact with the world.

Why do people hate redesigns?

UX Psychology • 178 implied HN points • 28 Oct 21
🕹 Technology UX Design Psychology User Research Behavioral Economics Cognitive Bias
  1. Users often hate redesigns due to familiarity bias, where they prefer the familiar even if the change is beneficial, and the endowment effect which makes them value what they already have more.
  2. Psychology plays a significant role in user reactions to redesigns, as habits are hard to change, leading to user dissatisfaction with altered interfaces.
  3. To improve user experience with redesigns, allowing opt-ins for changes can give users control, conducting thorough user research helps address pain-points, and making small, incremental changes can ease user adaptation.

Looking Into a Mirror

Polymathic Being • 68 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Psychology Behavior Reflection Morality Self-awareness
  1. People often project their own behaviors and beliefs onto others, leading to misunderstandings in conversations.
  2. Understanding that others may be reacting based on their own fears or insecurities can help you navigate and contextualize online arguments.
  3. By reflecting on your own tendencies and biases, you can improve empathy, communication, and ultimately influence others positively.

February 2023 Update

Mind & Mythos • 79 implied HN points • 02 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Psychology Self-care Wellness Trends Personal Development
  1. The author shared an exciting update about their essay that gained attention recently. This recognition brought many new subscribers to their platform.
  2. They expressed gratitude to another writer who referenced their work, showing the importance of collaboration in writing.
  3. The post is specifically for paid subscribers, indicating a focus on exclusive content for a dedicated audience.