The hottest Psychology Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

The Jock/Creep Theory of Fascism

Unpopular Front • 70 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Ideology Sociology History Psychology Politics
  1. The Jock/Creep Theory of Fascism categorizes Italian Fascism as 'Jock-Douche' and German Nazism as 'Creep-Loser'.
  2. These ideal-types reflect different affective dimensions of the fascist self, with one embodying physical domination and the other being reflective and resentful.
  3. The theory can be applied to contemporary contexts, such as the paradoxical unity of jock-bullies and online incels in the American right.

A Case for Moderate IQ Skepticism

Tom Thought • 19 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🔬 Science Psychology Intelligence Measurement Bias
  1. Performance on cognitive tasks is correlated, so individuals who excel in one area tend to excel in others as well.
  2. IQ tests are useful in predicting various life outcomes, but it's important to recognize that they are not a direct measure of intelligence.
  3. It's crucial to be skeptical of assigning deep meaning to specific IQ scores, especially when comparing across different populations.

Implicit measures in UX

UX Psychology • 99 implied HN points • 11 Oct 21
🕹 Technology UX Measurement Research Psychology Marketing
  1. Self-report methods like questionnaires and interviews are commonly used in UX research, but they have limitations due to factors like social desirability bias and limited introspection.
  2. To fully understand user experience, it's important to consider unconscious motives like emotions and implicit attitudes, which can be measured using implicit techniques such as the Implicit Associate Test (IAT).
  3. Implicit measures, like the IAT, provide insights into unconscious processes influencing behavior, and can offer additional valuable information in UX research compared to traditional explicit measures like questionnaires.
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Liberals are bad at BDSM

Unstabler Ontology • 19 implied HN points • 06 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture Sexuality Psychology Sociology Trauma Gender
  1. BDSM is becoming more common and prevalent, making it challenging for individuals who do not wish to engage in it to find compatible sexual partners.
  2. Understanding BDSM requires a departure from liberal individualistic views, as it contradicts microeconomics and challenges traditional notions of consent and freedom.
  3. Some aspects of BDSM culture imitate elements of traumatic experiences and call into question societal norms regarding power dynamics and sexual acceptance.

The Shadow of Man and Nations: A Jungian Perspective

Based Meditations • 19 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Psychology Archetypes Consciousness Individuality Society
  1. The shadow, based on Carl Jung's theory, is the unconscious mind we are unaware of, containing repressed emotions and instincts.
  2. Archetypes like the hero or the shadow are universal human themes found in all cultures and time periods, helping us understand common behavioral patterns.
  3. Integrating and understanding our shadow - both individually and as nations - is crucial for psychological harmony and societal progress.

Need For Cognition

Brain Lenses • 19 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology Cognition
  1. Need for cognition measures how much someone enjoys and engages in thinking-heavy activities.
  2. This personality metric relates to the cognitive effort put into understanding and organizing unfamiliar concepts.
  3. Feeling mentally exhausted from challenging tasks may indicate a high need for cognition.

Successive approximation

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
🚌 Education Psychology Personal Development Behaviorism Learning Strategies Mindset
  1. Success is not always a straight line; it often involves small steps and gradual improvements. Just like a pigeon learns to peck a target by getting rewarded for getting closer, we can make progress by celebrating small wins.
  2. It's important to recognize and celebrate your efforts, even if the outcome isn't perfect. Starting a conversation or trying something new are achievements worth acknowledging.
  3. Taking the initiative, even without clear rewards or support, is valuable. Doing things the right way can build your skills and confidence over time, even if results aren't immediate.

Confabulous Mister Memory

The Elbow • 19 implied HN points • 19 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Psychology Philosophy Science Literature Memory
  1. Our personal narratives are often based on false or distorted explanations known as confabulations.
  2. Our experiences and history shape us, but we may not always fully understand the true impact.
  3. While we narrate our past to make sense of it, projecting false coherence into the future can lead to misguided beliefs about control.

5/19/2023: The Wonder Boy Tragedy

The Great Reset Diary 2022- • 19 implied HN points • 19 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Success Psychology
  1. Success can be detrimental, especially for extremely successful people who may struggle to cope with their situation.
  2. Extremely successful individuals are often treated as symbols and icons, leading to a disconnect in human interactions and judgment.
  3. Having honest friends who can provide accountability and keep individuals grounded may help prevent self-destructive behavior in the face of extreme success.

Debunking Dunning-Kruger

The Grey Matter • 19 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🔬 Science Psychology Research Data Analysis Simulation
  1. The Dunning-Kruger effect is likely a statistical artifact, not a genuine psychological phenomenon
  2. The popular interpretation of the Dunning-Kruger effect as 'the dumbest people think they're the smartest' is a distortion
  3. Replication of the Dunning-Kruger effect through simulation suggests it may not be a real psychological finding

How I once won the lottery

inexactscience • 19 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🚌 Education Mathematics Psychology Probability Statistics
  1. Sticking to one choice in a lottery doesn't change your odds, which stay at 1 in 24 no matter what. It seems like it should matter, but it really doesn't.
  2. If a lottery is unfair and avoids streaks, choosing the same number can actually be a better strategy because it decreases your risk of never winning.
  3. Many people fall for the gambler's fallacy, thinking just because a number hasn't won in a while, it should win soon. But in a fair lottery, each draw is independent and has the same odds.

Sorry to burst your Twitter bubble

Turnaround • 158 implied HN points • 01 Nov 20
🕹 Technology Social media Psychology Self-worth
  1. Twitter can be a time-consuming distraction from more important matters like work or personal messages.
  2. Social media, like Twitter, can lead to feelings of self-worth being linked to likes, retweets, and followers.
  3. It's essential to recognize the negative impact of social comparison on mental health and find a balance in using platforms like Twitter.

The importance of a good reputation

Optimally Irrational • 17 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🔬 Science Social Interactions Game Theory Evolutionary biology Psychology Cooperation
  1. Reputation is like a second self that guides our actions, influencing how others perceive and interact with us.
  2. People can build a good reputation by consistently displaying cooperative and trustworthy behavior over time.
  3. While reputation takes time to build up, it can be lost quickly, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust and integrity in social interactions.

On The Loaded Word Spiral

Castalia • 39 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Philosophy Literature Psychology Religion Human experience
  1. The word 'spiral' often has a negative vibe, suggesting someone is struggling or facing setbacks. But it might be more human to recognize that these tough moments can be part of life.
  2. Success is often celebrated, but there's value in reflecting on the past and being absorbed by our interests. This kind of deep thinking can lead to real growth.
  3. While many focus on happiness and success, there's beauty in the struggle and in the process of 'spiraling.' It's important to acknowledge that suffering can have meaning and purpose too.

Jane Austen and Cognitive Bias—Or on Persuasion

Vremya • 139 implied HN points • 01 Jun 21
📚 Literature Fiction Psychology Gender Studies Cognitive Science Narrative analysis
  1. Jane Austen explores the idea of love and how men and women experience it differently. She suggests that women may find it harder to move on from love than men do.
  2. Motivated reasoning is a key concept, where people look for evidence that supports what they already believe. This means we often see our own experiences as proof for our opinions.
  3. Austen also hints at cognitive biases like the availability heuristic, which is when we overestimate how common something is based on how easily we can recall examples from our life. This can lead to skewed perceptions of reality.

#72 Design in the bathroom

Design Lobster • 119 implied HN points • 14 Jun 21
🪑 Design Psychology Functionality Innovation Inspiration
  1. Toothpaste stripes are created through thixotropic rheology which helps maintain consistent viscosity for perfect stripes every time.
  2. Striped toothpaste was an innovative marketing strategy to suggest multiple functions, even if the active ingredients are evenly mixed throughout.
  3. Rejection can lead to new opportunities - Jony Ive's rejected bathroom basin design paved the way for his success at Apple.

How products exploit our biases

Gentle Nudge • 2 HN points • 19 Jun 24
💼 Business Consumer behavior Psychology Marketing Sales Decision-making
  1. Biases are judgments with little or no logical rationale behind them, affecting our decisions despite lacking justification.
  2. Biases are ideal tools for marketing as they are often subconscious and common among people, making them effective for a wide range of individuals.
  3. Marketing strategies exploit biases like decision fatigue, scarcity bias, and anchoring effect to influence consumer decisions and drive sales.

The “doorknob phenomenon” in user interviews

UX Psychology • 59 implied HN points • 18 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology Medicine Communication
  1. In user interviews, the 'doorknob phenomenon' describes when interviewees wait till the end to share significant information, similar to patients telling crucial details as they leave the doctor's office.
  2. To prevent the 'doorknob phenomenon', ask participants open-ended questions like 'Anything else?' during the interview to encourage them to share more.
  3. Avoid rushing to fill awkward silences in interviews as intentional silence can prompt interviewees to offer additional valuable insights.

Iron Lotus

Transmissions from the floor • 27 implied HN points • 28 Oct 23
🎭️ Culture History Education Psychology Parenting
  1. The historical practice of foot binding and bonsai kitten-ing show how physical constraints can shape living things.
  2. Wilhelm Reich's work on character analysis highlights different coping mechanisms rooted in childhood traumas.
  3. Educational and parenting norms, influenced by historical practices, play a significant role in shaping individuals in society.

Autogynephilia and the Sexualization of Shame

Year Zero • 46 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Psychology Sexuality Therapy Identity
  1. Autogynephilia involves a separation of gender identity from sexual desire which can lead to repression and shame.
  2. Autogynephilia can be a coping mechanism for deep-rooted shame and self-loathing in individuals.
  3. Individuals struggling with autogynephilia may use sexual fantasies as a way to escape from underlying core shame and pain.

Open Letter to Russell Brand

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 30 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🎭️ Culture Books Psychology Society Artists Celebrity
  1. The author suggests Russell Brand should consider a path of radical honesty and atonement to address past wrongs.
  2. Men and women both have complex, multifaceted natures and there should be efforts to understand these complexities better.
  3. Fame and societal rewards can sometimes remove limits on behavior, leading to unhealthy patterns and consequences.

Unmasking Imposter Syndrome in Software Developers: Why Do Even the Best Doubt Themselves?

Weekend Developer • 19 implied HN points • 26 May 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Imposter syndrome Psychology
  1. The tech industry is constantly changing, with new technologies and programming languages being developed regularly, leading to feelings of inadequacy among software developers.
  2. The tech industry is competitive, making it challenging for developers to stand out and potentially creating feelings of insecurity and fear of being replaced.
  3. Setting high expectations and fear of failure can contribute to imposter syndrome in software developers, as well as comparing oneself to others and attributing success to external factors.

#80 Design in motion

Design Lobster • 99 implied HN points • 09 Aug 21
🪑 Design Psychology Innovation Technology Sports
  1. The Doherty threshold is the idea that faster computer response times improve productivity, with a 400ms threshold mentioned.
  2. The Nike Air Zoom Victory shoe stirred controversy in professional sports due to its innovative design technology, emphasizing the importance of focusing on design details.
  3. Motion communicates stories and is a crucial aspect for designers to consider in their work.

How our narratives shape us

Midnight Musings • 79 implied HN points • 08 Feb 22
🎭️ Culture Narrative Theory Mental health Self-reflection Personal Growth Psychology
  1. The stories we tell ourselves can heavily affect our feelings and actions. Negative thoughts can lead to anxiety and feeling unworthy.
  2. Many of our fears come from our past experiences and how we interpret them. We often ignore positive experiences and focus only on failures.
  3. We can change our narratives by recognizing our strengths and successes. Believing we have the ability to be brave and capable helps us face fears more easily.

Rigging the Science

Year Zero • 30 implied HN points • 29 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Children Psychology Research Therapy Ideology
  1. Be cautious of scientific studies on gender affirming care as some may be methodologically flawed or fraudulent.
  2. Demand evidence in the form of studies when evaluating the benefits of certain medical procedures.
  3. Understand the importance of critically analyzing survey items and being aware of biased or invalid research in the field.