Inform through poetry: “I Am” I’m going with a change of pace and style for this post. Most of the time, I focus on what the philosopher Jacques Derrida called “deconstruction.” Every concept, moral, or perspective has one or more starting assumptions. When thinking within those assumptions, everything that follows may feel like truth. All… Continue reading “I Am”
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Psychological Misinformation: Normal
Psychological Misinformation and the search for the normal When I was perhaps 8 or 9 years old, I asked my mother, “Is anyone actually normal?” It was one of those moments where child innocence cuts through the massive weight of worldviews drilled into us by adulthood, to identify something simple but profound. It was also,… Continue reading Psychological Misinformation: Normal
Psychological Misinformation: Individual psychopathology
Are we programmed to certain individually-located mental illness? There are a few assumptions that underly the concept of mental illness in western medicine. One of these is that there is a specific process of illness that is contained within an individual person. This can seem obvious for many medical issues. If I have high blood… Continue reading Psychological Misinformation: Individual psychopathology
Psychological Misinformation: “Authentic Self”?
Be Your “Authentic Self”? I don’t know if you have the same experience, but I hear all the time now people extolling the need to show their “authentic self.” A quick Google search came up with 209 results, most of them exuberant sounding, some of those unfortunately from fellow psychologists. Almost all of them promising… Continue reading Psychological Misinformation: “Authentic Self”?
Another community-focused article published!
Article published: Am I a Peer? Hi! I want to let you all know about an article of mine that was recently published online, in partnership with the New York State Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center. The NYS TINRC is a wonderful resource. It connects people trying to find support for challenging circumstances for themselves… Continue reading Another community-focused article published!
Psychology Reporting and AI (2)
Psychology reporting on AI therapy: conceptual issues more troubling than design issues When it comes to reporting on psychological studies, research design issues are standard, and reporters should know this. Even with AI, they are kinks to work out through subsequent trials. As the investigators refine their research in AI therapy, they might find these… Continue reading Psychology Reporting and AI (2)
Psychology Reporting and AI (1)
While I’m on the topic of Psychology Reporting… Everything is up in the air in the science world right now. I just wrote about challenges and assumptions in psychological science reporting. Here’s a topic that was already stirring controversy before the current chaos: “AI.” A recent NY Times article, This Therapist Helped Clients Feel Better.… Continue reading Psychology Reporting and AI (1)
Assumptions in Psychology Reporting (2)
Recap: Assumptions about science that filter into Psychological Reporting Last time, we started our exploration of assumptions in psychology reporting by understanding a bit about how science works. We discussed the difference between science as a whole, and the data it relies on. We discussed how science is ultimately storytelling about who we are, how… Continue reading Assumptions in Psychology Reporting (2)
Assumptions in Psychology Reporting (1)
Prejudice Shapes Interpretation When I read psychology articles, whether in scientific journals or in the news, I always keep my ear tuned for bias. Although generally (probably) unintentional, biases often creep into how we interpret data. There are many books about the misuse of data (examples: How to Lie with Statistics, How to Use (and… Continue reading Assumptions in Psychology Reporting (1)
Psychological Misinformation: “Traditional” Masculinity
What is masculinity? It is a strange time to be male. Are people who identify as male (such as myself) under threat from emasculating policies? Or, conversely, are people who are born male and continue to endorse maleness given privileges no one else has, inheriting unearned power over everyone else? Both? Neither? What I will… Continue reading Psychological Misinformation: “Traditional” Masculinity