The self-serving bias involves taking credit for our success but blaming others for our failures. It’s why we might boast about our talents and hard work when things go our way but focus on external, situational factors when we don’t live up to expectations. For example, it’s why you might attribute your good score on …
Incentive theory of motivation suggests that people are motivated by a need to obtain rewards or reinforcements. Rooted in behaviorism, this theory suggests that motivation arises from the desire to obtain rewards and avoid punishments. Incentive theory is just one of many theories psychologists have proposed to explain human motivation. Understanding this theory can give …
When you are trying to solve a problem or make a decision, you don’t always have time to examine every possible answer or possibility. Sometimes, you have to rely on the information you already have to make the best guess or estimate in a limited amount of time. This is an example of using heuristics, …
Psychological assimilation refers to the process of incorporating new information or experiences into existing mental frameworks or schemas. When we assimilate new information, we fit it into pre-existing cognitive structures. When we do this, we are able to make sense of the world around us. It can be contrasted with accommodation, another concept introduced by …
Motivation is crucial in how we behave, perform, and feel. At the core of motivation lies the difference between two distinct forces: extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation draws upon external factors such as rewards or punishment to drive action, while intrinsic motivation comes from within and involves the internal desire to engage in an …
Chunking is a memory technique that involves grouping information into smaller, meaningful clusters that are easier to remember. Breaking down complex information into smaller, more manageable units can help improve memory retention. By organizing information into categories, such as numbers or concepts, we can make it more memorable and increase our ability to recall it …
The fundamental attribution error is a type of cognitive bias that leads people to overemphasize personality and underemphasize situational factors.
If you need to solve a problem, there are a number of different problem-solving strategies that can help you come up with an accurate decision. Sometimes the best choice is to use a step-by-step approach that leads to the right solution, but other problems may require a trial-and-error approach. Why Use Problem-Solving Strategies While you …
Emotions are an essential part of human life, but that doesn’t mean that feeling them is always easy. Many different types of emotions influence our decisions, relationships, and overall satisfaction with life. The emotions we feel can feel intense or sometimes even overwhelming. But being able to identify these feelings, talk about them, and manage …
The anchoring bias is a type of heuristic that causes people to use the first they learn as a reference point for making future judgments and decisions. This anchoring effect is highly prevalent across a wide range of situations–and it’s also very difficult to overcome. In this article, learn more about what causes the anchoring …
People are continuously inundated with endless amounts of information. External stimulation, internal thoughts, emotions, and other forces all compete for our attention. To deal with this, people utilize selective attention to tune out things they don’t need to focus on and concentrate on the important things. In this article, learn more about how selective attention …
Cognitive dissonance refers to the sense of unease and discomfort people experience when there is an inconsistency between what they think or how they act and what they perceive in the world. People tend to prefer it when their attitudes align with their perceptions of the world. When these beliefs don’t match up to what …
A cognitive bias is an unconscious systematic pattern of thinking that can result in errors in judgment. These biases stem from the brain’s limited resources and need to simplify the world to make faster decisions. Such biases are often the result of limitations or problems in memory, attention, and information processing. While such biases often …
A short attention span is a common problem for many people. It happens to the best of us. You’re sitting in class or in a meeting and you suddenly find yourself daydreaming, losing focus, and not paying attention. In this article, learn more about what you can do to improve a short attention span. Effects …
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, and manage emotions. This involves not just understanding your own emotions but also understanding the emotions of other people. Furthermore, emotional intelligence has been described as a personality trait and an ability. This article takes a closer look at emotional intelligence and the impact it may have …