Clinical Psychology & Mental Health

Extraversion: Can You Fake It 'Til You Make It?

Extraversion: Can You Fake It ‘Til You Make It?

Our society tends to value people who are social, outgoing, and action-oriented – that is, extraverts. Indeed, there’s plenty to like about being extraverted. Extraverts enjoy higher levels of happiness on average, ...
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/ / Behavioral Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Extroversion, Relationships, Social Psychology
Adverse Childhood Experiences Influence Life Satisfaction in Adulthood

Adverse Childhood Experiences Influence Life Satisfaction in Adulthood

We know that childhood experiences lay the foundation for mental health in adulthood. But is it possible to determine what consequences a single traumatic event in childhood might have for long-term psychological ...
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/ / Children, Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Positive Psychology, Stress & Trauma, Well-Being
Untangling the Relationship Between Autism and Schizophrenia

Untangling the Relationship Between Autism and Schizophrenia

Autism is a condition that psychiatrists have never known how exactly to categorize. The debate over how to define the condition has played out again in each new version of the DSM, ...
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/ / Autism, Clinical Psychology, Schiziphrenia
Dark Personality Traits and Internet Usage

Dark Personality Traits and Internet Usage

It’s a common recognition these days that the internet has a dark side. The anonymity, lack of face-to-face interaction, and low amount of effort required are all a natural fit for the ...
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/ / Clinical Psychology, Internet, Media Psychology & Technology, Narcissism, Personality
Can Dying in Virtual Reality Change Your Life?

Can Dying in Virtual Reality Change Your Life?

Many people who have near-death experiences report coming away with a new perspective on their lives. From a scientific standpoint, we don’t know much about how this works because it’s hard to ...
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/ / Clinical Psychology, Media Psychology & Technology
Labels Can Help or Hurt People With Mental Health Conditions

Labels Can Help or Hurt People With Mental Health Conditions

Labels are a tricky part of mental health awareness. On one hand, no one wants to be reduced to a label. On the other hand, labels give us a language to talk ...
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/ / Clinical Psychology
Spooky Science: The Psychology of Paranormal Beliefs

Spooky Science: The Psychology of Paranormal Beliefs

Long-time readers of this blog will know that I can take the fun out of almost any holiday. For Thanksgiving, I’ve written about the advantages of being ungrateful and the inner lives ...
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/ / Children, Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Fear, Stress & Trauma
What Sets Adults With Autism Who Have Savant Skills Apart?

What Sets Adults With Autism Who Have Savant Skills Apart?

Occasionally, people with autism have special abilities where they are able to far outperform others. They might be able to perform feats of memory, create incredibly realistic works of art, or tell ...
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/ / Adults, Autism, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Mistaking Narcissism for Self-Esteem Might Explain Why People Are Drawn to Narcissists

Mistaking Narcissism for Self-Esteem Might Explain Why People Are Drawn to Narcissists

If I asked you to list five traits you value in your friends, narcissism probably won’t make the cut. Yet narcissists are often able to make a good impression and draw people ...
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/ / Clinical Psychology, Narcissism, Positive Psychology, Self-Esteem
Facebook Posts Can Predict Depression Risk

Facebook Posts Can Predict Depression Risk

We tend to curate our Facebook profiles to control the image we project. But a new study suggests that when it comes to mental health, our Facebook posts might be more revealing ...
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/ / Clinical Psychology, Depression, Media Psychology & Technology, Social Media