Category Archives: Psychology

Links and Comments: About Thinking; About Research; About Orientations

Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

First, from yesterday’s New York Times Science section: How to Think Like an Epidemiologist. Subtitle: “Don’t worry, a little Bayesian analysis won’t hurt you.” As Marc Lipsitch, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Harvard, noted on Twitter, Bayesian reasoning comes awfully … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Science | Comments Off on Links and Comments: About Thinking; About Research; About Orientations

Quote: David McRaney

Posted on Monday 3 August 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

From his 2011 book YOU ARE NOT SO SMART, which I blogged here about in 2013. One particular idea came to mind again recently (which I managed to track down to this book, though it’s likely discussed in others), considering … Continue reading →

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Links and Comments: How Science Really Works; How Pandemics Can Trigger Cultural Renewal; Newton’s work during a Plague Year

Posted on Friday 17 July 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

(updated 18jul20) Slate, Shannon Palus: How Public Health Experts Feel About Being Wrong. Subtitle: “That they change their advice is actually why we should trust them.” The subtitle is precisely right. Experts, scientists, anyone with intellectual integrity change their minds … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Science | Comments Off on Links and Comments: How Science Really Works; How Pandemics Can Trigger Cultural Renewal; Newton’s work during a Plague Year

Links and Comments: Psychology Trumps All?

Posted on Sunday 12 July 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Two items came up today on very similar topics. They both play to my interest in the psychological underpinnings of belief and apprehension of the world. As I’ve alluded, this is one of my major themes (as on my Principles … Continue reading →

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Links and Comments: Coronavirus, Climate Change, Risk Assessment

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

(updated 9jul20, 11jul20) Salon, Amanda Marcotte: Climate-change denial and the coronavirus “hoax” are the same conspiracy theory. The worldwide conspiracy is vast — so vast that most of the world’s scientists, journalists and political leaders are in on it. Somehow, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psychology | Comments Off on Links and Comments: Coronavirus, Climate Change, Risk Assessment

More About Good People vs. Bad, and (Gottschall) the Ubiquity of Conspiracy Theories

Posted on Saturday 4 July 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Slate, June 26, Jordan Weissman: The GOP’s One Big Excuse for Cutting Off Unemployment Benefits Isn’t Even True This topic echoes comments in recent posts about whether people are generally good or generally bad; conservatives presume the former (in particular, … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology | Comments Off on More About Good People vs. Bad, and (Gottschall) the Ubiquity of Conspiracy Theories

About Dreams

Posted on Friday 3 July 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Keying off the previous post, I was fascinated by Gottschall’s comments about dreams, how they often focus on important or threatening things in life. I’ve noticed certain themes in my own dreams, in that they invariably involve some problem, a … Continue reading →

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About Motivated Reasoning

Posted on Saturday 27 June 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

(rev. 8jul20) This isn’t so much a Notes for the Book post, as a refinement of a portion of my Principles page, which compiles what I think are crucial guidelines for understanding the world, in particular how to evaluate claims … Continue reading →

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Links and Comments: Visual Illusions and Perception of Reality; Trumpian Gnostic Madness

Posted on Tuesday 23 June 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Vox: Brian Resnick: “Reality” is constructed by your brain. Here’s what that means, and why it matters. Subtitled, What the science of visual illusions can teach us about our polarized world. A long, thorough survey of various topics on one … Continue reading →

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Comments and Quotes: Good People vs. Mob-Hysteria

Posted on Tuesday 23 June 2020 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a curious convergence of ideas — a coincidence. A few days ago I made the comment that individuals don’t think clearly in crowds; crowds can be become mobs, and even peaceful gatherings can lead to group-think in which individuals … Continue reading →

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