Notes from a Psychologist
Dr. Mel Whitehurst

The purpose of Notes from a Psychologist is to encourage and inspire the spread of optimism and hope.  Optimistic thinkers tend to be happier and healthier. I'll keep posting new ideas periodically.  Meanwhile....think positive 

                      LAST OF THE HUMAN FREEDOMS

The following quote comes from Dr. Viktor a World War II Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, in his classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning.

We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread.  They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing:  the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

I hope his observations were right.  They’re certainly being tested to their limits in today’s world.

                         CATS AND RATS ARE AT IT AGAIN

All my life I’ve heard people say, “I smell a rat” whenever they suspected something shady was going on.  Astonishingly, I just learned this idiom is all wrong.  It should be, “I smell a cat.” 

Two researchers, Robert Dielenberg and Ian McGregor, ran an experiment to compare the smelling abilities of cats and rats. They discovered that cats were far easier to smell than rats, and that rats could detect a cat much more easily than a cat could detect a rat.

In short, if you caught a whiff of something shady, you were probably smelling a cat instead of a rat.

My unreliable conclusion is this:  the next time something feels suspicious, it’s actually more accurate to say, “I smell a cat.”

PS

One of my friends thinks I must have too much time on my hands, given how deep I’ve gone into rat‑and‑cat behavior research.

Source

Robert Dielenberg and Ian McGreggor, Habituation of the Hiding Response to Cat Odor in Rats (Rattus norvegicus), Journal of Comparative Psychology, 1999, Vol. 113, No. 4, 376-387

                   CHOCOLATE CAKE CAN MAKE US HONEST

Social psychologist Dr. Dan Ariely demonstrated in a controlled research study that when people are hungry or thirsty, they become more likely to behave dishonestly.  Therefore, if you want me to own up to the truth give me a piece of cake first.  (Chocolate cake works on me better than a lie detector test.)

So, if you want me to tell the truth, start by handing me a piece of chocolate cake.

My conclusion from this study is to eat plenty of your favorite desert if you want to be an honest person.

SOURCE

The Valjean effect:  Visceral States and Cheating, Emotion, Vol.16, 2016

 

                            THE FROG BOIL EXPERIMENT

The fable goes that if you put a frog in a pan of boiling water, it will immediately jump out.  But if you put it in a pan of warm water and slowly raise the temperature to boiling the frog will not notice the change and will be boiled to death.

The frog boil happened in Nazi Germany where an authoritarian leader gradually took away the rights of citizens until he was able to become perhaps the most ruthless dictator in history.  More than forty million people lost their lives as a result of the gradual destruction of human rights.  All of this shockingly took place initially in a democratic government.

Voter suppression, disrespect for differences, widespread character attacks, divisiveness, rampant racism, and the growing power of wealthy elites have become part of the American “frog boil”, a slow, almost imperceptible erosion of human rights and a gradual drift toward an authoritarian government.

Have you noticed any of these things?

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                  I BELIEVE THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED

What if, one morning, a miracle occurred and the president and every member of the Senate and House of Representatives committed to working together, hand‑in‑hand, give‑and‑take, and actually meant it?  What if the president went on national television and pledged to lead with collaboration and cooperation, and meant it?  What if all our leaders made a sincere promise to do what’s best for the country, and meant it?

No finger‑pointing. No scapegoating. No name‑calling. No threats.  No talk of shooting each other on 5th avenue.  No self-serving theatrics on the floors of Congress.  Only, working together to resolve issues through hard bargaining, reason and logic, and meant it.

Whooo… what a wonderful world we could create.

Note

A good book to read on this topic:  Pro Truth:  A Practical Plan for Putting Truth Back Into Politics by Gleb Tsipursky and Tim Ward.

 

DO WORDY PEOPLE WHO NEVER GET TO THE POINT ANNOY YOU?

Then you are probably getting old.

Neuropsychological research suggests that as we age, we naturally become less wordy and more concise.  Hence, we expect others to follow suit

Source

Schwartz, Jeffry and Begley, Sharon, (2002) The Mind and The Brain:  Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force, HarperCollins Publishers, New York, New York

                           IT PAYS TO BE RESPECTABLE

“Civility cost nothing and buys everything.”  (Mary Montagu, 1756)

People consistently evaluate civil individuals more favorably than those who behave uncivilly.  Researchers Jeremy Frimer and Linda Skitka found that political leaders who used discourteous language in speeches and debates were perceived as less warm and less honest, regardless of their political ideology.  Debaters who responded with civility after a personal attack were also judged to be more credible.

Taken together, the evidence suggests that it is worthwhile to remain intentionally courteous and polite—even when confronted with personal attacks.

SOURCE

Frimer, Jeremy and Skitka, Linda, The Montagu Principle:  Incivility Decreases Politicians’ Public Approval, Even With Their Political Base, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology:  Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes, 2028, Vol. 115, No. 5, 845-866

I RECOMMEND EVERYONE READ GEORGE ORWELL’S BOOK, 1984

“War is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.” George Orwell, 1984

In the book 1984, the authoritarian Big Brother reshapes the meaning of words through fear, coercion, and relentless propaganda.  Only one man, Winston, dares to resist this manipulation.  But he stands alone.  He needs others to think with him, to question with him.  Sadly, too many lack the courage.  And we know how his story ends, as described on the final page of the novel:  “Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose.  But it was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself.  He loved Big Brother.”

It seems to me that a troubling number of Americans seem all too ready to think exactly as they are told by media voices, online influencers, or anyone who speaks with enough volume or certainty.

Whether we identify as conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, ordinary or brilliant, we would all benefit from reminding ourselves to think analytically, logically, and critically, especially when someone is trying to persuade us or shape our worldview.  Let intellect guide us, not fear-driven emotion.

If we fail to do that, we may find ourselves, little by little, learning to love Big Brother.

                              ATTENTION SENIORS

A 2021 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2021) involving 3,038 participants found that seniors who underwent cataract surgery at age 65 or older were about 30% less likely to develop any form of dementia over the following ten years than those who did not have the surgery.

Does improved vision itself reduce the risk of dementia? The study did not answer that question.

However, my best-guess theory is that improved vision supplies the brain with more visual stimuli, which subsequently enhances cognitive functioning and helps delay the onset of dementia.

                     Book Review:  Until the End of Time

Dr. Brian Greene’s book explores a profound tension: science’s view that the universe will one day reach a permanent end, and humanity’s long‑held belief in an immortal soul. Can an impermanent cosmos and an infinite human spirit truly coexist?

According to the Big Bang theory, the universe burst into existence roughly 14 billion years ago in a massive, energetic expansion. That expansion continues today, yet scientists widely agree that the universe will eventually exhaust its energy and fade into stillness.

Humans arrived much later—about 3.9 billion years after the Earth formed—and became the first beings aware of their own mortality. That awareness drove us to search for the timeless, to imagine what might endure beyond physical life. In this sense, every religion and even many scientific inquiries begin with the same fact: death. For humans, earthly life ends, but many traditions hold that the soul continues on without end.

Science seeks to understand the laws of physics—laws that are constant and unalterable. Yet, as Greene explains through the concept of entropy, the expanding universe grows increasingly disordered and unpredictable. Humanity cannot alter these laws or the cosmic trajectory they dictate.

Greene does not frame science and human belief as adversaries. Instead, he highlights their parallel narratives: the universe moving steadily toward its eventual dissolution, and humans striving for spiritual permanence through religious and philosophical traditions that confront impermanence head‑on.

Science predicts that the physical universe will end. Many humans believe that life, in some form, will not. That is the essential contrast. Science does not deny the possibility of God; it simply describes a universe with a finite lifespan. Humans do not deny the universe’s end; they assert that the soul transcends it.

These are my broad conclusions from a complex and fascinating book. I have not attempted to summarize Greene’s detailed explanations of the Big Bang, entropy, thermodynamics, or recent discoveries in cosmology. For those insights—and for a deeper understanding of how physics shapes our sense of meaning and purpose—I encourage you to read the book itself.

Dr. Brian Greene is professor of Physics and Math at Columbia University, New York.  He is considered one of the world’s leading theoretical physicists and mathematicians.  

ARE POLITICAL LIBERALS AND POLITICAL CONSERVATIVES DIFFERENT?

The answer is yes.  Research suggests there are meaningful personality differences in political liberals and political conservatives.  Behavioral scientists at the University of Auckland found that conservatives tend to be more polite, while liberals tend to be more compassionate. In their study, liberals showed a stronger sympathetic connection with others, whereas conservatives approached situations with more measured reasoning.

Perhaps if conservatives were a bit more compassionate, and liberals a bit more reasoned, we might see fewer congressional gridlocks.

Source

Osborne, Danny, Wootton, Liz, & Sibley, Chris, Are Liberals Agreeable or Not? Politeness and Compassion Differentially Predict Political Conservatism via Distinct Ideologies, Social Psychology, 2013, Vol. 44(5), pp 353-360

ARE NONVIOLENT POLITICAL MOVEMENTS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN VIOLENT POLITICAL MOVEMENTS?

The answer is a definite yes!

Research consistently shows that nonviolent movements are more successful than violent ones in achieving lasting political change.  Nonviolent campaigns not only win more often but also tend to succeed faster and with broader legitimacy.

Political scientist Erica Chenoweth’s groundbreaking study of 300 resistance campaigns (1900-2006) found that nonviolent campaigns succeed about twice as often as violent ones.  Roughly 53% of nonviolent movements achieved their goals compared to only 26% of violent campaigns.

Nonviolent movements attract more far more people than violent movements.  The superior participation of nonviolent movements makes it more difficult to inhibit and dominate the movement.  Participation of 3.5% of the adult population historically has been enough to effect a change.

Sources

Erica Chenoweth & Maria Stephan, Why Civil Resistance Works, Columbia University Press, 2011

Erica Chenoweth & Maria Stepha, The Role of External Support in Nonviolent Campaigns:  Poisoned Chalice or Holy Grail, Columbia University Press, 2021

SENIORS:  DON’T ALLOW DRIVING RUMORS TO DERAIL YOU

There’s a term used by psychologists called “awfulizing”, a state of continuous commiserating about something.  I was in one of those awfulizing states for several weeks last year. 

In Texas anyone who has reached a certain advanced age has to show up in person at a driver’s license center to renew their license.  Being one of the “advanced”, I scheduled my appointment.  Unfortunately, the earliest slot was three months out and in a city forty miles away.  During that long wait, I heard all kinds of dreadful stories about senior renewals:  full ten-finger fingerprinting, a high-tech driver’s test designed to make it almost impossible to pass for anyone over 65, an IQ and memory exam, vision better than 20/20 vision in each eye, the ability to deadlift 150 pounds, you name it. For three months I was convinced it would be awful, awful, awful.  I wasn’t ready to give up driving.

Fortunately, none of this ever happened.  It was only other seniors, like me, nervously speculating or maybe a few of them were just “putting me on”.  When I finally arrived at the license office, the whole process took ten minutes:  a simple eye test, a fee, and I was done.  Whew!  All that awfulizing for nothing.

I have a dental appointment next month.  And this time, I’m absolutely certain it really will be awful.

                           DON’T UNDERESTIMATE KINDNESS

Kindness frequently increases happiness for both the giver and the receiver.  Yet, two university researchers discovered that many people hesitate to show kindness, fearing the possibility of a negative reaction. **

I believe in taking the chance to be more kind. 

**Margaret Echelbarger and Nicholas Epley, Undervaluating the Positive Impact of Kindness Starts Early, Journal of Experimental Psychology:  General, 2023, Vol, 152, No. 10, 2989-2994

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                       THERE IS A HUGE COST TO LIVE SAFELY 

In my view, the greatest tragedy of the human race is that we continue to kill each other.

Combined spending from the military, National Guard, city and state police, ICE, private security systems is estimated to be about $125 trillion yearly, all devoted to protecting us from being killed or harmed by each other.

Imagine what might be possible if that same $125 trillion were invested in violence prevention.  Nothing will really change as long as aggression and warfare remain a high priority means of resolving our differences.  Nevertheless, I plan to make a small try.

I have to admit that I sometimes get angry and find myself supporting aggressive resolutions to disagreements.  There are a few political leaders that I would really, really, really, like to kick in the seat of their pants.  However, I recognize that this kind of reaction is dysfunctional and ultimately useless.  As an alternative, I’ve been exploring more constructive ways that I can address the problem instead of staying angry about situations much of the time.  Below are two things I plan to do.

Stop blaming, demeaning, belittling, name-calling, ridiculing, attacking, and accusing those who disagree with me even though they may deserve it.  Instead, try to see the other sides opinions before forming my responses.

Search for ways to support others although I strongly disagree with them by identifying what we have in common and supporting that.

One person like myself will most likely make only a miniscule difference.  I accept that I will never “save” the world as I once optimistically imagined in my younger days, but perhaps I can make a modest contribution, one small act at a time by encouraging nonviolence.                   

                     LEARNING TO SEE WHAT YOU DON’T SEE

Have you ever known something without any observable facts?  You simply know you know but cannot support it other than your hunches and feelings.

That experience may be your intuition—a form of thinking that operates unconsciously and automatically, without deliberate effort.

Intuitive thinking continuously processes and organizes information below the level of awareness and, for reasons not fully understood, delivers some of it to consciousness in recognizable ways, such as....

....hunches, gut feelings, or impressions.

....a sense that something is wrong or missing in a situation, that things simply     do not feel right.

....the sudden emergence of a solution at an unexpected moment.

Recognizing and understanding intuition can greatly enhance your ability to make positive decisions.  However, intuitions can be incorrect unless they are examined and interpreted through logical analysis once they reach conscious awareness.

Therefore, remain attentive to your daily intuitions.  Logically analyze them when they arrive in your consciousness.  Ask the following questions.

      What does the feeling, hunch, uneasiness or solution mean?  What is it     

      saying to do or not to do?

      What is the probably it is correct?  What is the evidence for both sides?

      What appears to have started the intuition?

                                      WHO’S AT FAULT?

Democrats say the 77,302,580 people who voted for Trump in the last presidential election are the ones causing all our problems.

Republicans say the 75,017,613 who voted for Harris are the ones causing all our problems.

So, according to both sides, more than 152 million Americans are to blame.

Mr. President, perhaps the only bipartisan solution left is clear: deport everyone who voted.  That should take care of nearly all the “troublemakers.”

* Endorsed by the Society of The Preservation of Merriment
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                                     WILLFUL IGNORANCE

Hostile disagreements are far more likely to be resolved when both sides make an honest effort to understand the other persons point of view.  If Democrats and Republicans were willing to examine each other’s perspectives before going to “war,” most of our political problems could be disentangled and solved.  A recent research study illustrates this point.

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam conducted a meta-analysis—a study that combines the findings of many studies—on people’s tendency to avoid information when it conflicts with their goals. This behavior, known as willful ignorance, allows individuals to ignore how their actions might negatively affect others.

Across 6,531 participants and 33,603 decisions, the researchers found that about 40% of people were quick to “look the other way” and avoid information about the harmful consequences of their actions if doing so benefited them.

The impact was significant: willful ignorance was associated with a 15.6% drop in altruistic behavior. But when participants did face the consequences of their actions, their altruism did not decline, and in some cases, it actually increased.

Source

Ignorance by Choice: A Meta‑Analytic Review of the Underlying Motives of Willful Ignorance and Its Consequences — Linh Vu, Ivan Soraperra, Margarita Leib, Joël van der Weele & Shaul Shalvi (2023, Psychological Bulleti\

HAVE YOU EVER MADE A PROMISE TO YOURSELF WITHOUT ANYONE KNOWING?  

I made a promise about thirty years ago when for some unknown reason one day I had this sudden insight that I would not live forever, that life was very tenuous.  Anything could happen at any moment.  Hastily, I made a promise to myself, which has influenced me every day since. 

I privately promised to the best of my ability, not to do anything that I could control to shorten my life.  I wanted to live as long as I could.  I did not want to die from something I had caused.  For example, I decided not to smoke, to eat healthy, to stay away from people who pulled me down when I could, to live more for the moment, and to pursue a low stress lifestyle.  Up to now, my promise has been going well.
                            

    THOSE WHO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE, CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.

Albert Einstein said, “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent.  It takes a touch of genius---and a lot of courage---to move in the opposite direction.”

When I read this several years ago, I decided to work at becoming a simplifier.  I have made a concentrated effort to simplify all areas of my life.  So far, I haven’t changed the world, but I am happier.

                                 PULL FOR THE UNDERDOG 

Unfortunately, most underdogs end up losing.  Only a few triumph.  So, why should one be drawn to underdogs knowing there is only a slight likelihood they will succeed?  It’s because underdogs’ determination to succeed in the face of nearly insurmountable obstacles is inspiring.  For me, the small fry struggling to triumph overrides the bad feelings of losing and encourages hope.  
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                              Email: drmelwhitehurst@gmail.com