Freedom vs. Belonging

I just finished reading Moby Dick, a great tale written in a wordy but interesting style. The story raises important psychological issues relating to the desire for revenge, for adventure, and for belonging. I am especially interested in the issue of conflict between...

What makes video games so alluring?

Video games attract millions of players and billions of dollars of revenue. What makes them so alluring? Here are some thoughts: They use reinforcement and shaping. Having your character meet some challenge tends to be reinforcing by itself because of our strong...

Are you self-compassionate?

Self-compassion is in the news thanks to a forthcoming book on the subject by Kristin Neff:  “Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind.”  Self-compassion involves being kind to yourself, even if you make mistakes. Individuals with...

The importance of nicknames

When I was a boy, my older brothers called me Babe. The names they and their high school pals had for each other and their pals were more negative — these included Lard and The Nose. When I reached high school a friend started calling me Snowgoose (for no...