by jmalouff | Dec 17, 2023 | Human Thinking and Behavior, Language
If I live long enough, people may call me an old coot, an old codger, or an old geezer. These terms are sometimes used as derogatory and sometimes used just to mean an old man. A coot is a water bird that looks awkward when it moves. “Codger” may be...
by jmalouff | Jan 18, 2023 | Human Thinking and Behavior, Language, Motivation, Well-Being
Some experts and ordinary folks want men to show vulnerability, but most men are not inclined in that direction. To me and to most men, vulnerability means being weak in case of attack. That is the traditional meaning of the word. Those who want men to show...
by jmalouff | Sep 11, 2021 | Cursing and Swearing, Human Thinking and Behavior, Language
I curse at times. I bet you do too. I curse mostly to reduce an intense emotion, usually frustration. I typically curse just in my mind, unless no one is around. The cursing helps me feel a little bit better. There are studies that show I am not the only one who...
by jmalouff | Jul 11, 2021 | Human Thinking and Behavior, Language
When I teach students how to help eliminate some behavior, like nail biting, I preach that clients need to develop an alternative behavior that serves the same functions as the one they want to eliminate. For instance, if a bloke wants to stop ruinous drinking, he may...
by jmalouff | Jul 10, 2021 | Human Thinking and Behavior, Language
I recently did a few radio interviews about the effects of empathy training, which was a media topic due to the PM ordering a member of Parliament to get the training. I said in the interviews that empathy training can be effective in a person who wants to learn. I...
by jmalouff | Feb 13, 2021 | Human Thinking and Behavior, Language
Have you ever said the wrong thing? If so, welcome to the club. My first experience in saying the wrong thing occurred when I was hired to give a presentation on autism-spectrum disorders at a university where I had never worked. I went and talked....