Tomasz Witkowski has written another book filled with skepticism and critical thinking. Tomasz Witkowski is a Polish psychologist and skeptic (founder of the Polish Skeptics Club) who is well known for pointing out the lack of scientific evidence behind most of what psychologists do. I have reviewed three of his… read more "Tomasz Witkowski Busts More Myths"
Pain Reprocessing Therapy
In a trial of Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), 2/3 of patients with chronic low back pain reported significant pain relief with psychotherapy that helped them reconceptualize the pain as nondangerous. Impressive if true, but flaws in research design make the study untrustworthy. I don’t usually get my medical information from Reader’s… read more "Pain Reprocessing Therapy"
Patients Who Deceive
Loren Pankratz’s book Patients Who Deceive covers the whole spectrum of different kinds of deception. It is well written, informative, and entertaining, with case examples that read like detective stories. As Dr. House says on the TV series, “Everybody lies”. Doctors know their patients can’t always be trusted to provide a complete… read more "Patients Who Deceive"
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
I have long been skeptical of the diagnosis of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Here’s what I wrote about it four years ago in an article in Skeptic magazine: An episode of ABC’s Nightline news show about Dr. Rea’s controversial diagnoses and treatments aired in 2009. I was appalled by the interviews with a patient diagnosed by Dr. Rea… read more "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity"
¿Qué es la hipnosis?
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] ¿La hipnosis es real? ¿La gente realmente entra en trance o es solo una cuestión de imaginación y juego de roles? Algunas personas lo juran. Un sitio web proclama que el poder de tu mente es ilimitado: “El… read more "¿Qué es la hipnosis?"
Hypnosis Revisited
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] Is hypnosis for real? Do people actually go into a trance, or is it just a matter of imagination and role playing? Some people swear by it. One website proclaims that “Your mind power… read more "Hypnosis Revisited"
La autoestima está sobrevalorada
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] La mayoría de la gente cree que fomentar la autoestima en los niños tendrá muchos beneficios, desde la felicidad hasta un mejor rendimiento escolar, pero esa creencia no está respaldada por la evidencia. Se nos anima… read more "La autoestima está sobrevalorada"
Self Esteem Is Overrated
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] Most people believe that fostering self-esteem in children will have many benefits, from happiness to better school performance, but that belief is not supported by the evidence. We are encouraged to reward… read more "Self Esteem Is Overrated"
Meet the Psychologists
In this book, you will meet 16 of the most prominent people in psychology in conversational interviews that reveal their thoughts about the current state of psychology and its future. Enlightening and entertaining. Psychology is more popular than ever, but it has been criticized for scandals involving fraud, failed replications,… read more "Meet the Psychologists"
Electronic Screen Syndrome: Is It Real?
You may have noticed that children seem to spend a lot of time interacting with screens: cell phones, tablets, computers, and video games. You may have wondered if this is bad for them or good for them. I think the answer is “it depends.” In 2012, Victoria L. Dunckley MD… read more "Electronic Screen Syndrome: Is It Real?"