Mind Matters — More Gleanings from Psychological Research

Sometimes common sense is quite inaccurate and sometimes it’s spot on. What I enjoy about rigorous research is that while it can sometimes support “common sense” perceptions it often does not. For eons, remember the common sense view was that sunrises and sunsets proved that the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around it. When this “obvious” notion was displaced by the proof that the sun was the center of our solar system and the earth was its satellite, humans had a rude awakening. We were no longer the center of the universe. So it goes when we learn that there are larger truths than the fabrications we live by.

So check out the following research briefs and see if you think your common sense views are being challenged or not.

So where did the research converge with common sense for you? For more research stories you can go to www.apa.org/monitor/digital/in-brief-june-2013.aspx. See also APA Monitor, June 2013, “In Brief” by Amy Novotney.