Popular psychology, also sometimes referred to as “breakfast psychology” (in reference to morning television programs in which psychological issues are discussed very superficially), is the source of many myths and misconceptions. Even when we are aware of this, we often just want to believe some of it.
There is a lot of information that has been repeated by so many people and in so many places that it has crept unnoticed into our minds, and that mind…. well, has begun to treat them as absolute truths. So it is not surprising that it is difficult for us to part with the beliefs that have managed to make a very comfortable place for themselves in our minds
Four scientists and lecturers: Scott O. Lilienfeld, Steven Jay Lynn, John Ruscio, Barry L. Beyerstein decided to dispel some of the myths that have been operating in society for years. They published their observations and conclusions in the book “50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology”.
The book is written in simple language, so even if you are not interested in psychology, you will find it easy to read.
In the book we will have the opportunity to learn more about hypnosis (hypnotized man will not do everything we tell him to), polygraph (not always indicates a liar), the effectiveness (or rather the lack thereof) of subliminal messages and how we use the brain (we engage much more than the famous 10% of its area!). The subject of the influence of music on a child in the womb was also raised
Many of the myths cited by the authors are based on stereotypes (the famous phrase “opposites attract” or the belief that “women are talkative”) or refer to theories that have long been disproven. Some of them may even be harmful
Researchers focused not only on the debunking of functioning myths, but also tried to get to their source: where did they come from and how did they become fixed in the collective consciousness?
After such a reading, your eyes will certainly open and you will gain a critical attitude towards the “revelations” that are sometimes served to us by the media
