I’ve studied Psychology, Neuroscience and Human Behavior for 10+ Years. AMA.

[ChrisV]

...

But thank you for the link.

 

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[ChrisV]

That's not true. While you'll still learn this in high school biology, and even up through medical school, most neuroscientists these days agree that synaptic communication is at least partially driven by sound waves and/or mechanical pulses (they have many of the same properties, but different than electrical and chemical propagation mechanisms). It's no longer believed that the brain is just neurons generating electrical pulses and releasing amino acids.

Well it’s not waves and communications, what happens is one neuron kind of ‘squirts’ a neurotransmitter (serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine) to the next one. But yes, there is electricity involved. With action potentials. But the electricity doesn’t travel from neuron to neuron. It’s not electricity in the typical sense, but neurons kind of open up and let ions in giving them a different charge. The sound stuff you’re talking about is pretty controversial, and I’m sure your neighbor knows boatloads more than I do. But they definitely don’t teach that in Universities. It’s very cutting edge, theoretical stuff.

An article from Live Science: Controversial New Idea: Nerves Transmit Sound, Not Electricity

Let’s put it this way.. Harvard's Neuroscience 101 course explains it the way I did. If there are some hardcore researchers in the field with different views, that’s cool... but that’s not what mainstream science is teaching.

And I guess you can call it ‘dumbing things down” but I’d prefer to say I’m trying to make them more accessible.. But you’re right. I wasn’t going to reply to the ‘electrical impulses’ comment with a dissertation.

And I did answer your question.

 

[ChrisV]

A
That's all I have to say on this...I've I gotten the information I was looking for...

Dude, Harvard’s neuroscience courses doesn’t even teach that. Nor have I seen that being taught at any other university. It’s fringe stuff. If it’s not in textbooks it’s fringe stuff. No I’m not your “best friend who is the third best Neuroscientist is the world” but I know enough to try and help people with their questions on an Entrepreneurship forum.

None of these people care about that shit. They don’t care about Axons and Dendrites and if the brain transmits Neurotransmitters or Play-Doh. They want to learn marketing.

If that’s an issue, F*ck off.

 

[ChrisV]

"Looking at it purely scientifically: no. But, I don't want to reply with a dissertation."

You can avoid writing a dissertation without giving an incorrect answer.

THEY DO TRANSMIT ELECTRICAL IMPULSES

You have seriously got to be kidding...

What are nerve impulses?

What Is the Electrical Impulse That Moves Down an Axon?

Neurons, Synapses, Action Potentials, and Neurotransmission - The Mind Project

Holy F*ck, you get one kid who’s had a few drunken conversations with a Neuroscientist and all of a sudden they’re an expert.

 

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[loop101]

I have studied consciousness for a long time. It is a topic that is quickly reduced to the fundamental questions about the "self", "reality", "truth", "life", "death", "free will", "determinism", etc. People have struggled with these questions since there have been people, and yet it is possible to resolve these questions.

The people who have figured this stuff out are generally referred to as "enlightened", in the Eastern sense. I don't usually talk about it, because I'm not one of them, despite being on the path for a long time.

All the questions in this thread can be reduced to "Who are you?". For example, you ask "Do I have Free Will?". Well, who are you? The idea of "Free Will" implies an actor, an action, and something acted upon. How are these separate things? If you are not separate from Reality, why do you say you are doing something rather than say "everything is doing something"? Why don't you see your "self" as Reality tricking itself? If you say, "Because, I experience Reality!" , that is a rephrasing of Descartes "I think therefore I am". Descartes knows that he exists, though he is unsure about the rest of reality. Everything else could be the "little devil" in his head.

In the East, their culture took the opposite view. They are certain Reality exists, but not so sure about their "self". They will ask questions like "Who were you before your parents were born?", and have notions about the body being a collection of sense organs that as a group can create the false sense of a "self". the Western and Eastern philosophers both assume the "Self" is separate from the "other".

How do you know what is true? If I tell you the stove is hot, is it? You have to experience it to know it is true. If you dream the stove is hot, is it? There is one sensation that people sleeping never experience, it is assumed the brain is incapable of it. Do you know what it is? It is pain. Pain is the only way we can tell what is real or not. When Zen students get to a point where they question if Reality exists, the teacher reigns them in with an appropriately named "Zen stick".

I use to think "enlightenment" was only an Eastern thing. It turns out there are tons of people who have made this trip, there are unfortunately about 100x more that claim to have. If you had no sense of "Self", and experienced life as a kind of inward-gazing eyeball-of-reality, how would your life be? Would you worry about dying? Your legacy? Your anything? If you were 100% certain that YOU ARE REALITY, would you fear anything, want to gain anything? What the F*ck would you want to gain? A new Lambo?

The Zen monasteries in Japan are built on the best land, because the Samurai gave it to them. Why? Because the Zen Masters were not afraid of dying, and many died proving that. The Samurai respected the Zen masters, and some became their students, leading to the "-dos", like "ken-do", "karate-do", "aki-do", etc. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is all around you, you just have to see it. The Taoists says the Tao is like water, and the seekers are like the fish in the water. It is all the same thing. All these religions and philosophies (at their best), are paths to resolve the fundamental deception of the "self". As the Korean master Seung Sahn once said, "There are always a lot of problems, but you won't have any when there is no You".

IMHO, TMFL is about finding an optimized and monetized way of helping the most people possible, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is not even incompatible with "spiritual enlightenment". It *is* incompatible with goals of optimizing the "self". "Self-improvement", "self-enrichment", "self-control" - all are walking the razors edge between being useful and condemning you to the fear of loss-of-self.

I know ChrisV means well, and I hope people don't start bashing him if he fumbles on the questions I described above. No one has the answer to those questions. You have to be the answer, to know the answer. I'm sure he has a ton of knowledge about the brain and how it functions, and it is always good to know a good mechanic for when things go wrong.

Water is a universal solvent. Given enough time, it can wear down mountains or dig the Grand Canyon. It basically always works, if not slowly. Stillness of body and mind always works in dissolving the "self". There might be better ways for you, there are as many paths to "spiritual enlightenment" as there are people. The zen masters I have known usually had mediated for 10-30 years before losing their sense of "self". On the other hand, the Australian spiritual teacher (and sex addict), Barry Long, once said, "If it takes you 30 years of sitting to reach Enlightenment, MAYBE YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG" The Buddha took 9 years, and Maura O'Halloran took 3 (before she was killed).

If you really Really REALLY want to know the answers to the "big" questions, I would not discourage anyone from looking. Spiritual "growth" and serving others *should* be synergistic, but often are antagonistic. For example, if you are projecting an image of a "successful you" to other business people during the day, and trying to peel away the "you" at night, it would probably feel like you were pursuing two extremely difficult and mutually exclusive goals. Most businesses fail, but entrepreneurs simply keep creating new ones, and they only need one success to make it worthwhile - spiritual seeking is exactly the same.

 

[ChrisV]

which would mean at least some post-doc experience

NO, It doesn’t.

My First post says:

I’ve studied formally and informally, in classes and on my own.​

I never once claimed I am.... or ever have been, a practicing Neuroscientist, you little tumor. Having studied a topic formally can mean someone took 4 classes, 10 classes... never did I once say or even imply I was a practicing Neuroscientist.

The stuff I “Google” I already know. I’m showing you EVIDENCE. (That’s what we do in science, not that you would know shit about science)

It’s like who says “I have some education in biology” and a guy comes in “OH YOU’RE A PHD BIOLOGIST COOL WHICH MAMMALS HAVE YOU DISSECTED.” It’s totally F*cking insane.

That’s the first thing. And the second thing is, that poster didn’t ASK if the brain “was electrical impulses"

The context was: When asked “What is consciousness” he responded “Electrical signals and chemical reactions in your brain” to which I replied “Yes, if you want to look at it purely scientifically, consciousness is simply electrical impulse”

This is correct. The scientific view is that consciousness is simply brain activity. I’m not gonna nitpick about the F*cking wording of his response.

This shit its annoying. It’s always some keyboard jockey who knows nothing about this who is suddenly in a position to talk about this stuff. I literally have friends who are famous Authors and PhDs who have never called my claims into question, but some guy who drinks beers with a Neuroscientist? HE’S in a position to say if the brain is electrical impulses or not. This guy is literally trying to give me a quiz without knowing the material himself.

THEN trolling my thread with a bunch of fringe science that’s not even mainstream enough to be taught in universities, claiming that it’s ‘definitely true’... You know, even though Neuroscience is literally a field in it’s infancy and we really don’t know jack shit in comparison to other hard sciences. Find me one university that’s teaching that nerves communicate via sound. One.

I would never even use the words ‘expert’ about myself, even if I were.

My answer to your qualification question is because i’m not going to sit qualify myself to you as if this were some job interview or you’re my dad. But if you have to know, no I’m not a F*cking practicing Neuroscientist, nor have I ever claimed to be... but I have taken a number of classes from very good Universities (Ivy League, not saying which.) But regardless, THAT IS IRRELEVANT. Science doesnt give a F*ck who you are. We care about how accurate what you say is. The bottom line is I'm certainly qualified enough to answer marketing questions on an Entrepreneurship forum.

 

[lowtek]

Oof lol. That’s a can of worms lol.

Neuroscience is starting to find the parts of the brain responsible for consciousness and there are evolutionary theories, etc...

In my opinion? They’re bullshit. I think Consciousness is the one (and maybe only) nut science will never ever crack. Not even in a million years. I think it’s outside of the realm of science and possibly in the realm of spirituality.

Have you ever taken psychedelics? If consciousness were outside the brain, then it doesn't make sense that you could eat a mushroom and so severely alter your consciousness.

 

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[lowtek]

The point is that you’re sitting here flailing away at the keyboard talking about some sh*t you don’t even know about, trying to give me quizzes and sh*t when you don’t even know the first thing about it. Then try to imply it’s the wrong answer (when it’s totally correct) even though you don’t know the material. It’s always some dipshit who knows nothing about the subject at hand who has the “BS detector”

Matter of fact, I want to see that Quantum Physics thread. I can only imagine the dumb bullshit you spewed all over that thread.

Imagine if came in a thread trying to tell you how to put up cabinets and I was just spewing some regurgitated bullshit that I heard my plumber say the I didn’t understand myself and SWORE you were removing lime from dirty sinks the wrong way.

@JScott and I dismantled the physics pretender. I don't remember the title of thread, but his BS detector was spot on. I have a PhD in physics and get twitchy any time people start talking about "quantum physics". Dude was a quack.

I am not qualified to ascertain the validity of your neuroscience claims. To be fair, I had thought I heard something about phonons (quantized sound waves) mediating signals between neurons, but don't know how valid my memory of this is.

*edit*

This is the thread in question
Ask me (***ALMOST***) A N Y T H I N G about E V E R T H I N G (Mastermind for Success)

 

[ChrisV]

I am not qualified to ascertain the validity of your neuroscience claims. To be fair, I had thought I heard something about phonons (quantized sound waves) mediating signals between neurons, but don't know how valid my memory of this is.

It’s a theory (albeit well founded) but it’s just not well accepted enough to be in like.. textbooks.

 

[Brendan8450]

Influence and Persuasion: How to use language to ….a-ha, shit, this comes under selling and marketing, right?

 

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[ChrisV]

Then when I post a link showing him that he’s a F*cking meathead, he goes on and tries to act like I’m google shit I don’t already know. You post links to provide evidence. This is what we do in science. Again, this is something I don’t expect a cabinet installer to know.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGDvvUNU-cw

This guy says ‘sound.’

Then you talk about sound as if that’s the main way they communicate. Some bullshit you learned while you were drinking champagne with your friends who have actually accomplished something in life.

 

[Brendan8450]

This thread has inspired DIAGNOSIS FOR HUMANS.

Should we even know what we do? ….Enjoy the ride. Ride until the wheels fall off.

Your idols were not on the internet. They were creating.

 

[Brendan8450]

This post made more sense than any of the last handful of posts.

Arrogance.

Why are you even here? Should you not be out there doing brilliance?

 

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[Brendan8450]

Lets be real: Nobody likes a "know it all".

I love psychology. I love figuring out why people do what they do...influence...persuastion…

Shouting about it will never help. You can use what you know by one-on-one,

What made you come here? You read the book....

 

[lludwig]

This thread kinda reminds me of this old NYer cartoon.

 

[ChrisV]

@JScott and I dismantled the physics pretender. I don't remember the title of thread, but his BS detector was spot on. I have a PhD in physics and get twitchy any time people start talking about "quantum physics". Dude was a quack.

I am not qualified to ascertain the validity of your neuroscience claims. To be fair, I had thought I heard something about phonons (quantized sound waves) mediating signals between neurons, but don't know how valid my memory of this is.

*edit*

This is the thread in question
Ask me (***ALMOST***) A N Y T H I N G about E V E R T H I N G (Mastermind for Success)

I looked at the thread and that’s what we’ve always called “Quantum Flapdoodle.” Or “Quantum Quackary” There are a group of people talking about Quantum Physics

Like trying to use the Double Slit Test as evidence that the universe has consciousness.


Example:

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DfPeprQ7oGc


It stems from this movie that came out years ago called What The Bleep Do We know, around the same time as The Secret.

They were basically trying to imply some type of mysticism surrounding the double slit experiment and a bunch of other shit. I don’t really know much about physics so I’m not in a position to comment.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I've re-opened this thread and deleted all the INSULTS, FOUL LANGUAGE, and DOXXING.

Please approach this thread with the knowledge that the OP does not have "formal training" in this discipline, but probably has studied more on it than the average JOE walking down the street, and perhaps, the average user here at the forum.

Please keep it on point or it will disappear forever in the land of forgotten posts, only to be reactivated 4 years later by The Abundant Man. ;-)

 

[ChrisV]

Please approach this thread with the knowledge that the OP does not have "formal training" in this discipline, but probably has studied more on it than the average JOE walking down the street, and perhaps, the average user here at the forum.

Lmao, thank you.

 

[ChrisV]

Please approach this thread with the knowledge that the OP does not have "formal training" in this discipline, but probably has studied more on it than the average JOE walking down the street, and perhaps, the average user here at the forum.

And to clarify, because I guess I have to spell everything out... the “formal education” I have on the topics are mostly (PAID) Psychology and Neuroscience classes offered by MIT and some from Harvard’s Online Portal, as well as some classes I’ve taken in college. I am not a graduate, nor a formal degree holder in any of those fields, nor did I claim to be. But I have taken a boatloat of classes over the years, that may be helpful to people. These post are not intended to be construed as medical advice etc etc Please contact your doctor I’d rash persists for more than 12 hours etc etc

Again, Psychology has been one of the most useful thing I’ve ever learned, so any question, let me know.

 

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[ChrisV]

Have you ever taken psychedelics? If consciousness were outside the brain, then it doesn't make sense that you could eat a mushroom and so severely alter your consciousness.

Sorry I missed this one. Yes, I have taken psychedelics.

We use the term ‘altered consciousness’ in English, but I don’t know if I would call it that. I’d say it’s ‘altered perception.’ 'Altered consciousness’ is an expression, but one can argue that it’s the perception being altered rather than the consciousness itself.

There are essentially two schools go thought on this.

The first is a mechanistic view of the brain, where the brain is a machine and the starting point. The second view is that the brain is not the starting point, but second down the line.

In other words who is driving this vehicle.

It really boils down to questions of free will and the reason I shied away from the question initially is because these conversations get kinda heated sometimes, and even if it doesn't it’s the type of topic that derails threads (like it kind of did here,) and I wanted to keep this topic focused mainly on Psychology as it relates to business and entrepreneurship, but since this thread has already gone to shit, I’ll bite.

The scientific perspective is that it’s electrical activity in the brain. If you want to get technical NO it’s not actually electricity in the way a light bulb is, As Mr Scott so kindly pointed out but neurons communicating. The strictly scientific view is that consciousness is brain activity. Do most scientists strictly believe that? In my experience, I find that most think that there’s more to life than random chemical reactions in the brain. Even strict Atheists (Sam Harris being one) are kinda like “wellllllll.” I don’t know that consciousness is ‘outside the brain’, but I also don’t know that it’s just random chemical reactions. But there are many philosophical views on this. Essentially the question boils down to “is the brain running the show, or something behind that.” Without being crude it’s essentially the idea of ‘spirit,’ ‘soul’ etc. Is there a driver of this car or is this car driving itself? I mean it’s highly philosophical.

 

[lowtek]

Sorry I missed this one. Yes, I have taken psychedelics.

We use the term ‘altered consciousness’ in English, but I don’t know if I would call it that. I’d say it’s ‘altered perception.’ 'Altered consciousness’ is an expression, but one can argue that it’s the perception being altered rather than the consciousness itself.

There are essentially two schools go thought on this.

The first is a mechanistic view of the brain, where the brain is a machine and the starting point. The second view is that the brain is not the starting point, but second down the line.

In other words who is driving this vehicle.

It really boils down to questions of free will and the reason I shied away from the question initially is because these conversations get kinda heated sometimes, and even if it doesn't it’s the type of topic that derails threads (like it kind of did here,) and I wanted to keep this topic focused mainly on Psychology as it relates to business and entrepreneurship, but since this thread has already gone to sh*t, I’ll bite.

The scientific perspective is that it’s electrical activity in the brain. If you want to get technical NO it’s not actually electricity in the way a light bulb is, As Mr Scott so kindly pointed out but neurons communicating. The strictly scientific view is that consciousness is brain activity. Do most scientists strictly believe that? In my experience, I find that most think that there’s more to life than random chemical reactions in the brain. Even strict Atheists (Sam Harris being one) are kinda like “wellllllll.” I don’t know that consciousness is ‘outside the brain’, but I also don’t know that it’s just random chemical reactions. But there are many philosophical views on this. Essentially the question boils down to “is the brain running the show, or something behind that.” Without being crude it’s essentially the idea of ‘spirit,’ ‘soul’ etc. Is there a driver of this car or is this car driving itself? I mean it’s highly philosophical.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a fairly open and shut case.

1) The fact that mind altering substances can result in personality shifts and altered states of consciousness demonstrates that the brain is central to the phenomenological experience of consciousness
2) If there is some sort of driver other than the brain, the fact that behavior, memory, and perception can be so strongly altered through physical or chemical means indicates that the driver and the brain are so linked that they are practically the same.
3) Free will is purely an illusion, I would argue. We believe we have it because our when faced with a choice, we can imagine making any one of the seeming choices. However, simply imagining something does not make it real. I can imagine flying purple elephants, but they do not exist. What reason, other than my own imagination, do I have to believe that I could choose any differently than I have?

Also, the "random chemical reactions" thing is a straw man. Chemistry obeys the laws of physics, which is quite ordered. Startlingly complex phenomenon can arise as the consequence of only a few very simple laws.

For instance, Magnetism in magnetic materials, occurs as a consequence of a very simple rule: individual electrons will tend to align their spins in the direction of their nearest neighbors. This gives some materials (iron, for example) a net magnetic moment. It also means that those same materials can magnetize strongly in the presence of an external magnetic field. A rule governing the behavior of individual electrons results in bulk behavior in a macroscopic material.

Even cooler, if you subject some materials, under the right conditions, to time varying magnetic fields, the spins form a wave that propagates through the material (spin waves). All this rich and complex behavior comes from that one simple rule.

IMHO, and obviously this is not a settled matter, consciousness is an emergent phenomenon of systems that can process information at some critical threshold. There is a gradient in that processing capability, which is why we see evidence of phenomenological consciousness and higher intelligence, to some degree, in certain animals (elephants, dolphins, chimps, squids, in particular). It's also why when we ingest compounds that interfere with perception (i.e. interfere with our ability to process information) that we get altered states of consciousness.

 

[ChrisV]

@lowtek

I mean I’m on the fence on the matter.

Yes, as a human who evolved, I’ve come preprogrammed. I like pretty women. I like food. I’m designed to seek wealth and status. These are all things that evolution decided were good for the survival of my genes. I don’t really have the free will to like these things or not. I’m just born with them.

And no, the reactions aren’t strictly random. I say that as a little bit of hyperbole. The question being: Is life just molecules colliding with each other and bonding and breaking apart, or is that just the means to an end that life uses to be life. I used to be strictly on the side of “Free will is illusory,” bot now a days I take somewhat more of an agnostic view.

 

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[ChrisV]

Here's an interesting one that recently came out, about the brain: Procrastinators and Do-ers are shaped differently.

Actual paper: SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class journal research

There Are Fundamental Differences Between The Brains of Doers And Procrastinators

TLDR:





This was a good question in the comments: Is it possible to rewire these and go from procrastinator to do-er?

Also, they have more dopamine in the fear centers of the brain.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

Also, they have more dopamine in the fear centers of the brain.

This is anecdotal, but what's interesting is that it feels like a fear of rejection, not danger. Similar fight or flight response I would say, but it just feels different.

What if when I do X, it won't turn out right.

It's not even a question, b/c consciously you can reason the answer. Worst thing that could happen is you make it and get praise. Worst is you come up short and you either get some leeway if you've been performing well in the past, or reprimanded. 2/3 positive outcomes.

The simple answer is to just push through it, and it kind of works.

Then there's behavioral therapy to address the underlying issue.

Then there's biohacking. Just getting into this after reading some of your recent stuff.

Thoughts?

 

[Xeon]

Is it true that psychologists and student psychologists make use of their knowledge of psychology, to completely and absolutely manipulate/leverage the people around them to give themselves maximum results in life?
(e.g: when you talk to a psychology friend, he/she will observe and analyse every single word you speak, then come up with ways to make use of you to benefit themselves, in every single interaction etc.)

 

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[AFMKelvin]

Personally I think we need to get rid of these labels.
Labels Are for Food, Not People | John Shaw | TEDxLafayetteCollege
Don't put people in Boxes.
Don't Put People in Boxes

Oh yeah take the label away from the doctor so anyone can claim to be a doctor.

Labels will never go away. The only thing you can change is how you judge the labels.

And those TEDx talks are getting ridiculous. Just because they have good recording equipment, fancy camera and lighting angles does not make their opinion anymore important than a hobo living under a bridge.

 

[ChrisV]

This is anecdotal

Why do you think it’s anecdotal? It’s from the same research I linked to in the other thread.

On the other hand, “slackers” who are less willing to work hard for a reward had high dopamine levels in another brain area that plays a role in emotion and risk perception, the anterior insula.
​

I dumbed down the wording a little as to not get too in depth, but that’s the gist.

The simple answer is to just push through it, and it kind of works.

Then there's behavioral therapy to address the underlying issue.

Then there's biohacking. Just getting into this after reading some of your recent stuff.

Thoughts?

That’s my approach. There’s ‘feel the fear and do it anyway,’ or you can find the roots of the fear and address that, or you can biohack your way into it ie. change your body’s actual chemistry to better suit you. Which works.

Example: some guys are scared to talk to women. But give them a few drinks, they’re no longer scared.

Of course that wouldn’t be ‘biohacking,’ but I’m using it to illustrate how changing chemistry (alcohol increases GABA which reduces anxiety) can lead to a change in behavior.

Or taking supplements that boost motivation can help. I find this approach is the most powerful because your chemistry is strong. You can force yourself through things, but it’s almost like trying to win a marathon with a boulder chained to your leg. Better to bust the chains.

 

[ChrisV]

Is it true that psychologists and student psychologists make use of their knowledge of psychology, to completely and absolutely manipulate/leverage the people around them to give themselves maximum results in life?

(e.g: when you talk to a psychology friend, he/she will observe and analyse every single word you speak, then come up with ways to make use of you to benefit themselves, in every single interaction etc.)

Ummmmm, I certainly use my knowledge of psychology to my advantage. Definitely not to manipulate people though. Knowledge of psychology doesn’t remove your morality or change your motives. Example: I use a lot of Cialdini's research on influence in my everyday behavior, as I’m sure many people on this forum can relate to.

But I think it’s like any topic that you know about. Let’s say you were a physicist. I feel like your knowledge of physics would subtly affect your behavior. For example if you were playing football you could use your knowledge of trajectory and wind resistance to make a better throw. Or if you were driving and it was raining out, I feel like your knowledge of velocity would change the way you hit the brakes a round a corner. Playing pool. That’s actually an interesting question.

What do you think @lowtek - would you say that’s accurate in your experience?

There have been a number of notable cases where Mathematicians or Statisticians have figured out an angle, went to Vegas, and made a killing. And even aside from drastic examples like that i think knowledge of probability would alter your behavior in the casino floor (most likely you would never go lol.)

But if Psychology students use their knowledge to manipulate people? I don’t find that to be true. The annoying ones use their knowledge to psychoanalyze people, then when you get into an argument with them they’ll say some dumb shit about your ‘real’ motives. My mom has a Masters in Psychology and she does that. It’s absurdly annoying. But it depends on the person. I find that most don’t even do that though.

But to answer your question... that type of behavior is sociopathic and predatory. So would a psychology student/graduate do that? Only if they’re sociopathic and predatory people.

 

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[ApparentHorizon]

Why do you think it’s anecdotal? It’s from the same research I linked to in the other thread.

On the other hand, “slackers” who are less willing to work hard for a reward had high dopamine levels in another brain area that plays a role in emotion and risk perception, the anterior insula.
I dumbed down the wording a little as to not get too in depth, but that’s the gist.

No, my example was anecdotal. Sorry it was late at night lol. That was a terrible sentence on my part.

Is it true that psychologists and student psychologists make use of their knowledge of psychology, to completely and absolutely manipulate/leverage the people around them to give themselves maximum results in life?
(e.g: when you talk to a psychology friend, he/she will observe and analyse every single word you speak, then come up with ways to make use of you to benefit themselves, in every single interaction etc.)

As Chris mentioned, it's the sociopaths that will implement these tricks, whether they've taken a class or not.

Though, I have met a disproportionate amount of Psych graduates that are just plain assholes. Problem is, when they try to use those tricks on someone who also has the same knowledge, it works against them. Plus they seem to overestimate their own abilities.

What I'm guessing is, these classes attract those types of people.

 

[ChrisV]

This is anecdotal, but what's interesting is that it feels like a fear of rejection, not danger. Similar fight or flight response I would say, but it just feels different.

What if when I do X, it won't turn out right.

It's not even a question, b/c consciously you can reason the answer. Worst thing that could happen is you make it and get praise. Worst is you come up short and you either get some leeway if you've been performing well in the past, or reprimanded. 2/3 positive outcomes.

The simple answer is to just push through it, and it kind of works.

Then there's behavioral therapy to address the underlying issue.

Then there's biohacking. Just getting into this after reading some of your recent stuff.

Thoughts?

No, my example was anecdotal. Sorry it was late at night lol. That was a terrible sentence on my part.

Oh I gotcha now. Well fear of rejection is a real thing. It’s actually normal. We’re evolved to be ‘part of the group.’ If a chimpanzee is exiled from his ‘tribe’ he’s on his own. He can easily be eaten by a predator, whereas when he’s part of the group he has more protection.

Another example is cows. Cows never stray too far from the herd because when they’re too far they’re vulnerable to predators.

So the reason rejection is so fear-inducing is because of millions of years of evolution where being part of the group was literally essential for survival.

So actually fear of rejection, evolutionarily was danger. Which is why it causes the same physiological response.

So even though actually you have ‘nothing to lose’ those responses are so engrained in you that you literally have to push through them. Now that I understand the question, I don’t think that behavioral therapy and rooting out the fear won't work for that case, because you having that fear indicates that ‘everything is working right.’ Biohacking can help you push through it though.

Though, I have met a disproportionate amount of Psych graduates that are just plain assholes.

Ha. You get that wit the soft sciences.