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Last active May 19, 2019 10:26
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Some interesting concepts from psychology, which I've found useful

  1. Cognitive Biases - If there is one concept that someone should know about psychology then it would be cognitive biases. These are systemic mistakes/heuristics that the brain is susceptible to which leads us to make irrational decisions. This website has some really good explanations

  2. BF Skinner's behavior design techniques used in designing addictive apps/games - B.F Skinner was a major proponent of the behavioral school of psychologists. He is famous for his theory of operant conditioning - Check out this famous Skinner pigeon experiment. His theories are now being used to make apps more addictive , more info can be found here and here. This TED talk summarizes it pretty well.

  3. Use of Freud's psychoanalytic techniques in Public relations by Edward Bernays - I got to know about Edward Bernays through this documentary called century of self. It's a documentary about how companies during post WW2 America used Fruedian theories to control the masses and influence their decisions. TL;DR

  4. Behavioral Economics = Psychology + Economics - The standard models of economic theory used to consider humans as perfectly rational decision makers. But this is far from true (as it's apparent from the cognitive biases). Behavioral Economics tries to correct this by studying the psychological, cognitive and social factors on economic decisions. Some of the main proponents of Behavioral economics are Daniel Kahneman Thinking, Fast and Slow, Richard Thaler Nudge, Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational.

  5. Maslow's hierarchy of needs - Human needs are organized as a hierarchy where the lower needs (such as food, shelter, security) should be met before higher ones.

  6. Robbers Cave experiment

  7. Stanford Prison Experiment This highly controversial experiment shows what humans are capable when they are given unrestricted power and anonymity.

Sites/Resources which I've found useful -

  1. Crash Course Psychology

  2. Simply Psychology

  3. Introduction to Psychology by Steve Joorden from UToronto

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