Category Psychology

The Replication Crisis in Psychology

The Replication Crisis in Psychology The Replication Crisis in Psychology: Foundations, Failures, and Reform Abstract Over the last decade, psychology has undergone an extensive methodological reckoning commonly referred to as the replication crisis. Large-scale replication efforts, preregistered studies, and meta-scientific…

Cognitive Distortions

Cognitive Distortions Cognitive distortions are habitual patterns of thinking that distort reality and reinforce negative emotions or unhelpful behaviours. They are not merely occasional unhelpful thoughts but consistent cognitive habits that colour how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world…

Overstating Harm

Overstating Harm Definition: Overstating harm is the tendency to exaggerate or amplify the extent, severity, or impact of harm in relation to an event, experience, or behaviour. Instead of describing harm proportionately, the harm is presented as more damaging than…

Conversation Analysis

Conversation Analysis Conversation Analysis: Understanding the Structure of Talk Conversation Analysis (CA), developed by Harvey Sacks, Emanuel Schegloff, and Gail Jefferson, is a method for examining the fine-grained organisation of everyday talk. Rather than focusing on the content of what…

Implicit Communication

Implicit Communication Implicit Communication Models: Presupposition and Implicature In many conversations, what is left unsaid can be as significant as what is openly expressed. Implicit communication models explore how meaning is conveyed indirectly, often through shared assumptions and inferred implications.…

Frame Semantics

Frame Semantics Frame Semantics: Understanding Meaning Through Cognitive Contexts Frame Semantics, developed by Charles J. Fillmore, is a theory of meaning that examines how language is interpreted within structured mental models known as frames. These frames are cognitive structures that…

Speech Act Theory

Speech Act Theory Speech Act Theory: Understanding What We Do With Words In the study of language and communication, Speech Act Theory, first introduced by J. L. Austin and later developed by John Searle – offers a robust framework for…

Gricean Pragmatics

Gricean Pragmatics Paul Grice’s theory of pragmatics, developed in the 1960s and 70s, remains a foundational pillar in the philosophy of language and linguistic pragmatics. At its core, Gricean pragmatics concerns itself with how people use language in context to…

Manipulative Underspecification

Manipulative Underspecification Summary TL:DR “Manipulative underspecification,” as introduced by Justin D’Ambrosio, denotes a strategic form of conversational ambiguity whereby a speaker deliberately leaves the content of an assertion under-specified to preserve deniability and later “retroactively” commit to the interpretation most…

Grooming

Grooming Introduction to Grooming Grooming is a serious issue where manipulators build trust with vulnerable individuals, often young people, to exploit them in ways they wouldn’t usually agree to. This essay outlines how grooming works and its stages and provides…

Minimisation

Minimisation Minimisation: A Perspective on the Opposite of Catastrophisation “If you can keep your head whilst those around you are losing theirs, you might not understand the seriousness of the situation.” Minimisation, as a cognitive distortion, is the tendency to…

Comparison of Therapy and Psychology Models

Comparison of Therapy and Psychology Models Understanding the diverse frameworks used in therapy and psychology is essential for practitioners and therapists. It is regrettable that so many practitioners of the alphabet therapies, including IEMT, ignore these meta-models and frameworks and…

Catastrophisation

Catastrophisation Catastrophisation: Origins, Mechanisms, and Effects on Mental Health and Development Origins of Catastrophisation The concept of catastrophisation was first introduced by Dr. Albert Ellis, a prominent psychologist and founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), in the mid-20th century.…

The Drama Triangle

The Drama Triangle The Drama Triangle: Understanding and Application in Psychiatric Practice Abstract The Drama Triangle, conceptualized by Stephen Karpman in 1968, is a psychological and social model that illustrates the roles individuals adopt in conflictual and dysfunctional interactions. This…

The Counter-Phobia Attitude

The Counter-Phobia Attitude The Counter-Phobic Attitude The psychoanalyst, Otto Fenichel, called attention to the fact that phobic anxiety can be hidden behind attitudes and behaviour patterns that represent a denial, either of the dreaded object or situation that is dangerous…

The Placebo Effect

The Placebo Effect Important questions all practitioners should consider are: to what extent is their therapy a placebo, and to what extent can legitimately effective practices be improved to enhance the inherent placebo effect? The placebo response is a phenomenon…

Psychopathy and Identity

Psychopathy and Identity There is often a lot of confusion surrounding the terms “sociopath” and “psychopath,” and many people use these terms interchangeably to describe individuals who exhibits antisocial behaviour. However, it is important to recognise that these terms do…