Category: Psychology
Can pessimism be beneficial?
In previous articles, I wrote about the positive distortions of our image. The fact that most think they are better than most; that when we succeed, we conclude that it is our merit, and if we fail, we were simply unlucky; that we don’t believe that something bad could happen to us and the like […]
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Planning our activities and confidence in our knowledge, i.e. how we overestimate ourselves
In my article on self-serving bias, I mentioned that we often unfoundedly consider ourselves superior to others, but even when we do not compare ourselves to anyone, we tend to overestimate ourselves.
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The illusion of control
It is nice to feel in control of what is happening, but there are situations that, despite our best efforts, we cannot control. It would be rational in such situations to admit that well – I have no influence on this event, but research shows that we often succumb to the illusion of control.
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Unrealistic optimism, or are we too optimistic?
Unrealistic optimism is a concept that is very well known in psychology. Many studies show that people are often characterized by unreasonably high optimism, which can also be seen in everyday life. We do not wear seat belts, we cycle without a helmet, we do not insure our apartments, we do not regularly attend medical […]
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To think well about yourself, i.e. self-serving bias and cognitive dissonance
The human mind can do a lot to convince you that you are an intelligent and valuable person. We like to have good self-esteem and are reluctant to admit to ourselves that we have done something unfair or unwise.
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What attracts people to risky sports or not only risk
For others, the matter is often simple – if someone at their own request engages in risky activities, it means that they like risk and do it for adrenaline. In reality, however, it is more complicated and there are many motivations for practicing extreme sports. Among them, the social aspect is of great importance.
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I can’t sleep! Are you sure?
It is estimated that 6% of adults suffer from insomnia. While the problem is real and affects quality of life negatively, it is also known that many people misjudge their sleep time and sleep duration, believing that they sleep worse than objective indicators show. There may be several reasons for this discrepancy.
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Visualization in technical sports: internal or external?
Visualization is one of the mental techniques helpful in acquiring new motor skills. It can be from the perspective of oneself (internal visualization) or from the perspective of an external observer (external visualization). Which one is more effective?
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Affect regulation and risk-taking in extreme sports
Extreme sports are by definition risky, but any such sport can be practiced in a more or less safe way. Some try to minimize the risk, while others undertake activities that are associated with a higher risk of an accident. What distinguishes more risky people?
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Mental strategies in extreme sports
The psyche is important in every sport, but extreme sports are distinguished by a high risk of an accident, also fatal. How do people who practice such sports deal with this threat and what mental techniques do they use to achieve success?
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