The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About
Authors: Mel Robbins and Sawyer Robins
ISBN-10: 1401971369
ISBN-13: 978-1401971366
 
APA Style Citation
Robbins, M. & Robbins, S. (2024). The let them theory: A life-changing tool that millions of people can't stop talking about. Hay House LLC
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Let-Them-Theory-Life-Changing-Millions/dp/1401971369

Book Description
A lot of us spend our lives trying to manage, fix, or control everything around us — other people’s choices, their emotions, what they think of us, and the outcomes we’re scared of facing. In her latest book, Let Them, Mel Robbins shares how she  broke free from that exhausting pattern in a moment she didn’t expect. It happened at her son’s prom. Standing there, watching him and his friends, she felt the old, familiar urge to step in and offer advice, manage the situation, or redirect decisions. Then her daughter pointed out “Let them.” Let them eat wherever they want, get soaked in the rain, and make their own memories. It wasn’t her prom, and it wasn’t her life to direct. In that small but meaningful moment, she realized just how much time and energy we waste trying to control what was never ours to begin with.
 
This realization forms the foundation of the Let Them Theory, a practice Mel describes throughout the book. She explains that the urge to control often comes from fear — fear of things going wrong, fear of conflict, fear of discomfort, and fear of what others might think. The irony is that the more we try to control things, the more anxious, stressed, and disconnected we feel. And while it’s a primal human instinct to want to control our environment and the people in it, Robbins makes the case that peace of mind and genuine confidence only arrive when you release your grip. That said, she points out there are important boundaries to this concept. First, “Let Them” does not apply to parenting young children or situations where someone’s safety and wellbeing are your direct responsibility — a guide for parenting is found in the appendix. Secondly, if saying “Let Them” is leaving you feeling isolated or emotionally abandoned, you’re likely missing the most important half of the equation: “Let Me.” This mindset isn’t about disengaging from life or relationships, but about reclaiming your own choices and peace. Once you let them do what they’re going to do, you take responsibility for what you’ll do next — how you’ll respond, what you’ll allow, and where you’ll direct your energy. This is where your personal power lives. You have control over what you say, think, and do in response to the actions of others.
 
Throughout the book, Robbins applies this theory to some of life’s most familiar personal challenges. She talks about managing stress and the constant fear of other people’s opinions. She addresses the weight of dealing with someone else’s emotional reactions and how easily we fall into the trap of chronic comparison. Robbins also explores the “Let Them” theory and relationships. She addresses adult friendships, the frustrating desire to motivate others to change when they aren’t ready. She dives into what it means to truly support someone who’s struggling without carrying their burden for them and how to choose the kind of love and relationships you genuinely deserve. A touching part of the book is the section on heartbreak, co-written with her daughter Sawyer, who recently experienced a breakup of her own. Together, they unpack what it means to let someone go and turn your focus inward, where healing begins. Each chapter unpacks a different situation, and the conclusion offers a simple review of the problem, truth, and solution. Robbins writes in a relatable, honest voice, never pretending that these choices are easy or that letting go always feels good in the moment. But she makes a convincing case for why it’s worth it.
 
In the end, The Let Them Theory is a book about releasing what you can’t control and reclaiming what you can. It’s a reminder that you can’t manage someone else’s choices, moods, or judgments — and you don’t need to. What matters is what you’ll do next.
 
Other Related Resources
Author's Website
https://www.melrobbins.com/book/the-let-them-theory/
​
Author's Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhW2xUEb-B-Y92Q1wVWw6TyMNr4idD-yv

Psychology Today Embracing Detachment: The "Let Them" Theory
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/consciously-creating-your-soul-life/202503/embracing-detachment-the-let-them-theory

VeryWell Mind How the Let Them Theory Can Transform Your Relationships
https://www.verywellmind.com/let-them-theory-8773871

Life is Positive The Let Them Theory: 10 Life-Changing Lessons from Mel Robbins
https://lifeispositive.com/let-them-theory/

​Psychological Concepts and Figures
Amygdala
Emotion
Fight-flight-or-freeze
Imposter syndrome
Internal locus of control
Motivation
Narcissism
Prefrontal cortex
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Social comparisons (upward and downward)
Stress management

​Get the App!
The iScore 5 AP Psych app is now available for $4.99 in the iTunes App Store for Apple devices or Google Play for Android devices.
 
iTunes  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iScore5.Psych&hl=en
Google Play https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iscore5-ap-psychology/id6739144070

App Description 
iScore 5 AP Psych is an app designed to help students achieve high scores on the AP examination. The app makes exam review entertaining and engaging for students. The creators have designed an app that functions as a game, helping students master all the CED vocabulary words for AP Psychology. The app, however, goes beyond merely learning basic vocabulary by challenging students to master multiple-choice questions in levels of increasing difficulty. The questions have been written by experienced AP Psychology teachers and college professors of psychology, all of whom are also AP exam readers.
 
The app's interactive interface is easy to navigate, and students can return to study mode at any point during the game to practice basic vocabulary. The app tracks a running score, enabling students to monitor their progress and gain a deeper understanding of the concepts they will need to know for the exam. Within each level, including the study mode, questions and practice items are organized by units, allowing for targeted study of specific areas in the AP curriculum.
 
The app is also an effective way for students to prepare for classroom unit exams, midterms, and finals. Because it is portable and easily accessible via phone or tablet, students are more likely to review more frequently. Even if students only have five or ten minutes to review at a time, this will result in an impressive increase in knowledge of psychology content due to the spacing effect.

 
Prepare for the AP Psychology Exam with iScore5
 
Study Level: All of the concepts from the updated CED are organized by AP Psychology unit and presented in a flashcard format. The study level is available for review at any level of the game.  

Play Level: Four levels of increasingly difficult multiple-choice questions.

​Level 1:  Vocabulary questions are organized by each of the AP Psychology units and presented in a multiple-choice format. Level 1 provides 20 terms at a time for each unit, so it is recommended that students play this level often, as the app generates a different set of terms each time the student plays.
 
Levels 2, 3, and 4:  These levels contain a set of multiple-choice questions in an AP format for each of the AP Psychology units in the CED. Each level increases in difficulty, ranging from level 2 (general understanding) to level 3 (intermediate) and level 4 (advanced). The correct answer to each question is explained, regardless of whether the student provided the correct response.
 
Practice Exam
Students are given the same amount of time they will have during the official AP Psychology exam (90 minutes) and are provided with their total score. After completing the practice test, they can review the questions they missed and see answer explanations. 

Reset: On the home screen, students can press the reset button to restart the game at any point, allowing them to play as often as they like.
 
The iScore5 AP Psych app provides students with a fun way to review for the exam.  Because all the questions are crafted by expert AP Psychology teachers and university psychology professors, the quality of the questions is very similar to what students will see on the AP exam.

​
 
Get the App!
The iScore 5 AP Psych app is now available for $4.99 in the iTunes App Store for Apple devices or Google Play for Android devices.
 
iTunes (iPhones and iPads) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iScore5.Psych&hl=en

Google Play (Android phones and Chromebooks) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/iscore5-ap-psychology/id6739144070
 
Other Apps Available from iScore5
The iScore5 company also offers review apps for other Advanced Placement topics, including AP United States Government and Politics, AP World History, and AP Human Geography. Visit the main iScore website for information about these other programs: http://www.iscore5.com.
 
Social Media
For more information about iScore5 AP Psych, visit the company website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
 
Website:
http://www.iscore5.com/apreg-psychology.html
 
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/iscore5/
 
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/iscore5/

The Essential Guide to Effect Sizes: Statistical Power, Meta-Analysis, and the Interpretation of Research Results
Author: Paul D. Ellis
ISBN-10: ‎ 0521142466
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0521142465
 
APA Style Citation
Ellis, D. (2010). The essential guide to effect sizes: Statistical power, meta-analysis, and the interpretation of research results. Cambridge University Press.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Guide-Effect-Sizes-Interpretation/dp/0521142466
​

​Book Description
What is an effect? Effects are everywhere—they result from treatments, decisions, accidents, inventions, elections, outbreaks, performances, etc. Researchers measure the size of effects, with statistical significance indicating the likelihood that results occurred by chance, and practical significance focusing on their meaning. Social sciences increasingly emphasize the need to report effect sizes alongside statistical significance to reduce bias and move beyond relying solely on p-values. This book explores three interconnected activities: interpreting effect sizes, analyzing statistical power, and conducting meta-analyses, which together form the foundation for robust research.

Part 1: Effect Size
Psychologists must address the “so what?” question by emphasizing the practical significance of their studies. A statistically significant result is unlikely due to chance, but practical significance reflects real-world impact. Researchers must communicate findings not only to peers but also to the public. Effect sizes, which measure the impact of treatments or the relationship between variables, are essential for interpreting study results, yet many researchers fail to report them. Effect sizes fall into two main categories: the d-family (differences between groups, such as Cohen’s d) and the r-family (measures of association, like correlation coefficients). Both are standardized metrics that can be calculated using tools like SPSS. When reporting effect sizes, researchers should specify the measure used, quantify precision with confidence intervals, and present results in clear, jargon-free language.
 
Even when effect sizes and confidence intervals are reported, they are often left uninterpreted, raising questions like “How big is big?” or “Is the effect meaningful?” Non-arbitrary reference points are essential for assessing practical significance, guided by the three C’s of interpretation: context, contribution to knowledge, and Cohen’s criteria. Small effects can be meaningful in the right context if they trigger larger consequences, alter probabilities of significant outcomes, accumulate into bigger impacts, or lead to technological breakthroughs or new insights. Interpreting contributions to knowledge requires more than comparing study results; researchers must also consider alternative explanations. Jacob Cohen’s 1988 criteria for small, medium, and large effect sizes offer a logical foundation and a starting point for resolving disputes about significance. While Cohen’s “t-shirt size” classifications are easy to understand and widely used, they remain controversial, with critics arguing against rigidly categorizing effects as small, medium, or large.
 
Part 2: Power Analysis
In any study, the null hypothesis assumes no effect (effect size = 0), while the alternative hypothesis assumes an effect (effect size ≠ 0). Statistical tests calculate the p-value, the probability of observing the result if the null hypothesis were true. A low p-value indicates statistical significance, allowing researchers to reject the null. Errors can occur: a Type 1 error (false positive) happens when researchers detect an effect that doesn’t exist, while a Type 2 error (false negative) occurs when they miss a real effect. Type 1 errors (α) and Type 2 errors (β) are inversely related; reducing one increases the other. Statistical power, the probability of detecting a true effect, depends on effect size, sample size, alpha significance criterion (α) level, and statistical power, with Cohen recommending a power level of 0.80. Underpowered studies risk missing meaningful effects, while overpowered studies may waste resources or highlight trivial findings. Power analysis, often done during study planning, helps determine the minimum sample size needed to detect anticipated effects. Researchers estimate effect sizes using prior studies, meta-analyses, pretests, or theory, aiming for conservative estimates to ensure adequate power. Tools like online calculators simplify these calculations, which are crucial for designing efficient and meaningful research.
 
Power analyses can be conducted for individual studies or groups of studies with a common theme or journal. In the 1960s, Jacob Cohen analyzed the statistical power of research published in the Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology and found it lacking—a trend later confirmed across other fields. Published research is often underpowered, and the multiplicity problem arises when multiple statistical tests increase the likelihood of false positives. The family-wise error rate becomes relevant when multiple tests are run on the same data, as even low-powered studies can yield statistically significant results if enough tests are conducted. This can lead to practices like “fishing” for publishable results or HARKing (hypothesizing after results are known). To improve statistical power, researchers can focus on larger effects, increase sample sizes, use more sensitive measures, choose appropriate tests, or relax the alpha significance criterion.
 
Part 3: Meta-Analysis
Single studies rarely resolve inconsistencies in social science research, especially in the absence of large-scale randomized controlled trials. Progress often comes from combining results from many smaller studies. A qualitative approach, or narrative review, documents the story of a research theme, while the quantitative approach, meta-analysis, focuses on observed effects rather than others’ conclusions. Meta-analysis combines these effects into an average effect size to assess the overall direction and magnitude of real-world impacts. By statistically analyzing statistical analyses, meta-analysis systematically reviews research on a specific effect, weighting individual effect sizes by their precision to calculate a weighted mean effect size. This provides a more accurate estimate of the population effect size than any single study. Though designed to be objective, transparent, and disciplined, meta-analysis can still be undermined by biases, leading to precise but flawed conclusions. Each step in the process must be recorded, justified, and open to scrutiny, with the process generally broken into six key steps. See the classroom activity for details.
 
Large-scale randomized controlled trials are the gold standard for estimating effect sizes, but due to their cost and time requirements, research often starts with small-scale studies. When large trials follow a meta-analysis, comparisons can reveal inconsistencies, as meta-analyses may produce misleading conclusions. Bias in meta-analyses can arise from excluding relevant research, including bad studies, using inappropriate statistical models, or running underpowered analyses. The first three lead to inflated effect size estimates and increased Type I errors, while the fourth results in imprecise estimates and higher Type II errors. Excluding relevant research causes availability bias, and reporting bias occurs when only significant results are published. Studies with non-significant findings are often rejected, contributing to the "file drawer problem," which inflates mean estimates or increases Type I errors. P-values reflect sample size as much as effect size, meaning small samples can miss important effects. Non-significant results are inconclusive, indicating either no effect or insufficient power to detect one. Excluding non-English studies introduces bias. Discriminating studies based on quality also risks bias, scientific censorship, dismissal of valuable evidence, and overlooks differences in quality that can be controlled statistically.
 
Overall, this book provides information to help students evaluate psychological research. It explains the importance of effect sizes for understanding real-world significance and statistical power for designing studies that produce reliable results.
It includes a detailed discussion of meta-analysis, a method used to find broader patterns and trends in research while showing students how to recognize and avoid potential biases.
 
Other Related Resources

Author's Website- Check out FAQs

Author’s Website- Check out FAQshttps://effectsizefaq.com/about/
Psychological Concepts and Figures
Alternative hypothesis
Bias
Confidence intervals
Effect size
Generalize
HARKing
Meta-analysis
Null hypothesis
Qualitative
Quantitative
Replication
Sample size
Standard deviation
Statistical significance
Type I error
Type II error
Correlation coefficient

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
Author: Jonathan Haidt
ISBN: 9780593655030
 
APA Style Citation
Haidt, J. (2024). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Press.
 
Buy this Book 
https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036
 
Book Description
Jonathan Haidt makes a case that changes in childhood since the early 2000s are creating a generation of children who are not able to disconnect and not able to engage in an authentic and carefree childhood, which in turn is causing increases in disorders such as depression and anxiety. Haidt cites overprotective and overburdened parents as co-collaborators in this phenomenon. For those who are overprotective, they plan their children to the minute and track their every move on their devices. Haidt contends that children are so overscheduled that they are losing the ability to think creatively and take risks as children many generations ago did. The overburdened parent is one who may be overdependent on giving their child access to devices because it occupies them and keeps them busy without taking too much of the parent’s attention. Haidt also indicates that parents are missing out on many important events in their children’s lives because the parents are so engrossed by their cell phones. They are together without communicating or making connections.

Haidt explores the increases in teens mental health issues, such as dramatic increases in anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation or actual suicide attempts. As indicated in the charts above, these increases are most prevalent in 18-25-year-olds. By 2021, rates of anxiety and depression were reported at 150% of the 2011 numbers. These increases are well documented, and there may be multiple factors for the increase, including that the stigma around mental illness has been reduced by increasing levels of reporting. Dramatic increases also occurred during and shortly after the COVID pandemic and are slowly decreasing but have yet to return to pre-2011 rates. Haidt contends that these issues are not simply correlational with cell phone usage but are, in fact, caused by this increase in personal devices. 
 
Haidt believes that cell phones have sucked interpersonal relationships dry and that one of the reasons children feel lonelier is that they are connecting less in real-life encounters. Even if teens are connecting on social media, it is often to portray a life that is scrubbed, filtered, and devoid of any real personal connection. Even during the school day students are often together without communicating with one another. In addition to limiting personal real-life relationships, Haidt notes that cell phones are causing sleep deprivation, which is documented for causing emotional dysregulation. The constant barrage of incoming information on cell phones has created a fragmentation of attention and impacted the ability to focus for extended time or to persevere at challenging tasks. Teens report spending between 3 and 8 hours each day on their personal devices, and Haidt contends this is taking away from the interpersonal connections that filled this time in the pre-cell phone era. Haidt proposes that social media companies are winning the battle for children’s attention and are finding new ways to monetize this while taking little accountability for the havoc this is causing. Haidt believes that parents and schools should be working together to significantly decrease middle and high-schoolers screen time. 
 
Haidt makes a case for more free-play that is self-directed without parental involvement and that is self-selected. He contends that this interaction with peers helps children to regulate their emotions, take reasonable risks, learn the tools of cooperation with others, and to learn to deal with low-stakes failures. Haidt believes that children learn best when they learn from one another, they learn turn-taking and social norms, they begin to understand reciprocity in relationships, and they see the benefits of belonging and interacting in a group setting without adults setting parameters or determining the activities in which the children will engage. Haidt believes that these interactions give children a sense of agency and self-sufficiency, which can improve mental health and reported feelings of loneliness and isolation. 
 
Haidt has deeply considered how to return to free-play and cell-free areas despite the prominence and accessibility of phones in nearly all areas. He calls on schools to ban cell phone use during the day (not just during academic classes) by placing cell phones in lockers or locked bags. He also calls on parents to restrict cell phone use at home, especially in the evening when cell phone use may inhibit good sleep. He challenges parents to hold off as long as possible in purchasing the first cell phone for their children. Haidt’s recommendation is to wait until high school for a simple flip phone. Even after young people have phones, he advocates that they not have access to social media until their mid-teens (age 16). He believes that this can be accomplished by teachers and parents working together to reduce the expectation that when a child turns 10, they must have a cell phone with internet access. Additionally, Haidt expresses the need to pressure tech companies to increase their enforcement of age limits on certain internet sites. Haidt speaks to the numerous young to mid adolescents using social media sites without oversight and porn sites, which claim to place age limits on access but do little to enforce this. 
 
In response to those who claim that it is too late to return to a time when teenagers do not have continual access to the Internet and social media sites, Haidt acknowledges that this will be a challenging move but points to the many schools and parent groups that are trying to work together to reclaim children’s childhood and personal connections. The resources below reflect some of these efforts.
 
Resources
The Anxious Generation Resource Library
https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/resources
 
NPR Clip
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/18/1196979740/nprs-book-of-the-day-anxious-generation-kids-internet
 
Axios States of State cell phone bans
Map of Cell Phone Ban policies
 
Pew Research Center
Most Americans Back Cellphone Bans During Class, but Fewer Support All-Day Restrictions
 
Johns Hopkins University
What’s Behind the Ban on Cell Phones in K-12 Schools?
 
K-12 Dive
Parents Push Back on School Cellphone Bans
 
Washington Post
Cellphone Bans Spread in Schools Amid Growing Mental Health Worries
 
Psychological Concepts and Figures
Bibb Latane and John Darley
Konrad Lorenz 
Edward Thorndike
 
ADHD
Anxiety
Basal ganglia
Critical periods
Depression
Internalizing disorders
Loss aversion
Mental health 
Phobias
Puzzle boxes
Self-harm
Stress
Tourette’s syndrome
Variable reinforcement

​Book Description
The book reflects over 20 years teaching a course on Relationships at Portsmouth High School, NH and incorporates other work with youth and young adults at the University of New Hampshire, Phillips Exeter Academy, New Beginnings youth programs, and other schools and agencies in New Hampshire and Maine.  I have also taught at the University of New Hampshire, The University of Massachusetts – Lowell, Fisher College and Hesser College. Currently, I am an instructor at Great Bay Community College.
 
Teaching Teens about Relationships describes how to teach a relationships course for adolescents, including many learning activities and instructional strategies, along with student reactions to it. The course integrated mindfulness work into each session and examined such topics as flirting, jealousy, infidelity, gossip, starting and ending relationships and other ubiquitous aspects of adolescent relationships rarely found in school curricula.
 
Incorporating student perspectives and experiences was essential to the course’s success. Students created their own material for use in acquiring and practicing relationship skills. Students provided the content to work with activities addressing communication issues, problem areas, sexuality, and the importance of relationships in their lives. They provided an extensive and diverse pool of information and experience that formed the basis of our discussions. This student-centered approach gave me access to their experiences, concerns, values, and strengths. The course gave them access to a safe environment to discuss issues that were in the forefront of their lives.
The book provides guidance for secondary and community college teachers and counselors and professionals working with adolescents in out-of-school settings, such as group homes, agencies, and faith communities. It describes how to develop a course or program series on romantic relationships and the rationale for doing so. 
 
It begins by explaining the importance of establishing and maintaining a safe classroom environment to allow a diverse group of students to participate freely and fully.  Readers will learn how to approach each class as a unique experience, tailoring content and methodology to the students in a particular class. There is an emphasis on how to involve the students in determining content.
 
The book contains over 120 instructional strategies, including experiential activities, dyad and small group tasks, music and artistic expressions, role-playing, writing exercises, and quizzes. It addresses how to include beliefs and theories about relationships, mindfulness and communication skills, starting, building, and ending relationships, sexual decisions, problem-solving, and defining love. 
This publication is more than a how-to teach resource about relationships. It is also a story of the experiences of students who took the relationship course. In keeping with the spirit of reciprocity integral to a responsible relationship, readers are encouraged to communicate their thoughts, reactions, questions, ideas, or critiques with the author via email or his webpage.
 
Note: That discussing relationships can be triggering and should be led by an experienced individual with proper training in the field to address any potential trauma or vulnerabilities that may arise. 
 
Chapter Descriptions 
The Introduction explains the antecedents and development of the course. It describes the students who took this elective Relationships course and their motivations for registering. It previews the  content of the succeeding chapters.
Chapter 1 details how the initial sessions served to build comfort, trust, and safety among the students so that sensitive issues could be best addressed later in the course. Substantial time is spent on group-building activities, including the identification of group agreements to guide participation and class interactions. 
Chapter 2 contains activities and practices that recurred throughout the course. Its primary focus is on mindfulness training, with sample meditations and active mindfulness exercises.  It also includes the use of music as an instructional tool, describing how students presented their chosen songs about relationships and led group discussions regarding the songs’ messages.  
Chapter 3 takes a careful look at family connections and acknowledges that a range of experiences exists in families of origin and family constellations. How these early experiences might influence future relationships is examined, including a study of developmental stages and attachment theory as ways to help explain and understand the impact of earlier experiences.
Chapter 4 addresses friendships. This involves a look at expectations and realities, good times and not-so-good times. The chapter investigates such student concerns as the role of gossip among peers, joys and troubles among friends, beliefs about friendships, and loneliness, the lack of friends. Some common relationship themes are introduced here, with a look at how friendships might affect romantic relationships. 
Chapter 5 begins the focus on romantic relationships by identifying beliefs students bring to the relationships they establish and experience. Students scrutinize their own beliefs and values and those of their classmates and investigate beliefs common to different cultures. Myths and long held beliefs are compared to psychological research. The chapter also notes how the Arts portray beliefs about relationships. 
Chapter 6 examines the science of relationships through theories developed from research using the scientific method and conceptual thinking. These theories provide ways to explain how relationships begin and develop, and what factors contribute to problems and breakups.  Studying theories hones students’ abilities to reason and reflect and provides tools for identifying and combatting biases.
Chapter 7 focuses on how relationships begin, from first impressions through early interactions to growing connection. Using my own dissertation research, the stages of starting a relationship are explored. Important communication skills and strategies are practiced.
Chapter 8 provides an in-depth training in communication skills. Beginning with practices in developing listening skills, the chapter breaks down the dynamics of the communication process, examining the mechanics in a challenging, rigorous, and innovative training. Youth provide topics and situations to apply their training in lively conversational practices and feedback sessions.
Chapter 9 builds on the basic communication skills by integrating emotional content into practice. Attention to enhancing emotional intelligence to inform their communication processes helps students learn to honor and respect their own and others’ feelings while engaged in conversation.
Chapter 10 utilizes a strength-building approach, seeing problems as learning opportunities for youth. A key feature engages students in creating most of the content by identifying the problems they think are important to work on.  Respect for youth’s abilities to work through even the most difficult issues centers this work. The chapter addresses youths’ need for skills to perceive, understand, negotiate and resolve differences. It shows how to help them develop awareness of their own and their partner’s perspectives and to use strategies for dealing with conflict. It addresses difficult problem areas related to infidelity, jealousy, dating violence and abuse. 
Chapter 11 shows how to engage students in open and honest discussions of sexual issues. Beginning with a full discussion of the components of the consent process for sexual activities, the chapter shows how to allow and encourage students to identify and assess various experiences of sexual touch according to values, motives, impact of the partners involved and other criteria. As in the chapter on problems, students are encouraged to supply much of the content for discussion. The chapter applies communication skills to sexual topics and provides an opportunity to talk about what youth consider to be a first sexual experience. The chapter includes the use of movies to discuss sexual issues. It ends with students defining what constitutes a healthy sexual relationship. 
Chapter 12 addresses endings in relationships and concludes with the ending of the course and the relationship we had built as a class. It looks at why and how relationships end. Once again, pertinent communication skills are included. Special attention is given to ending abusive relationships and the impact of parental separation and divorce on children and youth. The course ends by honoring the students’ participation in this course with a selection of closure experiences.
 
Other Related Resources
Author website: Chuck Rhoades – Writing, Training, and Consulting on Psychological Health Education
Publisher website: Rowman & Littlefield.
Publication flier: Chuck Rhoades, Teaching Teens Flyer.pdf
Amazon link: Teaching Teens About Relationships: A Guide for Teachers, Counselors, and Youth Group Facilitators - Kindle edition by Rhoades, Chuck. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Goodreads link: Teaching Teens About Relationships: A Guide for Teachers, Counselors, and Youth Group Facilitators by Chuck Rhoades | Goodreads
Sex Ed Lecture Series Presentation link: Teaching Youth about Relationships | Sex Ed Lecture Series (square.site)

Psychological Concepts and Figures
Ainsworth, Mary
Allport, Gordon
Bowlby, John            
Ekman, Paul, 106
Erikson, Erik 
Sternberg, Robert
 
Abuse
Active listening
Adolescent development
Attachment 
Attraction
Bisexual youth 
Commitment 
Communication   
Confidentiality 
Conflict 
Consent 
Contact hypothesis 
Emotional intelligence 
Family 
First impressions
First sexual experiences
Gender 
Gender-fluid youth 
Gender non-conforming youth 
Identity
Inclusion 
Intimacy 
Lesbian youth 
LGBTQ+
Meditation 
Mindfulness 
Reciprocity
Sexual behavior
Sexual communication 
Sexual orientation
Substance use
Transgender
Trauma
Triangular Theory of Love
 

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
Author: Julie Smith
ISBN-10: 0063227932
ISBN-13: 978-0063227934
 
APA Style Citation
Smith. J. (2022). Why has nobody told me this before? Harper One.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Nobody-Told-This-Before/dp/0063227932
​

Book Description
Dr. Julie Smith has been a clinical psychologist for over ten years and shares her knowledge of how to deal with difficult situations in healthy ways. She is known for making short videos (under 60 seconds) talking about mental health and sharing life skills. These videos offering advice in bite-size and tangible ways are grabbing everyone’s attention. Now, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? explains the advice in a little more detail, and offers suggestions of how to put these research-based concepts to immediate use. The book is a mental health toolbox ready for use as you navigate whatever comes your way in life. Each tool takes practice and becomes more powerful the more you use it.
 
Dr. Julie tackles topics such as low mood, motivation, emotional pain, grief, self-doubt, fear and anxiety, stress, and finding a meaningful life. Each chapter has “toolkit” exercises, “try this” question and reflection prompts, and a chapter summary. She wants to pass on what the science says and what works for others. The research-based concepts are easily explained and the “science” is accessible to any reader. The advice is compact, organized, and easy to return to when you need it. There is power in establishing the basics of exercise, sleep, nutrition, routine, and human connection. Knowing how your mind works and believing you have the power to change goes a long way to leading a healthy lifestyle.
 
Other Related Resources
Dr. Julie Smith's Website
https://doctorjuliesmith.com/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/drjulie/?hl=en

Twitter
https://twitter.com/drjuliesmith?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Tik Tok
https://www.tiktok.com/@drjuliesmith?lang=en

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI8TEoIOnMq_5ntJOYMq-Zg

The Guardian- Dr. Julie Smith: "Mental health is no different to physical health. No one is immune."
https://www.guardian.com/science/2022/feb/12/dr-julie-smith-mental-health-tiktok-why-has-nobody-told-me-this-before

​Psychological Figures and Concepts
Thomas Gilovich
John Gottman
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
 
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Stress
All-or-nothing thinking
Anxiety
Attachment types
Attention
Awe
Burnout
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Egocentrism
Emotional reasoning
Emotions
Gratitude
Grief
Meditation
Metacognition
Mindfulness
Motivation
Overgeneralization
Perfectionism
Positive psychology
Reframing
Resilience
Rumination
Self-compassion
Spotlight effect
Tend-and-befriend

​Book Description
In her follow-up to Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain begins Bittersweet with a quote from her favorite musician Leonard Cohen. “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Cain describes her love for Cohen’s music and the melancholic yearning it creates when she listens. While some might be inclined to move away from these feelings. Cain feels quite the opposite. She believes that feelings of pain can be transformed into art, passion, and creativity just as with Cohen’s music. 
 
Cain describes an instance in which her family had to put down their beloved pet as a child. As a family, they cried together and felt deep sorrow, but as Cain recalls the event many years later, she is overcome by the love in the room that was felt through her family’s common suffering. Cain proposes that those drawn to serious movies and thought-provoking books are honest with the pain that exists in the world and can appreciate these vulnerable moments when people allow themselves to emote in a truly authentic way. Cain uses the example of walking a child down the aisle at a wedding ceremony where a parent acknowledges the happiness their child is stepping into and the bittersweet sadness of sending the child into the next phase of their life. Many individuals who experience this bittersweet world are more sympathetic in response to the suffering of others. Humility is one of the most important components in empathizing with others, as we will not experience empathy if we believe we are better than others.
 
Because those who live in the bittersweet arena do not believe that the world is perfect, they do not expect a world of perfection. For example, they do not expect to find their “one true soulmate”; they know that relationships will be work and will involve both beautiful highs and miserable lows. They may have more reasonable expectations about their interactions in work, love, and socialization. Cain contends that this longing has always existed with the Greek myth describing two brothers, Pathos (longing) and Himeros (desire). They also describe Eros (love). The Germans have a word “Sehnsucht” that combines words meaning yearning and an obsession or addiction. Cain also describes many religious ceremonies as a transition between happiness and sorrow. The songwriter-poet Nick Cave describes longing as his “ultimate muse” driving his creative works.  Much of the Sufi religion is based on ideas of longing, for union, for God. 
Cain cites a study by psychologist Marvin Eisentadt that found an incredible number of highly creative people were orphans. Of the 573 creatives studied, 25% had lost one parent by age 10, 345 by age 15, and 45% by age 45. Could it be that this grief and sadness drove their creativity?
 
Sometimes these bittersweet moments are not ones that should last in time but can still create a sense of longing. For example, a short-lived romantic rendezvous or the end of a long friendship. Cain suggests it might be best to remember fondly what was, but it would not likely be the same again. Cain suggests taking solace in the love you once experienced rather than the love that was lost. It is our job to recognize love in its new form. She also warns about the danger of living in a world of false smiles and social media posts in which it seems that everyone’s life is better and happier than it actually is. One of the many challenges to this false front is to make those experiences grief, sadness or challenging emotions feel alone. Often individuals experiencing anxiety or depression feel that nobody could possibly understand what they are experiencing. Cain speaks with students at Princeton who describe the need to feel “effortless perfection, “to look great, perform great, and be happy all of the time without seemingly trying to achieve any of this. This causes the students to feel inferior or to experience a sense that they do not belong because they must work at their happiness and success.
 
This ability to accept difficult emotions is linked to long-term thriving. Recognizing and acknowledging these negative feelings can help people feel less alone in their suffering. The suffering of others may also spur us into action. After the national tragedy of 9/11, people moved into careers as firefighters, healthcare workers, and teachers. Cain suggests one way to deal with pain or sorrow and loss may be loving-kindness meditation, derived from ancient Buddhist practices. This practice attempts to develop empathy by emphasizing the similarities between the individual and another person. The benefits of this practice include a decrease in migraines, PTSD symptoms, chronic pain, and increased feelings of awe, joy, and gratitude. Other people find comfort in journaling to express anger, frustration or sadness and find it cathartic to release these emotions rather than to keep them bottled up.  Cain also suggests that bittersweet music may also fulfill this need and even offers a song list on her website. Cain suggests we embrace the pain and sorrow of the world as a way of living a more content and real life.
 
Other Related Resources
Author’s Website for Bittersweet
https://susancain.net/book/bittersweet/
 
TED Talk: The Power of Sad Songs and Rainy Days
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G2U0R0hOCU
 
The Psychology Podcast: Interview with Susan Cain, The Beauty of Bittersweet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abwczDuDCNs
 
Bittersweet Quiz
https://susancain.net/bittersweet-quiz-intro/
 
Bittersweet Playlist
https://susancain.net/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2022-02-24-at-1.35.13-PM.png
 
The Next Big Idea Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bittersweet-an-audio-e-course-by-susan-cain/id1482067226?i=1000584069778
 
Greater Good Science Center
https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/who_we_are/our_people
 
Quizzes from the Greater Good Science Center
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes
 
Big Head Todd and the Monsters: Bittersweet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wyd9OcI37AY
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Charles Darwin
Paul Ekman
 
Catharsis
Empathy
Introversion
Meditation
Mind-body interaction
Mindfulness
Neuroscience
Prosocial behavior
Psychopharmacology

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Author: James Nestor
ISBN:  976-0-7352-1361-6
 
APA Style Citation
Nestor, J. (2020). Breath: The new science of a lost art. Riverhead Books.
 
Buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art/dp/0735213615
​

​Book Description
We breathe thousands of times per day, but according to James Nestor, at least half of the population is doing it wrong. Nestor is a science writer who has been studying the research behind breathing better. He has found endless evidence dating back thousands of years and proposes some simple approaches to modifications in breathing that can lead to living with fewer ailments, diseases, and sleep disorders.
 
Primarily, and perhaps, most importantly, Nestor recommends breathing through the nose whenever possible. The nose serves as a filter and humidifies the air as it travels toward the lungs. Those who breathe through the mouth are more susceptible to illnesses and respiratory problems. Long-term mouth breathing can even change the shape of the face by narrowing the mouth and making it more difficult to breathe deeply. Mouth breathing can also lead to crooked teeth and a slack jaw. This slack jaw creates problems, such as snoring and sleep apnea. Over many generations, human faces have become longer and narrower, which often limits the air that comes into the body. Further, some people undergo plastic surgery procedures that slim their nose and nasal passages, inhibiting their ability to breathe well. Wide faces and broad jaws help facilitate larger airways and smoother breathing. 
 
While it is more difficult to breathe through the nose, it leads to 20 percent more oxygen than breathing through the mouth. Nestor examines skulls from all over the world and notices the differences between modern skulls and ancient skulls. The teeth of modern peoples no longer fit into their mouths as faces have gotten thinner. While this might be aesthetically pleasing, it is not beneficial for our health. Orthodontists indicate the thinning of the mouth increases the necessity for teeth straightening. Nestor notes that ancient skulls all had straight teeth because there was more room in the mouth, which also led to more room in the air pathways.
 
Nestor uses himself as a subject with Stanford sleep researchers. In the first part of the study, he lives for two weeks with silicon balls placed in his nasal passages, forcing him to become a mouth breather. Nestor’s partner in the study is Anders Olsen, from Sweden, who has long been interested in research on breathing. Each day the two take their pulse and other vitals and wear a device that measures oxygen in the blood and heart rate. The men try to go about their normal day but feel sluggish and tired when forced to mouth breathe. Nestor also records any sleep apnea episodes and audio throughout the night, along with a night vision security camera to track his movements. On the first night of the mouth breathing study, Nestor’s snoring increased by 1300 percent, and his sleep apnea increased four times. 
 
In the second part of the study, Nestor tapes his mouth shut while he sleeps to keep his nasal breathing continuing while he sleeps. While this is difficult at first, it becomes more and more of a habit as he gets used to leaving the tape on his mouth night after night. Within a day of changing to nose breathing, Nestor’s and Olsen’s vital signs returned to normal. Nestor explains that when we are mouth breathing, we are placing undue strain on our bodies and causing ailments that could easily be prevented.
 
Nestor recommends practicing breathing better by breathing in the nose for 5.5 seconds, holding the breath for as long as possible, and then exhaling for 5.5 seconds. With practice, these long, deep breaths become more of a habit. When we breathe deeply, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm the body. This is in contrast to short, shallow breaths, which occur when somebody is hyperventilating or experiencing an asthma attack. In this case, the sympathetic nervous system causes a fight-or-flight response, causing the body to panic. We should use all of our lungs to take deep, long breaths, and we should expel all of that air before intaking new air. Nestor encourages counting when breathing in, holding the air as long as possible, and then counting to five or six while expelling that air. Again, he emphasizes the importance of breathing in using the nose 
 
This slow breathing is also known as resonant breathing and has many of the same health benefits as meditation. Some Olympic swimmers and marathon runners have significantly improved their performance using this method. Alternate nasal breathing is another method used in many ancient yoga practices. Hold one side of the nose closed while breathing deeply, holding the breath, and then letting go. Sitting upright by elongating the spine and trying to touch the shoulder blades will open up the chest. Each technique that Nestor recommends comes from years of research and is backed by science. The book ends with many recommendations for better breathing and, thus better health. Practice can make these breathing techniques them become routine over time. Nestor recommends we do this for the myriad of short- and long-term health benefits.
 
Other Related Resources
James Nestor Website
https://www.mrjamesnestor.com
 
Breathing Exercises with James Nestor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itlRu-nTd9s
 
The Guardian: How one hour of slow breathing changed my life: James Nestor
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jul/26/every-breath-you-take-the-lost-art-of-breathing
 
Lewis Howes Podcast: The truth about breathing and why you are doing it wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD2PNVzzoZY
 
CBC Sunday Magazine: How we breathe has major impacts on our body, James Nestor’s recommendations for improving it.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-magazine-for-january-17-2021-1.5874646/how-we-breathe-has-major-impacts-on-our-body-james-nestor-has-recommendations-to-improve-it-1.5874681
 
Stephanie’s business books: Three lessons from James Nestor’s book breath
https://medium.com/stephs-business-bookshelf/three-lessons-from-the-book-breath-by-james-nestor-272c9f56b7a8
 
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Anxiety
Autonomic nervous system
Fight-or-flight
Neuropsychology
Parasympathetic nervous system
Sleep apnea
Stress
Sympathetic nervous system

Generation Sleepless: Why Tweens and Teens Aren’t Sleeping Enough and How We Can Help Them
Author: Heath Turgeon and Julie Wright
ISBN-10:‎ 0593192133
ISBN-13:‎ 978-0593192139
 
APA Style Citation
Turgeon, H. & Wright, J. (2022). Generation sleepless: Why tweens and teens aren’t sleeping enough and how we can help them. Penguin Random House LLC.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Generation-Sleepless-Tweens-Sleeping-Enough/dp/0593192133
​

​Book Description
What if you could easily enhance your focus, remember more, make stronger decisions, control your emotions and interact better with others, and get sick less often? All it takes is sleep! The benefits of sleep are endless. The father of sleep medicine, William Dement, once described sleep as life’s mood music. If you get good sleep, your background music is positive, and the world is seen through an optimistic lens. However, when sleep deprived, your background music becomes negative, and the world becomes dark and gloomy. We know that sleep is important for babies and children, but what about teenagers? The answer is, yes! Sleep is necessary for the important reconstructive processes of pruning and myelin formation. We have all heard the stereotype that teens are lazy and unmotivated. However, teens’ sleep clock starts to change in middle school. They generally can’t fall asleep until 11 p.m., and want to sleep until at least 8 a.m. Contrary to negative stereotypes, it has nothing to do with laziness. In addition, they have been accused of spending too much time on screens and are struggling with mental health issues. Yet, these symptoms are also associated with a lack of sleep. The first part of Generation Sleepless: Why Tweens and Teens Aren’t Sleeping Enough and How We Can Help Them focuses on the science of the teenage brain and sleep. Teens today are the most sleep-deprived we have ever seen. By some estimates, only five percent of teens get the necessary sleep on school nights.
 
The book’s second part provides the tools to improve teens’ sleep. Teenagers can start to regain their sleep loss by simply adding 30 minutes a night, totaling 2.5 hours by the end of the school week. The book provides lots of helpful hints to becoming a sleep-forward family. One of the greatest sleep predictors of adolescent sleep is the family’s sleep habits. Adolescents with parent-set, earlier bedtimes have the best indicators of positive mental health.
 
Teens simply do not get enough sleep! It might be due to the perfect storm of their shifting biology, technology, academic pressure, early high school start times, and the myth that sleep is a luxury rather than a necessity. Teens need 9-10 hours of sleep, not the current average of 6.5 hours of sleep they are typically getting on a school night. When teens sleep for only 6 hours, they are missing a quarter of their night’s sleep and half their REM sleep. The problem is often that we don’t see the issues associated with sleep loss. Instead, we see anxiety, depression, ADHD, apathy and underperformance, and drug use. Many teens and parents don’t recognize sleep loss as a problem. Sleep deprivation is a real problem and the signs include: waking up more than once a week, sleeping two hours or more on weekends, falling asleep quickly during passive events or morning hours, having low energy, being irritable, having a lack of interest, drinking caffeine or vaping, and late-afternoon or evening naps. A study found almost 10% of seniors in the U.S., say they have fallen asleep behind the wheel.
 
Middle childhood (6-10 years) is the ideal time for good sleep. But by middle school, many have lost their healthy sleep habits, and by age 15 most are sleep deprived. The child’s brain is known for its growth period, but the adolescent brain is going through an equally important stage of growth. During adolescence, the brain is beginning a new wave of brain reorganization. The prefrontal cortex is becoming stronger and efficient. Thanks to pruning, the unused neural connections are dying off and others are strengthening. While pruning is in process, myelin encases the pathways and increases speed. The authors use the analogy of how a town with small roads over time lays down major highways connecting places that are frequented. The flashy, billion-dollar upgrade happens largely while asleep. Brain cells in the frontal lobe are connecting to the limbic system during sleep. Many scientists believe that sleep deprivation during adolescence may permanently alter brain development and behavior. When you are not getting enough sleep it raises the risk of mental health issues, increases stress levels, decreases memory storage, and hampers learning and academic success. With less sleep, there are more risky behaviors. The higher powers of reasoning and impulse control are compromised. Teens, especially 15 to 16-year-olds, feel dopamine more intensely, leading to thrill-seeking and addictive behaviors. When you are getting enough sleep, neurotransmitters are released to increase positive emotion and focus, hormones strengthen and repair muscles, and the immune system works properly. Proper sleep leads to a healthy metabolism, positive eating behaviors, and weight management. Sleep is necessary to encode information from short-term memory to long-term memory.
 
Sleep is controlled by the circadian rhythm or the “master clock” that keeps time and creates the 24-hour cycle. Kids have a natural cycle of falling asleep by 8 p.m. and waking by 6 a.m. But the teenager has a “sleep phase delay” of two hours or more. It is hard for many teens to fall asleep before 11 p.m. Sleep is also controlled by the homeostatic sleep drive that increases the pressure to sleep, the longer you are awake. As adenosine, the by-product of burning energy, levels increase, you are more likely to sleep. The circadian rhythm works to give you a burst of energy late afternoon to help counteract the homeostatic sleep drive and keep you away into the evening. This is why you feel drowsy mid-afternoon and then get a second wind. Not only is the teen circadian rhythm delayed, but the sleep pressure builds more slowly across the day and the teen’s second wind happens around 9 p.m. The teen’s biology is working against the schedule created for them.
 
Teens are faced with several additional factors that contribute to their sleep problems. Teens suffer from a social jet lag, where their brain’s clock and the outside world are not aligned. When students sleep on different schedules during the school week and break, it is equivalent to flying cross-country twice a week. They face similar side effects of feeling hungry, tired, and out of sorts. Some additional symptoms include: daytime fatigue, weight gain, concentration issues, digestive problems, moodiness, negative thoughts, chronic health conditions, insomnia, and family conflict. In 2011, the smartphone gained popularity, and now over 95% of teens have smartphones or access to them. While many studies are finding a negative correlation between digital media and well-being, the fine print is also showing that screen time is connected to sleep loss. Sleep debt is a consequence of too much technology and the two share the same symptoms. The light from the screen tricks the body into keeping you awake. Technology also creates flow and keeps teens engrossed where they lose track of time. Smartphones have become the new teddy bear. Around 90% of teens have at least one device in their sleep environment. A final piece to the puzzle is early school start times and academic overload. Currently, over half of the public schools in the U.S. start during the 7 a.m. hour. When teens wake up at 5 a.m. to get ready for school, it is equivalent to an adult waking up at 3 a.m. Research has shown that when schools shift to later start times, students continued to go to bed at the same time, but had more time to sleep in the morning. There is resistance to changing school start times, but the benefits have been proven.
 
So, what can you do? While it may feel like there is no possibility for change, there is! The authors use the second part of the book to help teenagers and families create a plan of action. At home, teens can choose to limit time on homework, rethink commitments, understand sleeps benefits, and remember the power of a FOND family. The acronym stands for family rituals, open play, nature, and downtime. Parents set the example for their children. The authors go further by providing examples of how to take a sleep-forward approach as a family. They talk about how to use family meetings to set up an environment and schedule for success. They also provide the five habits of happy sleepers. Individuals can create a sleep bubble with the five habits that spell SLEEP. First, Set your sleep times. Regularity is important. Second, Lay out your three routines. Select two routines before sleep, and one after sleep to provide a cushion around your sleep bubble. Third, Extract your sleep stealers. Identify what is stealing your sleep and remove them, while also paying attention to environmental cues that enhance sleep. Fourth, Eliminate light and make your bedroom a cave. A wind-down time of decreased light an hour before bed can be especially helpful. Fifth, Practice a sleep-friendly daytime. What happens during the day impacts your night. Pay attention to early sunlight, exercise, daytime foods, caffeine, alcohol, bedtime snacks, and smart napping. This advice sounds amazing and you want teens to implement it right away, but it is important to recognize the need for teen motivation and independence. Instead invite teens to learn, brainstorm, and problem-solve around their own sleep issues. Point out the value of good sleep to students and let them decide to make the changes on their own. The authors provide a more clear and effective communication method called ALP. Attune- pause, listen, and lead with empathy. Limit-set- set and hold reasonable limits on a consistent basis. Problem-solve- help teens come up with their own solutions. Sleep is easy to dismiss because we are unconscious when it happens. However, it is a very important process for teens. Give the five habits, all five, a try for two weeks to create a sleep bubble that promotes natural sleeping powers.
 
Other Related Resources
Authors’- Press
https://www.thehappysleeper.com/press
 
Authors’ Website- Happy Sleeper
https://www.thehappysleeper.com/
 
Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School- Resources section
https://sleep.hms.harvard.edu/resources
 
Psychological Concepts and Figures
William Dement
Ivan Pavlov
 
Adenosine
Adolescence
Amygdala
Circadian rhythm
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Creativity
Delayed gratification- Marshmallow experiment
EEG
Evolutionary perspective
Excitatory vs. inhibitory
Flow
Frontal lobes
Glial cells
Habits
Homeostatic sleep drive
Hormones- Leptin, Ghrelin
Immune system
Learned helplessness
Light therapy
LTP
Melatonin
Memory
Mental health
Myelin sheath
Negative reinforcement
Neurotransmitters- Serotonin, Dopamine
NREM
Paleo-sleep
Plasticity
Prefrontal cortex
Pruning
Puberty
Punishment
Rebound sleep
REM
Reticular activating system
Sensitive period
Sleep bubble
Sleep debt
Sleep deprivation
Sleep disorders
Sleep spindles
Social jet lag
Suprachiasmatic nuclei
Unconditional positive regard

The Genome Odyssey: Medical Mysteries and the Incredible Quest to Solve Them
Author: Eaun Angus Ashley, M.D., Ph.D.
ISBN-10: ‎1250234999
ISBN-13:‎ 978-1250234995
 
APA Style Citation
Ashley, E.A. (2021). The genome odyssey: Medical mysteries and the incredible quest to solve them. New York, NY: Celadon Books.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Genome-Odyssey-Medical-Mysteries-Incredible/dp/1250234999
​

Book Description
The Genome Odyssey provides a summary of the human genome from the first genomes in the Human Genome Project to current work and research. The author, Euan Ashley, is a practicing cardiologist and the founding director of the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease at Stanford University. In his book, he explains the early genomes with a short description of the timeline and price of genome sequencing (determining the DNA sequence of an organism’s genome at a single time). He goes on to share patient stories with unique diseases and his own patients within the cardiac field. Finally, he lays out the future of genomics. What exactly is your genome? Ashley states, “Your genome is three billion letter pairs, six billion data points, two meters of molecule compacted into twenty-three pairs of chromosomes that, if laid end to end with the DNA from the thirty trillion cells in your body, could stretch to the moon and back thousands of times: part of the literal embodiment of what it means to be human.” The genome is a tool to learn about disease, solve medical mysteries, and provide hope, protection and prevention for those with diseases.
 
First, the author explains the early genomes. He provides a little history on when and how much it cost for some of the first genomes to be sequenced. The Human Genome Project was a ten-year project that provided a genome in the early 2000s, costing multibillions, with multiple country contributors to identify the DNA from ten people. It was intended to have ten volunteers provide 10% each to the full genome to help protect confidentiality and prevent the press from discovering the donor. The approximate twenty thousand genes that account for the proteins that make up 2% of the genome were mapped out. The other 98% of the genome was commonly referred to as “junk DNA” because its function was unclear. It is now understood that this noncoding part of the genome is important in determining whether genes are turned on or off. And half of our genes have pseudogenes in this part of the genome and can regulate the function of other genes. A real human’s genome is diploid, meaning there are two copies of everything. The reference genome was monoploid, with just one copy of every human gene. The single copy genome would be the standard to which all other genomes would be compared to in the following years. Everything did not go as planned, instead the human reference genome comes from the DNA of only two people. It was also found that the reference genome actually contained a mutation, a DNA letter associated with disease. The 1000 Genomes Project, started in 2008, helped provide data to create three new human reference sequences, tuned to three major ethnicities.
 
The first genome sequence after the project cost around $100 million. In 2009, the author’s journey started by helping a Stanford colleague Steve Quake (patient zero) figure out his own genome and cardiac results (the author’s specialty). His genome cost a mere $40,000. In the eight years after the Human Genome Project, if the price of sequencing the genome could be compared to a Ferrari, then the $350,000 car dropped to forty cents.  Steve invented the technology used to sequence the genome and became the first patient to walk into the doctor’s office with his genome. To help read Steve’s genome, the author put together a dream team. This team would list the variants, look at rare variants and diseases, look for common variants for common diseases, look at variants affecting drug responses, and be mindful of ethical considerations. Steve needed to provide informed consent and a genetic counselor was brought on the team. If you test for everything, you might find a lot of results you were not expecting and someone had to help navigate that process. This had never been done before. Steve was a researcher and patient, which made the process even more complex. Fortunately, the team did not find a rare heart disease in Steve’s heart or any genetic variants. However, they did find significant risk for a heart attack. While the price of sequencing the genome was dropping, what about the time to complete it? It took up to a year for one machine to sequence a human genome while running full-time. But if one was to map just the gene sequences and ignore the other 98 percent, then it would take less time and cost even less. In 2010, John West had sequenced his whole family after suffering a pulmonary embolism. It was the first nuclear family to have their genome sequenced and there was an unexplained medical mystery. Soon after the author started a company to move sequencing from academia into industry. The partnership between these fields continues to increase, but also remains far apart. They utilized genetic counselors to analyze and prioritize the genetic variants and explain the results to patients. The price for sequencing your genome was now under $1000.
 
The author goes on to compare genomic medicine to disease detective work. Traditional methods have included observing, examining, documenting, and analyzing. But now doctors can add another tool of reading one’s genome. Bill Gahl (from Waukesha, WI) became the real Gregory House from the Fox TV series House. He leads the National Institute of Health’s Undiagnosed Diseases Program, which officially opened in 2015. In three years, they found a diagnosis for 35% of cases and defined 31 new syndromes. Ashley shares some of the program’s patients and their rare stories. He also shares the case studies of some of his own cardiac patients. Mosaicism, the term for having more than one genome, happens when copied DNA accumulates mutations.  Some people have visual indicators of mosaicism, such as skin with different pigmentations or different eye colors. There is also chimerism, a situation where a person has cells with genomes from completely different people. This happens during pregnancy, patients with organ transplants, or fraternal twins who share a placenta. Genome-wide mapping and using family trees for patients have also helped the disease detective work.
 
Finally, the author looks to the future.  He describes how superhumans can help provide answers to help the typical genome. Genomes from the fittest athletes and those with rare abilities have helped find new treatments for those with heart, lung, blood, and muscle diseases. Also, the growth of biobanks and the value of these large databases is hopeful to better understand the genome. There are over sixty groups around the world that aim to enroll at least 100,000 people in their biobanks. As Ashley stated, “What all these studies have shown is that the larger the study, the greater power for discovery, and the greater our confidence in those discoveries.” Participants can enroll and give consent digitally through an app. Ashley also discusses advances in treatment, such as genetic therapy and improvements to drugs. Genetic therapy has been around since the 1970s, but the first human studies were performed in the 1990s. Many were problematic and the approach was criticized for moving too fast. The scientific community was tasked to go back to the laboratory and learn more. To be effective, the genetic therapy has to get to the cells that matter. Delivery is the biggest challenge. In the last few years there has been success with delivery and genetic therapy. A bacterial defense system called CRISPR has helped researchers target parts of the genome and repair them. In 2017, CRISPR was used to correct a mutation causative of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in human embryos. A heated debate quickly arose about whether to intervene on human embryos. Then in 2018, a researcher announced the birth of the world’s first gene-edited babies. There is now universal agreement that there needs to be more research on the safety of gene editing before it is considered ethical to use on embryos. We are in the golden age of genetic therapy. Doctors can order a genome, health insurance companies are starting to list genomes as a covered benefit, and some systems are using genome sequencing as preventative care. The future also relies on real-time monitoring of our health. Smart watches can be set to assess your specific genetic risks and look for early detection of those diseases. We can also go beyond sequencing human genes and turn to pathogens as well. Genomics played a huge role in fighting the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus). It also jumpstarted the genomic age of vaccines.
 
Genome sequencing is getting cheaper and faster, while the data for comparison is becoming more robust. Genomes are often used for rare diseases, but they are also becoming more useful for everyday care. We need to urgently do more research with diverse populations so it can calculate the best scores. But prediction will become more powerful as we sequence more genomes. The question for you will be, do you want to have your genome sequenced?
 
Other Related Resources
Author's Website- The Ashley Lab
https://ashleylab.stanford.edu/

Health Matters The Genome Odyssey YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcdqVqYx8_c

Commonwealth Club YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZx0Kq5ipxo

Human Genome Project
https://www.genome.gov/human-genome-project

What is CRISPR? New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/definition/what-is-crispr/
​
Psychological Concepts and Figures
Antagonist vs. agonist
Anterograde amnesia
Biobank
Bioengineering
Chromosomes
Confidentiality
Congenital insensitivity to pain
Correlations
DNA
Dominant vs. recessive
Embryo
Epigenetics
Ethics
Genes
Genetic counselors
Genome 
Hippocampus
Human Genome Project (HGP)
Immune system
Informed consent
MRI
Mutations
Nature vs. nurture
Nucleus
Opioids
Pharmacogenomics
Pituitary gland
Placebo
Pseudogenes
Random assignment
Stem cells

The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
Author: Meik Wiking
ISBN-10: 0062658808
ISBN-13: 978-0062658807
 
APA Style Citation
Wiking, M. (2017). The little book of hygge: Danish secrets to happy living. New York, NY: William Morrow.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GONJFZ2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
​

​ 
Book Description
What is the secret behind the happiest people on earth? The Danes have consistently ranked at the top of global surveys on happiness. But where does happiness come from? Is it genetics, relationships, health, money, employment, or a sense of purpose? Author Meik Wiking, who works at the Happiness Research Institute based in Denmark, believes one important but perhaps overlooked cultural component is hygge (pronounced hoo-ga). He offers tips to increase hygge. While many are stuck at home, this book might offer just the right inspiration to create a little happiness in your life.
 
Denmark consistently ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world. To be fair, Danes do not have the best weather and they pay some of the highest taxes in the world. However, there is wide support for paying such high taxes because it is seen as an investment in society and quality of life. There is a strong sense of trust between Danes. Perhaps a part of the recipe for happiness that sets Denmark apart from other countries is hygge- a Norwegian word for well-being. Hygge is that coziness and security that brings contentment. While many cultures have a similar term to describe this feeling of coziness, warmth, and togetherness, Danes are obsessed with it and believe it to be uniquely Danish. It is truly a part of their cultural identity. So how does one increase hygge? Candles, fireplaces, blankets, good food, and hanging with friends are just a few ways to build hygge. It doesn’t have to be expensive and it can happen anywhere.
 
Hygge can be achieved in many ways and take on many forms. It can be those slow weekends, the comfy pair of pants you slip into when you get home, the nook where you sit and relax, or a cozy conversation. One area of focus is a healthy work-life balance.  Danes have figured out this balance. Individuals with children usually leave work at 4 p.m. and those without at 5 p.m.  About 78% of Danes socialize with others a minimum of once per week.  Equality is also an important element in hygge. For example, it is important that everyone helps prepare the food, instead of the host working alone in the kitchen. Time spent with others creates an atmosphere filled with warmth and fullness and a release of oxytocin. Basic living standards are essential for happiness. However, once the baseline has been met, happiness is more about the quality of social relationships. The best predictor of whether we are happy or not is our social relationships. In 2008, one study found that an increase in social involvement may produce an increase of life satisfaction equivalent to an extra $110,000 a year. There is a strong correlation that the more satisfied people are with their social relationships, the happier they are in general. We are social creatures. Danes prefer smaller groups of friends. Many believe the best number of people for hygge is 3 to 4. However, one drawback is Danes tend not to readily admit new friends to their friendship circles. On the flip side, hygge is the best thing for introverts. Those that seek smaller groups gain much from the qualities of hygge.
 
Light- Approximately 85% of Danes associate hygge with candles to create that cozy feeling. Each Dane burns an average of 13 pounds of candle wax per year. They also prefer natural and organic products over scented candles. In addition, lamps are carefully placed to create a soothing mood. The lower the temperature of the light, the more hygge. Usually, it is better to have several smaller lamps around the room rather than one big lamp from the ceiling.
 
Food and drink- Nordic cuisine has gained some popularity. Noma, a popular restaurant in Copenhagen, has attracted global attention. At a pop-up location in Japan, one dish consisting of live shrimp covered in ants made headlines. Danes love their meat, confectionery, and coffee; and all of these are directly linked to hygge. Denmark is at the top of the list of sweet-crazed nations, obsessed with cakes and pastries. Hot drinks are also popular. Approximately 86% of Danes associate hygge with their favorite drink of coffee. A common belief is “Live life today like there is no coffee tomorrow.” It is about giving yourself a treat, not indulging in the fancy and expensive. These treats are viewed as the same thing as happiness by the brain’s reward system. We associate a certain food with a feeling of pleasure that leaves us wanting more. When it comes to food, the rule of thumb is the longer a dish takes to cook, the more hygge it is. It is about the process, not the end product. 
 
Clothing- The key to Danish dress code is casual. Scarves are a must and the golden rule is the bigger, the better. In Denmark, everyone wears black, layers, and woolen socks. To experience hygge, it is suggested to link purchases with positive experiences. For example, buy a sweater or nice pair of socks that will now be associated with a special event.
 
Home and Outside the Home- Danes are obsessed with interior design because the home is the heart of hygge.  A wish list for hygge at home may include a nook, fireplace, candles, wood elements, nature, books, ceramics, tactile experiences, vintage pieces, blankets, and cushions.  Having a comfortable home is about relaxation and finding that well-deserved break. Hygge is built on casualness.  Connecting with nature enables you to relax and be present to savor the moment.  Cabins include all the ingredients of hygge, such as the smells, sounds, and simplicity. If you need hygge at work, try organizing a potluck, setting up an office garden, bringing your dog to work, or making the office homier.
 
Year-Round and on the Cheap- The typical season for hygge is fall or winter. However, it can be experienced year-round. It can include orchards, barbecues, community gardens, picnics, or bike rides. Danes love their bikes and cycling. In Copenhagen, 45% cycle to their place of education or employment. It is an easy way to get a bit of exercise, but it also makes people happier. Riding a bike in your daily commute adds 3 to 14 months to your life expectancy.  It’s also an indicator of community and trust.  If a lot of people cycle, you probably live in a healthy neighborhood. Hygge is about being simple and modest. It does not have to be expensive. It is about appreciating the simple pleasures of life. The author offers a list of activities each month to inspire a feeling of coziness and a list of inexpensive activities that surround you.
 
Christmas- The Danish Christmas is first about family and friends. The quality of social relationships has been shown to predict our happiness. Second, are the traditions.  The Christmas menu is usually pork or duck. There is also risalamande, a dish made of whipped cream, boiled rice, and finely chopped almonds topped with hot cherry sauce. Hidden in the bowl is one whole almond.  Whoever finds the almond gets a present and good luck. There are also special decorations, such as woven paper hearts and a Christmas or Advent candle. The candle is painted like a tape measure with dates from December 1st to 24th.  Each day the candle is lit with company and brings the family together. Most TV stations have Advent calendars that count down the days until Christmas. While the preparation for this holiday may sound overwhelming, some stress makes the hygge that follows all that more comforting.
 
Hygge encompasses all of the senses. The taste is familiar and sweet. The sound is silent or soft. The smell is individualized and relates to your past experiences. The sights are of slow movements, such as falling snow. The touch is of old, homemade belongings that take a long time to make. Finally, there is a sixth sense of feeling safe. The author takes the reader back to a Winnie the Pooh quote, “How do you spell love? You don’t spell it...you feel it.” Hygge is about all of the feelings of coziness and warmth wrapped around you.
 
Hygge is everyday happiness. It is about making the most of what we have each and every day. Savoring is about enjoying the moment now and hygge is all about the current moment. Evidence-based studies show that practicing gratitude also has many benefits. Those who are grateful are often happier, more helpful and forgiving, sleep better, recover faster, and are less likely to get stressed. Danes plan for hygge times and reminisce about them afterward. The author leaves us with a quote from Benjamin Franklin “Happiness consists more in the small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happened but seldom to a man in the course of his life.”
 
Other Related Resources
Author’s Websitehttps://www.meikwiking.com/
Author’s Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/meikwiking/?hl=en
What Is Hygge? Everything You Need To Know About The Danish Lifestyle Trend
https://www.countryliving.com/life/a41187/what-is-hygge-things-to-know-about-the-danish-lifestyle-trend/
 
The Year of Hygge, the Danish Obsession with Getting Cozy
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-year-of-hygge-the-danish-obsession-with-getting-cozy
 
6 Ways to Practice Hygge, the Danish Secret to Happiness
https://www.health.com/mind-body/hygge
 
Psychological Concepts and Figures
Sigmund Freud
Abraham Maslow
 
Belongingness hypothesis
Cerebral cortex
Correlation
Cultural identity
Dopamine
Evolutionary psychology
Gratitude
Happiness
Health
Introverts
Life satisfaction
Nature
Nucleus accumbens
Oxytocin
Positive emotions 
Senses
Social relationships
Tactile
Well-being

The Joy of Movement
Author: Kelly McGonigal
ISBN-10: 0525534105
ISBN-13: 978-0525534105
 
APA Style Citation
McGonigal. (2019). The joy of movement. San Francisco, CA: Avery.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Movement-exercise-happiness-connection-ebook/dp/B07Q4LY2CV
​

​Book Description
If there was a pill to replace exercise and it provided the same benefits without the challenging work, would you take it? Ethicists have posed questions similar to this, and the book The Joy of Movement tries to help the reader understand why movement matters. The author, Kelly McGonigal, uses a blend of quotes, research studies, and storytelling to encourage readers to rethink the purpose of movement. Exercise offers many benefits, such as happiness, satisfaction, purpose, gratitude, love, hope, and connection. But the key focus of the book is on how physical activity contributes to joy.
 
How does the runner’s high connect to joy?
An extended period of physical activity may lead to a runner’s high, a feeling of euphoria and reduced pain. Some have even likened it to a spiritual experience or love. From an evolutionary perspective, humans have survived because physical activity was pleasurable. The reward of a runner’s high kept individuals hunting and gathering, and willing to cooperate and share. Natural selection has favored traits that allowed humans to run. Researchers have explored the positive correlation of elevated levels of endocannabinoids related to the runner’s high. The key to achieving a runner’s high is movement that consists of continuous and moderate intensity. Perhaps it should be known as the persistence high because doing something moderately difficult for twenty minutes gives the same feeling. The biology of the runner’s high also primes people to connect. Individuals report more positive interactions with their family and friends after exercise. In addition, a sort of cooperation high provides a reward for sharing and cooperating. The runner’s high and the helper’s high provide a powerful combination. One example is GoodGym, an organization in the UK, where you can “get fit by doing good.” Runners combine exercise while volunteering to help their community, such as running to a foodbank and then volunteering to distribute food packages to vulnerable people.
 
What about getting hooked on exercise?
One study found for regular exercisers who missed even a single workout, they experienced anxiety and irritability. Within three days, they also experienced symptoms of depression, and within one week, they had problems sleeping and severe mood changes.  A popular analogy for exercise is addiction. When humans have a sensation in a context that is highly enjoyable, that sensation gets encoded in memory as pleasant. Individuals who exercise regularly have reported enjoying the smell of the pool or yoga mat, the sound of weights dropping, or their favorite running shirt. This is similar to how addicts have learned to enjoy the sight or smell of locations associated with getting a high. Thanks to operant conditioning and receiving positive reinforcement, the exercise behavior continues in the future. But the analogy to addiction is limited because most people who exercise do not experience the distress or dysfunction of addiction or substance abuse. Also, a big difference between the effects of exercise and the effects of drugs, such as cocaine, is timing. It takes longer to get hooked on exercise; for humans up to six weeks. Furthermore, exercise produces fewer extreme spikes in the feel-good chemicals and stimulates the reward system rather than overwhelming it. Perhaps the closest drug exercise could be compared to would be an antidepressant. And a better parallel for physical activity and the reward system might be continuous deep brain stimulation, rather than an addiction.
 
What about the human brain and genetics in relation to enjoying physical activity?
Researchers selectively bred mice to become super-runners that ran faster, farther, and more often. However, their anatomy wasn’t different than the average mice, instead, it was their brains. The super-runners had larger midbrains, including the reward system. Through natural selection, all humans are genetic super-runners. But why do some people like to exercise, while others do not? The tendency to be active has a heritability rate of 50%, but how much physical activity is enjoyed has a lower rate of 12-37%. Behavior geneticists have been exploring other connections of exercise and genetics. There appears to be a genetic predisposition to experience the mental health benefits of physical activity. Individuals with certain genetic variations are more sensitive to the benefits of regular exercise. There is a reduced risk of depression and suicidal thinking if individuals exercise at least 20 minutes per day. Exercise has also been found effective in treating anxiety disorders.
 
What is the key to collective joy?
The key to collective joy might be synchrony. Studies found students who danced in unison, felt more bonded. Music and physical exercise were important, but it was the synchrony that was essential and created a sense of group unity. Researchers also measured the ability of dancers to tolerate pain. Even calm, small, and synchronized gestures helped with pain tolerance and social bonding. When we move together, we build social ties and cooperation. It has been found that virtual reality can give the same rush as real synchrony. New apps allow individuals to exercise together and sync their rhythms. There is even a drone that will “run” with you to keep you company.
 
Think about the power of synchronized groups. As individuals in the armed services march in unison, they become strongly connected. This synchronous movement not only builds friendship networks, but has also been used to defend territory. Hearing synchronized steps, increases the perception of the group being stronger and bigger. Cancer walk/run events also provide a powerful example of group movement leading to a special bond. As individuals walk for 24 hours, they build community and feel like they are part of something bigger. Another example is communities recovering from natural disasters. When members dance to Zumba classes or go out to dance clubs, they connect and build their resilience.
 
What power does music have on physical movement and happiness?
The body has a natural instinct to move when it hears music. Even newborns can detect a beat. Adding a soundtrack to movement can shave seconds off performance times. Psychologists have helped create playlists for Olympic, national, and collegiate athletes. Even the ordinary exerciser feels more excitement when listening to music while working out. The most powerful songs have a strong beat, energetic feel, and tempo of 120-140 beats per minute. During moderate exercise, music reduces perceived effort and makes the work feel easier and more enjoyable. During higher intensities of excercise, music changes perception and adds a positive meaning to discomfort. The power of music is almost magical. It can help us activate mirror neurons for empathy, access memories, and build muscle memories for joy. So, get your groove on!
 
How does overcoming obstacles relate to movement and joy?
Obstacle courses, such as Tough Mudder, have individuals run through tear gas tunnels, glide down slides set on fire, cross though a maze of electrified wire, etc. The course focuses on common phobias and provokes just enough fear to push the participants to continue without causing them to quit. As individuals feel helpless, just a little control and the story of finishing motivates people to push forward. DPI gyms, specializing in training people with physical challenges, have a Wall of Greatness. Once someone completes a challenging goal, they can sign the wall and provide words of wisdom. Often their challenge is videotaped, and their friends and family are invited to celebrate when their name is added to the wall. It is important to have witnesses to your triumphs! Overcoming obstacles gives people hope. But hope needs a clear goal, a path to achieve the goal, and trust that one can follow that path. Empathy brings pleasure, but also a sense of what is possible for ourselves. Individuals can even catch hope by watching others move, thanks to mirror neurons. When depressed, watch others exercise, and it can evoke positive feelings. 
 
What about nature and exercise?
Green exercise, physical activity in a natural environment, has a positive effect on one’s mood. Within five minutes of moving outside, individuals report a shift in mood and outlook. Unlike a runner’s high, you don’t have to wait for it. The green exercise high kicks in quickly. When at rest, the brain slips into a default mode where it replays the past and reflects on the future. The default mode often has a negative bias, and those with anxiety or depression are often stuck here. How does one quiet the default mode? One answer is meditation, but green exercise does the same thing with a lot less effort. In one study, after taking a scenic hike, as opposed to a walk on a busy road, participants reported less anxiety and negative self-focused thinking. In another study, after walking for 15 minutes in a nature preserve, people feel better equipped to handle life’s challenges. Globally, people who feel a strong connection to nature report greater life satisfaction, purpose, and happiness. The effect is stronger than the benefits of good health, and equal to being happily married or living with a partner. Furthermore, living in a neighborhood with green space, parks, and community gardens is linked to greater life satisfaction and less psychological distress. GreenGym is an organization where volunteers engage in conservation based on green exercise. Each season they do different tasks that lead to optimism and feeling useful.
 
What about endurance and the joy of movement?
In order for an activity to be considered ultra-endurance, it must last six hours. But how can pushing one’s body for hours be joyful? Most endurance athletes don’t overwhelm themselves by thinking ahead, instead they take it one step at a time and lean on their positive emotions, music, loved ones, or dedicate their effort to others. When you exercise your body produces myokines. They have been labeled as “hope molecules,” and with every step you contract over 200 myokine-releasing muscles. Have you ever noticed how most long-distance events take place outdoors? Perhaps this is a way for suffering to coexist with the joy created by the scenery. No one does it by themselves. Ultra-runners use a coach to help run at night or keep them eating. When asked to provide pictures, many chose a picture of themselves with other runners, not pictures of their shoes or medals. We need others, and endurance exercising is no different.
 
Physical activity can bring people together and bring out our best.  It is through movement that we can experience joy. Kelly McGonigal recommends, “Move. Any kind, any amount, and any way that makes you happy.” So, if there was a pill to replace exercise, would you take it? Has your opinion changed about the power of movement?
 
Other Related Resources
Book website
http://kellymcgonigal.com/move
 
Author contact information
Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kellymcgonigal
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kellymariemcgonigal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kellymcgonigalauthor
Find me at: www.kellymcgonigal.com
Sign up for my email newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/glQxAP
 
151: Joy of Movement with Kelly McGonigal – Pivot Podcast with Jenny Blake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M6MYJur0aQ
 
How exercise can fight loneliness and depression
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F38WS6xdn_Y
 
Book- Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
https://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Hidden-Superathletes-Greatest/dp/0307279189
 
Psychological Concepts and Figures
Charles Darwin
 
Addiction
Adrenaline
Amygdala
Antidepressants
Anxiety
Attachments
Attentional capture
Behavioral genetics
Biological predisposition
Brain imaging
Collective effervescence
Collective joy
Conditioned response
Continuous deep brain stimulation
Cortisol awakening response
Culturally universal
Depression
Dopamine
Empathy
Endorphins
Evolutionary
Fear circuit
Genome
Green exercise
Habit formation
Happiness
Helper’s high
Heritability
Hope
Hormones
Instincts
Learned helplessness
Meta-analysis
Mindfulness
Mirror neurons
Motor cortex
Muscle memories
Myokines (proteins)
Natural selection
Neurobiology
Opioid system
Optimism
Parkinson’s disease
Pleasure gloss
Prefrontal lobe
Priming
Proprioception
Prosocial
Proximity
Resilience
Rubber hand illusion
Runner’s high
Selective breeding
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Sleep study
Stress
Sympathetic response
Synchrony
Temperament
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
 

​Author:  Carmine Gallo
ISBN: 978-1-250-04112-8

APA Style Citation
Gallo, Carmine (2014). Talk Like TED:  The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds.  New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Buy This Book
​​www.amazon.com/Talk-Like-TED-Public-Speaking-Secrets/dp/1250041120

Book Description
The TED Conference, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, has been around since 1984 but did not become well known until they began posting videos of their trademark 19-minute presentations online for free.  Author Carmine Gallo is a communications expert and the author of the bestselling book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.  Gallo examined over 500 TED presentations and added insights from research on persuasion and communication to generate a list of the critical aspects of highly engaging presentations. Talk Like TED offers nine key public-speaking tips utilized in some of the most well-known presentations.  The tips for giving great talks are organized into three broad categories:  Emotional (they touch the heart), Novel (they teach something new), and Memorable (they present ideas in a unique manner).  As teachers, we frequently deliver content to students in a presentation form, and this book can provide a variety of tools to use to increase student engagement and learning.  Each chapter describes a method used in the most successful TED talks including specific examples and insight from the speakers. One of the best aspects of this book was stopping periodically to watch the amazing TED talks discussed in the book!
 
EMOTIONAL
The first third of the book is devoted to the three tips in the category related to emotional factors that “touch the heart.”  In chapter one, “Unleash the Master Within,” the author discusses the importance of choosing topics to discuss in which you have personal passion and interest.  According to the author, “the first step to inspiring others is to make sure you are inspired yourself.”  An excellent example of a TED talk that exemplifies passion was given by University of Waterloo Economics professor Larry Smith titled, “Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career.”  Smith discusses that although college students are told to pursue their passion most will not because “You’re afraid to pursue your passion.  You’re afraid to look ridiculous.  You’re afraid to try.  You’re afraid you may fail.”
https://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_have_a_great_career
 
Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor gave one of the most watched TED talks of all time (about 20 million views).  The talk illustrates how having a strong emotional connection with the material leads to increased audience engagement.  Bolte Taylor’s talk is compelling because it involves a personal connection and exceptional storytelling.  TEDster Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor offers advice for teachers and other presenters, and that is to tell a story and demonstrate your passion for the topic. According to Bolte Taylor, “When I was at Harvard, I was the one winning the awards.  I wasn't winning the awards because my science was better than anyone else’s.  I was winning because I could tell a story that was interesting and fascinating and it was mine, down to the detail.”
http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight 
 
 
Chapter two discusses how to “Master the Art of Storytelling” by illustrating how effective speakers utilize narratives to make an emotional connection with the audience.  For example, TED speaker Brene Brown famously begins her topic by defending qualitative research she conducts with the statement that “Stories are data with a soul.”  Effective storytelling engages each listener individually and allows them to become emotionally attached and to the ideas being presented.  Some of the most effective TED storytellers are discussed in this chapter including Brian Stevenson’s talk, “We Need to Talk About an Injustice” which led to the longest standing ovation in TED history (see earlier Books for Psychology Class post on his book Just Mercy).  The 1,000 attendees at Stevenson’s talk collectively donated $1 million dollars to his nonprofit, the Equal Justice Institute.  Stevenson raised $55,000 for every minute he spoke that day.  This TED talk was given without the aid of a PowerPoint, visuals, or props of any kind – a testament to the power of story. 
https://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice
 
Another tip for an effective persuasive presentation according to the author, is to utilize Aristotle’s three components of effective persuasion ethos, logos, and pathos in the most effective ratio. Ethos refers to the credibility and credentials of the speaker, logos is the use of logic and data to make effective arguments, and pathos is the ability to appeal to the emotions of the audience.  When the author of the book analyzed the content of Brian Stevenson’s TED talk, he found it was 10 percent ethos, 25 percent logos, and 65 percent pathos or emotional appeal. Despite being 65 percent of pathos Stevenson’s talk has been rated as one of the most persuasive of all time. One of the ways the book recommends inserting pathos or emotional appeal is by including extreme moments. Dan Ariely, a psychologist and behavioral economist at Duke, introduces his talk on how research shows that people are predictably irrational with a dramatic personal story of his recovery from an injury that left him burned over 70 percent of his body.  Ariely’s talk is an excellent addition to the research unit for illustrating the need to test beliefs that are held intuitively through careful research methods. 
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_on_our_buggy_moral_code/transcript?language=en#t-102037
 
In chapter three, the author describes how effective TED presenters can use body language and verbal delivery to engage with the audience in a manner that feels authentic and conversational instead of an impersonal lecture to a large group.  The four elements of verbal delivery addressed in this section are rate, volume, pitch, and the effective use of pauses for emphasis.  One of the examples of effective nonverbal communications is a 2012 TED talk by a former Army general and U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell on the importance of providing children with structure early in life.  His speech is broken down to illustrate how particular gestures corresponded with the words he used during his speech. 
 
Another amazing TED talk that powerfully uses gestures to strengthen an argument was given by Ernesto Sirolli titled, “Want to help someone?  Shut up and listen!” is also broken down to highlight the expert use of gestures.  Sirolli’s talk discusses how his failure to listen led to failure for his NGO project designed to help increase food production in rural Zambia.  The project involved teaching people living in southern Zambia to grow Italian tomatoes and other vegetables.  Because the local population was uninterested, the NGO paid them to grow the vegetables.  Sirolli and his team were surprised that agriculture was not being used in this fertile region with excellent weather and soil.  According to Sirolli, instead of asking the people living there why they did not grow crops, they said, "Thank God we're here." Just in the nick of time to save the Zambian people from starvation." The result was that everything grew extremely well and we were telling the Zambians, "Look how easy agriculture is." When the tomatoes were nice and ripe and red, overnight, some 200 hippos came out from the river, and they ate everything. It was then that Sirolli asked the Zambians, “My God, the hippos!" and the Zambians said, "Yes, that's why we have no agriculture here." When Sirolli asked, “Why didn't you tell us?" the Zambians replied, "You never asked."
https://www.ted.com/talks/ernesto_sirolli_want_to_help_someone_shut_up_and_listen
 
NOVEL
The second section of the book explains three aspects that contribute to an effective presentation because it is new and unique.  Kevin Allocca, who studies YouTube trends, stated this perfectly when he pointed out that in an era when two days’ worth of video is uploaded every two minutes, it is only the truly unique and original ideas that capture the attention of the online audience. 
 
The topic of chapter four, “Teach Me Something New,” describes how the best TED talks find a way to introduce new ideas or perspectives.  The author suggests that the titles of some of the most frequently viewed TED talks promise to teach something new such as “Schools Kill Creativity” (Sir Ken Robinson), “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (Simon Sinek), “The Surprising Science of Happiness” (Dan Gilbert), “The Power of Introverts” (Susan Cain), “8 Secrets of Success” (Richard St. John), and “How to Live Before You Die” (Steve Jobs).  Martha Burns, a professor at Northwestern, teaches how to use neuroscience to be a better educator and highlights the biology behind the “buzz” we experience when learning something in her powerful TEDx talk.  One of the best examples of teaching something novel is Hans Rosling's talk that makes statistics and correlations exciting and meaningful.  Rosling, an expert on global health, animates correlational data regarding health and wealth in a powerful demonstration.  You can view his entire talk at ted.com or view the abbreviated version titled:  200 countries, 200 years, 4minutes.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo
 
Novel presentations, according to chapter five, “Deliver Jaw-Dropping Moments,” in which presenters capture the attention and imagination of their audiences by using dramatic demonstrations or surprises.  Some of the most dramatic moments or “hooks” at TED talks have included Bill Gates releasing mosquitos and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor who opens her talk by holding a human brain that is still attached to the spinal cord.  “Wow” moments can also come from a single shocking statistic.

• “This country is very different today than it was 40 years ago. In 1972 there were 300,000 people in jails and prisons. Today there are 2.3 million.  The United States now has the highest rate of incarceration in the world.”

Bryan Stevenson
 

• “Why are we ignoring the oceans?  If you compare NASA’s annual budget to explore the heavens, that one-year budget would fund NOAA’s budget to explore the world's oceans for 1,600 years.” 

Robert Ballard
 

• “One in a hundred regular people is a psychopath.  So there are 1,500 people in this room. Fifteen of you are psychopaths.”

Jon Ronson
 
Successful TED talks also hook new viewers by creating memorable headlines, which turn into sound bites that are often spread across social media.  TED even has a Twitter handle devoted to the catchy, memorable quotes that are likely to generate public attention (@TEDQuote). 
 

• “There’s zero correlation between being the best talker and having the best ideas.”

Susan Cain
 

• “Don’t fake it till you make it.  Fake it till you become it.”

Amy Cuddy
 

• “Numbers are the musical notes with which the symphony of the universe is written.”

Adam Spencer
 
Chapter six highlights how the ability to “Lighten Up” by using appropriate and genuine humor can increase audience engagement.  The book provides numerous tips for adding humor to presentations, including quotes, short video clips, and anecdotes.
 
MEMORABLE
The final third of the book is dedicated to various ways to make your ideas and your presentation memorable.  Chapter seven, “Stick to the 18-Minute Rule,” explains why all TED talks are limited to 18 minutes.  This key rule was established because it allows enough time for thoughtful analysis, yet short it is enough to maintain audience engagement.  Research shows that information is remembered better if it is organized into related chunks, this has led TED to recommend that presentations be centered around three main areas or points that support one large overarching idea.  This concept can be applied to classroom presentations as well by limiting direct instruction to shorter chunks broken up with time for reflection and formative practice.  The 18-minute rule forces researchers to create a focused message that maintains attention levels, and that does not create what researchers call “cognitive backlog” or the problem in which too much information prevents the successful transfer of ideas.  There are also numerous other TED rules of three such as the Three A’s of Awesome:  Attitude, Awareness, and Authenticity which were shared by award-winning blogger and author of the Book of Awesome, Neil Pasricha in a TEDx talk.  https://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome 
Kevin Allocca, a YouTube trends manager studies why some videos go viral, and others do not.  According to Allocca, 48 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, yet only a few will have millions of views.  In Allocca’s TED talk, he explains the three factors that contribute to the success of a video:  tastemakers, communities of participation, and unexpectedness.  Of course, there is also the three-minute TED talk titled “TED in 3 Minutes,” which has been given by individuals such as Arianna Huffington and New York Times tech columnist David Pogue.  The original three-minute talk was given by Terry Moore who showed the audience a better way to tie their shoes, which has been viewed more than 1.5 million times.  The rule of three suggests

1. Creating a Twitter-friendly headline
2. Support the headline with three key messages
3. Reinforce the three messages with stories, statistics, and examples

 
Chapter eight describes how effective speakers can “Paint a Mental Picture with Multisensory Experiences” and engage as many of the senses of audience members as possible.   For example, the best TED talks use memorable images, not excessive text on slides.  One of the major tips is for creating better more effective PowerPoint presentations by avoiding too much text and instead relying more on memorable images and other visuals.  One of the worst ways to present is PowerPoint karaoke in which the speaker reads text aloud off of the screen. The chapter includes several examples of successful TED talks that show the words being used by the presenter alongside a description of the images being displayed to audience members.  A powerful example of how words are delivered alongside dramatic images is Lisa Kristine’s TED talk about the hardships of indigenous peoples and the reality of the 27 million individuals living in modern-day slavery. https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_kristine_glimpses_of_modern_day_slavery
 
The final tip for making your presentation memorable, “Stay in Your Lane,” is outlined in chapter nine. Staying in your lane means that your presentations need to be authentic and honest and speak from the heart.  One of the tips offered for “staying in your lane” is to practice by giving your presentation to a friend or family member first because when you have a close relationship with someone, you are more likely to show who you are. 
 
Talk Like TED is an excellent guide full of practical ideas for making your presentations, activities, and demos more engaging and effective.  The book is also an opportunity to learn about some amazing TED talks you may not have heard of before.  TED talks can be shown in class, assigned as homework to facilitate class discussions or offered as opportunities for students who want to expand their understanding of a particular area of psychology.  Another interesting way to use TED talks is to execute the demos or activities presented by a particular TED talk in class, and then after hooking students on the content, let your students know how to access the entire TED talk. Because many TED presenters are also authors, TED talks can be used to stimulate interest for students to read books related to their favorite TED talks or pursue research projects in areas related to what they watched. 
 
Other Related Resources
 
Author’s Website
Carmine Gallo’s website offers articles, videos, and links to other books.
http://gallocommunications.com/books/talk-like-ted-2/
 
The Top 20 TED Talks of All Time
http://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all?gclid=CjwKEAjwtNbABRCsqO7J0_uJxWYSJAAiVo5LuME8Z7o2-Ki6OahJAA2Liq3mJcpOAdNcrtYR4zRz0RoCKgPw_wcB
 
How to Sound Smart in Your TED Talk
Comedian Will Stephen’s take on how to give a TED talk and impress your audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S0FDjFBj8o
 
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Dan Ariely
Aristotle
Paul Bloom
Jill Bolte-Taylor
Lera Boroditsky
Susan Cain
James Flynn
Daniel Gilbert
Malcolm Gladwell
Sydney Jensen
George Miller
Daniel Pink
Hans Rosling
 
10,000 Hour Rule
Altruism
Amygdala
Analogies
Dopamine
Dual-Coding Theory
Flashbulb Memory
Flynn Effect
Genius
Hippocampus
Imagery
Introversion
Linguistic Determinism
Linguistic Relativity
Magic Number 7 Plus or Minus 2
Multitasking
Neuroplasticity
Nonverbal Communication
Persuasion
Positive Emotion
Self-Esteem
Statistics 

​Factfulness:  Ten Reasons We`re Wrong About the World-and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
Author:  Hans Rosling
ISBN:  978-147-363-7467
 
APA Style Citation  
Rosling, H. (2018).  Factfulness: ten reasons we`re wrong about the world-and why things are better than you think.  Flatiron books.
 
Buy This Book  
https://www.amazon.com/Factfulness-Reasons-Wrong-Things-Better/dp/1473637465. 

​Book Description  
Factfulnessis Hans Rosling’s last effort to dissolve misconceptions about the current state of the world using data to demonstrate how confirmation bias, expectations, media, and ethnocentrism can blind us to the realities of the world in which we live. Before you continue reading, move to the activity for Factfulness and take the 12-question quiz.  Once you are done and have checked your results, come back and read more about the results of others who took the quiz and how Rosling uses data to demonstrate how conditions around the world continue to improve and how we often fool ourselves into thinking that things are worse than they actually are.
 
In 2017, Rosling asked nearly 12,000 people in 14 countries to answer the questions in the quiz.  He also asked chimps to answer the questions, and the chimps chose correctly 1/3rd of the time earning an average of 4 correct which is what we would expect from blind guessing.  College-educated adult humans from all over the globe faired far worse.  People on average scored 2 of the 12 questions correct. Not a single person got all of the questions correct, one person in Sweden earned 11 of the 12 correct, and 15% of respondents did not get a single question correct.  The educational level, age career, or political affiliation of the audience did not seem to matter.  Even the experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland did worse than the chimps.  
 
The reality is that the world has been steadily improving and while this improvement still needs to continue, we are inundated with images of poverty, disease and other sensationalist stories which often focus on the negative.  Much of this recent change for the better has been happening in Asia and Africa.  Those in Europe and the United States often do not see those changes and make negative assumptions about other parts of the world about which they have little data.  Rosling wants to help people understand these changes to better understand the current state of the world.  Students of psychology are often hesitant to learn about research and statistics, however, one of the most important lessons students of science can learn is that they should let the data lead them to a conclusion, not their intuition. Researchers should look for reasons to reject what they believe, rather than looking for support for preexisting presumptions.  Rosling describes data as therapy, which can confirm or in many cases disconfirm what we think we know.  When we have the facts, we can adjust our thinking to align with reality.
 
Rosling demonstrates how much the world has changed in his lifetime, and he describes how his grandmother spent many days doing laundry on a washboard.  His mother got a machine washer, and instead of doing laundry in the afternoon, she took Hans to the library.  Hans credits the washing machine to his interest and ability to spend time reading and pursuing academics.  These changes are not limited to wealthy countries which Rosling describes as level 4 countries(wealthy and healthy countries).  As an example, in Saudi Arabia in 1960, 242 babies out of every 1,000 died before their fifth birthday.  Today, that number is 35.  In Malaysia, the number was 93 in 1960 and is 14 today.  Europeans and Americans tend to look at the world using what Rosling refers to as the gap instinct, in their mind, they split the world into two groups of countries, rich or poor and assume that there are massive differences in the way people live in these countries.  
 
The reality is that most people today live in middle-income countries and have lives that have improved dramatically in the past few decades. Some of these changes include significantly increasing access to electricity, refrigeration, and mechanisms for cooking or heating food.  Rosling also explains the problem with using the terms “developing” and “developed” to describe countries around the world.  Eighty five percent of people living on the planet would fall into the bucket for the “developed” world.  Only 13 countries would fall in the “developing” world (representing 6% of the population), and all others would be in-between.  In the past 20 years, 29% of the world population lived in extreme poverty, today that number is 9%.  Billions of people have moved from levels 1 to levels 2 and 3, but often the media focuses on the worst stories distorting the reality of this improving situation. Rosling provides data for other phenomena that are improving, but from listening to the news, it would be difficult to identify this positive trend.  The death penalty, battle deaths, oil spills, legal slavery, child labor, smallpox and deaths from disasters have all been dramatically decreasing over the past 30 years. Rosling acknowledges that even one hungry child is a problem that needs to be addressed but we also need to understand that as a whole things are getting better.
 
Rosling describes an instance as a young doctor when he believed a Russian pilot with an expensive jumpsuit had just come into the emergency room and was bleeding profusely.  He was about to cut off the jumpsuit when the head nurse came in, and she explained that this was a Swedish pilot in shock which was why he could not speak properly and Rosling was standing on the ink cartridge from the life jacket he was wearing, making the entire floor red.  The jumpsuit Rosling was about the cut unnecessarily cut off, cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Rosling uses this story to explain how the fear instinct can make us jump to erroneous conclusions.  Critical thinking is almost always difficult, but it becomes even more so when we are afraid. The media feeds on this fear instinct by reporting on stories that will catch our attention even if these reports do not represent the trends in behavior.  Psychologists know this as the availability heuristic.  In 2016, 40 million commercial passenger flights landed safely at their destinations, we heard about the ten that did not.
 
Terrorism is a concern for those all over the world, despite media coverage, acts of terrorism are on the decline.  For those in level 4, from 2007-2016 a total of 1,439 people were killed by terrorists, during the ten years before that 4,358 people were killed. This includes the 9-11 attacks that killed 2,996 people.  In the past 20 years in the United States, an average of 159 people were killed by terrorists each year.  Alcohol, on the other hand, killed 69,000 people per year during the same time period. The chances that someone in the United States will be killed by a drunk driver is 50 times higher than being killed by a terrorist.  Frightening and dangerous are not necessarily the same.  
 
Rosling talks about the time he spent in a rural African district with an extraordinarily high childhood death rate.  He explained that as the only doctor in the district he could not spend hours saving the life of a child who came to the hospital because he could save far more lives by vaccinating hundreds of children in the same amount of time decrease the likelihood that they got sick.  While this may seem cruel, in reality, it is far more humane.  We hear about shark attacks and bear attacks that happened once in a rare while, but rarely hear about cases of domestic abuse which are far more fatal, in Sweden this occurs once every 30 days.  Rosling likens relying on the media to form your worldview to looking at a picture of his foot to get an idea of what he looks like.  It gives you part of the story, but it is certainly not complete.
 
While Hans uses data to bring people`s thinking in line with reality, he also emphasizes the human factor to his work.  His hypothesis and questions come from talking to others and in his openness for data to be interpreted differently.  At a conference on climate change, a European leader discussed the rapid growth in the use of fuels by India and China and indicated that they were going to have to find a way to slow down this use.  When he had finished speaking, the representative from India indicated that it was not only India and China that would need to change.  He argued that they were using more fuels because there were far more people living there and that usage should be considered on a per capita basis not country by country.  Those is the West had been using massive amounts of fuels for decades and are often unwilling to change any of their own behaviors.  These individuals had the same data but a very different interpretation of what that data meant and how to move forward. Rosling indicates that the world cannot be understood without numbers, but we cannot understand the world through numbers alone.  Rosling nearly finished Factfulnessbefore his death (his daughter and son-in-law also contributed much to the book and completed the project after Rosling`s death).  Rosling leaves a legacy of service to public health and the desire to improve the lives of people all over the world while simultaneously informing us about those factors that are improving and those that needed direct attention, for this we should be eternally thankful.
 
Other Related Resources
https://www.gapminder.org/tools/#$chart-type=bubbles
All data in the book (as well as much more) can be found on this website.  The data can be manipulated by country and is quite interactive.  There are handouts, posters, complete lesson plans and great information related to health, lifespan, disease prevention and much more.
 
Hans Rosling TED Talk:  How not to be ignorant about the world
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_and_ola_rosling_how_not_to_be_ignorant_about_the_world
 
Hans Rosling TED Talk:  The best stats you`ve ever seen
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen?language=en
 
Hans Rosling Obituary
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/feb/07/hans-rosling-obituary
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Availability heuristic
Descriptive statistics
Hypothesis testing
Inferential statistics
Muller-Lyer Illusion
Multi-factorial causation
 

Intelligence: All That Matters
Author:  Stuart Ritchie
ISBN: 9781444791877
 
APA Style Citation
Ritchie, S. (2016). Intelligence:  All That Matters. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
 
Buy This Book
https://www.amazon.com/Intelligence-That-Matters-Stuart-Ritchie/dp/1444791877
​

Book Description
The fast-paced book Intelligence, from the All That Matters series, is an excellent resource relating to teaching intelligence and testing units as well as a review of research and statistics in psychology. The book begins with a study the history of intelligence testing and includes sections on how modern intelligence tests work, why studying intelligence is important, the nature and nurture of intelligence, methods for increasing IQ, individual differences in intelligence, and a discussion of the controversies surrounding intelligence research.  Author Stuart Ritchie makes a strong case for the importance of intelligence research and presents the facts supported by research that intelligence tests indicate intelligence has a high rate of heritability, is generally stable throughout an individual’s life, and is correlated to numerous other lifestyle factors such as health, wealth, and educational and career success. Ritchie also discusses how IQ tests are connected to socio-economic status.
 
Additionally, the book provides a great opportunity to use the intelligence unit to practice analyzing research and critically examine data sets through the use of graphs and charts. Despite the controversy about the value of intelligence testing, the book makes a compelling research-based case for the usefulness of IQ testing.  For example, IQ scores are shown to be related to a variety of important variables including income, life expectancy, and educational performance. The author, Stuart Ritchie, directly confronts the major criticisms of IQ testing and highlights the benefits that can be gained by examining the research on human intelligence.
 
Throughout the book, the author provides interesting sections that highlight topics related to intelligence theory which are difficult for students to understand such as the concept of heritability.
 
What Heritability Does NOT Tell Us about intelligence.

1. Heritability does not indicate that 50% of an individual’s intelligence is the result of genetics.  Heritability is group figure that describes variance in a specific population of individuals.
2. Heritability does not indicate anything about average intelligence.  Intelligence may be 5- percent heritable in a group where the average IQ could be 85, 100, 118, 150, or any other number.
3. The term “heritable” does not mean the same thing as hereditary.  A hereditary trait is anything passed from parent to child, but heritability is about genetic variation of a particular trait. To understand this, it is essential to understand that traits can be influenced by environmental factors.
4. Heritability does not only apply to intelligence. Most human traits that vary between individuals (e.g., height, personality, political attitude, resistance to disease) is heritable (genes explain at least some of the variation).

The book has an excellent section on the Flynn Effect.  Evidence shows that better access to education and improved nutrition and health care are helpful in raising intelligence and that in many parts of the world access to these benefits has greatly increased over the last 100 years.  As a result, intelligence test scores have been increasing by around 3 points per decade since IQ testing began.  The average score on an intelligence test is 100, but researchers began to see that individuals who were born later typically earned average scores above 100 – in other words, they were scoring higher than the norm of the prior generation.  As a result, intelligence tests must be periodically re-normed with the score of 100 set to match up to an average of a sample of individuals for the current generation.  Flynn and other IQ researchers argue that improvements in education and nutrition are only a part of the picture when it comes to explaining generational increases in IQ scores.  The argument is that the way the average human thinks has undergone a dramatic shift over the last 100 years moving away from focusing on real-world applications of concrete concepts toward a more abstract and scientific way of thinking.  According to Flynn, “we all now wear scientific spectacles.”
 
The final part of the book is titled100 ideas is a wealth of resources about intelligence research including: fifteen recommended books about intelligence, five websites for the latest on intelligence research, five commonly used intelligence tests, twenty intelligence researchers working today and their areas of interest, ten review papers you should read, five (perhaps) surprising things that correlate with higher intelligence, five historical intelligence researchers not featured in the chapter on history, five anti-IQ books, ten common myths (debunked in the book) about intelligence, five fictional characters known for high intelligence, five fictional characters known for low intelligence, and ten ‘big questions’ for future intelligence research. 
 
Other Related Resources
 
TED Talk by James Flynn - Why our IQ levels are higher than our grandparents'
James Flynn’s 2013 TED talk discussing how the changes in how individuals think and reason that have occurred over the last 100 years explains the Flynn Effect.
https://www.ted.com/talks/james_flynn_why_our_iq_levels_are_higher_than_our_grandparents
 
Battle of the Brains
BBC Horizon’s documentary in which seven individuals who are all very successful in their respective fields are tested in a variety of ways to measure intelligence.  The documentary covers many of the main concepts and theories discussed in the curriculum for psychology units related to testing and individual’s differences. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/broadband/tx/intelligence/highlights/
 
Current Intelligence Research Websites (from the 100 ideas section of the book)
International Society for Intelligence Research website
http://www.isironline.org/
 
Duke psychologist Jonathan Wai’s blog, Finding the Next Einstein:  discussing research findings and ideas that touch upon multiple issues surrounding the identification and development of talent and explores how these issues might be relevant to what's going on in the world.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-einstein
 
Temple University psychologist Joel Schneider’s blog:  Assessing Psyche on psychological assessment and psychometrics.
https://assessingpsyche.wordpress.com/
 
Kevin McGrew’s blog, IQ’s Corner Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests.  Educational psychologist Dr. Kevin McGrew is Director of the Institute for Applied Psychometrics 
http://www.iqscorner.com/
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Alfred Binet
Thomas J. Bouchard
Raymond Cattell
James Flynn
Hans J. Eysenck
Francis Galton
Howard Gardner
Stephen Pinker
Theodore Simon
Charles Spearman
William Stern
Robert Sternberg
Louis L. Thurstone
David Wechsler
Robert Yerkes
 
Bell (normal) curve
Binet Simon Test
Cattell Culture Fair Intelligence Test
Correlation
Crystalized intelligence
Emotional intelligence
Eugenics
Factor analysis
Fluid intelligence
Flynn effect
fMRI
g-factor
Genetics of intelligence
Heritability
IQ
Learning disability (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, specific language impairment)
Mental age
Multiple intelligence theory
Nature and nurture of intelligence
Power test
Processing speed
Race and sex differences in intelligence
Raven’s Progressive Matrices
Regression
Reliability
Speed test
Standardized test
Triarchic theory of intelligence
Twin studies
Validity
Wechsler Intelligence Scales
Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability
​

​The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Author:  Mark Manson
ISBN:  13: 978-0062457714

APA Style Citation
Manson, M. (2016). The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.  New York:  Harper One.  
 
Blog Contributor: Joseph Swope, PhD
Institution: Northwest High School
Germantown, Maryland
Website:  http://swopepsych.com/
Email: [email protected]

​Book Description

Despite the title, this book is a serious look at health, happiness, and the things that prevent those two.  The book starts off with entertaining anecdotes and a style that makes you believe you are just hanging out with a guy whose has some wisdom to share.  Ultimately, Manson gives the premise, that we all have only a certain amount of f*cks to give, so we need to be careful about whom and what we bequeath such a valuable commodity.
 
The tasteful, frat-boy style eventually gives way to deep concepts that are supported by psychological science.  Manson does not necessarily split the philosophical atom, but he does approach the topics of stress and happiness from a point of view that is accessible to everyone and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny.  
 
While always self-deprecating, Manson discusses that his pursuit and eventual achievement of many of his goals did not make him happy.  He suggests the same is true for many of his readers.  Manson methodically chronicles his greatest pains and admits that most of his suffering comes from his own actions. 
 
This pain/happiness dichotomy is the crux of the book.  He offers and supports the idea that avoiding pain and stress is impossible and thus will bring about more pain and stress.  Similarly, pursuing happiness is a fool’s errand that will leave one never quite happy. With anecdotes, research, and humor, Manson backs up the simple yet powerful idea that happiness can only come from understanding the true nature of pain and stress.

Other Related Resources
Becker, Ernest (1997) The Denial of Death.  New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
 
Baumeister, R, & Tierney, J. (2012)  Will Power: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength.  New York, NY:  Penguin Books
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Roy Baumeister
Ernest Becker
William James
Choice Paradox
Cognitive Appraisal
Fight, Flight or Freeze
General Adaptation Syndrome
Growth Mindset
Happiness
Hedonic Adaptation
Hierarchy of Needs
Inferiority Complex
James-Lange Theory of Emotion
Meditation
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Prosocial Behavior
Self-Esteem
Stress
Resilience
Therapy
Unconscious Drive
Willpower

​Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being
Author:  Martin E.P. Seligman
ISBN:  978-1-4391-9076-0
 
APA Style Citation
Seligman, M. (2011).  Flourish: A visionary new understanding of Happiness and Well-being.  New York, Atria Paperback.

​Book Description
Flourish is a narrative reflection regarding Seligman’s chronicle of work (and the work of many others) towards improving the well-being of others.  Seligman opens Flourish by discussing his training as a therapist.  During his education and early practice as a therapist Seligman learned that in order to help those who were mentally ill or suffering from some other emotional ailment, the goal was to remove one’s suffering.  Seligman contends that there is far more to life than the lack of suffering.  He advocates for acting in a more proactive manner, which he argues could potentially prevent many ailments altogether.  Seligman also argues that treatment should work towards helping clients to thrive rather than just removing their pain.  Seligman is frustrated that much of current research and practice in psychotherapy focuses on drug therapies, which mask rather than treat the problem from which a client suffers.  Many drugs blunt the feeling of emotion, however feeling emotions is part of the human experiences and should be felt even if they are sometimes painful.  Seligman in large part has been able to do work in the field of Positive Psychology because of generous grants, which were provided from an initially anonymous source to fund the research.  It is this funding which has allowed Seligman to make efforts toward revolutionizing the field of psychology from a focus on illness to a focus on well-being.
 
Seligman makes a distinction between happiness, which he considers a mood and well-being which he considers a state of being.  We describe happiness when we are feeling cheerful or merry.  Seligman argues that this term is so overused as to become almost meaningless.  Well-being, however, is a way of thinking and behaving in order to live one’s best possible life. A focus on well-being may not lead everyone to “happiness” as there are many individual differences concerning happiness and one’s subjective experience of when they are feeling “happy.”  For example, introverts generally report lower levels of happiness than extroverts, but both can pursue and achieve well-being in relatively similar levels.  According to Seligman, authentic happiness also involves engagement (flow), a complete loss of time when engaged in an activity in which one is completely absorbed in a meaningful activity. 
 
The elements of well-being are slightly different than happiness and include positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement.  Seligman uses the anagram of PERMA to describe the characteristics of well-being.  Flourish’s main emphasis is to provide the reader with recent and ongoing research regarding how to improve PERMA in specific populations. 
 
What follows is a description of the components of PERMA.  Positive Emotion is the cornerstone of well-being as well as life satisfaction. Engagement addresses the issue of flow, losing one’s self in a task for which one is completely engaged.  One finds their flow when an individual’s strengths are used when challenged to the limits of their ability.  These first two elements are pursued for their own sake rather than to gain some other benefit or external “prize”.  Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from failures and regroup in the face of setbacks.  Meaning refers to working for something that is larger than one’s self and may be completely different from positive emotion.  For example, Abraham Lincoln, who famously experienced periods of depression also experienced great meaning in his work feeling that he was doing something that would impact the nation in a positive fashion for years to come.  Finally, Accomplishment is pursuing a goal for its own sake. 
 
Seligman makes many recommendations regarding how one can improve well-being.  He is forthcoming about the fact that he does not always use these in his own life but that he strives to do better.  He is a self-described “curmudgeon” and states if he can do this so can anyone else.  His family, who are now well versed in the elements of well-being call him out if he violates his own advice.  In one example, Seligman advises a gratitude visit in which one writes a letter and personally delivers it to someone to whom they are thankful.  He also recommends keeping a daily gratitude journal and after completing a task assessing the result in a ‘what went well exercise.'  Seligman describes the work of Angela Duckworth (a graduate of MAPP Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania) who has done much research of the resiliency portion of PERMA, her research into Grit indicates that those who can pick themselves up after failures and continue to be motivated even in the face of setbacks will experience more ‘success’ than those who give up more easily. 
 
The remainder of the book describes how Seligman and others have created a Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program at the University of Pennsylvania and other activities in which Seligman and others have made efforts to share positive psychology with as many people as possible. Seligman describes the many varied people from salespeople to CEO’s, teachers and “coaches” who have benefitted from this program by capitalizing on their strengths and employing PERMA in their lives.   
Perhaps two of the most exciting endeavors that positive psychology has taken on thus far are pushing the characteristics of positive psychology into classrooms in Australia and implementing a positive psychology program in the military to build up the resilience and emotional well-being of soldiers and their families. The military has long been one of the most underserved populations regarding mental health and some military traditions have made it difficult to discuss emotional issue or struggles with others who serve in the military.  Seligman worked with members of the armed forces to create a program that seeks to change the awareness of illnesses such as PTSD and to make those serving more aware of the resources they have to assist them with both their physical and mental health, the reports which Seligman mentions suggest that the program has been quite successful and because of the large number of trainees will eventually produce the largest body of data thus far collected regarding the outcomes of well-being training.  Seligman refers to the training as creating a psychologically fit army.  The program identifies one’s personal social, spiritual and family fitness to determine one’s strengths and also to identify those who may be more vulnerable to emotional illness and to provide more proactive targeted in those areas.  The program has also looked at the potential ways in which trauma can be channeled into growth.
 
Seligman address those who have dismissed his work with Positive Psychology such as Barbara Ehrenreich who published, Bright-Sided:  How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking has Undermined America, she claims that she was told if she thought more positively, her breast cancer would go away, and she blames relentless optimism on the 2007 housing market because people believed that things would simply continue to get better in perpetuity.  Seligman believes this criticism is misguided and cites his research with PERMA as evidence-based while still admitting that much work is ongoing.  Seligman is careful to say that the research on positive psychology is not perfect and not plentiful but building. 
 
Seligman explores how well being can improve not only emotional health but also physical health.  Optimists have better cardiovascular health, less body fat and less death by cancer than their pessimistic counterparts.  Seligman created the signature strengths inventory to determine areas in which one excels.  Please see the activity to find your own signature strengths and use this to determine the activities for which you will likely excel and then try to find activities in which these strengths can be employed.  Seligman believes that everyone can increase their levels of well being they just have to opt in, and one method of beginning is to take the signature strengths inventory.
 
Resources
TED talk:  the new era of Positive Psychology
https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology?language=en
 
Positive Psychology Center:  University of Pennsylvania
http://www.positivepsychology.org/people/martin-ep-seligman
 
University of Pennsylvania:  Authentic Happiness website
https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu
 
Huffington Post:  The Father of Positive Psychology and his two Theories of Happiness
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sze/the-father-of-positive-ps_b_7600226.html
 
Harvard Business Review:  Building Resilience
https://hbr.org/2011/04/building-resilience
 
The New Yorker:  Trying to cure depressions but inspiring torture
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/theory-psychology-justified-torture
 
PERMA model
http://positivepsychologymelbourne.com.au/perma-model/
 
The Irish Times:  Can You Teach Well-being?
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/can-you-teach-wellbeing-martin-seligman-thinks-so-1.2544072
 
Edge:  The Third Culture (a talk with Martin Seligman)
https://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/seligman04/seligman_index.html
 
VIA Institute on Character:  Strengths Test
http://www.viacharacter.org/www/Character-Strengths-Survey
 
 
Psychological Terms and Concepts
 
Charles Darwin
Angela Duckworth
Charles Murray
Tom Rath
Anxiety Disorder
Control/Experimental Group
Depression
Duchenne Smile
Extrovert/Introvert
Flow
GRIT
Immune System
Independent Variable
Learned Helplessness
Lymphocyte
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Optimist/ Pessimist
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Positive Emotion
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychotherapy
Self-consciousness
Signature Strength
Well-Being
 
 

​Chasing the Scream:  The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs
Author:  Johann Hari
ISBN:  978-1-62040-890-2
 
APA Style Citation
Hari, Johann (2015). Chasing the Scream:  The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs.  New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.

​Book Description
Johann Hari’s Chasing the Scream is a compelling if one-sided examination of the history of the war on drugs.  The book is controversial because of an earlier plagiarism incident involving the author, the topic of decriminalizing drugs, the graphic depictions of cartel violence, and the physical, psychological, and social abuse suffered by addicts.  These factors may make the book unsuitable for some high school students.  In 2011, the author was found guilty of plagiarism and misrepresenting information from interviews.  Furthermore, it was found out that the author spitefully altered the Wikipedia sites of his critics. In an attempt to alleviate concerns about credibility, the author includes 73 pages of detailed source notes and an explanation of his research process.  On the books website, the author has shared audio files of fact-checking sessions with each of the figures quoted in the book who are still alive.  The book website allows readers to hear the actual voices of the individuals whose 400 quotes fill the book. Some of the contributors’ photos are included in the quiz about the war on drugs on the main website.
Hari’s book is the result of three years of research that took him on a thirty-thousand-mile search to trace the history of the war on drugs, which began over 100 years ago.  Much of the book is based on historical and current accounts of individuals impacted by the war on drugs.  Hari begins by describing the interrelated factors that connect three key figures at the start of the drug war:  Harry Anslinger the federal bureaucrat, Arnold Rothstein a New York criminal boss, and the singer Billie Holiday.  The story begins with the birth of the American war on drugs, which was a byproduct of the end of prohibition in the 1920’s.  Henry Anslinger became the head of the Bureau of Narcotics (today known as the DEA) and began the relentless pursuit of eliminating drugs.  Anslinger would quickly expand his war on narcotics to include marijuana in addition to cocaine and heroin by playing on racism and fear. Anslinger also silenced any criticism, much of which came from doctors who were successfully treating heroin addicts through maintenance methods.  Anslinger’s department forcibly closed many clinics and thousands of doctors were arrested for providing drugs to their patients.  Most doctors were given heavy fines, but some were given prison terms (five years for each prescription). Hari argues that despite contrary views, Anslinger was able to impose his views on drugs onto the nation.  Arnold Rothstein, whom Hari portrays as the original drug kingpin created the model for the modern drug cartel is another central figure in the history of the drug war. Rothstein controlled the drug trade and was able to accumulate enormous profits, which enabled him to buy and control politicians and law enforcement officers. 
This process continues today and can be summed up with the phrase “plato o plomo” (silver or lead) coined by Mexican cartels suggesting that officials accept bribes or be killed.  The war on drugs according to Hari has led to the control of drugs by dangerous criminals.  Finally, Hari includes the singer Billie Holiday whom he portrays as one of the first victims of Anslinger’s war.  Holiday’s troubled life and struggles with alcohol and heroin made her an early high-profile target of the man who launched the war on drugs.  Based on research from diaries and other records, Hari outlines how Anslinger and his bureau relentlessly pursued Billie Holiday to make her an example for others.
The book chronicles the heart-wrenching stories of specific victims of the war on drugs from Billie Holiday to the present.  The individuals portrayed include innocent victims caught in the crossfire, a transsexual crack dealer and gang leader in New York City, Roaslio Reta a former killer for the Zeta cartel, and the addicts in an Arizona women’s prison who endure hardships under Sherif Joe Arpaio who were forced to work chain gangs in 110 plus heat wearing t-shirts labeling them as DRUG ADDICT.  The prisoners in Sherif Arpaio’s chain gangs were forced to chant the following:
We’re in a state of shame
Couldn’t get our lives strait
We’re headed back to intake
We’re here without our kids
We lost our hope
We gave up dope
 
Sherif Arpaio publicly calls the prison he runs his “concentration camp” and although there is an air-conditioned prison in the area, the inmates are forced to live in tents in the desert.  The tents, which were donated by the military and date to the Korean War era, are freezing in winter and reach temperatures of 140 degrees in summer.  Meanwhile, the sheriff has ordered the air-conditioned prison facility to be used as an animal shelter. In Chasing the Scream, the author tells the story of one Arizona prisoner, meth addict Marcia Powell, who was kept outside in a metal cage by guards with no water, no bed, no bench, and no cover from the 106-degree heat.  She had been in solitary confinement where she swallowed a razor in a suicide attempt. 16 guards had the opportunity to help her, but she was left to die a horrific death in the cage in the desert.  Hari describes how the United States imprisons more individuals for drug-related offenses than all of the nations of Western Europe imprison for all crimes.
 
The book also discusses the stories of many of the individuals who are fighting for a more just and humane solution to the problems of drug abuse.  These individuals include individual family members, addicts, doctors, and government leaders.  Marisela Escobedo, a mother in Mexico who sought justice for her child who was murdered by the cartel walked more than 1000 miles from Juarez to Mexico City to ask for assistance from President Calderon.  Despite her long march through the desert and the exhaustion of her life savings, the President refused to meet with her.  She later learned that a member of the Zeta cartel had murdered her son, which was why the killer was never prosecuted.  Marisela refused to give up on her son and ended up being murdered by the cartel outside the state capitol building.  Leigh Maddox, a state trooper involved with the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) advocates for a new approach to the war on drugs.  LEAP is an organization of current and former police officers, judges, and prison officers who advocate for ending prohibition on drugs in order to bankrupt drug gangs.  Bud Osborn, a poet and homeless addict who worked to bring change and rights for addicts in the Downtown Eastside neighborhood of Vancouver.  Gabor Maté and Bruce Alexander, who proposed alternative theories of addiction, Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland, who supported and promoted decriminalization and the creation of heroin clinics. 
 
Critics have challenged Hari’s criticism of biochemical theories of addiction as being oversimplified.  But the book provides compelling case studies of individuals on the front lines of the drug war and highlights possible alternatives to the current model.  The book ends with examples including Switzerland, Portugal, and the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington and their attempts to address the problems of drugs through decriminalization. 
Although one-sided, Chasing the Scream will challenge you to think about the consequences and costs of the war on drugs. 
 
Other Related Resources
 
Book Website
http://chasingthescream.com/
The website for Chasing the Scream includes audio of the quotes from sources used in the book organized chapter-by-chapter.  Any individual quoted in the book was given the opportunity to review the material written by the author and correct mistakes or add information.  The audio fact checking files allow the reader to have confidence in an author who has been previously found to have plagiarized sources.  The site includes a quiz to test your knowledge of the war on drugs, information about the author, news stories, links to organizations protesting the war on drugs, and videos.
 
Author Johann Hari’s TED Talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_everything_you_think_you_know_about_addiction_is_wrong
Author Johann Hari’s 2015 TED talk about his book Chasing the Scream is his description of a compelling theory about the cause of addiction and why the current approach has not been effective.
 
Guardian article by Johann Hari
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/12/johann-hari-chasing-the-scream-war-on-drugs
 
Bruce K. Alexander’s Website
http://www.brucekalexander.com/home-4
The website of Canadian psychologist Bruce K. Alexander whose research on rat park is featured in the book Chasing the Scream.
 
 
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
http://www.leap.cc/
LEAP is a nonprofit organization consisting of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who oppose the war on drugs and policies that do not effectively address drug abuse, juvenile drug use, addiction, and the problems of crime created by criminal control of illegal drug sales. They advocate the following goals: 1) to educate the public, the media and policy makers about the failure of current policies, and 2) to restore the public’s respect for police, which has been greatly diminished by law enforcement’s involvement in enforcing drug prohibition.
 
Heads Up - Drugs and Your Brain
http://headsup.scholastic.com/students/drugs-your-brain
Brochure produced by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) about how drugs impact brain structures.
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Bruce Alexander
Sigmund Freud
Addiction
AIDS / HIV
Alcoholism
Amphetamines
Caffeine
Cannabis
Cocaine
DARE program
Decriminalization
Domestic violence
Drug cartels
Drug education
Ecstasy
Endorphins
Federal Bureau of Narcotics
Harrison Act
Hell’s Angels
Heroin
International Narcotics Control Board
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
Legalization of drugs
Marijuana
Marijuana legalization
Methadone
Methamphetamine
Morphine
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Opiates
OxyContin
Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Physical dependence
Prohibition of alcohol and drugs
Psychological dependence
Racism
Rat Park experiment
Safe injecting rooms
Schizophrenia
Solitary confinement
Vicodin
Vietnam War
War on drugs
War on poverty
World Health Organization (WHO)
Zetas

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work
Author:  Shawn Achor
ISBN:  9780307591548
 
APA Style Citation
Achor, S. (2010). The Happiness Advantage: The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work. New York: Broadway Books.

Book Description
According to Shawn Achor, the traditional idea that if you work hard, you will be more successful, and have higher levels of happiness is contrary to the reality of how our brains work. Research on happiness has demonstrated that if you achieve success, your brain will simply move the goal post for “success” farther away.  As a result, true and lasting happiness can never be found at the end of achievement because the reverse is true.  If an individual is happy he or she will be more likely to achieve. Happiness actually increases levels of success by making our brains more innovative, resilient, effective, and productive.  Happiness is the cause of success rather than the result.  Happiness and optimism generate a competitive edge that the author calls the Happiness Advantage and the book outlines countless studies from neuroscience, economics, and business that demonstrate how happiness leads to success. Happy people experience a 23% reduction in stress, 39% better overall health, 31% greater productivity, and a 34% increase in positive social interactions.  The book outlines not only the enormous advantages associated with a positive mood but also how it can be achieved. 
 
Achor effectively makes the case for how we can program our brains to increase positivity in the present and consequently improve performance across in many areas including work, health, relationships, creativity, and energy levels.  The book focuses on seven specific principles that individuals can use to generate a happiness advantage and maximize their potential. 
 
Principle #1: The Happiness Advantage
Positive mood makes individuals more productive, engaged, creative, and efficient.  Research indicates that a variety of intentional activities can increase personal happiness such as meditation, thinking about a positive future event, doing conscious acts of kindness for others, exercise, and utilizing a signature strength.  Signature strengths are the positive and productive personality traits that are strong in a particular individual (see accompanying activity).  Happiness levels are increased dramatically when individuals engage in activities that are directly related to signature strengths.
 
Principle #2: The Fulcrum and the Lever
The title of the principle comes from a quote by Archimedes, the ancient Greek mathematician who said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”  For the author, brains work in a similar fashion.  The power to maximize individual potential is based on the length of the lever (the amount of potential and control an individual believes they have) and the location of the fulcrum (the mindset of an individual). Psychologist Ellen Langer showed the power of mindset (fulcrum) in her 1979 experiment that involved a group of 75-year-old men on a week-long retreat.  During the retreat, the men were asked to pretend that the year was 1959 and were aided in the illusion by period clothing and materials. After spending a week in 1959 (when they were 20 years younger), the participants were significantly more flexible, had improved hand strength and posture, and showed an improvement in vision of almost 10 percent.  They also showed improved memory capacity and intelligence scores.
Achor recommends that managers ask themselves three questions every Monday to help them refocus on a growth mindset (fulcrum) to allow their beliefs about the potential of their employees take effect.  These same three questions can be used by teachers to motivate students. 
 
    1.  Do I believe that the intelligence and skills of my students are not fixed, but can be     improved with effort?
    2.  Do I believe that my students want to make that effort, just as they want to find     meaning and fulfillment in their assignments?
    3. How am I conveying these beliefs in my daily words and actions?
 
According to the author, when we recognize that our reality is contingent upon our viewpoint then the idea that external events comprise only about 10 percent of our personal happiness becomes less surprising. 
 
Principle #3: The Tetris Effect
The Tetris Effect is a phenomenon that results when an individual spends so much time on a particular activity, such as the video game Tetris, that the result is that the pattern impacts the person’s cognitions, dreams, and imagery.  The phenomenon was discovered when individuals who devoted a large amount of time to playing Tetris found that they would often think about how objects in the real world would fit together as spatial objects in the game.  According to the author, the Tetris Effect can either reduce or increase subjective well-being.  For example, an individual may find that through practice they begin to scan the world for the negative become less and less happy.  The Tetris effect can also be used to maximize happiness by training the brain to seek out, notice, and take advantage of opportunities and possibilities that arise instead of automatically seeing limitations.  The difference between a negative and positive Tetris Effect was demonstrated effectively by Richard Wiseman in a study in which participants were instructed to look through a newspaper and count how many photos appeared.  The participants who identified themselves as ‘lucky’ were able to finish the task in seconds while those who felt that they were ‘unlucky’ took two minutes on average.  On the second page, there was a large headline stating “Stop counting, there are 43 photos”, those who considered themselves to be ‘unlucky’ were far less likely to notice this clue.  Additionally, about halfway through the paper was another message stating “Stop counting, tell the experimenter that you have seen this and win $250”, but again the individuals who considered themselves ‘unlucky’ missed this opportunity.   This study illustrates how training the brain to scan for the positive can improve both happiness levels and success while a negative Tetris Effect (believing one is unlucky) can cause an individual to miss opportunities.
 
Principle #4: Falling Up
In this principle, the idea is to find ways to turn setbacks into opportunities for growth which Achor calls capitalizing on downs to build upward momentum.  This principle relates to developing resiliency and the psychological idea of post-traumatic growth.  Frequently, traumatic events such as loss, chronic illness, displacement, and assault have also led to positive growth. After horrible events, some individuals experience increases in kindness, compassion, overall life satisfaction, self-confidence, and personal strength.  Research into post-traumatic growth is filled with individuals who describe themselves as “bouncing forward” not merely “bouncing back”.  Falling up provides examples from research on posttraumatic growth and cognitive psychology to help individuals facing a challenging situation at home, work, or school emerge from the situation stronger than ever. 
 
Principle #5: The Zorro Circle
In the Zorro Circle, the emphasis is on learning to focus on small manageable steps in order to build the momentum needed for larger goals. The belief that one is in control of one’s own life at work, school, and home is one of the strongest predictors of well-being and performance.  In one example, researchers found that allowing nursing home residents to have more control over some of the aspects of their daily lives—like caring for plants—not only did their levels of happiness improve, but their mortality rate actually dropped in half. Psychological research in goal-setting theory recommends setting goals of moderate difficulty allow individuals to have success and develop a sense of control.  A practical application of the Zorro Circle can be seen in a study discussed in Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point regarding New York City officials focusing on small manageable goals to combat the rising crime rate of the 1980’s and 1990’s on subways.  The problem was approached by using the Broken Windows Theory devised by sociologists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling which states that minor acts of vandalism would, if left unaddressed, spiral out of control into more serious crimes.   New York City officials decided to work on eliminating graffiti and cleaning up trains.  Ultimately, by cleaning up the trains, one by one, officials saw positive results in the form of reduced subway crimes as the Zorro Circle spread outwards. 
 
Principle #6: The 20-Second Rule
The 20-second rule uses psychological research to help eliminate bad habits and establish positive ones by reducing the barriers to making changes. The 20-second rule involves lowering the amount of energy required for habits you wish to foster and raising the amount of energy required for habits you wish to break.  For example, this means putting barriers in the way of bad habits and making activities that you want to increase easier to start.   If you want to eat healthier keep the junk food out of your house or in the most inconvenient location in your kitchen so that it would require more energy, even as little as 20 seconds, to reach. If you find that you waste too much time checking email, looking at Facebook, or checking specific websites Achor advises that you create barriers that make these activities more difficult for you to reach.  For example, eliminate the automatic password and login, take the shortcuts off the desktop, remove Facebook and email from your phone, and removing distracting websites from your homepage or favorites.  This according to Achor essentially buries your online distractions in the electronic equivalent of Russian stacking dolls. Cutting the activation energy required to start a new positive habit, even by as little as 20 seconds can also have a big impact. For example, the author discusses how he used the 20-second rule to build the habit of working out in the morning before work.  To reduce the effort required and distractions that could prevent him from running he decided to sleep in his gym clothes with his running shoes right by the bed.  This allowed him to decrease the amount of activation energy required in the morning to go run; he just needed to roll out of bed and put on his shoes.  This simple first step was how he was able to build a habit of morning exercise.  According to the athletes and non-athletes, he has talked to worldwide say that just the act of putting on running shows triggers your brain to believe that it is easier to work out right away than to go through the hassle of taking off your shoes.  Despite the fact that taking off one’s shoes is clearly easier Achor states that, “the brain, once it has tripped toward a habit, will naturally keep rolling in that direction, following the path of perceived least resistance.”  This idea can work with other types of changes individuals want to make – it is simply a matter of determining how to “just get your shoes on” for tasks related to work, school, or other interests.  The less energy needed to get started (even 20 seconds) the easier it will be to make a good habit lasting. 
 
Principle #7: Social Investment
One of the strongest influences on happiness is the strength of one’s social network.  The happiest 10 percent of individuals are most clearly distinguished by the strength of their interpersonal relationships.  Individuals who have strong social support networks are more productive, engaged, energized, and able to handle setbacks.  Achor compares an individual’s support network to the way an offensive line protects the quarterback. One of the most important areas for social support is the relationship between an employee and a supervisor or in the case of education, teacher and student.  A bad relationship between an employee and a supervisor can be destructive to both happiness and overall physical health.  According to Achor, “A bad relationship with your boss can be as bad for you as a steady diet of fried foods—and not nearly as much fun.”
 
The Happiness Advantage ends with the Ripple Effect or how one individual’s mindset can have an impact on coworkers, friends, family members, and communities.  Emotions, both positive and negative, can be contagious.  Daniel Goleman describes how negative emotions from one individual can almost immediately infect a group, “Like secondhand smoke, the leakage of emotions can make a bystander an innocent casualty of someone else’s toxic state.”  But the happiness advantage also means that positive emotions are contagious as well, making them a powerful tool for improving performance in the classroom or workplace. According to Shawn Achor, “Each tiny move towards a more positive mindset can send ripples of positivity through our organizations, our families, and our communities.”
 
Other Related Resources
 
Shawn Achor – The Happy Secret to Better Work
Shawn Achor’s TED talk, which has had over 11 million viewings to date, is an incredible introduction to positive psychology which students will find engaging and inspiring.
http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en
 
Goodthinkinc.com
GoodThink is Shawn Anchor’s company website that has the seeks to find ways to apply academic research in cognitive and positive psychology to real world situations.  Goodthink Inc. is a team of world-renowned researchers, speakers, and trainers who deliver information to organizations around the globe.
http://goodthinkinc.com/
 
Martin Seligman and New Era of Positive Psychology
Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology discusses the overall field of psychology.
https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology?language=en
 
Center for Healthy Minds – University of Wisconsin, Madison
Founded by Dr. Richard Davidson, the Center for Healthy Minds conducts research on the neural bases of emotion and methods that promote well-being and human flourishing.
http://centerhealthyminds.org/
 
Website for Dr. Richard Davidson
The website of Richard Davidson, PhD of the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
http://richardjdavidson.com/
 
 Psychological Figures and Concepts
Carol Dweck   
Viktor Frankl
Daniel Gilbert
Malcolm Gladwell
William James
Abraham Maslow
Robert Rosenthal
Martin Seligman
Active Listening
Altruism
Anchoring
Dopamine
Emotional Intelligence
Endorphins
Explanatory Style
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Fight-or-flight Response
Inattentional Blindness
Learned helplessness
Locus ofCcontrol
Mindset
Mirror Neuron
Neuroplasticity
Oxytocin
Posttraumatic Growth
Principles of Psychology
Priming
Pygmalion Effect
Reverse Placebo Effect
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Serotonin
Signature Strength
Stereotype Threat
Subjective Well-Being
Theory X and Theory Y

​Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
Richard H. Thaler and Cass S. Sunstein
ISBN:  978-0-300-12223-7
                                              
APA Style Citation
Thaler, R. and Sunstein, C (2008).  Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness.  New York:  Penguin Group.

​Book Description
Richard H. Thaler and Cass S. Sunstein were both professors of Economics at the University of Chicago at the time of the publication of Nudge.  Sunstein went on the work at the White House as the Administer of Information and Regulatory Affairs while Thaler remains at University of Chicago.  The authors use Nudge to pose the idea of Libertarian Paternalism, which they describe as a type of choice architecture.  They combine the fields of Economics and Psychology to describe how anyone from cafeteria workers to governmental agencies can present choices in such a way to help guide (nudge) people towards better choices while still giving them complete control over those same choices.
 
Thaler and Sunstein begin with a cafeteria manager who realized students purchase more of items presented close to the beginning of the cafeteria line.  If desserts were presented first, students ate more desserts, if fruit was presented first, students ate more fruit. The manager could use this knowledge to make more profit for herself, but Thaler and Sunstein suggest that the paternalism component of libertarian paternalism should provoke her to arrange the healthiest food items first to encourage students to eat as healthy as possible.  Students are not forced to choose the first items presented and the manager has not limited the student’s choices, but she found that the arrangement of food items changed the sales of items by up to 25%.  Hopefully this finding will be used by others to encourage students to make healthy decisions regarding their food selections.
 
Thaler and Sunstein recognize that many people will oppose this type of paternalism because it does exert some control over people’s choices and may not always be used in ways that are in the best interests of the average American.  They counter by indicating that libertarian paternalism is only intended to look out for the best interests of as many people as possible.  They explain the difference between “econs” who would always look at the world objectively without emotion to make the best decisions for themselves and their families and “humans” who are impacted by emotions and busy lives and as a result do not always make the best choices for themselves or their families. Because most of us are “humans”, they argue, libertarian paternalism becomes a helpful necessity.
 
In many cases libertarian paternalism attempts to encourage humans to make good financial choices.  Thaler and Sunstein describe how their University retirement system had individuals opt in each year even if they had been in the system the prior year.  Many employees did not think about retirement during the year and forgot to opt in for the upcoming year during the open period.  They then had to wait until the following year to opt in again.  By speaking with school administrators (none of whom had remembered to opt in) they were able to change the default to remain in the system and only to opt out if they wanted to make a change to their retirement contributions.  With this type of choice architecture, far more people participated in the retirement plan at the University.  They recommend the same type of programs for new hires who will be automatically entered into a savings system unless they decide to take action and opt out.  The idea is that people know they should be saving for retirement but often do not get around to actually taking the action necessary to get started.  The State of Illinois has created a default program to become an organ donor and saw a dramatic increase in those donating, presumably saving thousands of lives each year.
 
Thaler and Sunstein credit Daniel Kahneman for his work with biases and heuristics in which people use a rule of thumb based on prior experiencing or knowledge to make decisions, which often turn out to be erroneous.  They use an example of an anchoring heuristic in which people attempt to guess the population of the city of Milwaukee.  It is unlikely that people know this answer outright so they will use their own frames or reference to determine the best response.  If someone from Chicago were asked the question, they might know that Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin but not as big as Chicago, so they may say about a million since Chicago has about 3 million and it is perhaps about 1/3rd the size.  People from Green Bay Wisconsin might estimate that Milwaukee is about three times as large as Green Bay causing them to guess around 300,000.  The actual population is about 580,000 but the anchoring bias of each person’s hometown caused them to guess either too high or too low.  Thaler and Sunstein explain how these and other heuristics such as the availability and representiveness heuristics can lead to overconfidence in any types of choices and decisions.
 
Some of the most important decisions we make in our lives are often the result of little thought or effort.  Most people never change the accounts in their retirement savings or their prescription drug plan even as their lives or health change.  Thaler and Sunstein examined individuals on Medicare and found that most people would have been better served by a different plan, but the people either found the change too complicated or had not given much thought to making a change because they “had health insurance” even if it was not doing them much good.  The libertarian paternalism model would create a system in which those running the system would examine each person’s health and prescription needs for the past few months to determine the best plan.  This would become their default plan and at least would be correct until their health needs changed.
 
Conformity also plays a role in the decisions we make.  By following what everyone else does, we assume what everyone else does must indicate the best restaurant or the best concert often without giving much thought to what we believe.  We can see this evidenced by watching people who eat together match how much they eat to the others they are with.  In another study, college roommates often study as much as one another.   People recycle more if they are informed that most others do the same and pay their taxes if their tax bill indicates that a high percentage of people also pay their taxes.  Energy bills have taken this lead and now often compare each bill payer to their neighbors along with a smiley or frowny face to indicate their level of efficiency.  Thaler and Sunstein cite the work of Solomon Asch who tested whether individuals would conform to the perception of line length falsely reported by confederates.  Asch found that participants would often go along with a clearly incorrect response if they majority of others in the group did.  Asch also found that once a person committed to a response in writing, they were more likely to stand by that response.  Campaign officials have replicated this by demonstrating that if people sign a pledge card regarding their intention to vote, they are far more likely to follow through.  This method has also worked with blood drives and commitments to healthy eating. 
 
Even human factors psychology plays a role in the design of products that can keep people safe and help them interact with products in a healthier fashion such as stove tops that clearly indicate which on/off knob goes with which burner.
 
Thaler and Sunstein believe that we need nudges most when the choices we are faced with are complex or ambiguous.  Credit card statements do not use nudge tactics and often wind up a poor option for people because the anchoring heuristic is the minimum balance on the payment slip without any indication of how much one will pay in the long run if they only pay the minimum payment.  By including this information, Thaler and Sunstein suggest that credit card debt could be substantially decreased.  They are convinced that by implementing paternalistic libertarianism, people can do good and do well.
 
Other Related Resources
Nudge Blog:  For sharing ideas about Libertarian Paternalism
http://nudges.org
 
Forbes:  What it Really Means to Nudge
http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterubel/2015/02/20/q-a-with-richard-thaler-on-what-it-really-means-to-be-a-nudge/
 
The Observer:  Has Push Come to Shove for a Fashionable Theory?
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/01/nudge-economics-freakonomics-daniel-kahneman-debunked
 
The Economist:  The Limits of Nudging
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2015/07/behavioural-economics
 
Nudge Theory Explanation: Business Balls
http://www.businessballs.com/nudge-theory.htm
 
Psychological Figures and Concepts
Solomon Asch
Muzafer Sherif
Availability Heuristic
Anchoring Heuristic
Commoner’s Dilemma
Conformity
Elimination by aspects
Framing
Human Factors Psychology
Incentives
Loss Aversion
Mere-Exposure Effect
Overconfidence
Peripheral Route to Persuasion
Positive
Priming
Representativeness Heuristic
Self-Serving Bias