How do we build true novelty? We have new experiences all the time (maybe reading a blog post about a scientific article is one, and if it is, welcome!), but studying how we learn about new items and new categories poses significant challenges. I mean, we could spend a lot of time trying to learn […]
Statistics and Methodology
“But when does lack of ‘simplicity’ in the protective belt of theoretical adjustments reach the point at which the theory must be abandoned?” – Lakatos, 1976 What does it take to falsify a psychological theory? This question sounds straightforward: if you find data that are inconsistent with the theory, you reject the theory. But in […]
Have you ever been inside an MRI scanner? I recently got in one and it was quite the experience. After a short introduction to the process, including a question about whether I was claustrophobic, they gave me earplugs – because it’s NOISY inside the machine, yes, in capitals – and then they proceeded to slide […]
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to “outsmart” a system – whether it is homework, a test, an insurance claim, a speeding ticket, a secure file, or a survey. Because humans engage in “sub-optimal” behavior (aka careless, insufficient effort, or deception), survey research is especially vulnerable and must guard against […]
Describe your current level of pain using the scale below. Use the scale below to indicate your current level of happiness. Rate your degree of agreement for the following statement using either a 4-, 6-, or 11-point scale of your choosing from strongly disagree to strongly agree. “I lead a purposeful and meaningful life.” From […]
The Black Mirror episode “Nosedive” (2016) introduces a society where people constantly rate their interactions with each other through their smartphones. Those ratings deeply influence outcomes in their everyday life, including high-stakes situations such as access to housing and freedom of transit. Leaving aside the dystopian aspects, people in that society managed to solve an […]
Quests A quest is a journey or mission to some goal, usually fraught with obstacles, twists and turns, and hopefully, some epiphanies along the way. Neil Armstrong. Harry Potter. Indiana Jones. Katniss Everdeen. Merida. Dorothy. Each individual had their individual quests for exploration, peace, facts, freedom, home, or truth, while others, like myself, sought education […]
Have you ever had the experience of talking with someone and partway through, you realize that while you both might be using the same vocabulary, what you mean is quite different? Sometimes, this comes from a generational gap. Slang words change frequently, and some words don’t have the same meaning that they once did. For […]
Does anyone remember how to write a check these days? I imagine some people reading this post might be scratching their heads and wondering what a check is. In today’s world, where paper and hard currency are quickly being replaced with credit cards, and checks are mostly obsolete due to Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal, one […]
When I first dove into research at my current laboratory, I inherited a grab bag of R code snippets, shell scripts, tasks, paradigms, and measures. I’m sure I am not alone in this experience. Using existing tools and frameworks in research is common practice—it’s often more efficient and can yield better outcomes than building everything […]