Psych myths
This popular myth claims humans only use this small percentage of their brains, despite evidence that we use virtually all parts over time.
Answer: What is 10 percent?
This lobe of the brain, located behind the forehead, is responsible for decision-making, planning, and personality.
Answer: What is the frontal lobe?
This psychology faculty member loves Lady Gaga
Answer: What is Dr. Elliott?
Known as the “father of cognitive psychology,” this Swiss psychologist studied how children develop thinking and reasoning skills.
Answer: What is Jean Piaget?
In this experiment, participants administered what they believed were painful electric shocks to others under the direction of an authority figure.
Answer: What is the Milgram obedience experiment?
Many believe this mental health condition involves having multiple personalities, but it actually involves a fragmented sense of reality and thinking.
Answer: What is schizophrenia?
This brain structure is crucial for forming new memories and is heavily involved in learning.
Answer: What is the hippocampus?
This Psychology Faculty member just got engaged!
Answer: What is Dr. Hocker?
This humanistic psychologist created the hierarchy of needs, often shown as a pyramid from basic survival to self-actualization.
Answer: What is Abraham Maslow?
This prison simulation study at Stanford showed how ordinary people can adopt cruel roles when given power over others.
Answer: What is the Stanford Prison Experiment?
This myth suggests that venting anger by hitting objects or yelling will reduce aggression, but research shows it can actually increase it.
Answer: What is the catharsis hypothesis?
This neurotransmitter is associated with reward, motivation, and is often linked to addiction.
Answer: What is dopamine?
This Psychology Faculty Member is currently getting their Ph.D.
Answer: What is Dr. Davenport?
This psychiatrist developed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a widely used treatment for depression and anxiety.
Answer: What is Aaron Beck?
In this study, participants conformed to incorrect group answers about line lengths, demonstrating the power of social pressure.
Answer: What is the Asch conformity experiment?
This widely believed idea claims people are either “left-brained” logical thinkers or “right-brained” creative thinkers, despite neuroscience showing both hemispheres work together.
Answer: What is the left-brain/right-brain personality myth?
his part of the neuron receives incoming signals from other neurons.
What are dendrites?
This psychology faculty member does data consulting
Answer: What is Dr. Popoli?
This psychologist proposed the stages of psychosocial development across the lifespan, including the crisis of identity vs. role confusion.
Answer: What is Erik Erikson?
In this attachment study, infant monkeys preferred a soft cloth surrogate mother over a wire one that provided food.
Answer: What is Harlow’s monkey experiment?
This controversial myth claims that listening to Mozart temporarily increases intelligence, a claim overstated from a small study on spatial reasoning.
Answer: What is the Mozart effect?
This brain wave pattern, prominent during relaxed wakefulness with eyes closed, is especially relevant in EEG research.
Answer: What are alpha waves?
This psychology faculty has a tattoo on their left forearm..
Answer: What is Dr. Schaeffer?
This psychologist developed the transtheoretical model of behavior change, including stages like precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
Answer: Who is James Prochaska? (Acceptable: Prochaska & DiClemente)
In this memory study, participants were led to recall false childhood events, showing how easily memories can be manipulated.
Answer: What is the Lost in the Mall experiment? (Led by Elizabeth Loftus)