All articles of

Denisa Alfoldyova

Writer

March 28, 2022

Bipolar Disorder

Mood swings are common and relatively normal, especially as a response to events or situations in our lives. However, mood swings can become problematic if they are persistent and cause significant psychological distress. In these cases, the person may be suffering from Bipolar Depression. People with bipolar depression experience episodes of (hypo)mania which may alternate with episodes of depression, depending on the subtype. But what exactly do manic and depressive episodes look like? Find out in this article!

March 7, 2022

The Psychology of Victim Blaming

The rise of movements such as “Me Too” highlighted the issue of victim blaming. Women who come forward as victims of sexual violence are often met with comments about their clothing or behaviour prior to the assault. But why do some people tend to automatically blame the victim for what happened to them? Part of it may be ignorance but part of it also has to do with a protective psychological mechanism and cognitive biases. But regardless of the reason, victim blaming has serious consequences. So, what can we do to reduce it? Find out in this article!

January 17, 2022

The Truth Behind Criminal Profiling

TV shows and movies like ‘Criminal Minds’ or ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ revolve around the idea of criminal profiling. They depict profiling as a fairly accurate method of catching criminals. However, the reality may not be as straightforward as seen in these movies! How accurate are psychological offender profiles in real life? Can we really catch a criminal based on these descriptions? Let’s find out in this article.

December 6, 2021

Chemical Castration: a treatment for sex offenders and its ethical concerns

Chemical castration. Decades ago, it was used as a ‘treatment’ for homosexuality which was then considered a mental illness. Nowadays, it is becoming a topic of discussion in relation to sex offenders. If successful, chemical castration could lower recidivism rates among sex offenders or even prevent sex offending among those who are aware of their urges before they act on them. However, there are also multiple ethical concerns to take into account. Should it be considered a treatment or a punishment? Is consent necessary? Let’s find out in this article!

November 15, 2021

Can you trust your memory? Memory and eye-witness testimony

A lot of people think that memory works like a recording device. Memory works a little bit more like a Wikipedia page: You can go in there and change it but so can other people.- Elizabeth Loftus

October 22, 2021

Insanity defence

March 1981. John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate US president Ronald Reagan in order to gain the attention of the actress Jodie Foster, with whom he was obsessed. Hinckley’s attorney argued that he suffered from schizophrenia. The verdict? Not guilty by reason of insanity. He was institutionalised in a psychiatric facility where he spent more than three decades. This is just one example of a case where the insanity defence was used. But how exactly does it work? And is it always successful? Let’s find out!

September 27, 2021

Antisocial Personality Disorder

We often hear people refer to someone as anti-social simply because they are shy and might find it difficult to interact with strangers. However, in clinical terms that is not quite what antisocial means. Antisocial personality disorder is an official diagnosis defined in the DSM-5. Moreover, it is often linked to crime and other antisocial behaviours. So, what exactly is antisocial personality disorder and is it really linked to criminal behaviour? Let’s find out!

September 20, 2021

Health Anxiety

You feel a sudden pain in your stomach and immediately think the worst: ‘Is this it? Am I dying?’ Then you turn to Google and your worst fears are confirmed… Many of us experienced this at least once. In more extreme cases, it might be indicative of health anxiety. Why are some people preoccupied with their physical health despite the lack of symptoms? And how might the ongoing pandemic affect people with health anxiety? Let’s find out!

September 13, 2021

Incels and Violence Against Women

The online community of Incels is becoming increasingly more prominent. This group comprises men who are unable to develop a relationship with women. But what started as a community to offer support and relationship advice developed into a misogynistic group of men who blame women for their lack of sexual activity. Moreover, some members of the group have committed violent crimes in the name of Inceldom.

Psychedelics in treatment for addictions, time to break the stigma?

For decades, researchers have been investigating the potential benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy for various mental disorders and trauma recovery. The results are extremely promising but also very controversial. Specifically, their focus is mainly on additions to alcohol and tobacco use. Thus, these will be the main scope of this article. So how do these drugs operate? What are their potential benefits? Let’s find out!

June 14, 2021

DÉJÀ VU: A Glitch in the Matrix?

How many times has it happened to you that you are talking to someone and suddenly experience an overwhelming feeling of familiarity, as if this exact conversation already happened. Except, it hasn’t. This phenomenon is referred to as ‘déjà vu’. It is a fairly common feeling that most of us experienced at least once in their life. But why and how does it occur? Let’s find out!

June 7, 2021

The Attractiveness Halo Effect

Don’t judge a book by its cover… Everyone has heard this phrase at least once in their life, yet, many people do not live by this “rule”. In fact, attractive people are often considered “good” while unattractive people are considered “bad”. Just look at any teenage movie ever…the attractive people are popular and admired, while other less attractive ones are perceived as losers. But it’s not just movies and fiction, this happens in real life too! Society refers to this phenomenon as “pretty privilege”, and scholars call it the attractiveness Halo Effect. It affects your everyday life and you might not even notice... So, what exactly is the attractiveness halo effect? Why is it so prevalent? And what areas of life does it affect and how? Let’s find out!

May 28, 2021

The Psychology of Lie Detection

He was avoiding eye contact and fidgeting so much, that clearly means that he was lying! And the polygraph confirmed it, too... We see this in movies and TV shows all the time: police officers or psychologists claim to know when someone is lying simply by observing their non-verbal behaviour. But is this strategy effective in real life? Can we really spot if someone is lying? If so, what are the indicators of deception? And why do we even lie in the first place? Let’s find out!

May 2, 2021

Dissociative Identity Disorder: One body, multiple personalities

Split, Identity, The Three Faces of Eve, Primal Fear… These are only some of the movies depicting people with multiple personalities. While some of them might be more accurate than others, all of them in one way or another contribute to the stigma and misconceptions surrounding this disorder. So, what exactly is Dissociative Identity Disorder? Why and how is it developed? And why is there some much controversy surrounding it? Let’s find out! 

April 22, 2021

The Impostor Syndrome: What am I doing here?

Have you ever felt like you did not deserve the praise you received? When someone congratulated you on your success, did you brush them off saying it was just pure luck? Did you find yourself feeling out of place in a room full of successful people? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are that you might have experienced the impostor syndrome. This phenomenon gained substantial attention over the years, so let’s have a look at what it is and why we experience it.

April 15, 2021

The Earth is Flat: The Psychology Behind Conspiracy Theories

Recently, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has seen many conspiracy theories. Some people believe that the vaccines contain microchips for the government can track them. Some believe that the ‘pandemic’ is only a way for the government to control the population. What is it about such far-fetched theories that makes them so popular? Are some people more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than others? Let’s find out!

March 28, 2021

Schizophrenia: The Split Personality Myth

Countless movies and TV shows have depicted schizophrenic people as having split personalities with violent tendencies. Is this portrayal accurate? The answer is... no. Schizophrenia continues to be one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses. But if not split personality, what is it then? Let’s find out. 

March 7, 2021

Perfectionism: friend, enemy or both?

"Perfectionism is the enemy of progress" (Winston Churchill) ‘What is your biggest weakness?’ - one of the most common questions that you can get during a job interview. And the most common response? Perfectionism. Is it really a weakness? While some people might consider perfectionism one of their biggest strengths because it drives them to always complete things to a high standard, some might find the constant striving for ‘perfection’ exhausting. Today, more and more is the idea that perfectionism is in fact a double-edged sword.

February 18, 2021

See you in my Dreams.. do dreams have a meaning?

Surely you have had some crazy dreams and found yourself wondering what their meaning could be. That is, of course, if you managed to remember them after waking up. The meaning and purpose of dreaming have fascinated philosophers and researchers for thousands of years. Different scientists propose different theories about why we dream and whether dreams have meaning. Unfortunately, there is no consensus yet. While some suggest dreams serve an important function in terms of our mental and physical well-being, some believe they have no purpose at all. 

January 31, 2021

Are you really OCD?

How many times have you seen a video on social media, with a person enthusiastically claiming they have OCD and then they proceeded to show you their perfectly organised pantry as a proof? There is a widespread public belief that having OCD simply means constant organising, cleaning or hand-washing. While those behaviours are commonly exhibited by people with OCD, there is a lot more to it than you might think. Such misconceptions can have many negative consequences and therefore it is very important to change the narrative surrounding OCD.