Most of us have no idea why we react certain ways or make specific decisions.
But five psychologists are up for the task of figuring out what it is that makes us human.
We recently compiled a list of 50 scientists doing amazing work around the world. Here are the psychologists whose work is redefining the way we look at what goes on inside our heads.
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Scott Barry Kaufman is redefining the way we measure human intelligence.
As humans we like to think of ourselves as the most intelligent animals on the planet. But how do you measure human intelligence? Traditionally, tests focus on how well we use logic. However, that's just one of many facets that describe intelligence, according to Scott Barry Kaufman, who is redefining the way we think of what being intelligent means with his dual-process theory of human intelligence.
Kaufman argues that a person's level of passion, persistence, and ability to set and meet personal goals are as equally important as logic and reasoning when it comes to measuring human intelligence. Kaufman has published five books on his theories about what defines human intelligence. He writes a regular column for Scientific American called Beautiful Minds and hosts The Psychology Podcast.
Kaufman is the scientific director of the Imagination Institute at the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center.
Sonja Lyubomirsky is teaching us how to be happy.
You are in control of about 40% of your own happiness, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky. The other 60% comes from a mixture of genetics and your environment.
Lyubomirsky is an expert on human happiness and author of the book "The How of Happiness," in which she explains science-backed ways humans can increase their happiness. In addition to exploring how to be happier, Lyubomirsky studies whether happiness is a good thing and what things make people most happy. So if you're feeling low, crack open her book. After a few pages you might just find a way to feel better.
Lyubomirsky is a professor of psychology at the University of California at Riverside.
Norman Doidge has developed a brand new field of science that revolutionizes the way we think about our brains.
If you’re looking for the next big thing in neuroscience, the best person to speak to is Norman Doidge, a physician, psychiatrist, and writer. Doidge pioneered a new field of science called neuroplasticity, wherein he says the human brain is capable of repairing itself from damage or injury much better than previously thought.
Doidge has written two New York Times best-sellers on his theory, “The Brain That Changes Itself” (2007) and “The Brain’s Way Of Healing” (2015) where he argues that the human brain can rewire itself — change the neuropathways by which it processes information — and thereby heal itself from learning disorders or even some of the physical consequences that result from a stroke. The way this rewiring works is through a series of mental exercises that target the impaired part of the brain. Through these incremental exercises that grow increasingly more difficult, the brain can change and heal.
Doidge is faculty member at the University of Toronto’s department of psychiatry.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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