TOP 9 MYTHS ABOUT POPULAR PSYCHOLOGY (SCIENCE) - PSYCHOLOGY - 2024

The myths of popular psychology are common, in fact there is much information that has been misunderstood and others that have been distorted. Sadly, that information is passed from one person to another and from generation to generation as if it were real.

Don't be ashamed if you believed one of them was true. Here are what, in my opinion, are the great myths of this science. I don't think I need to tell you that psychologists don't read our minds.

1-Subliminal advertising works

It is one of the great conspiracies of the television age: that advertisers launch subliminal messages, lasting for milliseconds, on our screens. Those messages would have the ability to alter the way you think, act and buy.

However, those ads don't work and your "subconscious" mind is safe. In many controlled laboratory investigations, subliminal messages have not affected purchasing choices or voting preferences.

In 1958, a Canadian network showed its viewers a subliminal message during Sunday's programming. They showed the words "call now." Phone company records examined their records and saw no increase in calls.

Although there is a dearth of evidence on subliminal advertising, attempts have continued. In 2000, a Republican ad directed at President Al Gore featured the word "rats."

2-Autism epidemic

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social isolation, poor development of verbal and non-verbal communication, and stereotyped movements.

In the 1990s, the prevalence of autism in the USA was 1 in 2500. In 2007 the percentage was 1 in 50. The rapid growth in diagnoses made many people believe that it was an epidemic.

However, it was a problem when diagnosing the disorder and it was not clear what conditions the patient had to meet to be autistic.

In recent years the diagnostic criteria have become simpler based on the last three DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

3-We only use 10% of our brain capacity

The brain is a "machine" that takes a lot of energy to maintain. In fact, it spends 20% of the calories burned despite only representing 2% of the body's weight.

It would be absurd to think that evolution has allowed that, despite spending so much, only 10% is used. Another different thing is that we are often distracted and we do not plan properly.

It seems that the myth dates back to the American psychologist William Jame, who proposed that the average person rarely takes advantage of more than 10% of their intellectual potential. The psychology gurus who have tried to sell their miraculous products have also done a lot of damage with which the other 90% will be used.

4-Listening to Mozart makes children smarter

In 1993 a study published in the journal Nature, stated that children who listened to Mozart increased their spatial reasoning skills. A new myth was born.

Since then millions of copies of Mozart CDs have been sold. Even the state of Georgia allowed each newborn to receive a free cassette.

However, other more recent studies have replicated the original study and have not obtained the same results, not even close.

Anything that increases arousal alertness will increase performance on demanding tasks, but is unlikely to have long-term effects on spatial skills or general intelligence.

4-Shock therapy is inhumane

Probably even reading this, many of you will believe that shock therapy should never be done and that it is wild. Watching television accounts for a large part of the time we spend in our lives and is involved in creating our reality.

Electroconvulsive therapy is still used today and it has come a long way since it was first used more than 50 years ago. Today, patients receiving ECT wear anesthesia, muscle relaxants, and even substances to prevent salivation.

There is no scientific consensus on why ECT works, although most studies show that it is effective for severe depression. In 1990 a study showed that 91% of people who received ECT lived it positively.

5-Different people attract

Although it works this way for electrical positive and negative charges, it is not the same for social relationships. If so, why do urban tribes exist? or why do you share hobbies with your best friends? This has been greatly influenced by TV and cinema.

Hundreds of studies have shown that people with similar tastes and personality traits are more attracted than people who are different.

6-Right and left hemisphere

"People who use the left hemisphere are more analytical and logical while people who use the right hemisphere are more creative and artistic." You've probably heard that many times even though the cerebral hemispheres don't work like that.

Certain brain regions are specialized in certain functions and tasks but there is no one part that predominates over the other. Both hemispheres are used almost equally.

The two hemispheres are much more alike than different in their functions.

7-Lie detectors are reliable

The reality is that no one, not even machines, can correctly assess whether a person is lying or not.

Lie detectors operate on the assumption that physiological signs reveal when people are not telling the truth. Polygraphs measure the electrical conductance of the skin, blood pressure, and respiration. When these signs are altered from a question, the operators interpret that a lie has been told.

However, these psychological reactions are not universal. What's more, you can learn to pass the polygraph test.

8-Dreams have a symbolic meaning

43% of people believe that dreams reflect unconscious wishes and that they represent hiding hidden truths. In reality dreams are still an enigma for science but they are not a magic ball to see the unconscious mind.

The most accepted theory is that dreams are a representation that our brain makes about the processing and categorization of information and experience, as a file ordering system.

9-Our memory is a recorder

About 36% of people believe that our brain stores past experiences as memory and this is not the case.

Memory does not allow reproduction, it does not perfectly duplicate what we have experienced, but rather reconstructs it. I could therefore fail and this is problematic, especially when we trust her so much.

10-Going to the psychologist is for crazy people

Going to the psychologist helps you improve your life and heal the suffering that arises from personal problems.

In fact, people who go to the psychologist are leaving their comfort zone and are interested in improving their lives. Going to the psychologist for anxiety, stress or depression is a normal activity, since they are psychological diseases as well as physical ones.