The Problem with Happiness Surveys: A Lesson in Race, Ethnicity, and Well-being
Many happiness surveys are too simple, and they can miss a crucial piece of the puzzle: culture. This post dives into a fascinating study that revealed how measuring well-being by "ethnicity" instead of just "race" completely changed the results, highlighting a major blind spot in psychological research.
How I Choose the Right Research Design for HRV Biofeedback
Research isn't one-size-fits-all. This post pulls back the curtain on my research process, explaining why some questions require flexible, open-ended inquiry while others demand rigid, quantitative data.
The Heavy Burden of Proof in Research
"A wise man apportions his beliefs to the evidence." This post explores the famous quotes from David Hume and Carl Sagan that define modern research. I discuss the necessity of data in quantitative studies and the challenge of proving "extraordinary claims."
The Turkey Problem: A Lesson in Trust, Betrayal, and Statistics
The turkey thought the farmer was his friend... until Christmas. This post explores Bertrand Russell's "Turkey Problem" as a metaphor for relationship betrayal. I ask whether the way we build trust makes us vulnerable to shock, and if changing our mindset could protect our hearts.
Why We Research in a World Without Guarantees
Does A cause B, or does B just happen after A?
This post dives into the philosophy of David Hume, exploring the "Problem of Induction" and why relying on the past to predict the future is logically circular—, and what that means for how we understand reality.
Searching for "The Truth" in a World of Many Truths
There is the "One Truth" of science, and the "Many Truths" of the human spirit. In this post, I discuss the tension between Realism and Relativism in research, and why I’m trying to build a bridge between objective data and subjective spiritual experience.
Handling "Countertransference" in Writing
Can you critique a paper that attacks your beliefs? This post explores the challenge of staying neutral in academic writing, and how I use my training as a therapist to keep my emotions from hijacking my work.
Why My Writing Process is "Long and Tedious" (But Works)
Confessions of a slow reader. I don't skim, and I don't take shortcuts. This is a look at my thorough, sometimes exhausting, but highly effective writing process.