An open-access digital library of research-based information and reflections on psychology, wellness, and culture

Category: Fact

  • Autobiological Reasoning to Create a Life Story and Identity
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    Autobiological Reasoning to Create a Life Story and Identity

    We often think of our life story as a fixed library of facts, or a collection of things that “just happened” to us. But we are less of a librarian and more of an active editor. We all have that moment cringing towards memories. Or, something that once felt like a tragedy has somehow morphed into…

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  • Window of Tolerance: An Important Framework for Trauma-Informed Care
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    Window of Tolerance: An Important Framework for Trauma-Informed Care

    Have you felt like there’s an invisible line you can function within, and that you’d snap if pushed across it? And this line might be changing. Sometimes, you can manage to function under pressure, yet when chronic stress accumulates over a period of time, you become hypervigilant, and even small setbacks can feel overwhelming. You…

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  • Everyday Performance for Good Impression Is Not That Helpful
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    Everyday Performance for Good Impression Is Not That Helpful

    Impression management is a normal part of social life. But it is not that important when it comes to overall competence. Particularly, if it becomes excessive, impression management can turn into mental health issues.  Different Stages of Performance Much like a theater, how we present ourselves has metaphorically different stages. Social psychologist and sociologist Erving…

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  • Why Are Memories under Trauma Often Fragmented?
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    Why Are Memories under Trauma Often Fragmented?

    Trauma can shape not only what we remember, but also how we remember it. Unlike ordinary memories, which are usually stored as coherent narratives, traumatic memories often surface as fragmented, brief flashes of images, sounds, smells, or bodily sensations. Trauma Can Alter Brain Structure Sometimes, sudden flashes of fragmented memories can disrupt our ability to…

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  • Our Memories of Surprises are Better than the Expected
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    Our Memories of Surprises are Better than the Expected

    Most of our lives are recorded in “Standard Definition.” We remember the gist of our commute, the general flavor of our lunch, and the basic outline of our workday. To save energy, the brain operates as a prediction machine; it guesses what will happen next based on what happened yesterday. When those predictions are right,…

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