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Think you know psychology? You’ve probably been misled.

A sweeping review led by psychologist Michael W. Eysenck calls out some of the biggest myths in modern psychology, many of which still show up in classrooms, pop books, and media headlines. From the overrated impact of parenting on personality to the shaky science behind brain training, the findings push for a serious rethink.

What Eysenck covers:

• 🧬 Genetics > parenting: DNA may play a larger role in shaping personality than how you were raised.

• ☹️ Mental illness ≠ just life events: Disorders usually arise from a complex mix of genes, environment, and social context.

• 🃏 Brain training is overhyped: Intelligence gains from apps are minimal, genetics again lead the charge.

Why it matters

This isn’t a sponsored plug, and the book isn’t free, but for £20, Rethinking Psychology might be the best myth-busting, bias-correcting, brain-refresh you’ll buy all year. 

Go get your copy here 👈.

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Why do we get “the ick”? 

A new study in Personality and Individual Differences dug into the psychology behind “the ick”, that sudden feeling of romantic repulsion that makes someone go from heart-eyes to hard pass, sometimes over something as trivial as a weird laugh or an awkward outfit.

Here’s what they found:

•  🧠 Disgust sensitivity: Some people are just wired to be more easily grossed out, which makes them more reactive to minor partner quirks.

• 👑 Narcissism: High scorers in narcissism were more likely to get the ick, especially when their partner didn’t meet their idealised standards.

• 📏 Other-oriented perfectionism: This was the strongest predictor. People with sky-high expectations of others were most likely to get the ick often and from a variety of behaviours.

Why it matters:
Before you dump someone over their sock-folding technique, take a beat. The ick might signal a true mismatch, but it could also reflect your own psychological wiring. Recognising that can help us avoid sabotaging a potentially great connection.

Read the full study here 👈

Karma: We bend the rules for ourselves

A new study finds that people tend to interpret karma through a self-serving lens. When something good happens to them, they chalk it up to karmic reward. But when something bad happens to someone else? They’re more likely to see it as well-deserved punishment.

Here’s what was found:

• 🌞 Self = good karma: Most people recalled positive karmic events in their own lives.

• 🌩 Others = bad karma: When asked about others, they focused on suffering and punishment.

• 🌏 Cultural variation: The effect was present globally, but weaker in Asian cultures like India and Singapore, where self-positivity bias is lower.

Why it matters:
Karma is a powerful psychological tool. We use it to feel better about our own lives and to make sense of others’ misfortunes. But if we’re not careful, it can reinforce judgmental thinking under the illusion of justice.

Read the full study here 👈

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See you in the next one,

Dan from Cognitive Crumbs